Areas that xenForo is lacking in

[yoghurtfarmer]

So with all the wonderful features and innovation this software brings, what are some features that you find missing/lacking?

Let's keep this discussion related to the core forum product, so no CMS/Gallery/Blogs or features that are more suitable to add-ons such as chat.

My list:

1. XML Sitemap of threads for use in Google Webmaster Tools
2. Search within thread
3. More detailed forum statistics/analytics

Though I'm aware that this thread will be more suitable after the Beta release but it doesn't hurt to begin discussions anyway.

 

[matthewalan]

As of now, XF is a new candy that everyone wants (I'm not one of them) but once you get it, you will start seeing ALL shortcomings.

That's an opinion. There are many of us here that have been members of this site for a while, including me. I've been a member almost 2 months now, and I absolutely love the software.

It might not have everything, but for that I'm glad. I usually feel that forum software is packed to the top with many useless features and I don't want all that. Since I've been a member here, I've been many areas where not even VB or IPB compete with XF. The guys making it know what they are doing and I trust their judgement on what they think belongs and doesn't belong.

. The only thing I'm saying is that I see a lot of people just blindly jump on the band wagon (Im sure they are frustrated with vB and want to move) but I'm sure some are setup for a disappointment of features once they buy it. I would buy it and gladly move from vB (I too have frustrations with it) but at current state XF is just too "flat" in features and can't even match some of the forum software that are on the lowest level of a food chain.

I'm sure some people might be jumping on the bandwagon, but that's not the case for many. Like I said, some of us have been here for a while and many of us love the software! And the only reason there is a bandwagon in the first place is because it's good software. It's like a sports team, you don't "jump on the bandwagon" because they suck, you jump on when the team is doing good. And XF definitely competes with the lowest level of the food chain, there is no doubt about that.

 

[Ryan]

Yes, there is...it's not a multiquote button but even VB didn't have that til rather late in the game, version 3.6 I think I would have to go check my software to verify it. Anyway, just hit the replies you want to quote...all of them.

It's lacking in a lot of ways. Read this thread to understand why.

Also, just because vB didn't have it until 3.6 means nothing. XF is, and should be, on a different timeline because it's playing catch-up in a big way. Surely you're not saying it's okay for it to take 5+ years for XF to implement true multiquoting because that's how long it took vB

 

[Shamil]

It's lacking in a lot of ways. Read this thread to understand why.

Also, just because vB didn't have it until 3.6 means nothing. XF is, and should be, on a different timeline because it's playing catch-up in a big way. Surely you're not saying it's okay for it to take 5+ years for XF to implement true multiquoting because that's how long it took vB

But it exists, and it works. If you mean quoting across threads, then that's a different kettle of fish. It's currently buggy in vBulletin, due to cookie issues and isn't something I'd like to deal with.

 

[Ryan]

But it exists, and it works.

Ehm, if you're happy with how it works now, then that's good for you...but 90% of people who have used true multiquoting in forums before will not be happy with how it works, I promise

 

[erich37]

please elaborate on how you come up with the number of 90%

 

[Shamil]

Ehm, if you're happy with how it works now, then that's good for you...but 90% of people who have used true multiquoting in forums before will not be happy with how it works, I promise

My development team, and forum users disagree with you.

 

[Ryan]

please elaborate on how you come up with the number of 90%

I saw it floating through the sky and yanked it down

 

[Lycaon]

Ehm, if you're happy with how it works now, then that's good for you...but 90% of people who have used true multiquoting in forums before will not be happy with how it works, I promise

Not for you to say really is it.

Just because you're unhappy with it doesn't mean everyone will be.

 

[dutchbb]

Ehm, if you're happy with how it works now, then that's good for you...but 90% of people who have used true multiquoting in forums before will not be happy with how it works, I promise

Multiquote isn't that essential/needed among users. I happen to run a big board and we once disabled MQ for a while. You want to know how many members of at that time 50,000 complained about it? One.

 

[Ryan]

Funny you guys say that nobody cares about it and everybody likes how it works now, because if you go to the original thread where it was introduced, almost everybody (Kier included!) felt that it had shortcomings. And no, I did not pull that almost everybody "number" out of the sky. That one is fact

My how the times have changed.

shyguy, you will soon learn not to claim that XF falls short of anything anywhere in the XF forums, because you will get swarmed quickly...Happened to me many times here. If you want to talk to level-headed people, venture into other forums. There are lots of admin forums where people talk open and honest about XF without being blinded by the light. This forum is not welcoming to criticism.

 

[erich37]

take it, change it, or leave it.

 

[Lycaon]

Funny you guys say that nobody cares about it and everybody likes how it works now.

I must need glasses, I can't see where it's been said here that nobody cares about it, only that a lot of us have no problem with it.

If you want to talk to level-headed people.

Actually most people here are level-headed, of course there are a few who aren't though, like those who post random figures as if they're fact.

 

[Shamil]

No one is saying that there aren't any shortcomings. In fact, the opposite - evident by the suggestion forum. I personally feel that the software is stable, but, there are things which can be improved, and I don't like the way some things are done, but I'm dealing with it.

 

[shyguy82]

I don´t even want them to include all that bloat.
If you want a kitchen-sink, there is other software out there.

It is THIS mentality that grows fights on the internet (if you can call it that). This is the most subjective and non-constructive answer you can possibly get.

Guys I really don't want to get into a debate of "how great XF will become" I have no doubt at some point it might/will. But my users ARE using ALL those features I pointed out NOW and I still get rants from them about features missing in vB4. It is NOT just my opinion, it's a fact coming from my users's base (like I said before I have 160k of them). Granted not all complain but a huge number does.

My development team, and forum users disagree with you.

Shamil, your developers?? Not everyone is the same. We can be bias to one software or another but I'm trying to be completely objective and since this thread is titled: What XF is lacking, I'm just simply voicing my opinion.

 

[shyguy82]

That's an opinion. There are many of us here that have been members of this site for a while, including me. I've been a member almost 2 months now, and I absolutely love the software.

It might not have everything, but for that I'm glad. I usually feel that forum software is packed to the top with many useless features and I don't want all that. Since I've been a member here, I've been many areas where not even VB or IPB compete with XF. The guys making it know what they are doing and I trust their judgement on what they think belongs and doesn't belong.



I'm sure some people might be jumping on the bandwagon, but that's not the case for many. Like I said, some of us have been here for a while and many of us love the software! And the only reason there is a bandwagon in the first place is because it's good software. It's like a sports team, you don't "jump on the bandwagon" because they suck, you jump on when the team is doing good. And XF definitely competes with the lowest level of the food chain, there is no doubt about that.

I'm not saying that I don't LIKE XF, it is just simply too "stripped down"

 

[Elizabeth]

But my users ARE using ALL those features I pointed out NOW and I still get rants from them about features missing in vB4. It is NOT just my opinion, it's a fact coming from my users's base (like I said before I have 160k of them). Granted not all complain but a huge number does.

Sounds to me if the decision is made then. XenForo as it stands right now, is not for you. It may become what you need later on down the road and you can revisit that decision later but unless you just want to have a copy to test, then purchasing the beta sounds like it's not your "cup of tea" at this time.

 

[feldon30]

As of now, XF is a new candy that everyone wants (I'm not one of them)

I'm glad you said that, cause I was really unclear on where you stood until that point.

IPB just added a Plugin system, but given their general approach to the public and third parties, I doubt that IPB will ever become a truly extendible platform. IPB seem to be taking the approach of delivering the complete package from CMS to Blog to Gallery. A closed system.

IB totally screwed up with vBulletin 4 and, unintentionally delivered another closed system because it's extremely difficult to style and no easier to write plugins for than vB3.

All the other forum software out there is not a serious contender.

The point of XenForo is not to compete feature-for-feature with vB, IPB, or other forum software. The point is, is this a stable platform upon which to build your website? Wordpress is not the best, most powerful blog software out there. But it is the easiest to customize, easiest to write plugins for, and easiest to create styles for. They didn't win by being the best Blog. They won by being the most useful blog. And that is what XF is going for.

I realize some people are only willing to compare a list of features on a checklist, but realize that that is how the vB4 project was managed -- to meet deadlines and tick off a predefined list of items on a checklist, but with no vision of how forum software is actually used or should be developed. If you don't see the difference in this philosophy, then you won't "get" the idea of XF. But thousands of us do.

 

[shyguy82]

The point of XenForo is not to compete feature-for-feature with vB, IPB, or other forum software. The point is, is this a stable platform upon which to build your website? Wordpress is not the best, most powerful blog software out there. But it is the easiest to customize, easiest to write plugins for, and easiest to create styles for. They didn't win by being the best Blog. They won by being the most useful blog. And that is what XF is going for.

I realize some people are only willing to compare a list of features on a checklist, but realize that that is how vB4 was developed, to meet deadlines and meet a predefined list of items on a checklist, but with no vision of how forum software is used or should be developed. If you don't see the difference in this philosophy, then you won't "get" the idea of XF. But thousands of us do.

That is the thing XF is NOT a website, has it been at least a bridge (if you can label it) between other CMS systems then it will be a SITE, other than that, its just a forum with it's OWN user base.

 

[Mark3121]

This is the most subjective and non-constructive answer you can possibly get.

And where is your contructive posts apart from the "woo-woo, preach it!"?

So it has not got page over multi-quote in the beta, hardly a big deal is it? I can think of maybe twice this year I've used that feature on vb....

What other features are you alluding too that is missing in this forum software?

 

[shyguy82]

Sounds to me if the decision is made then. XenForo as it stands right now, is not for you. It may become what you need later on down the road and you can revisit that decision later but unless you just want to have a copy to test, then purchasing the beta sounds like it's not your "cup of tea" at this time.

Elizabeth, you summed it up better than I could have