XF 2.3 ?

[Deleted member 184953]

XF 2.3 is targeted for release in 2022.

 

[TPerry]

I got the same, focusing on my community.

Is your community failing in any way because you haven't seen/heard anything about 2.3?

Otherwise I could wait for HYS to purchase the license.

Suggestion that I have found has worked well for me over my 40+ years of buying stuff out of MY money. Buy what you need at that time, not what you "think" it may be doing in the future. If someone does not say "We will start doing X on YYYY date", then don't make a decision based upon that. You let your hopes and anticipation drive you. Nothing "forced" you to purchase a license then for a product that was not even released. If you needed the license, when 2.3 was coming out had NO bearing on it, you needed it for that site. In fact, to maximize your return you should have waited on the actual release of 2.3 before you purchased it if you are basing it on "getting" 2.3.
And I can empathize. I REALLY want social groups for my site... but I don't know if XF will have it. I could go out and get a nice social groups add-on... but I have patience and will wait until they start releasing info on 2.3 before I do so. Is it killing my site? Nope.

 

[Frode789]

2.3 was said to come out in 2022 by Chris. Given that they usually are pretty restrictive with "predictions/dates", I would assume that means that they were fairly certain about this timeframe.
Previous feature releases on XF2: First HYS -> release ~ 3-4 months time. Thus, expecting news about HYS now is certainly not strange to ask about.. If 2.3 is delayed until early 2023, then okay, that happens. No crisis.
I'm sure they have a good reason for it (and that it will benefit us in a better product), but they at least need to communicate with us and explain why. That's all.

Will our websites perish if 2.3 is delayed? No.. Will 2.3 bring a feature that will magically make your website suddenly significantly better? No..
But, I do want to see what direction XF is going in. It's been two years since the last feature release, that's a long time. A lot has happened in those two years in terms of competition, forum usage, browsing habits, how content is "consumed" by users etc.
So I think most just are very exited about this new release, and to see if they are bringing layout/core design changes to how content is displayed (see image), groups first party addon, improved performance/caching/image functionality and so on... Get some of those suggestions knocked out of the park after years in the suggestions forums.

 

[duderuud]

Kier already apologized for the delay. He also knew the mentioned "couple of weeks" wasn't feasible.

Just relax, we will probably see something this year...

 

[Brad L]

I think XenForo is making a big mistake by not offering more information. Their success is dependent on the success of forums that use their software. For me personally all investments to improve my forum are on hold until I know more about XF 2.3. It is extremely frustrating.

I've actually considered selling to corporations like VerticalScope because of this issue.

 

[Recep Baltaş]

Will 2.3 bring a feature that will magically make your website suddenly significantly better?

Yes. Definitely yes. It is thanks to XenForo and our own endavour that has let us become one of the biggest portals in our country. I ran away from vBulletin due to lack of updates and it was the best decision I've ever made in terms of forum software.

 

[Wildcat Media]

Will our websites perish if 2.3 is delayed? No.. Will 2.3 bring a feature that will magically make your website suddenly significantly better? No.

Our membership won't change. Our content won't change. Nobody on the forum, honestly, would ever care if we upgraded or not. Sure, I'm looking ahead to seeing the new features but day-to-day, it doesn't change how any of the forums I manage will operate.

 

[nodle]

Will 2.3 bring a feature that will magically make your website suddenly significantly better?

 

[Recep Baltaş]

Nobody on the forum, honestly, would ever care if we upgraded or not.

Well, our users do care. They expect new features occasionally.

 

[Mr Lucky]

They expect new features occasionally.

Does that mean they will be very sad if they don’t like or need any of the new features in 2.3? Or do they just want something new.

I mean if you were to do a poll asking them what new features they’d like, how many would answer “I don’t care as long as it’s new?”

 

[Mendalla]

Well, our users do care. They expect new features occasionally.

Occasionally being the operative word. Do they really care if it is this week or January? Two years or three?

Mine still don't use most of the 2.2 features I promoted when I did that upgrade. If it wasn't for a couple article forums, we may as well still be on 2.1 which was the last upgrade of significance for us feature-wise. Even things like user-initiated name changes haven't been used since a couple right after the upgrade. And I am still one of the few users who bothered with a profile banner.

So, unless there's some killer new feature that I know will get people pumped, I might hold off on 2.3 until I have to do it or do it quietly just to keep current.

 

[TPerry]

2.3 was said to come out in 2022 by Chris

Well... there are STILL 69 days until they fail to meet that statement.

I've actually considered selling to corporations like VerticalScope because of this issue.

Really... you have contemplated selling simply because XF developers don't keep you updated with their plans? Weird reason to base a decision to sell upon if your sites are still productive... but we all have our idiosyncrasies.
I assume you carry that theory forward.. like if you have a perfectly working car and you can't get parts from the manufacturer for it you contemplate selling it, even though it is currently working fine? Glad not everyone has that attitude as think of all the "antiques" that would have been disposed of instead of still being used today.

Our content won't change. Nobody on the forum, honestly, would ever care if we upgraded or not.

I generally find this to be true... the end users (by majority) typically don't care... they use what is there (and frequently not even what is there). The ones that have the "issues" I find are typically the admins of those sites. It's "we gotta give 'em something new to wow them" and the users are usually going "mehhhh".

 

[eL_]

I generally find this to be true... the end users (by majority) typically don't care... they use what is there (and frequently not even what is there). The ones that have the "issues" I find are typically the admins of those sites. It's "we gotta give 'em something new to wow them" and the users are usually going "mehhhh".

That's so true!!!

 

[Frode789]

Well... there are STILL 69 days until they fail to meet that statement.

I know? Have I said they won't make it? No.
Just pointing out that we are getting closer (and with the usual 3-4 month HYS/beta->release window), some news around now would not be unheard of. Or maybe a delay. But news either way.

Mine still don't use most of the 2.2 features I promoted when I did that upgrade. If it wasn't for a couple article forums, we may as well still be on 2.1 which was the last upgrade of significance for us feature-wise. Even things like user-initiated name changes haven't been used since a couple right after the upgrade. And I am still one of the few users who bothered with a profile banner.

Understandable. But then again nothing in 2.2 was "huge".. User banner and write before registration are things on the "nice to have" list. Articles is very basic, but it was nice to have, for those who uses it.
But things like..

• Official club/group addon, tightly integrated in the ecosystem.
• A new approach to how content is displayed by the users to increase views & interaction of the site's best content. (alternative to the legacy forum list/lackluster what's new page). Think IPS Fluid View as a baseline.
• Realtime features.
• Improvements to boost performance out of the box and/or some basic SEO tools. Both are vital for scoring well in search engines, and as good as possible from the get-go is better for all forum users and Xenforo. Not every admin is very tech savvy and get get dirty with lots of optimizations. More forums getting better scores -> Higher in search engines.

Why? To attract new users/improve interaction to make the forums grow! That is what is vital these days.... Content is king, and the overall package is important. One small thing won't magically fix something, but all things applied together can be a difference between failing vs an opposing platform vs being able to get a viable foothold (and hopefully succeed later).

 

[Faust]

I generally find this to be true... the end users (by majority) typically don't care... they use what is there (and frequently not even what is there). The ones that have the "issues" I find are typically the admins of those sites. It's "we gotta give 'em something new to wow them" and the users are usually going "mehhhh".

The era of old school Is ended. Most of my users on my forums are old people. I don’t really have young generation on my forums, even if these have registered, they are not bothered to post.

So let me ask, you think it’s only me facing this issue !? I would say most of forum owners are facing same issue. How long will take a forum to die ? Till all old school members will die, then young generation won’t be bothered to access your site, no big science here.

reason ? Facebook, TikTok , YouTube etc…..

So yes, some nice features will be great to have, so we can target younger generation as well.

If some old school members won’t be happy with new features , fine , they can go somewhere else as long as these new features will attract younger generation.

Content is key, however, don’t forget you compete with thousands of sites, forums and giants.

So when I see members saying, “I don’t care about new features”, then that members isn’t looking ahead in the future, it’s stuck behind.

I’m sure that @Chris D and @Kier will agree with this. Otherwise they will have less and less clients if there won’t be something which can attract younger generation too.

 

[Miri]

The era of old school Is ended. Most of my users on my forums are old people. I don’t really have young generation on my forums, even if these have registered, they are not bothered to post.

So let me ask, you think it’s only me facing this issue !? I would say most of forum owners are facing same issue. How long will take a forum to die ? Till all old school members will die, then young generation won’t be bothered to access your site, no big science here.

reason ? Facebook, TikTok , YouTube etc…..

So yes, some nice features will be great to have, so we can target younger generation as well.

If some old school members won’t be happy with new features , fine , they can go somewhere else as long as these new features will attract younger generation.

Content is key, however, don’t forget you compete with thousands of sites, forums and giants.

So when I see members saying, “I don’t care about new features”, then that members isn’t looking ahead in the future, it’s stuck behind.

I’m sure that @Chris D and @Kier will agree with this. Otherwise they will have less and less clients if there won’t be something which can attract younger generation too.

Old school, it doesn't necessarily mean retrograde, that doesn't accept the news or that it even has to die.

 

[TPerry]

So yes, some nice features will be great to have, so we can target younger generation as well.

Seriously doubt "features" are going to pull in younger generations. They have a totally different manner of communication, much of it not even dealing with the written language.
The target environment for each is different. Those "younger generation" later grow up and start looking for actual "meat & potatoes" about topics... and Instagram, Twitter and such isn't normally where they are going to find it and HAVE NOT found it in the past.. My son is a classic case.. he was a big "social media" user in his younger days... now, when he needs to find out anything about his Tacoma, his Corvette or his boat he goes to forums associated with those items.

Content is key, however, don’t forget you compete with thousands of sites, forums and giants.

Has been and always will. But I promise you, the majority of those interested in a forum aren't there because of some neat little 'gee-gaw". They are there because of the content and interaction with others of a similar mind-set.

then young generation won’t be bothered to access your site, no big science here.

Same issue applies to ANY site. FB was "the thing to compete against" for ages... now guess what... the younger generation is flocking away from it. Do you REALLY expect a forum to be any different than something that has THAT much money behind it?

So when I see members saying, “I don’t care about new features”, then that members isn’t looking ahead in the future, it’s stuck behind.

Riddle me this... what keeps your site going? That "member that is stuck behind times" or your over-powering desire for new "gee'gaws"?

Otherwise they will have less and less clients if there won’t be something which can attract younger generation too.

Guess what... I got my intro in the days of the BBS and 1200 baud modems and a single inbound line. Then it progressed to 2400 baud... then 9600, then 9600/14.4k Dual Standard. In the mean time, the BBS's went from being able to be ran as a single node to multi-node thanks to DesqView and OS/2. Then came the offline-readers, and traffic visits of any length dropped to the VPS for any longer than it took to download the attachment for the offline reader (BlueWave for QuickBBS anyone? Or OS/2 & Maximus/2? I beta tested both the app AND the BBS portion). Most participated in FidoNet.... then along came that big old nasty Internet and newsgroups... guess what died a slow death?
Now, tell us how popular those newsgroups are now?
Then you had a progression that allowed certain BBS softwares to actually be accessed over the internet and packet radio so there was a slight resurgence in BBS's.
Then along came the world wide web.
How about AOL?
Prodigy?
CompuServe?
Then Yahoo!
Then MySpace
Oh, let's not forget GeoCities!
<and so the story progresses, each causing cessation of much of the forebearers>
I've seen the younger generation flow to many different platforms... and know that no amount of "gee-gaws" is what attracts them. There reaches a point that one has to realize that the platform FORMAT itself is the issue (a paradigm shift that usually will kill the "forum" as it morphs to something else that no longer resembles a forum and can in and of itself drive existing users AWAY). And "new features/gee-gaws" aren't the answer. And those that happen (and it is chance) upon the right combo succeed for awhile, and then they eventually fade away also.

At one point, a mobile specific app would have been a welcome addition... but guess what.. that's not so much a "big thing" now.
Trying to "chase the fish" is a losing proposition. All it ends up doing is you spending tons of money with no guaranteed return because generally by the time you realize what the "current bait" is, you are already behind the curve as someone else has figured it out and caught most of the fish.
The simple fact is... for young people, they have VERY LITTLE desire to participate in conversation in a written format. It takes logical thinking and time to be able to discourse in a manner with others that relay well-rounded thoughts. And many of them don't want to devote the time to interact in that format... as it "strains them" and it's easier to take a quick "funny" video and push out for a few laughs... and even in THAT format.. .have you noticed anything about most of the participants "similarities"? I'll let you riddle that one out, and then compare it to the format of interaction in a written format as done on a forum.
Those younger generations do tend (historically) to grow up and as they do, they begin finding other manner of obtaining information and interaction.

 

[alexm]

Seriously doubt "features" are going to pull in younger generations. They have a totally different manner of communication, much of it not even dealing with the written language.

I hate the way they use multiple 'sends' to say something as one 'send' and take some time to tidy it up. I'm halfway through answering when they send another 'PM' that steers them off topic/cancels the last PM.

 

[TPerry]

I hate the way they use multiple 'sends' to say something as one 'send' and take some time to tidy it up. I'm halfway through answering when they send another 'PM' that steers them off topic/cancels the last PM.

I've talked with a few employers that I do IT consulting for... and it shocks them (they are older people) at how hard it is for some of the applicants to fill out a simple application with pertinent data, and the stuff they put in the areas about personal interests/hobbies frequently (according to them) look like an 8th grader in a hurry to get out to the playground wrote it.

 

[eL_]

Guys, this thread is going in the wrong direction and way too far from his purpose.
What it will come in xF will definitely come in the next few weeks... we just need to wait for it.