Missing: Social Groups + Group-forums

[erich37]

XenForo is great as it is, but I think one of the Core-Features which are still missing are some sort of "Groups" so that users can associate themselves to certain Groups.

Maybe also having Group-Forums for each of those Groups ?

For example, XING.com is using Group-Forums (public or invitation-based), which can be applied for by moderators to "run" a certain Group, so people can set-up their own Group-Forum based on their interest and they can invite already existing members or people who are not yet members of your website to join this specific Group.

So this would be free viral-marketing for your very own Forum.

Also see this suggestion:
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-replace-members-page-with.2773/

 

[Ozzy47]

Official XenForo Social Groups would the only way proper standards and quality are guaranteed.

I think the "Social Groups" or "Clubs" feature should be integrated into the core of XF, to ensure standards and quality for the development of other add-ons that add functionality to this feature, as you suggest.

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

 

[Abizaga]

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

I think its more of the fact that it still relies on 3rd parties.

 

[gib]

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

Your add on is excellent @ozzy47 , I have never had any problems with it, the code and features have been solid.
I would love to see it incorporated into Xenforo one day.

I especially like the way I can have a forum tab and a media tab within a social group, so that you don't have to go off and navigate the media tab to find linked media.

 

[Ozzy47]

I think its more of the fact that it still relies on 3rd parties.

That is not what was said. It was said that “the only way to guarantee proper standards and quality” is through first party. So that means that third party addons are not up to standards or of good quality.

 

[anon666]

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

I was not suggesting that at all

 

[anon666]

@ozzy47 I bought your Social Groups add-on and I'm testing it. It's excellent, up to XF quality.

But I also have an invision community license that has already integrated in the main pack (for the same price) the social groups (Clubs). The invision clubs together with a third party add-on called "Improved Clubs Enhancements" gives also a lot of gameplay and many possibilities of customization.

Both possibilities have a lot of appeal. I prefer XenForo for many reasons, but something as crucial for my new project as clubs, I prefer it to be integrated in the main pack and developed by the same team of programmers as the core. That's not exactly a guarantee of better quality, but a parallel development to the main core, that is, there is less risk of abandoning the project for major causes, by a third party. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[cdub]

The category and forum structure is obsolete

I disagree completely.

I think the "Social Groups" or "Clubs" feature should be integrated into the core of XF,

But this i agree with completely.

 

[Ranger375]

Look I’ve been through several social group addons since I came over from VB (which has the addon) to xf. The first developer stopped supporting his addon, so I had to pay for a new one, along with the import. I’m still not happy with it. Why should I keep having that happen/pay to transfer to new ones when I can request an official one?

 

[Mendalla]

I like the social groups concept in principle, but in the one board I am on that has them, I find a lot of them go stagnant pretty quickly. I've joined a couple and seen things just gradually fizzle out (maybe it's me?). Still, I like the concept so at least an official add-on would be nice. Not sure I'd want to see it in core.

 

[anon666]

Look I’ve been through several social group addons since I came over from VB (which has the addon) to xf. The first developer stopped supporting his addon, so I had to pay for a new one, along with the import. I’m still not happy with it. Why should I keep having that happen/pay to transfer to new ones when I can request an official one?

That's the same idea I put forward in several posts above.

I find a lot of them go stagnant pretty quickly. I've joined a couple and seen things just gradually fizzle out (...)

I have the same experience with social groups. However, I want to start a new project based exclusively on social groups or clubs, where there will be no classic subdivisions of categories and forums, only owner-managed clubs.

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

I already explained that I didn't want to imply that, but there are currently three add-ons for social groups or clubs:

1. yours, https://xenforo.com/community/resources/social-groups-for-xenforo-2-1.5651/
2. truonglv: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/tl-social-groups.6389/
3. and XFA developer's: https://xenforo.com/community/resources/xfa-roster-xf2.6188/

 

[Frode789]

The thing is..

I want a group addon with the flexibility and features/design in the league of the IPS club feature. And nothing on XF comes close. It could be, but the owners of the current addons show little to no interest in improving their products with new features to raise the bar. Yes, I know there is a price difference there, but I would gladly pay f.ex 80-100 USD for a premium club addon on XF. I'm sure many others would as well..
And as so I dream of an official group addon to fill the gap.

Example of experience with 3rd party addon:
So when you bring valid suggestions forward, you are met with that the product "isn't popular enough to invest time to improve it". And the addon already hasn't been improved with new features or additions for 1-2 years.
Well, thank you.. Maybe state that on the description area as to not mislead users considering buying it?

Renewal fee? Sure, I'd gladly pay a yearly fee (which is reasonably set in relation to the initial addon price), as long as you keep working on the product and actually listening to your customers.
That's what separates OK/good addons from amazing/outstanding addons.
Bob and Russ does an absolutely incredible job there.

And sometimes you have to risk and invest to take your content to the next level, for more customers to buy it. That's how it usually works, not the other way around.. Some are going to skip buying the product if it isn't good enough. (even though the market potential and potential customers is much higher if the addon was improved).

And this is not a problem on an official addon, as you are guaranteed new features as the addon is updated together with core on new major releases (2.2 f.ex). And that is such a relief for me at least, knowing that I will be keep getting good updates alongside the core product.

And then the 3rd party scene would f.ex couple this premium club addon with additional content:

• Tournament/ladder addon.
• Marketplace addon (groups can sell stuff in their group, sell memberships etc).

This type of expand-ability is rare in the 3rd party scene, so that's another down side to it not being official.

And so on. It would add some incredible features to the XF platform, and fit in many different websites.

 

[Alpha1]

Yeah, because the two available group addons are not following standards nor of good quality code.

The historical context for this statement can be read here:

My experience with XF1 paid resources (Add Yours)

With Xenforo 2 Stable coming soon, and as I see developers are focusing on XF2 and they are adding their works for XF2, I decided to share my experience with resources before preparing to say goodbye to XF1. I Just discuss the paid resources Just about XF1 resources I used all of them and have...

xenforo.com

Snog V Nobita

We have two well developed social group addons to purchase. If anyone has experience of both; which one would you recommend we use? Nobita Social Groups V Snog's Social Groups Cheers

xenforo.com

Add-on - What functions do you want for Social groups?

Various webmasters have expressed their interest in advanced social groups functionality. I'd like to first use this thread to gather idea's and needs that webmasters have in order to come to a functionality list. If we can come to a list of functions that is attractive to multiple admins, then...

xenforo.com

There have been many Xenforo Social Groups addons and unfortunately this is a long and problematic history.

I have tried truong's Social Groups for XF2 and encountered the same sort of quality issues as Nobita groups for XF1, as the importer for XF2 upgrade lost entire forums. I have not tried your XF2 addon and do not know what the quality of the current version is. I have seen that you have been very active with fixing bug reports, which is good. In regards to standards (not resource standards) parts of snog groups functionality do not feel or look like xenforo but more vbulletin like. See attachment.

A benefit for a Xenforo social groups addon would be that it would follow all standards including coding and design standards. But more importantly, it would be supported and extended by addon developers like @Frode789 describes.

 

[Ozzy47]

And I would have to question the authority of your senior developer. Quality is subjective, what one person considers proper, another may not. Security and stability are the key factors.

 

[Alpha1]

@ozzy47 I have no desire to get into silly discussions over audits done many years ago for software you didn't develop and which has long been unavailable. I honestly think its commendable of you that you have taken over various addons and that you are doing your best to support these. I hope that you will release a major feature release for snog social groups soon. What are you plans? Can we expect a major feature release in the near future?

 

[Ozzy47]

I don’t have anything planned at the moment.

 

[Black Tiger]

I don't have Xen yet, but will have one fairly soon, because I want to switch from IPB to Xenforo.
I don't know if any of you have seen Clubs in IPB, seems to me they are similar like social groups. Clubs are working very nice and very configurable, also they can be public or private, you can define who can and can't make groups etc..
So it's a real nice option to have build in, whatever name you want to give it (social groups or clubs or whatever).
Just my 2 cents.

 

[anon666]

I don't have Xen yet, but will have one fairly soon, because I want to switch from IPB to Xenforo.
I don't know if any of you have seen Clubs in IPB, seems to me they are similar like social groups. Clubs are working very nice and very configurable, also they can be public or private, you can define who can and can't make groups etc..
So it's a real nice option to have build in, whatever name you want to give it (social groups or clubs or whatever).
Just my 2 cents.

I am experimenting with IPB clubs, in a new project where I want a host of clubs and blogs to completely replace the traditional forums and forum categories. For me it is an essential requirement that they be integrated into the main software.

Edit: it is also perfectly good for me that it is an extra payment, separate from the main software such as Resources Manager, the important thing is that there is a guarantee of continuity, that its development and evolution go parallel to the main software.

 

[Seeker-Smith]

Social Groups on vb were a flop. Funny thing is I changed the name to Clubs and they became quite popular. Strange how people react to a name.

 

[Black Tiger]

Yes it is strange how people react to a name, but indeed Clubs are quite populair.

 

[cdub]

Yes it is strange how people react to a name, but indeed Clubs are quite populair.

Trying to switch it over on my site. We'll see if it boosts membership