Facebook paradigm in XenForo

Tigratrus

Well-known member
I've spent a lot of time thinking about Facebook's activity stream, and why it's so engaging.
I think that trying to replicate such a system in XF based on "Following" people, as it's currently working, is less effective than it could be.

I suggest that instead the Admin have the ability to specify a "Like" threshold. Once a member (A) has liked that many items of content (posts, blog entries, gallery images, status updates etc) from a given member (B), member B's content automatically starts showing up in member A's activity stream. If member A chooses they can simply remove member B from their following list.

That way member A's liking content (which we've seen is highly used, FAR more than "Following" people) shapes what content they are shown in their personalized view of things that have happened in the community(maybe in a sidebar? ).

Facebook is based on specific, conscious decisions to establish a link. But people in a forum based system aren't focused on that sort of thing. They are reading content about a topic that they are researching and or interested in. But by using an the popular and FUN "Like" system, there's a chance to GET them engaged on a more personal level by drawing their attention more firmly to people that they LIKE.
 
Upvote 8
This might qualify more as a small suggestion, as the actual change required is programmatically simple:
When you like things associated with member B > [Like threshold], member B is added to your following list. Done.

But it would need to be paired with improved visibility of "Your Newsfeed" in order to be effective, which has farther reaching consequences, design-wise. :)
 
Good post, but there a very important differencebetween Xenforo and Facebook: Xenforo is a forum software, Facebook a social network. The forum paradigm it's very different to the social network...i think that simply copying every facebook feature it's not a ingelligent move, because not in every forum (or forum thematic) the members need to socialize or know other members...


 
He's not suggesting that it be copied, in fact he stated that it IS a different environment ("But people in a forum based system aren't focused on that sort of thing"), but it makes sense to look at FB in terms of what they've done to foster community and engage people that we can learn from in the forum environment.
 
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