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Topic: Forum requirements and (un)desirables (Read 51054 times)

Forum requirements and (un)desirables

What features and functionalities should forum software have? Which are requirements and which are nice to have? How does this forum fare?

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #1
For me a fairly fundamental requirement is subscriptions, something this forum doesn't have. It only has "Show unread posts since last visit." which is a very inferior solution.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #2
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Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #3
A somewhat odd thing about the subscriptions is that the code probably exists, but it only outputs e-mails. Perhaps there's some kind of mod available; you might have to remind me to check for that.

Isn't Gravatar more a matter of implementation? If you can choose between a Gravatar or a locally set avatar, it sounds like nothing but added value to me.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #4
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Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #5
Gravatar is slow, and a central point of failure for avatars to possibly be moderated and taken down. Maybe it's not an issue yet. But if we accept such sites, then the next step is to move posts up there, or and videos to another place, and screenshots elsewhere. And in the end we don't own nothing and must "deal with it"™.

A proper Gravatar implementation locally caches the Gravatars and allows Gravatar-independent local avatars.

If I ban Gravatar entirely, I lose also the default/blank avatar of poeple who haven't picked one, but the site becomes much snappier (relatively speaking, since it still runs the modern IPB).

That, too, is a sign of a bad Gravatar implementation.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #6

For me a fairly fundamental requirement is subscriptions, something this forum doesn't have. It only has "Show unread posts since last visit." which is [glow=red,2,300]a very inferior solution.[/glow]


Yes, after contemplation, I see your point & totally agree.

As time goes on, & when thread count explodes, the email notify option (which to date I use & find cute) will become a real pain, & surely need to be abandoned.

I've traveled to many forums, but to it's credit, I found Opera's Subscriptions superior to most every.

This puppy is hoping that Frenzie can find it in his warm heart to somehow implement the same here!

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #7
This puppy is hoping that Frenzie can find it in his warm heart to somehow implement the same here!

You should now see "My Bookmarks" in the top navigation and "Add Bookmark" alongside the "Notify" option on topics. I think it addresses all concerns, but please be sure to point out any issues. :)

Also, in lieu of xErath's permission to modify his script, I added a premade inferior quick quoting ability. I will create a better solution one way or the other, but I'd prefer to adapt xErath's script rather than work from scratch. For example, it already deals with links, lists, and some varieties of text styling correctly.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #8

This puppy is hoping that Frenzie can find it in his warm heart to somehow implement the same here!

You should now see "My Bookmarks" in the top navigation and "Add Bookmark" alongside the "Notify" option on topics.


Ok, I looked everywhere, but no, the "My Bookmarks" doesn't exist, & the "Add Bookmark" button doesn't either ------ anywhere???

I've logged off & back on, reloaded sans cache, but nothings changed in regards to Bookmarks.......

I do see the 'Quote selected' option you modified though, & I think I have it figured out.

I'm sure when you fix it though, it'll be fine..... as is it's not too user friendly.....a tad bit arcane.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #9
Should be fixed now. I had to manually add permissions to every user group.



Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #12
Getting used to the new forum has been easy, to sometimes touch & go, but overall a very exciting experience.  I feel this is most probably due to Frenzie's uncanny ability to read into our minds & needs ---- sometimes before we have a thought to mention something.

That said, there does seem to be one feature I'm having a little difficulty doing without.

In MyOpera when we opened a new thread, that original post was visually distinctive, & easy to spot. It also set in motion what would be in context for posters to easily follow as a basis for discussion.

Also, regardless of how many pages the thread had traversed, each page started with the original thread opening/starting post....as a guiding light so to speak ...... a place to remind us of the thread's intended focus.

In my travels to many other forums, this feature always set the MyOpera Forums apart from the rest as a positive & motivating factor.

Am I being overly reminiscent? 

Am I alone in my observation?

What do you guys think?


Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #13
Yes, I agree. Repetition of the OP would be a welcome feature. I've also missed having that.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #14
Is whispering available? I've not found out yet. That's a nice-to-have feature.

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #15
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Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #16
I'll take first post on every page into consideration, but I'm somewhat inclined to agree with j7n.

I'd also like to have the ability to load a high number of posts per page to search long threads easily (for approved user classes), which was also possible on My Opera.

I increased the default because I agree it was too low, but it shouldn't be too high either for performance reasons.

Btw, perhaps you should look into the "print" feature? ;)


Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #18
Btw, perhaps you should look into the "print" feature?
I have no printer...
By the way, are such things as shortcutting some actions on the forum available/feasible? So to say, why the quote "button" is on the top of a post? Maybe... What about some playingaround about it? Just noticed — you seem to have "modify" doubled - look at my previous post... It seems that we have no tools in the modifying mode...

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #19
Just noticed — you seem to have "modify" doubled - look at my previous post...

1. The lower "modify" is seemingly meant to serve as analogue to Wiki's Visual Editor or what it's called. That'd be ok, but...
2. ...it seems not working...///Now I see it's working, but a reload needed... Bit confusing, isn't it?

Re: Forum requirements and (un)desırables

Reply #20
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Re: Forum requirements and (un)desirables

Reply #24
I desire "My topics" button. Which means 'the posts (threads) to which I'm the author'. It might dwell in the "Profile" pop-down menu, for example...
I guess such posts (topics) are already findable some way through the profile - so it'd be legit and enough to have it in that menu... Who thinks similar? ???
Add.: Sure one can just add their posts to "bookmarks", so... I don't know...