Fixed width and mobile version are actually opposing options :) If it is built right and uses a responsive layout as opposed to a fixed width it becomes viewable across all devices/screen sizes.

Search is in need of improvement. Rather than grouped by posts when you search it should be grouped by thread and then have the ability to search within a thread as an advanced option.

Like/dislike, up/down vote are interesting but of less value I think.

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

"Fixed width and mobile version are actually opposing options :) If it is built right and uses a responsive layout as opposed to a fixed width it becomes viewable across all devices/screen sizes."

i might be wrong, but what i envision is the identification of your platform - mobile or desktop - and then the presentation of a set of templates that displays the data. so, i don't see why a fixed width - or maybe better a max width, which i've seen a number of times in reader forums - can't be deployed when our server senses a desktop operating system. then a set of mobile templates deploys when we see iOS or android, with a link that allows the standard display.

what i really want to deploy - i try not to keep secrets or harbor ulterior motives from you all - is wallpaper ads on our reader forum. when we can't do, because it's not a fixed width. even if we could have such deployment occur when the forum is at "standard" width, but that width can be reduced, and the wallpaper ad disappears, then that works for me. and of course wallpaper doesn't deploy on mobile devices.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I get it, that will work but it tends to be a lot more work to develop and maintain multiple templates based on device/screen size. Responsive layouts usually accommodate a desktop and tablet/mobile view. Sensing a desktop OS will get harder and harder as OSes merge from separate mobile, tablet and desktop versions and going by screen size will further complicate things when you almost literally have everything from 4.5" to 27" screens and everything in between.


Mobile apps are even a bigger headache when you look at the sheer number of devices and OS versions. iOS/iPhone/iPad is pretty standard but even there you have a few screen sizes. Android is much worse with over a dozen OS versions and Windows/Blackberry leads to either not supporting a subset of users or paying a lot for apps that will see little use.


Look at this example, its a Wordpress theme but I think you'll see what I mean. Load it full screen and then slowly narrow your browser width. You'll see it snap to a tablet view and then to a mobile view as it gets narrower.

http://demos.cyberchimps.com/responsivepro/

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Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

ah, man, that i like. one set of templates, platform independent, and the determiner is just the width of the browser window. i dig that. plus it actually works with my primary want, which is not a fixed width but a max width, and wallpaper ads deploy when the forum page is at its max width (970px), and just disappears when the browser is skinnied up. i shot off a question earlier this morning to our ad server software support guy asking if we could do that very thing. we'll see what he says. that would solve a lot of problems.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Easier photo upload and mobile version-thanks

One thing I would love to see that I see on other websites is the ability to hover your cursor over a post title and see the first couple of sentences of the post, so you know if it's something you want to read or not. (rather than having to click some vague title and see what the post is about)

Thanks, Dan!

A "reply to OP" button at the end of a thread.

Dan, is this forum based on any underlying, proprietary forums code base, or is it all custom code?

I'm sure you don't want to unravel the onion too far, but this thing has been around roughly as-is since 2002 and the html is coded like late 90s. If you're going to make major changes, I'd go all-in and get rid of html tables for formatting, get some javascript and ajax going on so that there is some level of functionality without everything being a full page refresh with a server-and-back. Honestly, I would start from the database and see if there weren't a way to use your existing database and the entire UI from an open-sourced modern forums UI. It may not be possible or it may be too much work and too much risk, but if you're looking at this upgrade being your big one to cover you for the next decade, that's what I'd look into.

1) Mobile

2) Improved Search function. Maybe included an option that only shows the thread that has your search criteria instead multiple posts from a single thread. Sometimes I'm searching for a thread and its buried on page 75 because there are some many post hits from he same thread.

"is this forum based on any underlying, proprietary forums code base, or is it all custom code?"

it started as an off-the-shelf forum, built in perl, built many years ago. but, LOTS of customization since then. i am sure the dbase is able to migrate to a new platform, but there are a lot of things the reader doesn't see built into this forum that i'm unwilling to part with. not until a moderator wrangles a large forum does he see what kinds of things he must deal with on a day to day basis. moderating tools that if known and available to moderators of other forums they would leap for joy. but we had to build them custom. so, it's not all just about the user experience.

that established, i suspect there may well be an integrating of new applets and plug-ins into the existing platform. i don't think we'll want to write everything new ourselves. also, there is functionality in this forum software you're using that are here, sitting, idle, that we have just turned off years ago and we can turn back on again. when i look at reader forums that various slowtwitchers admire, they're not very different than this one, they just have "accessory" features, many of which this forum has. if what people mostly want are improved search, that's going to be a lot easier for us to build than for us to buy.

to me, the big thing is mobile. how best to do that? also, i really don't see the FB and twitter post or thread share options on reader forums. to me that sound great. i'm all for that, as you can imagine. and i'll absolutely integrate that. i just haven't seen it yet.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

I manage another forum, one that's larger than ST, and it's been my experience that locally hosting attachments has an upside of (significantly) reducing the number of dead links/images in threads.

People purge the pictures on image hosting sites, but don't necessarily cleanup their attachments in a forum profile. That keeps content/attachments usable for a much longer period of time.

in addition to the LR, could you create a room for the atheists to post their opinions on why they're right and everyone else is wrong?

- Tapatalk (but that would require changing the whole board system, correct?). Otherwise - mobile friendly.

- The ability to reply to a thread without replying to a specific post, or by replying to OP by default. People now just click on the previous post to reply, and that generates a "someone replied to you" email which is often unrelated to what you just posted.

I'm not surprised. There aren't many software projects that are standing after 13 years, so I sympathize with you there. You've got a lot of custom in there, but you've also got 13 year old code and technology to deal with. I think about some of the crap I worked on in the late 90s and early 00s, and cringe at the thought of still having to maintain that today. if netscape then....elseif ie4 then.... ugh.

I'm no forums guru, so am not going to do your comp intel on social media integration in forums. But, regardless of what others do, if quick and easy ability for a user to share a post to his facebook wall or twitter feed is helpful, it should be a piece of cake. Just add little f and t buttons in the left part of each post (where #3 of 20 sits) that link to: https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=[post link] or https://twitter.com/share?url=[post link]

One member mentioned their preference for ignoring the nut jobs and their desire to see posts by members whom they respect.

To build on that idea and your idea to include 'likes':

• Providing a running tally of all-time 'likes' next to each users name/handle


• one tally for the main message board
• a separate tally for the Classified section, which would provide buyers/sellers with a bit more confidence when dealing with members
• Allow members to filter the message boards by these tallied 'likes', by day (default)/week/month/year/all time/custom date range

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wovebike.com | Wove on instagram

This! !! The rest is fine

How about the ability to hover over the thread title and see the first few lines of the post instead of opening the whole thread?

Agreed. Making the site tapatalk compatible takes care of your mobile support without having to dumb down the main site to allow it to function on phones/tablets.

I'd also like to be the lone voice in the wilderness that doesn't want to see the site artificially restricted to an arbitrary width. I have an ultrawidescreen monitor and it is irritating to navigate to various sites and have them rendered as a narrow strip in the middle of my monitor with tonnes of wasted, empty space on either side. The site width should scale responsively.

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===
"I eased off a bit. It never feels like you are easing off. More like you just stake out your place in the pain cave and sit there rather than venturing deeper inside..." -- Rappstar

I'd like to see a quick reply space at the bottom of each page, something like this:



I'm not sure, but does that require a change to a PHP format?

I also support a more robust search function as others have mentioned, as well as "+1", "Upvote" or "like" buttons that promote helpful threads and posts.

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

I'd second this proposal, especially when it comes to classifieds

Another vote for a mobile version.

My Top Five

* Ignore

* YouTube/Vimeo

* Avatars

* Hottie Thread

* Mobile

Thanks

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"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin

a better search function & online tutorials on how to use it.

easily embed pics. Maybe you host them or maybe you have them hosted elsewhere. But as I think about this, having to go through the trouble to host it elsewhere probably drives down the BS pics that would get posted.

AJthomas mentioned some great features, especially #6. I also volunteer to help select those who get voted off the island. I disagree with no Aussie Thursday. I like Dev even though I disagree with Dev 42.7% of the time (And yes I used the search function to figure that out Motherfuckers!), plus he was voted 2x ST poster of the year so that should give him some immunity.

mobile version.

figure out a 1 click way to post a FB/twitter
Benefit: draw in 100's to 1000's to 10,000's new users.
Drawback: many new dumbasses asking if I should use a disc wheel or which wet suit is best

SOLUTION: Automatically ban any user who posts a a should I use a disc wheel or which wet suit is best type question. Write some code so certain things get the user automatically banned....for life.

make me a moderator. Give me unfettered power to ban as I see fit. I promise you I'll probably not abuse this power too much nor too often after the first 30 days (you MFers better learn to use the search function though)

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

Ability to add youtube clips

Add quick reply at the bottom of a thread

Make it easier ti post pics

Other than that I think the site works well

No! I am vehemently opposed to mobile sights. Frustrate me and just ruin websites for me. Unless it was *superb* you would probably lose half my visits. I'm at school a lot.