Customizable User Profiles

[Grover]

Well, well... 'coincidentally' (yes, it's speculation from my part), Internet Brands announced today (right after xenForo presented itself to the world) that Customizable User Profiles have returned to vBulletin. Yes... returned, because Internet Brands decided to completely delete this function from their first alpha release, which they appalingly labbeled 'Gold' at the end of 2009 and let customers pay a premium price for. Making vBulletin unusable for 8 months for people who were actively providing/using Customized Profiles on their vB platforms.

I was wondering: will xenForo provide something like this? I know from experience with the largest Dutch social network (Ning a-like) that a function like that will certainly attract visitors (mostly the younger ones). Personalization is in my view a high priority for any social platform out there.

See also additional notes here: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-customizable-user-profiles.306/page-4#post-488173

Please do [like] this first posting if you think it is a good feature suggestion for XenForo

 

[Peggy]

I absolutely love profile styling - colours - moving blocks about - disabling or enabling stuff.
One of my forums is younger user4s and I know they love it. It's a big reason I stayed with vb3.8.
I especially like draggable blocks and a demo graphic I can clicfk to change colours and see how it looks rather than BLOODY css.

If this is done, I'm not too sure that you'll be able to drag blocks around. It would be mostly changing colors, background, etc.

 

[Shanj]

If this is done, I'm not too sure that you'll be able to drag blocks around. It would be mostly changing colors, background, etc.

Peggy colours and backgrounds is the primtry thing.
Maybe later a mod could do dragging blocks.
Thank you.

 

[TriPHP]

Sorry but --1000 for this idea.

 

[Floris]

Not sure what was wrong with my post, but it's no longer in this thread. I think that a solution for a lot of board owners is to consider adding a custom field where users can upload their .css in to and using the template condition they can have it included in front of </head> in the template.

I really like the idea of draggable boxes, so you can personalize your social profile a bit more.

 

[Mike]

Not sure what was wrong with my post, but it's no longer in this thread. I think that a solution for a lot of board owners is to consider adding a custom field where users can upload their .css in to and using the template condition they can have it included in front of </head> in the template.

I really like the idea of draggable boxes, so you can personalize your social profile a bit more.

Allowing arbitrary CSS is a potential security issue (doesn't really go into detail, but: http://www.owasp.org/index.php/XSS_...ntrusted_Data_into_HTML_Style_Property_Values)

 

[Floris]

*reads* .. *learns*

 

[Kim]

I know people like the idea, I like the *idea* of offering members some "ownership" of their profile too, but frankly the interpretations I have seen of this concept leave a lot to be desired.

The profile page on another software package I am very familar with is ugly as sin as it is, then you get members adding crap images behind it >_< argh!

If it was actually something well designed, and allowed them to change colours much like the Twitter one, I would be all for it, otherwise, meh thumbs down from this reviewer

 

[Grover]

The profile page on another software package I am very familar with is ugly as sin as it is, then you get members adding crap images behind it >_< argh!

Yes, that is exactly why I like this implementation http://xenforo.com/community/thread...iles.306/#post-35878 very much. Perfect balance.

 

[Kim]

Yes, that is exactly why I like this implementation http://xenforo.com/community/thread...iles.306/#post-35878 very much. Perfect balance.

I like Matt, a lot, I like the photo he chose for the background of his profile... but there is nothing else on that page I like, I think it is ugly. He also happens to have chosen a background image that tones well with the blues of the base skin.. I have seen a lot more that don't... without going into details ... I can assure you this rarely looks good on the IPB default skin, and I have said as much at IPB.

Now, if the layout was less blocky, and less blue, and you had the ability to change the colours of the content background and text to match your cool photo then it could be a cool feature, just like it is on Twitter, even though they actually don't offer a huge amount of choice, it is enough.

 

[Paul B]

Yes, that is exactly why I like this implementation http://xenforo.com/community/thread...iles.306/#post-35878 very much. Perfect balance.

Has this bug of quoting URLs been posted about?

Edit: Yes it has http://xenforo.com/community/threads/quoting-message-with-url-issue.2141/ and http://xenforo.com/community/threads/duplicate-quoted-urls-lose-part-of-url-and-stop-working.2708/

 

[Grover]

I like Matt, a lot, I like the photo he chose for the background of his profile... but there is nothing else on that page I like, I think it is ugly. He also happens to have chosen a background image that tones well with the blues of the base skin.. I have seen a lot more that don't... without going into details ... I can assure you this rarely looks good on the IPB default skin, and I have said as much at IPB.

Thanks for pointing this out. I don't know much about IPB and I never saw another IPB customized profile, except -by coincidence- this one. And this one I really like. But if you say that with other backgrounds it still can look ugly as h*ll, you are probably right. I can imagine it. But, this is an issue you can never prevent really... people choose what they want. Still, I do like the balance there very much... just a background picture and the UI elements still look the same on every single member profile. This was my most important point I tried to make.

 

[Kim]

Thanks for pointing this out. I don't know much about IPB and I never saw another IPB customized profile, except -by coincidence- this one. And this one I really like. But if you say that with other backgrounds it still can look ugly as h*ll, you are probably right. I can imagine it. But, this is an issue you can never prevent really... people choose what they want. Still, I do like the balance there very much... just a background picture and the UI elements still look the same on every single member profile. This was my most important point I tried to make.

The profile page here is really neat, I can't see that being improved by offering people the ability to add a background image... In order to do that, you have to bring the content area in to fixed width of 980 or less and then you really start to squash up the actual content, and you have to add a level of transparency so they can then see thier pretty pic, it really doesn't look that great tbh.

Whilst I agree the one you linked is not bad, I have seen so many that are just cringeworthy.

I think this is an all or nothing kind of job, you either allow full customization or forget it, as a half baked measure is worse imho, I would love to see full customization of profiles, but not at the expense of speed of getting the product out..

Perhaps in a later version if the Devs feel it is warranted? Perhaps a quality paid for Mod?

 

[Shanj]

Whilst I agree the one you linked is not bad, I have seen so many that are just cringeworthy.

I share the cringing as I'm a sensitive designer. But I think that it's also important for our USERS to make what they are happy with.
On one board where custom profiles were introduced several sensible users recognised me as a good designer and asked me to help[ them with theirs. But where a user doesn't ask a helpful type to help, if THEY like what they've done that's the aim surely? they're not doing a beauty contest for our benefit (admins).

not at the expense of speed of getting the product out...... Perhaps a quality paid for Mod?

Lovely idea. Though there will b e so many who like this my guess it'll not be a paid mod. If one or two mods appear there'll be a fun culture of profile fest. Which may not delight those of refined feelings but will c reate much pleasure.

 

[Kim]

Shanj, I have no problem with people being able to express themselves through thier profiles, I just wish it to be a full customisation that they have available to them, not the half hearted offerings that have been seen before

I share the cringing as I'm a sensitive designer. But I think that it's also important for our USERS to make what they are happy with.
On one board where custom profiles were introduced several sensible users recognised me as a good designer and asked me to help[ them with theirs. But where a user doesn't ask a helpful type to help, if THEY like what they've done that's the aim surely? they're not doing a beauty contest for our benefit (admins).



Lovely idea. Though there will b e so many who like this my guess it'll not be a paid mod. If one or two mods appear there'll be a fun culture of profile fest. Which may not delight those of refined feelings but will c reate much pleasure.

 

[Markos]

I don't like the IPS Profile...it's confused, i don't like the scrollbar for the status, can create problems with certain skins/resolutions..

 

[Grover]

I don't like the IPS Profile...it's confused, i don't like the scrollbar for the status, can create problems with certain skins/resolutions..

Okay, but this is not the point. I also do not like Invisions UI at all. That's the reason why I never saw it as a serious alternative to the excellent vB3.8.

 

[dieketzer]

why care if a member has a garish profile page? what are you, their mum?
i can remember these same exact arguments being used against the idea of editors and advanced bb code. 'oh but people will use colours and sizes and make my board ugly'...

seriously, just give at minimum traditional custom profiles. if users have ugly taste, so be it. i really couldnt care less if somebody wants to showcase bad taste for all that view their profile. i prefer to give them as much free reign to express themselves as i possibly can. some profiles will be ugly, some will be gorgeous. and at the end of the day why should i care? let them have fun. not everyone really cares to micromanage every aspect of their users.

 

[Grover]

why care if a member has a garish profile page? what are you, their mum?
i can remember these same exact arguments being used against the idea of editors and advanced bb code. 'oh but people will use colours and sizes and make my board ugly'...

To be frank, there is a BIG difference between a user's profile and the public forum. If a users decided to 'destroy' the pleasure of visiting their profile by making it as ugly/screaming as possible, then indeed... why care? It is only their profile. And.... we have always a button [show this profile in default layout] or something like that. So, there IS no problem.

But... when users decide to destroy the usability/easy of reading of my public forums, by posting their text in deep pink and size 9 capital fonts, let me tell you there IS a problem then. By using a public forum like that, they make it impossible for my other members to have a pleasant forum reading/browsing experience. I will not allow that to happen. It's a BIG (and obvious) difference.

 

[Forsaken]

why care if a member has a garish profile page? what are you, their mum?
i can remember these same exact arguments being used against the idea of editors and advanced bb code. 'oh but people will use colours and sizes and make my board ugly'...

seriously, just give at minimum traditional custom profiles. if users have ugly taste, so be it. i really couldnt care less if somebody wants to showcase bad taste for all that view their profile. i prefer to give them as much free reign to express themselves as i possibly can. some profiles will be ugly, some will be gorgeous. and at the end of the day why should i care? let them have fun. not everyone really cares to micromanage every aspect of their users.

Because the majority of us don't want everything and the kitchen sink added; it'll just slow down the software.

If it were to be added, we'd want an implementation that wasn't grossly disappointing, like so many features on other platforms have been. 

 

[Kim]

Because the majority of us don't want everything and the kitchen sink added; it'll just slow down the software.

If it were to be added, we'd want an implementation that wasn't grossly disappointing, like so many features on other platforms have been.

Thanks Forsaken, that is precisely what I have been fumbling around trying to say