Request for Kier to make a member video.

[Dodgeboard]

Okay, this isn't really an addon request.

Here's my request...

Kier has made some very nice videos for admins to show us how the forums differ from other forums we use. "How to's," so to speak.

I am ready to unveil my new Xenforo forums to our members but I am worrying about the learning curve. They didn't like it much when we went from vB3 to vB4.

I am hoping that someone on the XF team could make a "end user video" explaining the features of Xenforo and how it differs from the other forums script. Something that covers the upload system, likes, and how clicking on the thread in the search results takes you to the first new post, and how the new word for PM's is conversations, how to add multiple participants to a conversation and how the "follow a thread" & "watched threads" work. Just the basic changes in Xenforo...something we can post on our forums when we decide to go live to give our members a video tutorial, so to speak.

Kier has done lots of good videos for us admins, but there is nothing for our members, in the way of videos, that I could find and they will need it a lot more than us admins will.

I think this would ease our transition...at least for our members.

 

[HannahP]

I am ready to unveil my new Xenforo forums to our members but I am worrying about the learning curve. They didn't like it much when we went from vB3 to vB4.

Have you shown it to any of them? The few users I have showed a test install to all commented that it was easier to use than vB4, so I wonder whether any kind of tutorial is necessary.

It's a forum, you know. They'll figure it out. Don't underestimate your users.

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

I'll make one if you like.. Maybe a list of all the things that should be covered might help.

 

[Dodgeboard]

I'll make one if you like.. Maybe a list of all the things that should be covered might help.

Would be awesome Caleb!

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

So like

-> Registering
-> Editing Your Profile
-> Logging In
-> Using The Forums
-> Searching Forum
-> Posting Replies
-> Posting New Threads

Anything else?

 

[Shelley]

Have you shown it to any of them? The few users I have showed a test install to all commented that it was easier to use than vB4, so I wonder whether any kind of tutorial is necessary.

It's a forum, you know. They'll figure it out. Don't underestimate your users.

I would imagine for the most part that a tutorial wasn't needed but then not everyone has the same level of skills and it never hurts to throw some basic tutorials out.

With that said. This is something the community can actually involve themselves with. Why not create a group and allocate certain areas of the admincp to each member of that group. Organisation, it never hurts and with each member of the group completing their own little task they can then send it to one member of the group to post.

I'm not sure whether it's worth bothering kier with when a community effort can come up with an array of tutorials, even tips etc etc and so forth getting the job done quicker.

 

[Dodgeboard]

So like

-> Registering
-> Editing Your Profile
-> Logging In
-> Using The Forums
-> Searching Forum
-> Posting Replies
-> Posting New Threads

Anything else?

I'd say registering and logging in are pretty self explanatory. Even posting is pretty straight forward. I think most of us already have forums. What I am looking for is how Xenforo is different; likes, uploads, profiles, watch/unwatch threads, following, alerts, newsfeed, etc. Something to ease members of VB/IBP over to the features of Xenforo.

cmeinck did some pretty good videos, except they were hard to make out(only used part of the screen) and were created for his forums which were highly modified. I was looking for something that showed Xenforo, out of the box, something that anyone could use.

I wish I was better at doing the videos, I would do them myself.

 

[Ruven]

Dean, If you do end up making some videos, make them site neutral if you can, referring to it as the new Xenforo software, not xyz.com forums. That way, anyone can use them.

We appreciate all you (and all the mods) do moderating the forums and helping to alleviate the load on the top brass so they can focus on a stable release of Xenforo.

Actually since this is not for admins but for end users it would be best to omit xenforo altogether.
Just calling it something like the new software or new forum platform etc... would suffice.

 

[Jeffin]

So like

-> Registering
-> Editing Your Profile
-> Logging In
-> Using The Forums
-> Searching Forum
-> Posting Replies
-> Posting New Threads

Anything else?

Thanks Caleb. I'll post them on my forum if they are good.

To add to the list: private conversations, trophies.

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

Thanks Caleb. I'll post them on my forum if they are good.

To add to the list: private conversations, trophies.

They'll be good if I create them.. Logging in is self explanatory. Some people don't understand registration {not joking}

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

So add these:

>> Using The Alerts System
>> Following People
>> The Post Like System
>>Attaching Files

Caleb

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

>> How To Watch Threads.

Caleb

 

[Dodgeboard]

Can you do them in an Australian accent?

or..

Since you're Canadian, keep adding "eh" to the end of your sentences!

 

[-GR-]

I think the videos would be helpful mainly with the like, following, and news feeds. As for any of the basic stuff the couple people I have working with me testing xf love it and have commented many times over how much easier it is and it keeps them posting more.

 

[Dodgeboard]

Something I may do if we get some good member tutorials: incorporate them into the FAQ page

 

[HannahP]

If you spoon feed everything to your users they will lose the satisfaction (or joy, for the biblically inclined) of discovering things for themselves. I still believe that the idea that someone needs a video tutorial to register and post on a forum is condescending.

You know, unless that is your target audience; really, really dumb people. In which case, don't mind me, carry on, tally ho and all that. Be sure to put a demonstration in the video on how to cut and paste text on a computer. It seems that a lot of people are unclear on that subject as well.

But really, think about it. If you went to a forum for the first time and were steered toward a bunch of videos targeted to preschoolers, you might have second thoughts about joining. You may be tempted to jump to conclusions such as, "Oi, this lot must be thick!" Or whatever colorful way you express things in your particular backward country.

Generally speaking, if you treat humans as if they are intelligent, they respond intelligently. It's food for thought, mobsters!

 

[Dodgeboard]

Some of my members still haven't learned how to attach a picture or a youtube video. Dumb? No. Just not avid computer geeks like most forum admins. Many of my users are in their 60's, 70's or 80's. I guess it depends on your forum niche. Mine targets average citizens with no special computer background/skills.

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

Since you're Canadian, keep adding "eh" to the end of your sentences!

.

I might have to add...brrr..... igloos are cold you know... I'll do these tonight if one of you will kindly come up with a list of things that are important enough to be videos..

Caleb

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

Well here goes...

>> Registering To The Forum
>> Editing Your Profile
>> The Alerts + News Feed System
>> User Profiles {following people etc}
>> Using The Post System {Liking Posts, Watching Threads etc}

I'll make these tonight.. all good?

Caleb

 

[Dodgeboard]

Excited to see them!

 

[Caleb Spilchen]

Excited to see them!

Let me grab a bag of fries, and then come home to do it