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Forum software change - feedback needed

binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,098
1,144
NC
I have been thinking about including a "Thanks" module. I don't like the ones that list all of the hundreds of usernames at the bottom of the post, but a more subtle one that just counts the thanks received might help.

Often, the "thanks" are still used for funny posts but less often. One thing it does help, too, is the usage of rep to leave a quick comment to the poster, which I think contributes a lot to rep totals.
 
4130biker

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
449
CrabJoe StretchPants said:
Some of the funniest people on this board also happen to be some of the most knowledgable people as well. They aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.
Click to expand...
Agreed- Kidwoo comes to mind (but I think his kind is somewhat rare). Is there anything wrong with having both?
 
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B

bean

Turbo Monkey
Feb 16, 2004
1,335
0
Boulder
It's probably not an option, it doesn't seem like Xenfora has it, but I've always preferred threaded forums.
 
Pesqueeb

Pesqueeb

bicycle in airplane hangar
Feb 2, 2007
40,300
16,740
Riding the baggage carousel.
Is there a better way to cut down on the spammers? The "watch ******** movie free!" one's in particular. I've visited other forums where the first 3-5 posts by anyone new need to be "approved" by someone, a mod I assume. I realize that's probably labor intensive, so maybe restricting n00bs on hot linking things for the first 10 posts or something? Again, I have no real idea what's technically possible, just ideas for consideration.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,098
1,144
NC
The new forum software has some pretty good spam-user registration prevention plugins. I'm hoping that will make some big strides.

My issue is this:

- Approving a user's first few posts can work, but it means that someone looking for information/help or wanting to comment can't contribute until a mod gets around to approving it. Given the instant gratification nature of the internet, I'd rather not turn those people away.

- Any spam management that doesn't prevent registration or catch the posts at the outset isn't effective. Limiting users until after 5 posts or whatever isn't useful, because the spam bot has already registered and is just going to make posts until they hit that limit. I'd rather see the spam outright, than have a stupid bot making inane comments in random threads until the link limit is reached.

There's a really excellent registration prevention plugin in XenForo, though, so I've got my fingers crossed that it helps. I haven't found a great way to stop spammers once they register, without impinging on new users. We've got a plugin turned on but it doesn't account for edits after the initial post.
 
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Bedlam

Monkey
Feb 13, 2010
240
0
Under ground
Am I the only one bugged with the fact that everytime I log onto RM, log off, and the log on again all topics are marked as read, whether I have read them or not? This is the first forum that happens in for me, and I do get my forum nerding on quite a lot.. In effect, it means that if I leave a browser tab with RM open, my computer goes to sleep/I close the lid on the laptop, and then open it again, everything will be marked as read...
I get that the "new posts"-page would get out of hand, but with the added option of a "mark all as read"-button or something it could work?
Minor issue, but if it could be fixed I would be a happier monkey.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,882
24,462
media blackout
Bedlam said:
Am I the only one bugged with the fact that everytime I log onto RM, log off, and the log on again all topics are marked as read, whether I have read them or not? This is the first forum that happens in for me, and I do get my forum nerding on quite a lot.. In effect, it means that if I leave a browser tab with RM open, my computer goes to sleep/I close the lid on the laptop, and then open it again, everything will be marked as read...
I get that the "new posts"-page would get out of hand, but with the added option of a "mark all as read"-button or something it could work?
Minor issue, but if it could be fixed I would be a happier monkey.
Click to expand...
try clearing your cookies
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,098
1,144
NC
Bedlam said:
Am I the only one bugged with the fact that everytime I log onto RM, log off, and the log on again all topics are marked as read, whether I have read them or not? This is the first forum that happens in for me, and I do get my forum nerding on quite a lot.. In effect, it means that if I leave a browser tab with RM open, my computer goes to sleep/I close the lid on the laptop, and then open it again, everything will be marked as read...
I get that the "new posts"-page would get out of hand, but with the added option of a "mark all as read"-button or something it could work?
Minor issue, but if it could be fixed I would be a happier monkey.
Click to expand...
Right now we have the vBulletin settings set to track read threads/items through cookies. That means when you log out, your cookies are cleared and there is no way to get that back.

Read items can be tracked through the database instead (thus keeping your read item list when you log in on any machine or without a cookie) but it's more database intensive. I'm not sure if that matters - haven't tested it. But I will keep it in mind for the transition and see if we can have the new software track it on the server side.
 
Sandwich

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,067
5,976
borcester rhymes
Hmmm...I think our community needs less "variety". I think it's great that we have forums dedicated to stuff, but there's really not a good reason to have 30 different forums with 1 post in each. How about a condensed "DH" "Trail" "General" forum. That way tech comments wouldn't go ignored, beginners would post in the trail forum, and JonKranked wouldn't have to go stinkin up the 29er forum (the tarifffffffffffs, maaaaaaaaaaan). I think it would bring our community a little bit closer, which wouldn't be a bad thing. Half the posts in the DH forum are about trail bikes and tech help, and all the bike related posts in this forum are trail oriented. Nobody reads what ellsworth is doing.

Otherwise, I like the vbulletin system because it's easily searchable and threads are bumped when there's interest. I don't like it because it effin' blows on mobile. I don't care that much about rep, but I do like the "thanks" function some other forums have. I just don't want the format changed. I hate threaded view, where you have to click on each post to view it.

Personally, I think it would be great to get rid of the classifieds and go back to a forum format. Users can easily bump an active ad, and people can discuss the ad a little more easily. We don't have quite enough traffic to worry about different sections and such.

Just don't kill the forum by changing it entirely. Audiworld changed from kawf to vbulletin, and the community became split. I won't visit anymore if we go to kawf, because it's just too stupid to try and find anything you need.
 
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