Okay, so I'm considering xenForo

Alice

Active member
For quite some time I dismissed xenForo as little more than a money grabbing scheme from a money hungry vbulletin drop-out. So before you all start biting my head off, I have read many posts here made by Kier & Mike and I have to admit that they do seem to be genuinely interested in getting a proper forum solution 'out there', and not JUST to make money from those who are dissatisfied with certain other parties #1(I will refrain from giving company names, but we all know who I mean!).

I design styles/themes/skins, what ever you want to call them and have done so for quite a long time, I used to have 3rd parties release my work on my behalf. I am so sick to death of working with (see #1) in terms of designing styles, the changes in the stylevars system with each new release obliterates many of my designs and it takes me sometimes weeks on end to get styles up to scratch, next thing I know another release is out and I'm back to bringing styles back up to date again.

Yes of course to some degree this is normal in all forum solutions, but we tend to start off within a strong and stable environment, whereas with (see #1) version 4 release we had anything but a strong or stable release. resulting of course in designers and coders nightmares when updates roll out. So, I have pretty much come to the end of my tether with being patient with (see #1) and I am looking quite seriously for a new platform to start designing styles for.

I have looked into pretty much everything out there, and with products available NOW, (see #1) are the only platform worth bothering with, and of course this is the product I no longer wish to associate with. For my own part, I have a limited supply of financial backing, single mum of 3 girls and I provide FREE styles. For me to be able to consider using xenForo 'when' it is finally available I would have to weigh my situation very carefully. The initial expense of xenForo will most likely force me to return to (see #1), very begrudgingly, this in itself is cause for distress!

I am very nervous of taking the chance of losing a large sum of money by risking another forum solution purchase when I have no intentions of making money from it. You see, I would need to be able to establish if designing styles for xenForo is something within my scope of abilities, it's very well and good using a forum, but designing a fully customised style for that forum solution is a VERY different matter indeed. Should it turn out designing styles for xenForo is as troublesome or worse than designing styles for (see #1) I will have lost even more money, this is pretty worrying to me. I know some ruder people will be flippant and think "well don't but it then", for my part, designing forum styles is kind of like my own little bit at home that is JUST ME, that in itself makes my design work very special and important to me.

I am not looking for any freebie hand outs before any one tries suggesting it, this is simply where I am coming from and I wanted to see if any one else had similar complications with the notion of switching to xenForo.
 
I'm glad you decided to give XenForo some time and see that it isn't some scheme Kier, Mike, and Ashley are trying to pull here. Have you looked thought this forum? There's a few posts there dedicated to how XF's design is flexible and easy to work with there.

Do keep in mind that what you see here is still alpha and under heavy development; we have yet to hit beta here (I believe the latest known version is Alpha 4).
 
Hi Alice, I'm also a designer of said previous forum, if I am reading your post correctly. Let me just say, I have the same issues. I did mention something to Peggy in another thread in passing, it's here: http://xenforo.com/community/threads/suggestion-quick-message-system.3115/#post-46496, mine is post number #10, her reply to me is post #12.

I'm on a tight budget, but I LOVE to design and I can't do that currently in the software I am now using. Not the way I use to. So if Peggy is right, and I have no reason to not believe her, I WILL find a way to purchase a copy of XF as soon as I can as soon as it's available.

Liz
 
Do you just need access to a forum that's running it to see if you like designing styles for it? Because I'd be happy to let you have a stab at it on mine. When I have one I mean, the software isn't out yet of course.
 
I'm pretty sure designing styles/skins/themes for XF will be easier than for some of the other solutions and especially the one you are talking about. I made a few styles too but never updated them for the last version (4.x) because the software was still way too buggy (and not easy to use).
 
Hi Alice and welcome to XenForo.
wavesmile.gif


I did tell Elizabeth that XenForo will be easy to design for, and I stand by that statement. As you both know, as with any new software, there is, of course, a learning curve. However, I don't find that curve to be nearly as steep as it is for (see #1). After you find your way around the style areas in the acp, learn what does what and where, I think you'll find that styling for XF will be a breeze.

Also I'm glad you decided to give Kier and Mike the benefit of the doubt. You'll be glad you did. ;)
 
Hi, and welcome to XenForo, Alice. First I want to say nicely written post, and thanks for taking the time to write it. In doing so, you show your genuine interest in this product.

I'm not a Stylist, although I have created many very unique styles for my forums, that have given me a lot of experience.

As already mentioned XenForo is still alpha, and from what I have seen so far, the same high level of thought and attention to detail that contribute to end-user friendliness and ease-of-use, is applied to the back-end as well.

Currently, the way the style system is implemented you can create a new style literally in minutes. It is a very nice change from forum solution (#1), :). It seems to me that I discover something new that is a part of XenForo that makes me go "wow", every day. And the way the Styling system is implemented made me say wow a lot of times. Keep checking the "Have you seen..." forum, and hopefully soon you will see why ;)
 
What lovely replies, thank you for making me feel less awkward.


To Onimua

Thank you for your comments.


To Liz

I have seen you work for (#1), I've loved your styles for a long time, yes, you understood my position perfectly sweetie, recent split-up with my husband (he left me for my best friend), he has decided to empty our savings bank account. Fair enough it was his money that went into our savings account but my money used to pay the bills and holiday expenses, humph, I wont go on because it will just get nasty, sufficed to say I have to be very careful with money these days.


To: anotheralias

Oooooh yes please, that would be a wonderful opportunity, should the occasion arise I will most certainly give you a gentle nudge. ;) Thank you for such a considerate offer, quite unusual in this day and age.


To dutchBB

Thank you for your welcome and encouraging words, I appreciate them.


To Peggy

Thank you for the welcome and encouragement, I don't mind a new learning curve, just so long as that curve isn't too steep.


To Lawrence

Wow, you look so much like a very dear friend of mine who passed a few years back (Chris), I was a bit disorientated by your avatar for a little while there, okay wild woman rant over, thank you for the welcome and encouragement, it means a great deal.
 
Welcome Alice!

My wife Susan's the design/style half of of our team, I'm the code re-purposer/technoweenie side :). That said, just looking at this site in firebug you can see that it'll be pretty easy to work with, and with clean CSS and using jQuery as the javascript framework, it's going to be (IMO) a style designer's dream to work with. Can't wait to see what you and your peers come up with!

We normally run a testbed/sandbox server as well, and would also be glad to setup access to a clean install of XF on there for you if you find yourself in need of something you can poke/prod and play around with before deciding if it will be a good choice for you. :)
 
Hello Alice and welcome! I have seen your work and you do very nice work indeed. I think you'll be pleasantly pleased with XenForo and please, feel free to call on me if there's anything I can do to assist you :)
 
What lovely replies, thank you for making me feel less awkward.
To Liz

I have seen you work for (#1), I've loved your styles for a long time, yes, you understood my position perfectly sweetie, recent split-up with my husband (he left me for my best friend), he has decided to empty our savings bank account. Fair enough it was his money that went into our savings account but my money used to pay the bills and holiday expenses, humph, I wont go on because it will just get nasty, sufficed to say I have to be very careful with money these days.
 
Thank you very much, it's been some time since I have released a style. And my styles weren't for everyone. Most considered them too feminine but there is a place for those. 
I'm sorry you and your husband split but I can totally understand being careful with the money.  
 
Hello Alice and welcome! I have seen your work and you do very nice work indeed. I think you'll be pleasantly pleased with XenForo and please, feel free to call on me if there's anything I can do to assist you :)
And that is a very high compliment. :)

Liz 
 
Hi Alice and welcome!

The situation you describe is not unique to #1 product unfortunately, I find myself in the exact same position with another product.... I have had 3 total rebuilds of skins in 18months.. very very de-motivating to be doing the same thing over and over and over.

I am sure xenforo is going to be devine to work with :)

Take care and best of luck to you!

Regards,

Kim
 
I have seen you work for (#1), I've loved your styles for a long time, yes, you understood my position perfectly sweetie, recent split-up with my husband (he left me for my best friend), he has decided to empty our savings bank account.
Been in your shoes my dear. Still trying to recover from it after almost 6 years. (Not emotionally, but financially).
You're in my prayers. :)
 
To: anotheralias -- Oooooh yes please, that would be a wonderful opportunity, should the occasion arise I will most certainly give you a gentle nudge. ;)

Absolutely - once you notice it's gone on sale just remind me. :) I'll be tinkering with it myself for awhile before it goes live, so you'll have plenty of time to decide whether you can live with the learning curve.
 
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