It started. Should I be sad? (Facebook)
- Thread starter Rigel Kentaurus
- Start date
feldon30
Well-known member
I've had to explain what a thread was to many people. A "thread of conversation" is not really an expression that's used much anymore.
Topic is instantly clear to anyone I've mentioned. When I say "I created a new topic" people know what I mean.
EZBoard and phpBB call them topics.
Topic is instantly clear to anyone I've mentioned. When I say "I created a new topic" people know what I mean.
EZBoard and phpBB call them topics.
kilcher
Active member
I absolutely agree with that but what if you clicked the "new thread" or "post reply" button at the top of the page and the reply box opens up right there (similar to what happens when you click the register/login link at the very top of the page). I think that'd be pretty nice.
erich37
Well-known member
what is the advantage of this?
you still need to find the "Post New Thread" button.........
kilcher
Active member
Yes, you still need to "find" it but how hard is it really to find that button? I'll be honest, if people can't figure that much out on their own maybe a forum, especially a busy one, is not the right place for them.
My suggestion was more with how to make the new post/reply process more intuitive. It's right where the button is. No need to scroll to the bottom or go to a new page. Just seems right to have the new post/thread box appear near the new post/thread button. And this way it's not visible at all times (which I agree would be horribly intrusive to people who just want to read threads).
I'm glad someone said it...
Tigratrus
Well-known member
Sorry guys... But that really rubs me the wrong way. That's the RTFM NEWB attitude that bothers me in a lot of admin communities.
Look. A lot of us run communities that help people solve their non-tech related problems, that's WHY we are here. And if that person has never used a forum before THAT IS NOT THIER FAULT. It doesn't mean they are stupid, and it doesn't mean they are useless and shouldn't be allowed to sit at the table with the hip internet savvy kids.
We're not suggesting that the interface should be "dumbed down", just that there should be an first time poster interface (separate style) that's readily available for those members that are finding themselves lost and need some help in figuring out what to do. I don't think putting a little work into making that first experience a good one for the worried parent with a child that has a scary disease, or the grandparent that is trying to learn about something so that they can better connect with their grandkids.
You can go with the if they can't handle it they shouldn't be here attitude if you want... Me? I've known a LOT of damn fine, interesting people that would be an asset to any community that simply don't GET forums. If you doubt that they are a significant # of people, why do you think FB is doing SO well? One big reason is because they made the very basic 1st time interaction DEAD easy. I don't particularly care for their interface in a lot of other ways, but they got that right.
I think we'll just have to agree to disagree.
If someone can work out how to sign up for an email account and then register on a forum, then they can work out how to click a "Post New Thread/Topic" button.
P.S. No need to shout, I can read lowercase text fine
If someone can work out how to sign up for an email account and then register on a forum, then they can work out how to click a "Post New Thread/Topic" button.
P.S. No need to shout, I can read lowercase text fine
erich37
Well-known member
I had one user signing up at my Forum (which is XF-default without any customizations) and he send me an e-mail telling me he was trying to make a post at my website for about 3 hours (this is not a joke!).
He told me in a very angry e-mail that the website just does not work and I should come back to him only when I have fixed things and my website works properly.
Again, my Forum is just XF-default without any customizations.
The said user is far from an internet-newbie but seems he is just not used to use forums. In fact this user is a very intelligent person.
You can imagine that the feedback I received was not very motivating for me.
It is not that we are "dumbing down" XenForo here. As I said many times, XenForo is great and actually quite simple to use.
For me this thread is just some kind of brainstorming thread of what can be done in XF to make it even simpler and intuitive for users who never used a Forum before.
Not sure why giving feedback here is being interpreted as "dumbing down" (whatever that means....) XenForo?
He told me in a very angry e-mail that the website just does not work and I should come back to him only when I have fixed things and my website works properly.
Again, my Forum is just XF-default without any customizations.
The said user is far from an internet-newbie but seems he is just not used to use forums. In fact this user is a very intelligent person.
You can imagine that the feedback I received was not very motivating for me.
It is not that we are "dumbing down" XenForo here. As I said many times, XenForo is great and actually quite simple to use.
For me this thread is just some kind of brainstorming thread of what can be done in XF to make it even simpler and intuitive for users who never used a Forum before.
Not sure why giving feedback here is being interpreted as "dumbing down" (whatever that means....) XenForo?
How did he find your email address?
Presumably he looked around the page until he found a "Contact Us" link, clicked it, filled out his details and then clicked "Send Message"?
Of course before that he had to go through the whole sign up and activation process.
Yet he couldn't see a much larger, more obvious, coloured button labelled "Post New Thread"?
If you want to see the end result of dumbing down, watch a movie called Idiocracy.
Presumably he looked around the page until he found a "Contact Us" link, clicked it, filled out his details and then clicked "Send Message"?
Of course before that he had to go through the whole sign up and activation process.
Yet he couldn't see a much larger, more obvious, coloured button labelled "Post New Thread"?
If you want to see the end result of dumbing down, watch a movie called Idiocracy.
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
I think use of the term "Threads" is old school.
I think topics is better.
Thread is a how the programmer sees it.
I see phpBB uses topics - the exact word I suggested.
vBulletin uses Posts.
Sorry to say this ... but the 13 year old is right !
I think topics is better.
Thread is a how the programmer sees it.
I see phpBB uses topics - the exact word I suggested.
vBulletin uses Posts.
Sorry to say this ... but the 13 year old is right !
EQnoble
Well-known member
Dumbing down = The no child left behind act. (which basically means stop teaching everyone else.)
Maybe I am just stupid here..but couldn't an individual forum owner change the text on the button from saying new thread to new topic? I am actually asking here...as I wouldn't mind for my own reasons changing things up ...I however would not want it changed as a default.
Maybe I am just stupid here..but couldn't an individual forum owner change the text on the button from saying new thread to new topic? I am actually asking here...as I wouldn't mind for my own reasons changing things up ...I however would not want it changed as a default.
Onimua
Well-known member
Yes but how easy is too easy? I understand there are new people who may not know how things work, but at the same time they have to learn how they work. I'm all for making things simple, but I'm also against making things more obvious than they already are (such as "Hot coffee is hot" or "Items in microwave may be hot after use").
XenForo's interface is much more plain and simple than IPB or vB, and yet people are still lost? They learned how to use email (and in a lot of cases, email interfaces are not simple), they figured out how to sign up and confirm their account, but they can't figure out how to start a new thread? I'm fine with XenForo as it is right now, and it's not like things that XF does are wildly different than what people should be accustomed to. How much simpler can it get without looking ridiculous?
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
Forsaken
Well-known member
The editor doesn't even need to be used other than for formatting.
If there was an issue, more often than not it would be between the seat and the computer.
Digital Doctor
Well-known member
The use of the word Thread adds no value and it's been shown to be confusing. Things fitting this bill should die - survival of the fittest. When awkwardness stays in a product, it starts looking old.
When someone clicks "What's New" ..
the description should be: Recent Topics, not New Threads
Watched Threads should be Watched Topics.
When someone clicks "What's New" ..
the description should be: Recent Topics, not New Threads
Watched Threads should be Watched Topics.
Onimua
Well-known member
I'm pretty sure we've gone over the wording of this in the beginning of XenForo.
There's a phrase system. Use it.
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