XenForo 2.0 Discussion

[TPerry]

How can XF increase your productivity?

Some of my thoughts

1 Single page button. Show all posts of thread in 1 page. (single page view)

Oh yeah, I can see the benefit of this on those 400 page threads. Kill a system much?

2 Dropdown menu in lists where you can select max threads/posts per page.

Which adds overhead to the system needing to figure out what the settings of each user are, and then use the appropriate reference back to their "page" in the link - unless you are proposing a total re-write of the current system?

3 Button to filter only show posts of the 'selected' person in a thread

That's better resolved using search instead of a "filter" IMHO.

4 ajax auto refresh page, like live add new posts/updates and alerts including browser notifications

Want to get those folks running on marginal shared hosting providers ran off I see.

5 Improve private messaging system like a mailbox where you can also forward messages or a private group conversation or chat.

Why would one want to "forward" a conversation (not sure what a "chat" is since there is no chat module in XenForo). AFAIK you can add a user to a conversation if permissions are given for that - otherwise, respect the participants wishes if you can't add users to the conversation.

6 Add floating windows for chats, editor and messages like what they have in Gmail.

I absolutely HATE this on GMail, and rarely use the webP version to access my mail any longer. I don't want something covering my screen when I'm replying as I may want to refer back to something further up the topic and pull it in for quotation also.

7 Avoid infinite scrolling and always use pagination.

Doesn't this go in direct contradiction to #2?

8 Reputation calculator of a profile on basis of posts.

You mean rating of posts? Reputation is so passé.

 

[Robust]

Kill a system? we are living in 2016, this should not be a problem. Lot of people prefer 1 long page instead of clicking and clicking.

Do you mean ajax load like Discourse?

 

[TPerry]

Kill a system? we are living in 2016, this should not be a problem. Lot of people prefer 1 long page instead of clicking and clicking.

Not everyone is on a "high powered" server. Many are on a cheap, oversold shared hosting system.
So yes, it IS a problem, and if you had been around very long you would see it is STILL an issue with many people even in XenForo's current incarnation.

Everyone should have the control how much content they want in 1 page. Let of people, especially desktop users prefer a more compact version. However keep the pagination.

And again, would involve a massive rewrite of the core system. You "may" see that down the road, but probably not for the next several releases.

No, when you do a search it needs to search and reload the posts. I want to see that inside a single thread you can filter user to only show the posts of the selected user of a topic (which posts are already load). This should be in realtime ajax.

Again, I feel sorry for those that are trying to run the script on a low-end shared hosting. Or do you propose that XenForo become more like IPS and not support those "poor slobs" that run on what they can afford?

You should not run a high end forum software on cheap hosting. Realtime live threads and notifications are common now, look to Facebook and twitter.

And people shouldn't do drugs because it's bad for their body. Nor should people murder or take advantage of others. Guess what - they do. Are you sure you aren't an IPS client that's come to visit? And yes, I am also an IPS client so I see this type of "attitude" fairly frequently over there (by both members and staff).

No since #2 is for people who prefer longer pages, more content in one single screen.

And again, a massive rewrite most likely of the core structure. Guess what, not going to see it in XenForo 2.0, especially considering the target is feature parity with some minor goodies added due to other changes that were made.

 

[Chris D]

Most of this isn't really relevant to XF 2.0 so if you have specific suggestions, or comments regarding them, please discuss them in the Suggestions forum.

 

[TPerry]

Most of this isn't really relevant to XF 2.0 so if you have specific suggestions, or comments regarding them, please discuss them in the Suggestions forum.

My suggestion on XF 2.0... keep going as y'all are. Give us a good stable new base to work off of and then build it up from there.
Please don't be "pressured" to do stuff just to do it. IPS has had to go through a year of "issues" from trying to bite off to much at one time (and I've been using it since the 4.0 release). As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race.

 

[Alpha1]

Oh yeah, I can see the benefit of this on those 400 page threads. Kill a system much?

The way Discourse does it is pretty good though.

 

[TPerry]

The way Discourse does it is pretty good though.

Granted.. but I don't think a combo of both options would work well, nor be really easy to code for (both for styles and core). I'm sure it could be done, but really wonder if it would be worth it.

 

[Martok]

The way Discourse does it is pretty good though.

Granted.. but I don't think a combo of both options would work well, nor be really easy to code for (both for styles and core). I'm sure it could be done, but really wonder if it would be worth it.

I visit the Battleborn forums which use Discourse. I hate the long threads because when I scroll down quickly, I have to stop and wait for the posts to load in. I much prefer pages where all the posts on that page are fully loaded in and I can easily jump forward 40 or 60 posts just by loading another page rather than scrolling and guessing.

Infinite scroll has its disadvantages just as pagination does, it's not the perfect modern solution that some have suggested it is.

 

[RichardKYA]

I do not like infinite scroll at all. If for some reason you get disconnected or otherwise have to go offline, you always have to start from the beginning when you return and 9 times out of 10, it's takes ages to find where you were (if you can).

I don't like automatic "live updates" of feeds either, it always pushes the content down when I'm trying to read it. When I want new content, I'll refresh the page myself after reading what I'm already reading.

Not everything about modern web browsing is great and I don't see the need to follow suit all the time, it doesn't always lead you to great places. Plus, when I use websites, I prefer them being different to one another, if they're all doing the same thing and behaving the same way, then what's the point? (rhetorical question, plus, I'm referring to web development/design, not life itself)

It's Christmas soon.

 

[Snog]

You should not run a high end forum software on cheap hosting. Realtime live threads and notifications are common now, look to Facebook and twitter.

I really do wish people would stop using Facebook and Twitter as comparisons when it comes to server loads, etc.

For those that don't know the difference, this is your common server used by hosting providers. Top of the line boards, etc. inside..



This is just one of the servers that Facebook use to run...



HUGE difference in computing power there folks. Your normal forum would never run anything anywhere near the power of what Facebook runs.

 

[James]

http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/inside-facebooks-lulea-data-center/

 

[Forcycle]

6 Add floating windows for chats, editor and messages like what they have in Gmail.

I think that should be an addon. A lot of people prefer to stay away from these type of features as it is quite a large distraction, it takes away from actual forum contributions (threads, replies etc).

 

[Alpha1]

I do not like infinite scroll at all. If for some reason you get disconnected or otherwise have to go offline, you always have to start from the beginning when you return and 9 times out of 10, it's takes ages to find where you were (if you can).

That was my point about Discourse. I hate infinite scroll for the reasons you describe. But Discourse resolved those issues. Infinite scroll has numbering and a timeline on Discourse.
I like the approach, but I am not saying I want this in XF. The loading issue that @Martok mentioned is too annoying.

 

[The Geek]

I dislike dismissing every suggestion that brings iterative experience for the end user. I also dislike having to be restricted to software with limitations for those guys on $5 per year shared hosting.

Reading some responses remind me of old BBS users saying "good enough, we don't all have dedicated servers you know!"

What I personally like and dislike should be influencing, not driving the experience. The "Average Joe" forum visitor should be (the same Average Joe who does not care about the "issues" or preferences that several here present).

Admin/Owners ***** about FB and such siphoning off users but then shout that they should stop using those platforms as UX examples. Consumers expectations have surpassed forum functionality for the $5 shared hosting providers YEARS ago. I would hope the emphasis would be on iterating the improvement instead of catering to BBS power users.

Sorry for the rant. Just think the real audience is being largely ignored and the net effect is that forums continue to stagnate in 2010 while the rest of the world moves on.

 

[The Geek]

I really do wish people would stop using Facebook and Twitter as comparisons when it comes to server loads, etc.
...
HUGE difference in computing power there folks. Your normal forum would never run anything anywhere near the power of what Facebook runs.

So lets lower our expectations (and those of our visitors) by ignoring the UX of the platform that generates 250 million posts per hour because we all don't have the servers to cope with the load.

We should be asking how to capture some of that activity.
We should be asking how Reddit's horrific UX produces 15m uniques per month.
What do visitors expect? What are the opportunities to meet/exceed user experiences?
Back end redesign is super beneficial, but ultimately only if it serves the need of the visitor.

 

[TPerry]

Reading some responses remind me of old BBS users saying "good enough, we don't all have dedicated servers you know!"

You didn't need a "dedicated server" for the BBS age. I ran a multi-node Binkley/Maximus system on an OS/2 and delivered mail for NET124 and echomail for HUB6000. The computer was a 386/33 with 4MB RAM with a 40MB SCSI HD. Worked great and I could do my other stuff on it also.

So lets lower our expectations (and those of our visitors) by ignoring the UX of the platform that generates 250 million posts per hour because we all don't have the servers to cope with the load.

Different type of audience and posting format. A Facebook interface would not work well with the typical forum.

Back end redesign is super beneficial, but ultimately only if it serves the need of the visitor.

and most likely the back end design will allow easier transitions. Of course, it may end up being implemented via add-ons.

 

[Arty]

Facebook is not a forum. If you want to use FB, use FB.

Facebook's success has absolutely nothing to do with usability of one of its components, which I think is worst forum-like layout ever invented. It has nothing to do with endless scrolling. It has nothing to do with any other feature you are suggesting.

It is successful because its easy to use as one central platform to send junk to each other. Register, post some nonsense, spam followers. Create your own page, follow other users, etc. It is all about making as many junk posts as possible with ease.

Just because it has feature X, doesn't mean every software should have such feature. Using FB's success as some kind of measurement for any of its features is, putting politely, stupid. Features do not exist on their own, they exist in environment they are designed for. Pulling feature from one environment and putting it in completely different one does not guarantee success. It is usually the opposite.

Endless scrolling, annoying chat overlays are terrible for both performance and usability. I wouldn't use any forum with those features. Forums are not designed for one line nonsense spam. That's what Twitter is for.

 

[Alpha1]

Facebook groups are definitely forums and do compete with forums.
Usability, good UI are key factors in the success of Facebook. I am not saying that this means that anything Facebook has applies to forums. It indeed doesn't.
But ease of posting is important.

Forums are not designed for one line nonsense spam. That's what Twitter is for.

That feature is called profile status.

 

[Arty]

Ease of posting - sure. That's what quick reply is for. Easy to post, not intrusive.

FB groups do pose competition to forums, but it doesn't mean that using its feature would make forum any good. FB groups are useless by their own. They exist in Facebook infrastructure and are very minor part of it.

 

[The Geek]

Guys, don't be so obtuse. I don't think anyone here is asking for a FB clone. The point is that there are visitor expectations set by the platform which has 1.5 billion registered users. Take what is relevant and iterate/adapt to forum usage.

There are some great iterations in 2.0, but they are still years behind the average visitor expectation. 2.0 is "fine" with general UX but it doesn't move the visitor functionality needle very much at a time when it really should do.

My previous point regarding all the hardware capability whines is this: I empathize, but would be nothing short of disappointed if the Fallout was re-engineered run smoothly on xBox 360 just because thats all some users had access to.