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Author Topic: Custom Forums  (Read 6798 times)

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Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« on: February 14, 2006, 10:55:03 AM »
Hi all

A few times in the past i've tried to integrate forums into my sites, but never managed to get things looking as good as i'd like. this time around, i decided to write my own from scratch.
obviously they're not as feature packed or 'glam' as say vBulletin or invision, or even phpbb, but i reckon they fit nicely and follow the same style as alot of my other sections in the site.

Any thoughts?

[a href=\"http://www.thedinnertimes.com/forum/index.php\" target=\"_blank\"]DinnerTimes Forums[/a]

Cheers
Mark
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Offline Lorian

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« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2006, 10:58:47 AM »
I don't like the way the forums/topics are laid out, at first I was like, where the @#&$ are the forums? It should be laid out like they usually are
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Chris Spencer [ aka Lorian ]

[span style=\'font-size:8pt;line-height:100%\']PHP Freaks Community Member
Contact me: corrosivechris (at) gmail d0t com[/span]

Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« Reply #2 on: February 14, 2006, 11:16:21 AM »
[!--quoteo(post=345706:date=Feb 14 2006, 03:58 PM:name=Lorian)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Lorian @ Feb 14 2006, 03:58 PM) [snapback]345706[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I don't like the way the forums/topics are laid out, at first I was like, where the @#&$ are the forums? It should be laid out like they usually are
[/quote]

Hi Lorian

thats a fair comment. again, like most of the stuff on the site, it seems like a 50/50 love it/hate it. i'm just trying to keep a different spin on all the stuff in the site, which is purposely why i didnt do it like a proper forum.

it's a valid point though - i'm sure i could have it laid out better than it is - but i'm fairly adament that i'm gonna stick to my guns and not lay the main forums/topics out like a proper forum. if anyone's got any ideas on the best way to do it, but still keeping the 'theme' the same, i'd be very keen to hear your thoughts.

Cheers
Mark

EDIT: oh - not sure who it was that tried to access an invalid forum by changing the URL, but thanks - you helped me find something that coulda been a major problem.

Cheers
Mark
« Last Edit: February 14, 2006, 11:17:13 AM by redbullmarky »
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"you have to keep pissing in the wind to learn how to keep your shoes dry..."

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Offline jcombs_31

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« Reply #3 on: February 14, 2006, 11:55:54 AM »
[!--quoteo(post=345710:date=Feb 14 2006, 11:16 AM:name=redbullmarky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(redbullmarky @ Feb 14 2006, 11:16 AM) [snapback]345710[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Hi Lorian

thats a fair comment. again, like most of the stuff on the site, it seems like a 50/50 love it/hate it. i'm just trying to keep a different spin on all the stuff in the site, which is purposely why i didnt do it like a proper forum.

it's a valid point though - i'm sure i could have it laid out better than it is - but i'm fairly adament that i'm gonna stick to my guns and not lay the main forums/topics out like a proper forum. if anyone's got any ideas on the best way to do it, but still keeping the 'theme' the same, i'd be very keen to hear your thoughts.

Cheers
Mark

EDIT: oh - not sure who it was that tried to access an invalid forum by changing the URL, but thanks - you helped me find something that coulda been a major problem.

Cheers
Mark
[/quote]

I don't like it, it is very confusing.  There is a reason that forums are structured the way they are.
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Offline wildteen88

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« Reply #4 on: February 14, 2006, 12:07:36 PM »
I like the layout of the forums. I dont see it as confusing at all. It all matches in with the rest of the site too.
A forum doesnt have to be like any other forum out there. Theres no standard to what a forum should look like.

I like it! Good work redbullmarky!
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Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« Reply #5 on: February 14, 2006, 12:13:03 PM »
[!--quoteo(post=345727:date=Feb 14 2006, 04:55 PM:name=jcombs_31)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(jcombs_31 @ Feb 14 2006, 04:55 PM) [snapback]345727[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I don't like it, it is very confusing.
[/quote]

Fair enough. Just out of curiosity, is it confusing because it's not what youre used to, or because it literally is confusing full stop? obviously either way there's a problem. i'd like to make them as easy to use as possible, but as before without actually going down the 'normal forum' road.

[!--quoteo(post=345727:date=Feb 14 2006, 04:55 PM:name=jcombs_31)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(jcombs_31 @ Feb 14 2006, 04:55 PM) [snapback]345727[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
There is a reason that forums are structured the way they are.
[/quote]

how can i break the mould? what's the compromise that will keep things friendly for regular forum users, but also to keep within the 'theme', aside from just getting a copy of phpbb or whatever and changing the skin?

Cheers for your comments.

[!--quoteo(post=345731:date=Feb 14 2006, 05:07 PM:name=wildteen88)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(wildteen88 @ Feb 14 2006, 05:07 PM) [snapback]345731[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
I like the layout of the forums. I dont see it as confusing at all. It all matches in with the rest of the site too.
A forum doesnt have to be like any other forum out there. Theres no standard to what a forum should look like.

I like it! Good work redbullmarky!
[/quote]

hey wildteen thanks for your comments! what you said about matching the rest of the site is more important than anything. if you take a look at the 'classified' section, you'll see that those are laid out using exactly the same theme.
i am gonna stick to my guns as far as the theme goes, but i do to an extent agree with other posters too - i think there could be a good compromise that wouldn't mean me 'giving in to the trend' totally.

the forums are based on the intranet staff forums of an airline company my girlfriend works for.one of the other main reasons i decided to write the forums myself is that i just loved how easy to use they were - not just for computer experts and people who use forums all the time, but for literally anyone.

Cheers
Mark
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Offline jcombs_31

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« Reply #6 on: February 14, 2006, 02:29:32 PM »
I does not flow naturally.  They eye doesn't want to jump all around a page like that.

Like I mentioned, forums are designed a specific way for a reason, easy for the user reading and navigating.  Sometimes it is not a good idea to change something that is not broken just to be different.
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Offline Darkness Soul

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« Reply #7 on: February 14, 2006, 02:47:29 PM »
[!--quoteo(post=345732:date=Feb 14 2006, 02:13 PM:name=redbullmarky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(redbullmarky @ Feb 14 2006, 02:13 PM) [snapback]345732[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Fair enough. Just out of curiosity, is it confusing because it's not what youre used to, or because it literally is confusing full stop?
[/quote]

Mark, that's all the user will see.. if it look unlike customary people have to see, they will leave before learn.. just few ones will try it.. look, few for the www-count.. ;)

i agree.. very confusing..
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Offline Javizy

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« Reply #8 on: February 14, 2006, 02:49:58 PM »
Not sure if it works for me. Seems to take longer to scan through them, so I imagine that if there were lots of new topics and posts it would get annoying eventually.

Good effort in trying something new, but with the way forums have been perfected I'm not sure this is an area you should try reinventing the wheel on.
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Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« Reply #9 on: February 14, 2006, 06:43:15 PM »
[!--quoteo(post=345786:date=Feb 14 2006, 07:49 PM:name=Javizy)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Javizy @ Feb 14 2006, 07:49 PM) [snapback]345786[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Not sure if it works for me. Seems to take longer to scan through them, so I imagine that if there were lots of new topics and posts it would get annoying eventually.

Good effort in trying something new, but with the way forums have been perfected I'm not sure this is an area you should try reinventing the wheel on.
[/quote]

valid comments from everyone here, and all taken on board.
i'm solidly sticking my ground on the concept/theme of this one, but i've kinda had a (slight) compromise.

here's the old one:
[a href=\"http://www.thedinnertimes.com/forum/forumbak.php?fid=2\" target=\"_blank\"]Forums - Old Topic layout[/a]
[a href=\"http://www.thedinnertimes.com/forum/forum.php?fid=2\" target=\"_blank\"]Forums - New Topic layout[/a]

any thoughts on the new layout? slightly easier to digest?
« Last Edit: February 14, 2006, 06:44:07 PM by redbullmarky »
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Offline Javizy

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« Reply #10 on: February 14, 2006, 07:47:34 PM »
[!--quoteo(post=345878:date=Feb 14 2006, 11:43 PM:name=redbullmarky)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(redbullmarky @ Feb 14 2006, 11:43 PM) [snapback]345878[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
valid comments from everyone here, and all taken on board.
i'm solidly sticking my ground on the concept/theme of this one, but i've kinda had a (slight) compromise.

here's the old one:
[a href=\"http://www.thedinnertimes.com/forum/forumbak.php?fid=2\" target=\"_blank\"]Forums - Old Topic layout[/a]
[a href=\"http://www.thedinnertimes.com/forum/forum.php?fid=2\" target=\"_blank\"]Forums - New Topic layout[/a]

any thoughts on the new layout? slightly easier to digest?
[/quote]

Yeah that's not too bad much easier to skim through. One thing I would suggest is some navigation at the bottom of the topic pages so you don't have to scroll back to the top after reading. Other than that looking good.
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Offline moberemk

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« Reply #11 on: February 14, 2006, 08:09:20 PM »
For the right-column, instead of older topics, try doing something else, like links to related articles or topic information. Multiple columns just don't work for forums, I'm afraid.
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Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« Reply #12 on: February 16, 2006, 05:27:45 AM »
cheers all

moberemk, i've tried various things in the right hand column, such as related articles, links to other sections of the site, etc, but it does seem to detract from the whole concept and looks even more confusing. having said that though, i'm still looking at other ideas for the right hand column, but it's really gotta be right for the forum/site/uniformity/consistency throughout the site as a whole.

Javizy, youre right about the nav so i'll have a look at things i can use to spruce things up and make things easier to skim around. only thing i don't want to do is to overcrowd things with buttons and stuff, as i think by sticking to my guns, the 'basic, no frills' approach could really work well. it's safe to assume that people who use phpfreaks, etc, are computer literate and just know how to get around complex forums. i'm actually targetting people from all walks - so that even someone who hardly ever uses a computer will be able to find their way around and get involved.
glad you find the new way a bit better though!

jcombs_31 i did at one point find my own eyes skimming all over the place to find stuff lol i think it's always harder when you make things yourself to actually see these things that make it confusing for other people. hopefully i've done enough to make it a bit more easy on the eyes.

any more thoughts, feel free to comment!
Cheers
Mark
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"you have to keep pissing in the wind to learn how to keep your shoes dry..."

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Offline Javizy

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« Reply #13 on: February 16, 2006, 09:48:16 AM »
Yeah buttons and stuff would cluster things. Something like a simple set of Index > Forum > Topic links at the bottom on one side, and the page numbers on the other would be good.
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Offline redbullmarkyTopic starter

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« Reply #14 on: February 16, 2006, 10:39:04 AM »
[!--quoteo(post=346384:date=Feb 16 2006, 02:48 PM:name=Javizy)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(Javizy @ Feb 16 2006, 02:48 PM) [snapback]346384[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--]
Yeah buttons and stuff would cluster things. Something like a simple set of Index > Forum > Topic links at the bottom on one side, and the page numbers on the other would be good.
[/quote]

i got a breadcrumb-type thing at the top of the pages - you reckon then that i should also put it at the bottom of the pages?
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"you have to keep pissing in the wind to learn how to keep your shoes dry..."

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