Will Xenforo ever adopt threaded comment structures (like Reddit)?

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qazwsxedcrfv1234

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I know that Xenforo comments have a flat structure, but is there any chance that the forum software will come to adopt a threaded structure (like Reddit)?

Speaking of flat / threaded comments, which do you prefer? Is there a way to have both types of comments be shown for users?

I know that there might be some bias towards flat (as Xenforo's userbase is accustomed to flat comments), but it would still be nice to know as to which you prefer and why.
 
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What’s interesting is that vBulletin had the feature, IPB had the feature, and MyBB had the feature - and all three shed it.

I personally don’t think it’s a particularly elegant solution, it tends to produce sub-thread like behaviours between just the two or so participants that split off the main topic. For some types of discussion I could see that being useful but it feels like you’re just having a room full of individuals talking with each other and not the whole room (as you get with a regular thread)
 
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Options are nice, I hope it happens one day. I have one project that would never use it and one that I'd love to try on.

That being said, as a pre-sale question, I'd purchase the software for what features it has today and not buy it hoping for a feature to be added later.
 
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Russ said:
Options are nice,
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I want to clarify my statement in light of your comment.

I hope it doesn't become the only mode of operation as I don't like it, but thankfully it's extremely unlikely. However, I have absolutely no objection to offering it as an option for customers, like you're suggesting.

In general, not just XF, I find that products have annoying restrictions imposed on the customer for no good reason when that option is easy to implement. Note that threading may not be that "easy" though.

For example, with my car, setting the fan to blow on the windscreen always turns on the aircon at the same time, forcing me to immediately turn it off again. Every sodding time. Most cars don't do this and most of the time I don't want the aircon in this mode. Why isn't this function optional? Or just make it work like a normal car?
 
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I started on threaded discussions, running a text-based forum that was based on wwwboard. (If you remember wwwboard, you are definitely showing your age. 😁 ) Honestly, I do prefer it, as the various tangents on the main thread can develop on their own, whereas in the flat version, these individual conversations all kind of mingle in together and can get confusing. For short threads, no, it doesn't make sense. When Compuserve had their forums, I believe they were similarly structured with many sub-threads. (Their own official offline reader displayed threaded conversations--I distinctly remember that.) So, I am very used to that kind of forum structure.

That said, I've never seen a version in the past 20 years that was well executed. Even the wwwboard derivative I used was cumbersome at times to read. The flat version is probably more user-friendly, and forum users are used to it. XF's basic function actually dates back to the days of UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board), which was a CGI-based forum that I believe was the first to offer the "flat" layout. Even they tried a threaded approach (called UBB Threads) but it never caught on. vB5 was the one to offer comments on replies, and that didn't make much sense to me.

Yeah...I'll just stick with flat from now on.
 
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l3ta said:
XF is the last best bastion of the classical forum layout. A relic of times gone by that should be preserved forever. I, for 1, never warmed to threaded or upvoted posts.
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couldnt resist the irony to upvote that ;P

i could sort of take or leave it myself, but its exact sort of thing i wont want to rely on third party for, then have it incorporated into xen 2.4.92 making a mess, trustworthy as ozzy is..
 
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the more cemented developer i would say, of the current third party post commenting options...

not to slate the others, i am not sure how many there even are or how they compare in the field....but as a site owner it is always more encouraging to see someone keeping up a whole host of work when picking a more complex modification...that you hope will be supported "forever".

all the same this one just put me off too much, but some times it can be helpful if implemented well...firmly on the fence here lol ;P
 
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wedgar said:
Don't remember wwwboard, but do remember Wildcat! BBS and The Major BBQ in the 80's.
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There is still one large site I know of that runs a hacked-up version of wwwboard (or a clone) and apparently they refuse to change.

General Asylum

Audio Asylum - General Asylum - General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.
www.audioasylum.com

That forum system is the one reason I have never taken part in that forum. It's a pain to navigate.
 
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Wildcat Media said:
There is still one large site I know of that runs a hacked-up version of wwwboard (or a clone) and apparently they refuse to change.

General Asylum

Audio Asylum - General Asylum - General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories.
www.audioasylum.com

That forum system is the one reason I have never taken part in that forum. It's a pain to navigate.
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That's like some Craigslist stuff there it looks lol
 
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Arantor said:
What’s interesting is that vBulletin had the feature, IPB had the feature, and MyBB had the feature - and all three shed it.
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Interesting. Implementation is everything, so I'd be surprised if any of those three did a good job of it. vB did a terrible job of threaded threads and well, everything.

Arantor said:
I personally don’t think it’s a particularly elegant solution, it tends to produce sub-thread like behaviours between just the two or so participants that split off the main topic. For some types of discussion I could see that being useful but it feels like you’re just having a room full of individuals talking with each other and not the whole room (as you get with a regular thread)
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what happens now is ... these two derail the ENTIRE thread by going off topic.

The whole point of a subthread (branch) is that it only applies to a smaller number of individuals.

Reddit does well with threaded threads.
 
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