XenForo 2.0 Discussion

[ŽivaAkcija]

In 3 months, PHP 5.4 will be dead. In less than a month, PHP 5.5 Active support will end.

Just some info

http://php.net/supported-versions.php

Running 5.6.9 for now waiting PHP 7

 

[Jafo]

Still waiting anxiously.

 

[Neutral Singh]

Things will never be what they once were. You can spend a lot of effort to try and make things like they used to be, but it will never happen. Those days were before Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and the like. They were before tablets and smart phones even. Probably half the visits now are people on their phone looking for one thing and then leaving.

Going forward: How is xF 2.0 going to evolve, while keeping this reality in perspective?

 

[jauburn]

As Facebook has become the default community format, it would be nice to have the option to make our communities look more comfortably familiar to potential new members - where forum admins wish to implement such an option.

You mean so that communities can become a collection of "likes" and one-liners?

Nothing makes me feel like I'm wasting my life faster than a couple of minutes on Facebook.

About half of the Facebook "comments" on my "feed" end in exclamation points. Some end in two or three exclamation points. I hope that suggests something of the level of discourse available on a typical Facebook feed and not that people are very angry at me. (And on Facebook I would have been compelled to use three exclamation points after that last comment.)

Xenforo more like Facebook? No like.

 

[rafass]

Facebook sucks. Agree.
But people love it.

 

[Lisa]

Xenforo more like Facebook? No like.

Don't you mean:-

Xenforo more like Facebook?????? No like!!!!!!

 

[jauburn]

Don't you mean:-

Xenforo more like Facebook?????? No like!!!!!!

Yes, and what I'm suggesting is that Facebook and many successful forums are serving two different purposes, if not two different audiences. Facebook, in my experience, is not conducive to sustaining thoughtful, meaningful discussions. The very "scroll down" (or "flick down") nature of the experience underscores the ephemeral nature of what is "discussed" and tempts one to interact superficially, if at all. I doubt anyone is going to put a lot of time into a Facebook discussion, in other words, for he or she will know that by tomorrow, the whole thing will be long forgotten, buried under a deluge of additional likes and cuddly orgies of cute quips.

Now, having said that, if you find yourself demonstrably losing members to Facebook, then I have two points: First, you've lost the game already, and you may as well close up shop, do something more useful with your time, or go join your former members on Facebook. Second, a new feature of Xenforo that optionally makes the software look more like Facebook is unlikely to get your members back, for Facebook already exists, and it's not going anywhere, from the looks of things.

I will add my support, though, to the person above who pointed out that posting on Facebook requires fewer clicks (by half) than locating content and adding to it on your typical forum software, including Xenforo. So I'm all for improvements to the way in which forums are typically laid out, and I'm all for research into where users stumble when trying to communicate through it.

P.S. I hope xenforo 2.0 takes 2 more years to appear. What exists now is pretty darned good. I personally could use fewer updates so that I can spend more time developing content and less time worrying about upgrading the xenforo core and related add-ons. Heck, make that 3 years.

 

[XenForo]

We have been developing the core systems for XenForo 2.0 for some time now and they are coming along well. However, XenForo is a very large project and there are many areas that need to be updated and reimplemented. We want to do our best to be sure it's right and this takes a significant amount of time. Because a lot of this work represents "behind the scenes" changes, we're not at a point where we are ready to show off our work yet. As we get closer to the initial release of 2.0, we'll release additional information.

While the primary target has been 2.0, we decided that it would be best to do an interim release of XenForo 1.5, adding some more commonly requested features and improvements. We're starting the Have You Seen threads today, so head over there to check out the new things as we reveal them. XenForo 1.5 will likely be ready for first testing on XenForo.com by early July with the usual beta process to follow.

 

[Gladius]

Good call.

 

[rbharathi]

happy news, eagerly waiting for XF 1.5 and 2.0

 

[turtile]

The key functions from Facebook need to moved into Xenforo or forums will die. It's just way to difficult to post in a forum compared to Facebook. I won't even post from my phone because it's too time consuming. On Facebook groups, no problem. And I grew up on forums...

Someone replied to your post? Let's check the website constantly (no one has time for that) or have email alerts (annoys everyone and you have to check your email). So when it comes down to it, users need to be notified.

 

[Andy.N]

Push notification would solve that shortly.

 

[Zynektic]

The key functions from Facebook need to moved into Xenforo or forums will die. It's just way to difficult to post in a forum compared to Facebook. I won't even post from my phone because it's too time consuming. On Facebook groups, no problem. And I grew up on forums...

Someone replied to your post? Let's check the website constantly (no one has time for that) or have email alerts (annoys everyone and you have to check your email). So when it comes down to it, users need to be notified.

My forum uses push alerts where you click it and are taken directly to the post and can reply. It takes the same effort that Facebook does and you can even choose to stay logged in like on the Facebook application.

 

[Sadik B]

My forum uses push alerts where you click it and are taken directly to the post and can reply. It takes the same effort that Facebook does and you can even choose to stay logged in like on the Facebook application.

What are you using for Push alerts?

 

[Digital Doctor]

The key functions from Facebook need to moved into Xenforo or forums will die. It's just way to difficult to post in a forum compared to Facebook. I won't even post from my phone because it's too time consuming. On Facebook groups, no problem. And I grew up on forums...

Someone replied to your post? Let's check the website constantly (no one has time for that) or have email alerts (annoys everyone and you have to check your email). So when it comes down to it, users need to be notified.

Xenforo will never out-Facebook Facebook.
Forums need to be about creating and consuming content. If you want to chit chat about something ... Facebook might be ok ... If you need more information.. Facebook won't work well.

Let's do an example ...
Unusual plants.
Home Page:
http://www.unusualplants.net/
Can you show me some meaningful organized information about unusual plants on a Facebook group ?

Url please.

 

[Zynektic]

What are you using for Push alerts?

Sorry, it's Push Notifications add-on and tweaked slightly from xfrocks.

 

[surfsup]

Facebook sucks. Agree.
But people love it.

Don't you mean:-

Xenforo more like Facebook?????? No like!!!!!!

Yes, and what I'm suggesting is that Facebook and many successful forums are serving two different purposes, if not two different audiences. Facebook, in my experience, is not conducive to sustaining thoughtful, meaningful discussions. The very "scroll down" (or "flick down") nature of the experience underscores the ephemeral nature of what is "discussed" and tempts one to interact superficially, if at all. I doubt anyone is going to put a lot of time into a Facebook discussion, in other words, for he or she will know that by tomorrow, the whole thing will be long forgotten, buried under a deluge of additional likes and cuddly orgies of cute quips.

Now, having said that, if you find yourself demonstrably losing members to Facebook, then I have two points: First, you've lost the game already, and you may as well close up shop, do something more useful with your time, or go join your former members on Facebook. Second, a new feature of Xenforo that optionally makes the software look more like Facebook is unlikely to get your members back, for Facebook already exists, and it's not going anywhere, from the looks of things.

I will add my support, though, to the person above who pointed out that posting on Facebook requires fewer clicks (by half) than locating content and adding to it on your typical forum software, including Xenforo. So I'm all for improvements to the way in which forums are typically laid out, and I'm all for research into where users stumble when trying to communicate through it.

P.S. I hope xenforo 2.0 takes 2 more years to appear. What exists now is pretty darned good. I personally could use fewer updates so that I can spend more time developing content and less time worrying about upgrading the xenforo core and related add-ons. Heck, make that 3 years.

We have been developing the core systems for XenForo 2.0 for some time now and they are coming along well. However, XenForo is a very large project and there are many areas that need to be updated and reimplemented. We want to do our best to be sure it's right and this takes a significant amount of time. Because a lot of this work represents "behind the scenes" changes, we're not at a point where we are ready to show off our work yet. As we get closer to the initial release of 2.0, we'll release additional information.

While the primary target has been 2.0, we decided that it would be best to do an interim release of XenForo 1.5, adding some more commonly requested features and improvements. We're starting the Have You Seen threads today, so head over there to check out the new things as we reveal them. XenForo 1.5 will likely be ready for first testing on XenForo.com by early July with the usual beta process to follow.

Thanks and we hope you are listening to us regarding 'Facebook' type of requests because....

The key functions from Facebook need to moved into Xenforo or forums will die. It's just way to difficult to post in a forum compared to Facebook. I won't even post from my phone because it's too time consuming. On Facebook groups, no problem. And I grew up on forums...

Someone replied to your post? Let's check the website constantly (no one has time for that) or have email alerts (annoys everyone and you have to check your email). So when it comes down to it, users need to be notified.

Xenforo will never out-Facebook Facebook.
Forums need to be about creating and consuming content. If you want to chit chat about something ... Facebook might be ok ... If you need more information.. Facebook won't work well.

Let's do an example ...
Unusual plants.
Home Page:
http://www.unusualplants.net/
Can you show me some meaningful organized information about unusual plants on a Facebook group ?

Url please.

Have you all looked at Google+ communities yet? They have categories, soon most likely Facebook will also. Which means @XenForo would need to step it up for 2.0 - A new forum just starting out would have an extremely difficult time unless it is a super niche site, otherwise good luck. We have started a Facebook group and Google+ group because we realize it may cater to some, I have seen other forums just go down under because of social media but ours is doing great but with the help of all our networks.

 

[Deriel]

Social Media sites have a problem with historic and old information. Try to find some info some 3 ou 4 years old, it's very hard if not impossible. We have a 15 year old forum full of information that is easy searchable. In Facebook all that would be "lost" (if something is there but hard or impossible to find, to me is lost anyway).

 

[rafass]

Social Media sites have a problem with historic and old information. Try to find some info some 3 ou 4 years old, it's very hard if not impossible. We have a 15 year old forum full of information that is easy searchable. In Facebook all that would be "lost" (if something is there but hard or impossible to find, to me is lost anyway).

Your board possibly is awesome, there are excellent content, is easy to find everything. and you have..couple million of active users? maybe. (I don't think so)
Anyway Social media sites are Most popular, they have Millions of users and they earn more money. Millions$$$. why?
They offer different things and people love it. Forums should do the same.
Lately I have seen some veterans forums with big numbers in statistics. but only very few active users.
Clearly something is wrong and it is time to change / improve..."imitate" (sic)/... things to avoid being killed by social networks.

 

[Zynektic]

Social media websites like Facebook has services such as games and applications linked into them which helps users connect to their app or websites quickly, there is probably a lot of people using it this way (I do too) and do not care for the spam fest social rubbish of Facebook for example.

Information is obtained from news and forums for me, not these social media websites and I can find it going back however long with a quick search.

My type of forum (gaming) would not benefit from any social media stuff either other than Reddit so it does not benefit everyone.