Changes to Access World Forums (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Jon
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chergh
blah
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Do you really think that a cosmetic makeover to the site is going to make a real difference to visitor numbers?
The biggest asset this site has is the info contained within forum posts. That is why people come here. Why not come up with some ideas on how to do more with this.
I've seen on other forums that when the OP goes to post his question it first comes back with a list of related threads based on his problem description which can stop people posting the same question so much.
Another way to make the site look better and be more readable is to start insisting on code tags and proper post titles. As far as I can see nothing is done about this at the moment. A common approach on other sites is to lock threads until these have been done and they continue to attract large numbers of visitors, ozgrid and excelforum are two that spring to mind though ozgrid is too extreme imo.
The biggest asset this site has is the info contained within forum posts. That is why people come here. Why not come up with some ideas on how to do more with this.
I've seen on other forums that when the OP goes to post his question it first comes back with a list of related threads based on his problem description which can stop people posting the same question so much.
Another way to make the site look better and be more readable is to start insisting on code tags and proper post titles. As far as I can see nothing is done about this at the moment. A common approach on other sites is to lock threads until these have been done and they continue to attract large numbers of visitors, ozgrid and excelforum are two that spring to mind though ozgrid is too extreme imo.
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I've already bought the software. But there are many issues regarding its use: different look and feel, tends to be a bit slower, the CMS system has limited functionality and many people don't think its ready for release.
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Its a difficult decisions because I am chomping at the bit to get a nice website built out, where posts can be promoted to articles and so forth. However, its a big change and non-reversible. I want to get it right. I've considered using Wordpress for the main sites CMS but you don't get the same level of integration.
By the way, did you look at the two links in this thread that shows a site using vBulletin 4.0?
By the way, did you look at the two links in this thread that shows a site using vBulletin 4.0?
"Get it right with the right functionality", that would be my motto in this case. Functionality would always supercede interface (in a forum such as this), but it wouldn't supercede useability. Like you said, it's an irreversible "promotion" so to speak. If the current forum has more functionality than the new, then I would hang on to the old. It does its job, the majority of users haven't complained about the layout but are talking more about functionality. The new forum seems to focus more on looks.
The current forum is good enough, in my opinion.
The current forum is good enough, in my opinion.
SOS
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Just a note - UA recently underwent a major change in the way it looks and works and they did lose some people because of it. But they also gained some. So, I think you can't worry too much about that as no matter what you do, or don't do, not everybody will be happy. So, you need to move in a direction that you think is going to be good to build on and then just let the chips fall where they may.
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Well, my recent original goal was to have the forums as discussion and then have very important posts promoted to articles in the main site. Almost like creaming the top posts off and putting them in a place for easy access and browsing. Also, to improve the position of the site in the search engines, I wanted to have updates of last posts etc on the home page. User comments to articles too. The whole schebang. i.e. it becomes very Web 2.0.
I get put off by some sites due to the look and feel of them. For example, I can't stand phpbb bulletin boards. I find them ugly, no matter what skin they try to hide them under. I love IP Board and vBulletin. Maybe it is because I am so used to the look and feel of this board, but I find the version 4.0 a backward step! It may have more functionality but for me the visual appeal is greater.
I get put off by some sites due to the look and feel of them. For example, I can't stand phpbb bulletin boards. I find them ugly, no matter what skin they try to hide them under. I love IP Board and vBulletin. Maybe it is because I am so used to the look and feel of this board, but I find the version 4.0 a backward step! It may have more functionality but for me the visual appeal is greater.
