So which camp are you in as far as XenForo

So which camp are you in

  • Don't add anything it will just cause the core code to be bloated. Make everything an add-on!

    Votes: 17 42.5%
  • Add it to the core code. It's not bloat its needed as part of the base software.

    Votes: 13 32.5%
  • Why are you bothering me with this poll when I could be deciding the future of XenForo??

    Votes: 10 25.0%

  • Total voters
    40

Poltergeist

Active member
Reading the threads on here seems like there are 2 different groups of people here giving input:

1. All we need is just basic forum software. Everything else will just be bloat and I don't need what you want anyway. Make it an add-on (or mod) not part of the base code.

2. The software needs to be more then what is currently here to be a forum. And the missing things need to part of the core software and not an add-on or mod.

So which are you? :p
 
Neither camp? It depends on the feature being discussed?

Things that a significant # of admins want, and would be relatively easy to implement, but would not change (for the most part) on a specific site. Might better to be implemented via some type of edit, especially if the edit survived an upgrade. Or that might be a modification. Having some of these suggestions saved either in a 'how to' post/thread on xf.com, or even comments in the code might be a better fit than an exponentially increasing number of admin cp options.

Thread preview is a mixed blessing for instance. I have a love/hate relationship with.
 
1. All we need is just basic forum software. Everything else will just be bloat and I don't need what you want anyway. Make it an add-on (or mod) not part of the base code.
A Majority are modders that want a market and will fight for a piece of the customer pie.
2. The software needs to be more then what is currently here to be a forum. And the missing things need to part of the core software and not an add-on or mod.
A majority of Admins, that want it all without worrying about modfails (surviving an upgrade) or tracking down a modder who abandons a mod that won't work with a newer version or skin.
So which are you?
Bit of both, end of the day I just want it to work, work right and not futz with files all day or search for mods, there's content to be made and members waiting~
 
My opinion is that if someone develops forum software, then it should only have features relevant to forum functionality, which is somewhat basic compared to social sites like Facebook, MySpace, etc. Extra features beyond that should be in the form of plugins/add-ons/whatever. After all, it is simply forum software.

If someone is developing community software or a social site, then by all means include all the bells and whistles of the genre. This type of site requires it.
 
I want a balance between everything really;

I want the basic forum software, that we have, but I also want the options that will allow me to choose how things work.

If theres a great plugin and style system, I'll be more then happy, as I can get what is needed done myself. 
 
My opinion is that if someone develops forum software, then it should only have features relevant to forum functionality,

But what is basic forum functionality? That varies widely by each forum. What is a basic need for 100 sites is completely useless for 100 others.
 
I think the philosophy behind xF is one of quick, clean and forward thinking forum software. I highly doubt we will see bloat creep anytime soon if at all. Remember, this is the beginning. There is much work to be done still to fulfill my first sentence to the satisfaction of Kier & Mike.
 
Depends on the feature being discussed, so I chose option three.

But if you mean some of the hot-topics here (CMS, wiki, etc), then I'm going with option 1, though option 1 in your OP sounds pretty biased.

For the most part, I want good forum software, not mediocre all-in-wonder software. Anyone who wants something that does everything should go to vB or IPB. They've got everything and the kitchen sink there. Apple does well only selling one device (barring the fact that there's 4 iterations) to one carrier, and does that pretty damn well. Someone probably told them from the start that doing so will hurt them and their sales. Yeah, leading smartphone sales of any single device, and countless manufacturers struggling to even remotely mimic their success, I don't think they're having any issues making money, even with their devices being tied to one of the worst carriers in the USA.

Don't say forum software can't do well, because it can if they do it right. It may not sell to you, but it most definitely has a market.
 
I would rather have a solid core with room for plenty of plugins. I do of course think the core should have the features it really needs to be a good forum but not all the bells and whistles. I would like to see it filled out in the future with both official XenForo built add-ons as well as modder built add-ons. I don't mind paying for the add-ons I want. I will avoid bloat by having what I want to use and not having what I don't use.

The polling does lack many different shades in between.

While maybe not practical (don't know if it is or not) but this wonderful core we are seeing now could be loaded with the works for some people, kept very lean and mean for others, have just a few things for special needs or something in between if it is kept very modular.

Perhaps some of the minor features that people want in xenForo as released but others dont want could be in the forum of a plug in that comes with the product. That way it is included but those that would rather not have it at all can pull the plug on it.
 
I'm for sure in the camp of making about everything a add on and keeping the core product as streamlined as possible. However I can see the issue Kier and team may run into with the general view from the great unwashed that the product doesn't have all the bells and whistles of competing products. As someone said ages ago on here, a lot of Admins have lost sight of what forums are actually for. There's also the fact that a lot of software attracts fanbois who don't actual use the software that much but for sure want additional stuff.

I've got a number of things that I'll need for a currently site to be converted that certainly wont be straight out of the box when Xen gets released, so guess it's time to dust off the old code writer and do some development :eek:

As stated elsewhere am real interested to see what people come up with considering the number of different backgrounds going down here.
 
Depends on the feature being discussed, so I chose option three.

But if you mean some of the hot-topics here (CMS, wiki, etc), then I'm going with option 1, though option 1 in your OP sounds pretty biased.

For the most part, I want good forum software, not mediocre all-in-wonder software. Anyone who wants something that does everything should go to vB or IPB. They've got everything and the kitchen sink there. Apple does well only selling one device (barring the fact that there's 4 iterations) to one carrier, and does that pretty damn well. Someone probably told them from the start that doing so will hurt them and their sales. Yeah, leading smartphone sales of any single device, and countless manufacturers struggling to even remotely mimic their success, I don't think they're having any issues making money, even with their devices being tied to one of the worst carriers in the USA.

Don't say forum software can't do well, because it can if they do it right. It may not sell to you, but it most definitely has a market.
Smartphone comparison is generally a bad analogy; they have a ton of bloat, and turning off features, or removing them proves it speeds up.

As far as analogies go, I'd use an OS instead; A fresh Linux installation (Not Ubuntu, as that comes with pre-packaged stuff that often isn't needed, even if optional) with the ease of use to add more features right out of the box, in comparison to a Dell/HP issued Windows computer, that comes pre-packaged with much of their bloatware that can't be removed.

As I said, I want a -forum-, but I do want features that are likely to be used by the mainstream; if I don't need them, I'll remove them. Some bloat is fine, and completely understandable. XenForo needs to meet the ideals of many people, you can't expect that without features you don't expect people to use, just have an on/off switch for them.

As long as a highly extensible plugin and style system is included I doubt people will have much problem finding solutions, as long as developers don't try to charge an arm and a leg for everything (Not considering free, because you can't say what will be issued as free and what won't be). 
 
Personally, I don't mind using addons for stuff, but if it's released by XF you know it will be high quality and working well and supported, which is all not always the case with addons. Personally, I think stuff like arcade needs to be an addon, while stuff like features that enhance the forum (better moderation tools, multiquote, etc.) should be in there by default.
 
Smartphone comparison is generally a bad analogy; they have a ton of bloat, and turning off features, or removing them proves it speeds up.

As far as analogies go, I'd use an OS instead; A fresh Linux installation (Not Ubuntu, as that comes with pre-packaged stuff that often isn't needed, even if optional) with the ease of use to add more features right out of the box, in comparison to a Dell/HP issued Windows computer, that comes pre-packaged with much of their bloatware that can't be removed.

As I said, I want a -forum-, but I do want features that are likely to be used by the mainstream; if I don't need them, I'll remove them. Some bloat is fine, and completely understandable. XenForo needs to meet the ideals of many people, you can't expect that without features you don't expect people to use, just have an on/off switch for them.

As long as a highly extensible plugin and style system is included I doubt people will have much problem finding solutions, as long as developers don't try to charge an arm and a leg for everything (Not considering free, because you can't say what will be issued as free and what won't be).
I've always failed at analogies, so no surprise there. :P

I don't argue that the features themselves aren't wanted by people, sometimes even a majority are requesting it. That doesn't necessarily make our request valid, though. The trouble comes in when we want the devs to implement every single idea that pops up, and not only that, to our exacting standards. So now we not only want this to become more than just forum software, but the devs have the pressure of creating whatever functionality it is with the high standards that they've set for themselves and that we, as [future] consumers come to expect from them, along already trying to create the best possible forum software they can code.

Sure, people who don't want X-feature can just turn it off when they install the software, which isn't much of a hassle, but would you be happy with the solution (I'm referring to the large requests, like a CMS)? More important, did we have to sacrifice something on the forum-side just for the somewhat-working CMS to be included? I don't know about you, but I'd rather they spend their time creating a top-notch hook/plugin system, and finding some kind of bridge (maybe one that will even integrate the forums INTO the CMS/blog), which would actually help everyone out in the long-run, then install something that was made solely for being a CMS. The better the plugin system, the more developers would flock over to XenForo and create more add-ons, and, while a lot of people here seem to think otherwise, there will be quality mods available, that's a fact.


Jack-of-all-trades, master of none.
 
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