Rant: I hate the Forum Home, it sucks.
- Thread starter Digital Doctor
- Start date
Alien
Well-known member
More fantasizing.. 
Trending topics that flip/scroll, an admin-specified news forum that can layout the data on the tile in a more news-like way (like the CNN Windows 8 live tile, etc.)
A Conversations inbox tile, that displays your last 3 conversation topics if you have nothing new, and a preview of a brand new conversation if you do...
Trending topics that flip/scroll, an admin-specified news forum that can layout the data on the tile in a more news-like way (like the CNN Windows 8 live tile, etc.)
A Conversations inbox tile, that displays your last 3 conversation topics if you have nothing new, and a preview of a brand new conversation if you do...
jmurrayhead
Well-known member
This is somewhat in line with what I was talking about. Last Post information isn't very useful for busy forums. That data will be constantly changing. But, for news/announcement-like forums, it's perfect, because that isn't likely to change very often within minutes.More fantasizing..
Trending topics that flip/scroll, an admin-specified news forum that can layout the data on the tile in a more news-like way (like the CNN Windows 8 live tile, etc.)
A Conversations inbox tile, that displays your last 3 conversation topics if you have nothing new, and a preview of a brand new conversation if you do...
Shelley
Well-known member
Now I hear @Brogan has started to build addons. I'm betting he could throw up something that would allow elements from the admincp if selected would appear in the tiles (containers) based on preference. @Brogan?
I did respond to you and said that was my opinion previously posted by examples why I didn't like it so if this eludes you then I guess we're both in denial. If your focusing on the "horsepile" reference and dismissing the atleast 5-6 references from the screenshots I posted it's not in my power to make you notice that. I think this is a case of agree to disagree.
jmurrayhead
Well-known member
All I got from your screen shots is that you don't like big things, which really surprises me. *giggity*. However, I appreciate the "padding mayhem" because it's easier on my eyes and probably many others whose eyesight isn't what it used to be. I've been saying the whole time that this is a case of "agree to disagree": different people - different tastes. I'll tell you what, put your constructive criticism to good use and tell the folks at NodeBB what you think. I'm sure they'll appreciate some thoughts on how to make their software better.
Shelley
Well-known member
I did say many posts back about it being an opinion and further back still with screenshots (which are constructive depending how you view them) if you look at them. I even posted a site that utilizes tiles more efficiently. I even went onto say that xenforo minimizes many elements from forumhome and kept in key elements. I even put forth that I use the last poster area often.
As for telling the folks at PaddingBB what I think and post suggestions, no. I post my critcal type thoughts and posts at software forums I use and like = xenforo. Plus tbh I can't be bothered registering at their forum but If I did register, thought about using their software for a project, I would.
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jmurrayhead
Well-known member
I never doubted that it was your opinion.
I acknowledged that and replied with my opinion which was that it was still a bit too noisy for my tastes, but a good style nonetheless.
Yes, they did. It is very minimalistic compared to software like IPB, vBulletin, and phpbb.
Again, I'm not saying you don't. I asked because it was relevant to the conversation we were having. I refuted the necessity of it because you get that information represented much better from "New Posts". XenForo changed the way I use forums. I used to use the last post area and thread listing on sites because previous implementations of "new posts" was so horrible and cluttered that it was difficult to read. When XenForo came along, that all changed.
Fair enough.
Sheldon
Well-known member
Post of the century.
barisusakli
New member
Hi everyone, I am one of the developers at NodeBB I dropped by to say that we read and appreciate all feedback.
psychobunny
New member
haha wow! kind of amazed how polarized opinions can be about our forum design.
psychobunny here, developer at NodeBB (aka paddingBB). We haven't officially launched our forum yet - very much in its infancy. Thanks so much for the tips and suggestions.
Currently the home page has the ability to request the API for last post information, which a theme developer could potentially use in their layout. There is a theme in the works that comes closer to the traditional forum style, with last post teaser text & author info and such.
Other than that, I would probably have to agree with our shortcomings and areas to improve. Hope to take some major steps forward in the coming weeks and resolve as much as we can. The platform is totally free and open source; we are always improving every day with help from the community.
p.s. I should come out and say that no doubt in my mind that Xenforo IS the forum software that we should be currently proud to use. But it doesn't mean that this is where innovation ends. Cheers
psychobunny here, developer at NodeBB (aka paddingBB). We haven't officially launched our forum yet - very much in its infancy. Thanks so much for the tips and suggestions.
Currently the home page has the ability to request the API for last post information, which a theme developer could potentially use in their layout. There is a theme in the works that comes closer to the traditional forum style, with last post teaser text & author info and such.
Other than that, I would probably have to agree with our shortcomings and areas to improve. Hope to take some major steps forward in the coming weeks and resolve as much as we can. The platform is totally free and open source; we are always improving every day with help from the community.
p.s. I should come out and say that no doubt in my mind that Xenforo IS the forum software that we should be currently proud to use. But it doesn't mean that this is where innovation ends. Cheers
ibaker
Well-known member
The average age of users on my site is just over 50 so if I started using a page like the latest windows 8 or Minerz Metro my site usage would drop to nearly nothing...they already picked on me for updating XF to 1.2 saying it was just change for change sake...so please when discussing this great subject spare a thought for the older generation who grew up in the mindset that "more is always more"
Alien
Well-known member
Fixed.I'm sure XF 1.3: Geriatric Edition will not fail to impress.
Don't forget our eyesight isn't as good as it once was
julianlam
New member
It's always a struggle to really answer the question "what do users want", since user needs and wants differ so greatly between demographics.
However, in my opinion, one thing has always been constant, and that is that forums are not going anywhere. I've been approached numerous times in the past saying that "forums are dead", and that newer alternatives have taken over a dying industry, but this simply isn't the case!
To me, it's more a matter of the "forum" having been a near-perfected means of communication since its introduction with early BBSes. So I am not trying to disrupt my users' expectations of what a forum should be, but attempting to cater to their expectations of what a forum is, and enhance it in a way that doesn't feel like a tacked on extension or plugin. To provide a seamless well-integrated environment that is a joy to use anywhere.
Edit: Also, a forum that's idiot proof is good. I F5'd halfway through the post. Was nice to see a draft was automatically saved.
Edit 2: I'm going to start calling NodeBB PaddingBB in casual conversation. That's hilarious.
However, in my opinion, one thing has always been constant, and that is that forums are not going anywhere. I've been approached numerous times in the past saying that "forums are dead", and that newer alternatives have taken over a dying industry, but this simply isn't the case!
To me, it's more a matter of the "forum" having been a near-perfected means of communication since its introduction with early BBSes. So I am not trying to disrupt my users' expectations of what a forum should be, but attempting to cater to their expectations of what a forum is, and enhance it in a way that doesn't feel like a tacked on extension or plugin. To provide a seamless well-integrated environment that is a joy to use anywhere.
Edit: Also, a forum that's idiot proof is good. I F5'd halfway through the post. Was nice to see a draft was automatically saved.
Edit 2: I'm going to start calling NodeBB PaddingBB in casual conversation. That's hilarious.
jmurrayhead
Well-known member
Funny guy.Fixed.
Don't forget our eyesight isn't as good as it once was
Shelley
Well-known member
Hi Julian, Good to see you see the humour in that but that is my domain (pending that it's still available).
haha wow! kind of amazed how polarized opinions can be about our forum design.
psychobunny here, developer at NodeBB (aka paddingBB). We haven't officially launched our forum yet - very much in its infancy. Thanks so much for the tips and suggestions.
Currently the home page has the ability to request the API for last post information, which a theme developer could potentially use in their layout. There is a theme in the works that comes closer to the traditional forum style, with last post teaser text & author info and such.
Other than that, I would probably have to agree with our shortcomings and areas to improve. Hope to take some major steps forward in the coming weeks and resolve as much as we can. The platform is totally free and open source; we are always improving every day with help from the community.
p.s. I should come out and say that no doubt in my mind that Xenforo IS the forum software that we should be currently proud to use. But it doesn't mean that this is where innovation ends. Cheers
It's certainly good to hear that the last post data can be pulled and included but (just my opinion) it's easy to minimize, not to include elements. The difficult part is to implement key elements and keep that minimalism intact so perhaps it's something the devs at your site can look into more. Personally, I'm not a big fan of the tiled/column thing but my thoughts are just that, just an opinion from a person that has looked at your forum home for 5 minutes. I'm not saying you should keep to the traditional look but in it's current state my opinion is really based on lack of key info (revert to previous posts) things are way too big, wasted space etc and so forth (I won't repeat).
I agree innovation never ends. And I think you'll agree that you will never make everyone happy, nor should you try.
Room for improvement? definitely.
This is awkward.
Welcome to Xenforo.
psychobunny
New member
This is awkward.
rofl yeah we just signed up to troll you back. where's the downvote button damnit!
@julianlam I'm bringing my shotgun to work on Monday, lets see if you try to make fun of mah paddings
also to be fair we're open source so we've been relying on grants from the Geriatric Association of Canada. I hear that on their 800x600 monitors the huge icons are very easy to click.
Shelley
Well-known member
rofl yeah we just signed up to troll you back. where's the downvote button damnit!
@julianlam I'm bringing my shotgun to work on Monday, lets see if you try to make fun of mah paddings
also to be fair we're open source so we've been relying on grants from the Geriatric Association of Canada. I hear that on their 800x600 monitors the huge icons are very easy to click.
I hear the astronauts on the the ISS when listing man made objects they can see from space PaddingBB was one in the list.Honestly, I'm using a resolution of 1900px x 1080 and whilst browsing paddingBB it feels I'm back in time using 800 x 600
1. great wall of china
2. paddingBB category's
3. PaddingBB forum statistics
4. paddingBB forum (icons)
Jokery aside though. Who was the brown-noser that ran to your forum and told you about my post?
Seriously though, you came here and took the comments well so I'll leave that with a goodluck for the future and look forward in seeing any improvements you make to your software.
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
Even a 2 column layout is better than most forum homes.