Looking for feedback: A new look at forum user experience

[jauburn]

I'm not entirely sure why that is but it seems clear forums are having a hard time attracting younger members.

It's all down to attention: which platform provides the most (perceived) attention for members. That's what drove forums in their heyday. That's what's driving social media now.

The psychological term "spotlight effect" describes well the motivation that many derive from social media activities (and formerly from forum activities):

Spotlight effect - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

And then there's this famous cartoon, which beautifully underscores the futility of it all:

 

[Dixie McCall]

So they say. I highly doubt they are telling the truth about their numbers. Just look at their Marketplace ads- filled with business or fake accounts.

 

[otto]

facebook...

... have enough own trouble and best times are gone.

But I think what we can learn is it can and should be esay to register, to write a post to find what you search for. And in this context, I think @Mike Creuzer s ideas are not the badest. And I think some of them are realy helpfull in the sense our members and a easy to use forum.

In the mobile style, Xenforo has made good steps foreward, but not enough. Look at the navigation from the Ressource Manager - thats not intuitive and not realy easy to use at mobile.

 

[whitetigergrowl]

The problem is I think, that forums haven't been able to keep up with social media in terms of user experience. Existing forum profiles are practically useless and outdated. Even on forums with better designs, it still feels like an outdated forum experience. In general, you visit one forum and it's experience, you've pretty much visited most forums of the same software and their experience.

Though there may be some cosmetic differences, it's the same underlying structure. In theory it should be able to allow easier transitions between forums on the same software. But after awhile it all just feels the same. There's little differentiating between forums of the same software.

Social Media has large teams of people and can do changes and development faster. It seems by the time forums catch up with something, it's already become old news or almost old news.

I commend people for trying to revive a dying horse and give it new life. But I'm not sure anymore what forums have to do to stay viable or allow for long term growth. There are a lot of competing forums and even with a lot of good content, it's easy to get drowned out between social media and other similar forums that have been around for awhile.

I see many forums that were advertised on here (and the same with other forum company forums), that are now dead. Literally after just months. The time, effort, and money put into them many times don't go anywhere so people just give up and move on. It's brutal.

 

[otto]

I can't agree with that, sorry.

Also, I can only talk to my users from my experience.

Positive in forums, from the users' point of view:

• Compared to social media, users like the structure in forums better
• Compared to social media, users like the fact that it is easier to find older topics and so often find an answer without asking a question again
• Compared to social media, users like certain additional functions of forums (member maps, competitions, galleries with structure, for example)
• Compared to social media, users often like the more personal togetherness better (you rarely read the same answer to a question 30 times in forums, answers are often more extensive and therefore better)
• Users like the calm of private forums compared to Faceook, Instagram, TikTok
• Users like that in well-run forums there is usually much less hate and rubbish written

But of course there are also negative things from the users' point of view:

• first obstacle: you have to find a forum first, the search for interest groups on Facebook is probably easier, but also more confusing
• in most forums you have to register separately, not many use Facebook login or Google login (the latter (does not fully support Xenforo to this day!)
• the structure and scope of functions often completely different from forum to forum (And here I contradict you, your contribution clearly!)
• Quite a few forums are more polluted than Facebook

My users are on average 30-65 years old, so not teenagers.

I think a big handicap of forums is that Facebook and co. Practically EVERYONE knows who has a cell phone or wants to buy it. But younger people in particular often do not even know about the existence of good specialist forums or stick (for whatever reason, peer pressure?) To services that friends also use

Push notifications came much too late in forums, logging in with existing accounts should be faster - but I also know that many forums do not even allow login via Facebook or Google etc. for fear of the GDPR.


I would like an app similar to tapatalk - register once centrally and then be able to use a whole world of forums. But ... not as limited as with Tapatalk, where you have no member map and no gallery - especially things that separate forums from social media. That's why I don't use tapas talk. But I could imagine something similar, where maybe only Xenforo forums are supported at first, but then initially also the XFRM and the XFMG and later also larger popular addons. Or where it would be possible to switch between the app and the complete forum at any time in order to be able to use all functions.

An add-on for events might also be interesting, which offers an API to find, share, participate and report events centrally in an app. So an event app with connection to X Xenforo forums and their events (if the forum owner allows it).

Also - the mobile view has to get a lot better. Open the resource manager and then work your way through its submenus. This is neither an intuitive nor a particularly beautiful solution. The "Categories" button is far too inconspicuous and, if information is still displayed, too far away from the main menu. It would be better if the button were directly on the main menu or below it and to the full width in the mobile view and not as inconspicuous as before. In addition, the button not only opens the menu of the categories, but the entire sidebar - that's even more confusing.


There is still a lot to improve and optimize, but I think we are on the right track with Xenforo. It can only be walked faster ...

 

[Dad.]

You guys all have some great feedback here btw. Im going to respond at length shortly, just wanted to make sure I got a quick message in here as I cannot wait to get into this a bit deeper with some replies to your points.

 

[Pepelepew]

What theme is this

 

[zappaDPJ]

I can't agree with that, sorry.

Also, I can only talk to my users from my experience.

Positive in forums, from the users' point of view:

• Compared to social media, users like the structure in forums better
• Compared to social media, users like the fact that it is easier to find older topics and so often find an answer without asking a question again
• Compared to social media, users like certain additional functions of forums (member maps, competitions, galleries with structure, for example)
• Compared to social media, users often like the more personal togetherness better (you rarely read the same answer to a question 30 times in forums, answers are often more extensive and therefore better)
• Users like the calm of private forums compared to Faceook, Instagram, TikTok
• Users like that in well-run forums there is usually much less hate and rubbish written

But of course there are also negative things from the users' point of view:

• first obstacle: you have to find a forum first, the search for interest groups on Facebook is probably easier, but also more confusing
• in most forums you have to register separately, not many use Facebook login or Google login (the latter (does not fully support Xenforo to this day!)
• the structure and scope of functions often completely different from forum to forum (And here I contradict you, your contribution clearly!)
• Quite a few forums are more polluted than Facebook

My users are on average 30-65 years old, so not teenagers.

I think a big handicap of forums is that Facebook and co. Practically EVERYONE knows who has a cell phone or wants to buy it. But younger people in particular often do not even know about the existence of good specialist forums or stick (for whatever reason, peer pressure?) To services that friends also use

Push notifications came much too late in forums, logging in with existing accounts should be faster - but I also know that many forums do not even allow login via Facebook or Google etc. for fear of the GDPR.


I would like an app similar to tapatalk - register once centrally and then be able to use a whole world of forums. But ... not as limited as with Tapatalk, where you have no member map and no gallery - especially things that separate forums from social media. That's why I don't use tapas talk. But I could imagine something similar, where maybe only Xenforo forums are supported at first, but then initially also the XFRM and the XFMG and later also larger popular addons. Or where it would be possible to switch between the app and the complete forum at any time in order to be able to use all functions.

An add-on for events might also be interesting, which offers an API to find, share, participate and report events centrally in an app. So an event app with connection to X Xenforo forums and their events (if the forum owner allows it).

Also - the mobile view has to get a lot better. Open the resource manager and then work your way through its submenus. This is neither an intuitive nor a particularly beautiful solution. The "Categories" button is far too inconspicuous and, if information is still displayed, too far away from the main menu. It would be better if the button were directly on the main menu or below it and to the full width in the mobile view and not as inconspicuous as before. In addition, the button not only opens the menu of the categories, but the entire sidebar - that's even more confusing.


There is still a lot to improve and optimize, but I think we are on the right track with Xenforo. It can only be walked faster ...

Personally I think this one post provides a great snapshot of where we are now and where we need to go in order to survive and flourish.

The majority of my members on all the forums I own or manage have grown with the forum. Nearly all fall into the 30-65 age group and most own personal computers although many have more recently started posting from a smart device.

I cannot attract new members below the age of 30 even on my service forums. I'm also pretty sure that very few young people own a personal computer. That's 100% true for everyone in the age group I know personally. In short we all need to be better served when using smartphones.

I believe we do need an app similar to Tapatalk, very much inline with what otto has already posted. We need a 'one click' registration option and easier navigation to content on smaller view ports.

I've read many opinions that suggest it's hard to create meaningful content on a smartphone and as someone in their 60s I agree but I also know young people can hammer away on a smart device with their thumbs as fast as I can touch type so I'm not sure if that opinion always holds water.

While forums need to stay as forums and not try to compete with other social media types I do believe they need stop sitting in isolation. The right app would allow us to share the current pool of forum users and perhaps attract younger members who have just as much to offer as anyone else.

 

[otto]

Nearly all fall into the 30-65 age group and most own personal computers although many have more recently started posting from a smart device.

You can see how different that can be. In my forums, the proportion of mobile devices to PCs is around 60 to 40% despite the same average age.

I cannot attract new members below the age of 30 even on my service forums. I'm also pretty sure that very few young people own a personal computer. That's 100% true for everyone in the age group I know personally. In short we all need to be better served when using smartphones.

I think it depends on the topic of the forum. Although I am amazed that over 60% of my users in both forums now use the forum with a mobile device, or at least call it up to read it.
I think it is almost the greatest difficulty in motivating users to write something, and preferably more than just a few words or just a sentence.

I don't think the attachment system of Xenforo version 2.2.x is too easy to use by non-IT-savvy users. I think the handling has to become even more intuitive, even easier.
My users often have problems inserting attachments correctly into the text, I often intervene as an admin and move the images in the text to the right place ...

While forums need to stay as forums and not try to compete with other social media types I do believe they need stop sitting in isolation. The right app would allow us to share the current pool of forum users and perhaps attract younger members who have just as much to offer as anyone else.

I think that might even be the most important point.



I've been running smaller forums since 2004, and if I've learned one thing, it's that quality and continuity pay off in the end. We have outlasted many competitors in this way who were quick to get started, but who lacked the commitment to qualitative content and perseverance or who simply tried to survive as a copy instead of having their own ideas and sometimes simply to break new ground and to dare to do something.

 

[whitetigergrowl]

Fact: Most forums, regardless of forum software used, generally do not properly utilize member profiles. Even some websites that have tried, generally have little member engagement with them. They are essentially a waste of underutilized space.

Fact: It costs quite a bit of money with zero guarantee in any return on that investment. You buy the forum software. Pay annually for updates and access to various things. No doing so can come with downsides such as loss of access to newer features, functions, bug fixes, and add-ons. Plus let's not forget the cost of hosting and time and other money invested in even getting the thing up and running.

With social media, minimal money can be invested with a larger return. In terms of both user engagement and reach, and potential dollars brought in.

Fact: In the grand scheme of things, most forums go unnoticed buried in an ocean of forums. Most do not profit anything that even breaks even. And most ultimately will end up struggling and dying.

Fact: User engagement can be very difficult to retain or even gain long term. People are fickle. And even forums with great content struggle.

For some success isn't defined by the number of members it's defined by the quality of them. But those too eventually die due to a fade of interest. Where people start to drift away from the forum and it's lack of excitement. For some spending money on hosting and forum updates is worth the 20 members they may have. But for most, it's a forum death sentence.

Fact: Forum improvements and updates move at a snails pace compared to social media. It's noticeable. As most forums (including IPB, VB, and Xenforo) all follow the same basic design structures update after update that have been around since the days of VB 2 and IPB 2.0 and PHPBB. While some attempts have been made to change that, largely they haven't been as widely adopted or used. Whereas Social Media is frequently making updates and improvements and even trying new things (For better or worse) that help try to draw in members and interest.

Fact: Rather than forums trying to drive interest towards them, they seem to be driving interest back to social media with the different ways social media is being integrated into forums directly rather than innovating the drive towards forums.

Fact: Many people switch between forum software because of how all over the place and slow forum software changes along with some counter intuitive decisions. They might prefer Xenforo for things like SEO or ease of use, but prefer the many additional features IPB has to offer that Xenforo is lacking on. And vice versa. Or they feel the cost is getting too expensive so they gravitate towards the free forum software.

Fact: General over-reliance on 3rd party developer plug-ins/styles/etc. Don't get me wrong some have really helped improve forums. However they also can be an albatross around the neck. Developers move on. As such that awesome mod and its features you've been using that your members really love but the basic forum software seems in no hurry to implement in any capacity, is now putting you into a bad corner. Especially if multiple mods are involved.

So for example the latest forum software update may include some much needed/wanted big fixes, updates, and features you've been waiting for. However if you do upgrade, it'll break your forum or cause other conflicts and problems. However if you get rid of that plug-in, your members will revolt and there are no other comparable options that would make them happy. So now you're left trying to rely on other 3rd party developers to plug those holes, thus further digging you into that hole to try and limp along as long as possible until hopefully something comparable comes along. Which many times, never does.

The other downside are the potential security concerns the mods can open even if downloaded from reliable sources. Especially the older they get, go unsupported, and have no fixes for. So for the benefits the plug-ins may bring to fill in forum software gaps, they also can be an albatross around forum owners necks the minute they randomly stop being supported.

I've seen people post their new Xenforo forum and within months they've switched to IPB and vice versa. Sometimes they notice a member and activity increase after switching. Like many, they are trying to justify their time and investment as many are just hobby forums.

"Come visit our website! And while you're here visit us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, etc.". Which many times pushes the people right back where they came from.

Some will have varying levels of disagreement with it. But forums objectively difficult to invest into, get a return on, and draw interest to. With so many options out there, you become as noticeable as an ant on a 5 mile long ocean beach. 1 or 2 might see you but most never will.

And their lack of ability to diversify far from their 20+ year structure doesn't help. Some may see that as a strength. But it's generally old and tired and outdated and doesn't do much to help draw interest. And some of the same drawbacks from 20 years ago still exist today in a rapidly changing online world.

The slow adaption of features found on social media doesn't help. By the time forums seem to get to adapting them in some capacity, they have already been updated, changed, or improved on social media.

One the biggest threat to forums is Reddit which uses a forum like structure, but expands on it in some key areas. I know I'm there far far more than on forums. Forums I used to frequent have become an afterthought. MAYBE visiting them once every few months just to see how they are doing. Rarely even commenting as nothing usually sticks out.

However I use Reddit and am generally much more active on it. There's nothing with either my IPB or Xenforo forum software that draws excitement to want to spend time investing much with them, let alone be active on them. And VB right now is a dead stick.

Forums are still very much a product of their early origins. As such social media has been able to better adapt and overtake them. There will always be hardliners for forum software. But generally it's a slowly dying breed. Forums I visited regularly have had a noticeable decrease in activity over the years. It's sad. But not unexpected.

Times change. People change. But forums haven't strayed far from the 90s and early 2000s.

 

[otto]

I can agree with you in some areas, but in some others you are wrong or think the reality of your bubble is the reality of everyone.

Spoiler: Some old things to explain

I originally come from the phpBB and SMF area, so I used it to set up forums, yes - because it was free. I later moved these forums to vBulletin 3 and was happy with them for many years. Then with vBulletin 4 and the Theater um IB I switched to Xenforo very early on and have remained loyal to it so far. When the upgrade to Xenforo 2.x was due, I initially feared I would have a lot of work with it and lose many functions.
But I still waited, my Xenforo 1.5.x forums went well, no complaints from users - why rush something.
When Xenforo 2.2.x was released, the time seemed right for the upgrade. I had to switch from Xenforo 1.5.x with over 60 addons to Xenforo 2.2.x and I had great respect for this change.
What can I say, the upgrade was the easiest with such big changes that I've done myself since 2004. The easiest and the fastest.
Basically, we haven't lost any function, but have gained a lot in speed and easier operation. And contrary to my fears, I had to spend less on it than I thought before.

The only really bad experience I've had so far is with galleries and dictionaries. Switching from phpBB to vBulletin meant a lot of manual work, then from vBglossary to Xenforo again a lot of manual work. Since then I have been using my own kind of lexicon, based on normal contributions / articles, a handful of always available small add-ons and some style adjustments. Works and significantly less stress and since then hardly any work with it.
For the galleries, switching from phpBB to vBulletin was a painful experience, but we managed to handle it. But then the same experience when switching from vBulletin to Xenforo - again the addon developer simply stopped working and again we had to fight for our users' data. In the absence of an official Xenforo gallery at the time, we chose the sonnB XenGallery because it was simply better than Chris D's media gallery at the time. But then, when switching from Xenforo 1.x to 2.x, the shock again - the sonnB XenGallery won't make it to Xenforo 2.x, so again the drama and again a change, now to media gallery which in the meantime belongs to Xenforo .


I am also right when it is said that both the media gallery and the resource manager are wasting a lot of potential. Sometimes it seems as if these two addons are a necessary evil in the Xenforo program and not the flagship of the company.

At the moment I feel reasonably well positioned with Xenforo 2.2.x. But still I would like the software to develop more quickly, with enough foresight to be able to develop the software further instead of turning almost everything inside out, as when switching from XF1 to XF2 (felt, at the beginning), which at least initially baffled some developers also caused initial displeasure in the community.

enough talk about yesterday ...: D

As I said before, I wish:
- a kind of app with which all forums can connect (Xenforo, but also others like vBulletin, IPB, Woltlab, ...). An app that the user can install and from which he can discover and use the world of forums. In contrast to Tapatalk, this app should focus more on the individual strengths and add-ons of the platforms (possibly by formulating connection standards?), And yet offer easy conditions to make getting started easier. Maybe a rookie and an expert mode to switch between, to appeal to newcomers AND old hands?
The PWA app is nice - but in the end it is just a handkerchief that cleans your nose, which cannot change anything about a cold.

- a simple login via existing accounts with the user and as many of them as possible supported (currently addons are needed)

- A progressive support of data protection standards such as the GDPR instead of a half-hearted one as before. (Support of add-on cookies (maybe by specifying certain coding standards?) and simple data export by the user himself (complete data information), GDPR secure integration of standard functions such as YouTube / Vimeo videos, and more).
I know England has left the EU, but you cannot see the EU and its citizens and laws as marginal if you want to be successful in this market.

- Installation and update of add-ons, as well as add-on standards should be given greater weight. Installation and update are much easier in Wordpress and, above all, can be semi-automated. In Xenforo, keeping more than 10 addons up-to-date is annoying and time-consuming. It is also annoying again and again that compliance with coding standards is barely checked and sometimes it is simply too revealing.




I am now curious to see what conclusions we will all draw from this discussion and what will emerge from it in the end.

 

[Wildcat Media]

I've looked at these items a few times over the past couple of months, and I'm not sold on the idea. The forums I operate tend to skew older, and they find social media, or anything resembling social media, to be a negative. Not everyone wants that social media experience, myself included. I want an attractive responsive theme that operates as nicely on mobile as it does on a desktop. I don't want an "app experience" or have this confusing jumble presented at me. Like the thousands of visitors to the forums I manage, we like everything laid out in logical sections, so there is no confusion. Tags, prefixes, etc. are rarely used except by staff. I personally avoid social media since it is too unstructured and, quite honestly, a dumbed-down platform for the masses, not for intelligent conversation. Make it too modern and too disorganized and our membership will dry up.

Might be good for some people, so fine...enjoy it. I can definitely say this approach is not for me, the forums I own and/or manage, and especially the members, many of whom despise social media and want a sane haven away from the idiocy of social media.

 

[Dixie McCall]

@Wildcat Media I totally agree with everything you've written and I think social media is about due for yet another massive reckoning of people saying goodbye to jumbled, tacky, narcissistic, psycho, social media drama. LOL Quick frankly, I no longer want to see how crazy society is- I prefer my people bubble. There are no social media sites well organized or well managed.

 

[Dad.]

I do so wish to reply properly, but since I saw the current sentiment going the direction it is, Ill remind you to actually read what Im claiming. Im not defending the medium that is social media, nor am I bashing it. It is fundamentally different and I describe precisely those differences. This

massive reckoning

is neither here nor there. The point is simple, we can and should be learning from social media. We take things like likes and other things sure, but we're missing fundamental key engagement opportunities that social media utilize and therefore the masses go there.

Now you can claim you don't want people who fall for "tactics" such as heavy alert notificaitons or whatever other engagement options we can be learning from, but the consequences of that stubborness will be no users using your forum, thus you wont get the opportunity to teach people of your "correct way" of conversing online if thats what you believe, you won't earn money to keep costs of the forum running and so on and so forth.

So be stubborn, stick to your guns, but you'll soon be alone doing so. And in my opinion forums are not going anywhere nor should we let them go anywhere. These little details should not go ignored. We can still have our own area of the internet that is thriving perhaps even growing, with the right attitude first of all and the right tools.

 

[Dixie McCall]

Hey Mike, I don't know why you're on the social media tech kick - I mean when is the last time you've been on Facebook and actually delved into reviewing accounts and their marketplace? Facebook and Twitter are dying giants. It's pretty easy to see that Facebook is having a rough time. There are literally ZERO front end qualities to social media that people aren't tired of. There is NOTHING any forum owner needs to "learn" from any social media site except what NOT to do aesthetically or any front end capabilities. I'm neither stubborn to change nor "sticking to your (my) guns," I'm merely pointing out that it is very clear millions are tired of social media-thus why would anyone want to replicate it? I think your examples cool but are jumbled and messy and having to look everywhere to find one thing isn't for me.. I don't know if it is your presentation or me, but my first impression was that it appeared significantly disorganized. Please don't think I'm trying to be nasty to you as typed words rarely display appropriate sentiment.

 

[Dixie McCall]

Less is going to become more..... social media speaking.

 

[Jason]

Hey Mike, I don't know why you're on the social media tech kick - I mean when is the last time you've been on Facebook and actually delved into reviewing accounts and their marketplace? Facebook and Twitter are dying giants. It's pretty easy to see that Facebook is having a rough time. There are literally ZERO front end qualities to social media that people aren't tired of. There is NOTHING any forum owner needs to "learn" from any social media site except what NOT to do aesthetically or any front end capabilities. I'm neither stubborn to change nor "sticking to your (my) guns," I'm merely pointing out that it is very clear millions are tired of social media-thus why would anyone want to replicate it? I think your examples cool but are jumbled and messy and having to look everywhere to find one thing isn't for me.. I don't know if it is your presentation or me, but my first impression was that it appeared significantly disorganized. Please don't think I'm trying to be nasty to you as typed words rarely display appropriate sentiment.

I worked for one of these social media giants until a month ago. I get there are people that don't like social media, and that's ok. People have their personal preferences, but there is a lot that can be learned from a part of the industry that sees crazy engagement numbers. Sure there are people disengaging and leaving these service, but not a critical mass of people (or even enough to register as a blip) and they're quickly replaced by new ones. If anything, social media is becoming a bit more diversified, but not dying. You list Facebook as an example, but it's actually growing, even if most of that growth is occurring outside of NA and EU. MAU is growing faster than DAU, but that number still dwarfs just about any other service.

I guess what I'm saying is, to think there is nothing forums can learn from social media seems short sighted and more rooted in personal taste. If there's one thing I feel I can pretty confidently state, most of the "front end capabilities" that you may think a majority of people are tired of exist precisely because they get a lot of engagement.

 

[Mendalla]

Yeah, I am not fond of Facebook or others of its ilk, but there are some good ideas there and forums should learn from them. Just because the company is run by a bunch of people who treat their customers' data as commodities to be bought doesn't make the basic premise wrong.

 

[Dixie McCall]

New Users? How many are actual people? Growth outside of EU/NA. Crazy how these remote villages have access Facebook but not water?
Increased Sales? Same "private person" Marketplace ads by many people. Boy that trailer for sale gets around. Just exactly what are these users really selling? Drugs? People? Other....God only knows...
Functionality - Businesses. Connection malfunctions? Chronic?
Functionality - Fact Checkers--- Now that's funny and pathetic to say the least.
Marketplace - Doing exactly what EBAY and ETSY had to do to stay in business-allow corporate and business ads in Marketplace?
Functionality - Private messaging chronic tech issues vs all of the forums which have stable PM systems in general.
Functionality - Chronic tech issues in general?
Functionality - "Find friends' Lists thousands of people I don't even know. Mkay.
Functionality - "watch" Lists accounts I don't watch but THEY want me to see for whatever reason
Functionality -"Live" Lists accounts and idiots I would never watch...
Functionality - "Music" I like Classical music but Facebook lists mostly newer artists I would NEVER listen to or allow in my home.
Functionality - "Shows" Lists shows I've never heard of or ever watch.
Functionality -"Explore" Literally just shows a bullet list of subjects.. Very helpful... LOL
Functionality - "Saved videos" Shows none even though I've saved a few.
Functionality - "Post" How many do I miss a day from my friends? Many despite following etc...
Functionality -Timeline... It's funny how Facebook makes sure topics like "Covid CDC" come up on your feed but not friend's posts?
Functionality - "Story Archive" Does anyone even use this? What the H is it?
Functionality - "Check-in" Few people use this and who cares? Good grief what a stupid function.
Functionality - "Events" LOL I like how you learn about "events' three days after they occur and other issues with this.
Functionality -"Groups" If you can find them and the admins log on enough to "approve" you within a reasonable time.
Functionality -"Manage sections" If it actually works and why so many options not covered in regular security options? Yikes!
Functionality - "Profile and Tagging' What a mess. MUCH better with forums and more straightforward.
Mobile look and feel - Crappy and isn't it odd that you see things you wouldn't see on Desktop? Bizzare.
Functionality - 'Journalist Resources" "Blue badge verification? LOL So much is wrong with this it's hard to know where to start.
Functionality - "Notifications" Three hours later...



Remind me again what are we trying to duplicate? Emulate?

I'll refrain from posting any more FB stuff BUT since this post was essentially targeting social media functionality I thought I would challenge these functionalities in terms of how useful they actually are in forums AND the reality that a lot of forum functionality is better, more straight forward and less cluttered.

Resources... a million times better than FB Marketplace
Forums layout.. Much easier to follow and find than social media
Private Communication... Forums.. So much better than social media

And no I'm not a xenforo or forum sycophant nor opposed to social media- I"m just sick of seeing/hearing things when the reality is much different.

Less will def be more..

 

[zappaDPJ]

I'll refrain from posting any more FB stuff BUT since this post was essentially targeting social media functionality I thought I would challenge these functionalities in terms of how useful they actually are in forums AND the reality that a lot of forum functionality is better, more straight forward and less cluttered.

Less will def be more..

I'm not sure if I can wrap my brain around the rest of your post (perhaps my problem not yours ) but I do very much agree with the two points I've quoted.