'All New Content' tab on find-new (new posts)

Alpha1

Well-known member
Currently new content can be found in tabs on find new. Each content type has a tab. Some addons have multiple content types. If you have a lot of addons you can easily have 15+ tabs that need to be clicked to discover all new content.

This of course is not intuitive nor effective.

Please add a 'New Content' tab that displays all items that have new content.
This way users could just browse one stream of new content, without the need to click on a mass of tabs.

I think its very important that such new content stream would have a neat orderly layout, as the diversity of content and its sizes can make the layout chaotic and confusing.
 
Upvote 41
Please add a 'New Content' tab that displays all items that have new content.
This way users could just browse one stream of new content, without the need to click on a mass of tabs.
Honestly, the XenForo "News Feed" filtered to just inserts actions is basically the same. But having this formalized would be great!
 
The difference lies between unread content and recent actions.

Recent activity shows likes, locations, websites, profile fields, avatars and other actions.
New Posts shows new content only.

Recent activity shows replies to the same thread.
New posts shows the thread that has unread content.

Recent activity shows the user all recent activity. Basically what is going on on the community.
New Posts shows the user what content has been posted that they have not yet read. Displayed in a way that avoids duplication. Formatted in a structured layout.
The purpose of these functions is different.

What I am requesting is an unread content function.
 
In reference to IPS (IPB I don't think allows it but I didn't run it long enough - just for a conversion), they allow custom "streams" to be created.
This is what you see (at least on my IPS site since I don't have Blogs or Pages active currently).
Screen Shot 2016-08-19 at 1.44.36 PM.webp

There was a lot of kicking and screaming where the admins didn't like it (they wanted the old way back), but I do like the fact you can create multiple streams specific to you.
 
Pretty sure it is.. like I said, I only kept it online long enough to do a 3.x->4.x upgrade with. Don't participate in any IPS sites other than their main forum.
 
The new-posts function is arguably the single most important function of XenForo. It has not been improved upon in the last 7 years.

There needs to be a function that includes all unread content so that users have one place to go to just like they use new-posts now.
The lack of such function is a real pain point that negatively affects activity in addons including the XF addons. Simply put it makes the difference between inactive or active addons.

This also relates to this suggestion:
https://xenforo.com/community/threads/extend-the-discussion-function-to-a-comment-handler.89395/
 
Last edited:
I believe this a big issue for XF to address, shouldn't wait until XF 2.1+, and needs to be incorporated into the XF 2.0 release before add-on authors get too deep into their re-writes and releases.

XF 2.0's primary aim is "feature parity with 1.x and improving developer efficiency.", eg. making it faster and easier for add-on developers to deliver quality functionality, re-use XF core capability/functionality, and tighter integration with XF core content. It is this last one - tighter functionality and equality with core content, in addition to developer efficiency, thats makes this a big issue.

Both XF 1 and XF 2's usage of different pages (made to look like tabs) for revealing new content to members and visitors, makes it difficult, unfriendly and promotes inequality in content types.

XF1 ...
Screen Shot 2017-05-30 at 20.51.23.webp

XF2 ...
Screen Shot 2017-05-30 at 20.47.52.webp

Conceptually and fundamentally they are still the same - new content separated and segregated into different pages. Content that's not on the default/starting page is less obvious, far less accessed (just check your stats/analytics), and thus un-equal in value to both members, visitors, and search engines.

Members have to firstly understand that the "What's New" default page is only for forum/profile posts content, that your other site "What's New" content is on different pages, and go clicking through them to see all the new content your site has to offer. Stats/Analytics show they just don't do this, or from a workflow perspective expect to have to do it when compared to other social/community media member generated content systems.

Here's my site's XF1 new content page ...
Screen Shot 2017-05-30 at 20.53.02.webp

... with additional content types coming from add-ons, the new content page quickly becomes busy and confusing. Members don't, and shouldn't have to, go clicking through 8 different pages to see all the new site content available to them. With XF 2 bringing increased developer efficiency, I foresee even more different content types making the "What's New" page even more onerous, confusing, and busy.

To get around XF's lack of revealing and consolidating new content in a central spot, quality add-on developers are creating and maintaining their own methods for highlighting new content to users, as shown here with the red numerics against the top-level navigation ...

Screen Shot 2017-05-30 at 21.05.09.webp

... and sub/next level add-on navigation and pages to highlight and reveal new content to members and visitors ...

Screen Shot 2017-05-30 at 21.06.32.webp

When I visit other social/community sites and systems with user generated content, they all consolidate and combine their "What's New" content stream into a single page/workflow. Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, LinkedIn, other Discussion Forum systems. They don't segregate content types onto different pages, requiring me to load multiple pages just to see all the new content the site has to offer for me to consume. Even outside of websites, Netflix and Spotify and Amazon TV for example, they give me all new/recommended content in a single page/stream without having to click/tap/load different pages/screens for different content types (genre).

Users and members just don't expect, or want, to have to click 8+ different pages to find the new content you have for them since they last visited.

Here's what another very popular community discussion system has to say about how they provide new content - "The New Content area shows an overview of all unread content from right across the community, with filters to customize what's shown. It's the perfect way for members to find fresh content." (bold emphasis added by me). And the filtering selection allows members to customise and define which content they want to see within their "What's New" page ...
Screen-Shot-2017-05-25-at-7.05.09-PM.webp


XF is already behind the curve with it's segregation, separation, and inequality of different content on it's "What's New" page when revealing and highlighting new site content to members and visitors, when compared to similar workflow from peers. XF 2.0 really needs to address this as a priority.

Some might try to argue that Recent Activity (XF1) and Latest Activity (XF2) are pages that consolidate and combine all content into a single view/page, but they and "What's New" content are not the same. The Recent/Latest Activity shows all content (eg. every recent post in thread, not just that it has a new post and may have more after it) as well as user actions (eg. changed avatar or homepage - not new content). Check your stats/analytics and you'll see that Recent Activity is so very rarely used, and is really only good for highlighting and promoting spammers. Eg ....
Screen Shot 2017-05-28 at 01.15.05.webp


Some may also argue that combining and consolidating all new content into a single view/page would make it far too busy and difficult for users to utilise. Aside from other social media/community sites not having this issue, smart UX through filtering and customisation options make it a simple challenge to address, whilst also allowing for admins to set applicable defaults for their sites/niche audience, and give power users the ability to set their own.


TL ; DR ....

Please Xenforo, in 2.0, address the issue of poorly implemented and long overdue revamp of "What's New" to ensure equality and consolidation in revealing and highlighting new site content to members and visitors. "Lipstick on a pig" I do not think is too harsh when comparing XF1 and XF2's (current developer demo) display of new site content to members and visitors. It needs a rethink (not much - just 'steal' what everyone else is doing) and revamp for 2.0, even if it means extending XF2's release delivery timeframe by a month or three. /find-new/ is within the top 5 pages for just about every XF site, and cannot be left to continue to de-value and hide content from add-on's.


</xen:climbs_off_soapbox> :)
 
I have 13 tabs on find-new. According to Google Analytics almost no one clicks it.
85% of my users are on mobile. Which means that most of the tabs are not visible in the XF2 carousel interface.

A good example of how this affects activity:
Our resources with 10,000 files went completely dead after we migrated to XFRM. Only when I recently turned on thread discussions, activity is on the rise again.
XFMG comments went from 600 per month to 130. It barely has activity, which is why our members try to post media in threads.
The same thing will happen with any addon that does not have threads, but comments.

Members just do not see the new content. Its very similar to why vbulletin social groups failed. It needs to come up in new posts or it will not get a lot of activity.

Recent activity is available to users who can see member list/profiles. As you will understand we need to turn this off for guests. Which means that guests (approximately 3.5 million people per month on my site) have no access to recent activity. To see new content they need to click dozens of find-new links, which according to Google Analytics practically no one does.

Even then:
  • Recent-activity does not show unread content to members.
  • It does not give a clear overview as the page can be completely filled with posts to the same content.
  • It displays trivial events irrelevant to new content.
The purpose is very different.
 
Honestly, the XenForo "News Feed" filtered to just inserts actions is basically the same. But having this formalized would be great!
The XF2 "Your news feed"? I can't see the point of it, and believe its likely to get even less usage or value than the Latest Activity page.
All it will show me is the content and activity generated by people I specifically follow ...

Screen Shot 2017-05-31 at 00.33.55.webp

I'd doubt any XF community has more than 5% of it's membership using the member follow functionality.

Content is king! Lets not hide it, devalue it, make it difficult and unfriendly to find. At least, not any more ....
 
I strongly second the request for a "wallpaper" like "What's new" page. Even the XF search function does offer something similar, combining new posts and new media together.

Since I won't upgrade to XF2 within a year or so I am looking for a solution by an add-on for XF1.
Wouldn't it be possible to at least display all object type (every tab) on one page with Ajax loading every time one scrolls down to the next object type (tab)? That way one could scroll down through all new content without stressing the servers too much. Although the new content wouldn't be mixed chronologically, at least the visitors would find it easily while scrolling downwards.

Is such a way possible? Just put all the tabs one by one on one page and load the content one after the other.
Is there already such an add-on? Would we find a developer to implement it in a reasonable timeframe? I would be willing to share in the invest.
 
The advanced search is "already" able to search all content types and display them all together.

Example:
https://xenforo.com/community/search/1/?q=Article+Management+System&o=date
As you can see there are images from XFMG, Resources, Resource Updates, Posts, Profile Posts

It's even possible (with Xenforo Enhanced Search) to use it without a keyword if you enter "" in the search box:
https://xenforo.com/community/search/1/?q=""&o=date

To become the "All New Content" asked in the OP it lacks the possibility to easily filter results "live" through default fields (date, likes count), custom fields, tags, nodes etc.
 
The advanced search is "already" able to search all content types and display them all together.

Example:
https://xenforo.com/community/search/1/?q=Article+Management+System&o=date
As you can see there are images from XFMG, Resources, Resource Updates, Posts, Profile Posts

It's even possible (with Xenforo Enhanced Search) to use it without a keyword if you enter "" in the search box:
https://xenforo.com/community/search/1/?q=""&o=date

To become the "All New Content" asked in the OP it lacks the possibility to easily filter results "live" through default fields (date, likes count), custom fields, tags, nodes etc.
This would be great.
 
It's even possible (with Xenforo Enhanced Search) to use it without a keyword if you enter "" in the search box:
https://xenforo.com/community/search/1/?q=""&o=date
To become the "All New Content" asked in the OP it lacks the possibility to easily filter results "live" through default fields (date, likes count), custom fields, tags, nodes etc.
Yes, the basis/framework is there to support the consolidation and equality of all content types.
We just need proper presentation and workflow for it to be able to be used as a 'What's New" page.
 
Top Bottom