What specifically is IPB lacking?

[NaBarney]

Is it just stuff that has to do with the forum rpg concept thing that gets alluded to sometimes, or what?

[Admin]

IPB lacks the "out of the box and go" element that a lot of these other packages have.  A lot of stuff that's standard in most of the message board packages that I look at you can do with IPB, but you have to introduce it through code and CSS, rather than just automatically have it already built into the admin cp. 

 

The plugins are better than SMF, because I don't think every plugin for IPB comes with built in automatic errors because it was created for an out-of-date version of the software and/or has to be adapted to the theme.

 

But also it's more expensive.  Most of the stuff that's just free with SMF you have to pay extra for with IPB.

 

so, basically it's configurable, but it requires more work and you have to throw more money at it to get what you want.  And even then there's no real simple cp for everything.  Since a lot of the functionality is css related, you can't just adjust permissions for various volunteers so they can access this or that and take care of something quickly.  Almost everything you do has to be done through the CSS, which is more time consuming than simply clicking a dropdown menu and picking an item, going to that page and clicking/doing whatever you have to do to get something to happen.

 

With this board, for example, we can open things up task by task to various volunteers.  And most common tasks have an existing path.

 

You can build that with IPB.  Eventually.  But it doesn't come with those paths already established, and because most of it is CSS related, you can't really open it up as easily for volunteers to do more stuff.

 

So, with SMF, it's old and a pain in the ass and stuff.  But it's easy to manage content, permissions and features with it. 

 

With IPB, it's new and more adaptable to current internet standards.  But to get the same level of ease of management of content, permissions and features, you have to shovel more money into it, and even then, it's tough to achieve the same simplicity that something like SMF has, as again, much of IPB is handled through the CSS and code. 

 

So with IPB, with a lot of stuff, we can eventually figure out how to do it and what to put into the CSS to get it.  But there will never necessarily be an easy path for a volunteer such that you could just go:

 

Admin>Permissions>permission subthing>chose pulldown option B>click the box next to the item you want

 

or whatever like that.

 

Instead for a lot of stuff we seemingly have to actually like "oh, we need to change that setting/feature/whatever?  well, back into the CSS we go then."

 

[NaBarney]

So besides having different tiers of mods/staff what other features of this forum would require more work to have w/ IPB?

[Admin]

just everything.

 

basically "as is" you can make a forum.  You can add threads and make a folder structure.  And there are nice ways you can set up for users to sort messages as well.  So it's not all bad, there's some good stuff in it too. 

 

But even adding a reply button to every post, and stuff like that I think has to be added in.  think of it as - basically we have the ability to build stuff, with the very bare bones basic ability to make a forum structure.  But to do most of the other stuff associated with it, we have to build it ourselves.  Though there are some good plugins as well.  So some of it can be done with those.

 

The difference for me personally though is - like if somebody has a quick request, or I have to do some quick content related thing, I don't want it to take like an hour.  And I don't want me to be the only one who can do stuff to the board.  Or me and KN I should say.

 

I want software that will allow us to, on a daily basis, process content quickly and process user requests quickly.

 

Because, while it sucks to be in limbo with some of this stuff, it'll suck even more if - like we pick something, set it up, and then after it's live realize that anything we need to do on it is a slog.  Or a user has to not only wait for their request to be seen, but also has to wait for the one or two people that can actually process that request to have the time to go in and do that, instead of just clicking a couple things and having it done in like a minute.

[Misaka]

Couldn't we off cost the money issues with ads?

I mean it does create a bit of income and could help off cost the bill abit

[Admin]

nope.

[Misaka]

nope.

You hate ads don't you?

[Raptorpat]

if he is being vague the answer is banners

[NaBarney]

if he is being vague the answer is banners

 

Ok, thank you. I understand now.

[NaBarney]

 

The difference for me personally though is - like if somebody has a quick request, or I have to do some quick content related thing, I don't want it to take like an hour.  And I don't want me to be the only one who can do stuff to the board.  Or me and KN I should say.

 

I want software that will allow us to, on a daily basis, process content quickly and process user requests quickly.

 

I for real don't understand what specific content and user requests this could even possibly be referring to here, as far as stuff that would be a deal breaker for IPB, and I'm just curious bc to me a bare bones forum sounds great... There's really not much that I personally ask for out of a forum.

 

Can I make threads? Reply to threads? Reply to specific posts? Post links? Do pages load quickly? Can it handle enough users to make the forum worth posting on? Are there more than a few dozen regular users? Then I'm set.

 

Real talk. Does it all boil down to gif banners and custom ranks?

[Admin]

no.

[NaBarney]

Now that we are on a new server that can handle more traffic, what kinda stuff are y'all admins and staff type thinking about doin to get new users here? Or do we have to get out of board software limbo first

[K_N]

I really wanna get us off SMF before anything.

 

This shit is dying and half the broken stuff I'd have to spend hours rewriting to get to run on the new server.

[Misaka]

I really wanna get us off SMF before anything.

 

This shit is dying and half the broken stuff I'd have to spend hours rewriting to get to run on the new server.

 

So who's stopping us from moving?

[Admin]

you know what?  honestly - this really isn't a discussion we need to be having on the main board.

 

I mean - when it looked like we were ready to go, we announced that.  And then it didn't happen.  And even when announcing it, I was pretty clear that it was going to take awhile.

 

So - like - my thought is - this thing we're on now is a message board.  And we're going to eventually be moving off of it, for all the reasons previously stated.  And certainly, if somebody asks a question that we can answer, we'll take a shot at that. 

 

But otherwise, beside the spectral drama that a couple of you seem to derive from the process, it's a pretty fuckin boring process.  And also, as previously stated many times, it's not a matter of - like we're just going to teleport to someplace new.

 

Here's how it'll work:

 

When I get time to converse with KN about specifics, we'll do that.  We're both very busy at the moment, so we have very narrow windows where we can connect.  And we're kind of at the place where we need to have a lengthy phone meeting.

 

Once we get a gameplan from that, we'll be, and again, with the time we have, which is not a lot, setting stuff up.

 

And that will take awhile.

 

Then we'll be entering the wonderful world of data transferral.  And transferring all the data from here to there, hoping that goes okay. 

 

Then there'll be all the same glitches and shit we had when we moved from Proboard to SMF, and to a lesser extent when we switched servers.

 

And again, given the time we have on hand for this, it'll take awhile to get all that ironed out.

 

This board functions for what we need, which is just a basic forum atm.  So let's just say that.

 

Here's the board.  Enjoy that.  If you can't, there's other forums out there, I hear Viper has one, maybe you'd be more interested in that?

 

When we're ready to make a change, or as things progress, we will let you know.

 

Otherwise your sort of obsession with details that don't currently exist is only going to cause anxiety on the board that we're not really going to be able to do anything about.  So it'll just hang there.

 

We're thinking about it.  We're working on it.  We don't have a ton of time to spend atm.  Schedules may lighten up at some point, but Summer is probably going to be pretty busy. 

 

In the meantime - why, look what we got right here!  It's a message board for you to post on!  enjoy!

 

[NaBarney]

Wow you sound pissed, I was just curious.

[Admin]

Now that we are on a new server that can handle more traffic, what kinda stuff are y'all admins and staff type thinking about doin to get new users here? Or do we have to get out of board software limbo first

 

We have several things and different steps we'd like to try out.  I have to get with KN first to find out what order we should do things in.

 

The obvious things are SEO related, and also turning on the social sharing buttons so that people can actually share posts from the board on FB, Twitter, etc.

 

There are also potentially ways we can reach out through our content.  Through the regular content, and then also through event related content.

 

And I want to look into cross-promotion with other media websites and message boards.  They link us and we link them type stuff.

 

We may try to do another e-con type thing at some point on this board.

 

and we'll eventually also be reaching out through specific activities, that may bring people just for that thing, but also may bring in some regular posters as well.  Stuff like tabletop gaming campaigns in PBP form.  And then also a section to help creative people make, process, and distribute their work.

 

Basically, it'll be a long slow climb to that.

 

But there are a lot of layers to what I want to do, and in those there are potentially a lot of different ways to reach out to new members.  Through content, through the community we already have, and through specifically purposed sections.  As well as yer standard technical things like social shares and SEO.

 

[NaBarney]

The obvious things are ... turning on the social sharing buttons so that people can actually share posts from the board on FB, Twitter, etc.

 

 

 

Please don't do this.

[CAC]

Here's the board.  Enjoy that.  If you can't, there's other forums out there, I hear Viper has one, maybe you'd be more interested in that?

 

This should just be the default response.

[NaBarney]

This should just be the default response.

 

The default response to what? Someone who posts here every day asking what the plan is to get new members?

[CAC]

pretty much.

[Admin]

questions are fine.

 

the post you're overreacting to was directed more at staff folks who actually have access to the planning board and somehow are still out here on the main board stirring up drama and/or anxiety.

 

basically questions is what this folder is indeed for.

 

 

[NaBarney]

Oh Misaka is always going to do that to be annoying on purpose, it's pretty bizarre he's even on the staff. I guess I don't really have a question about it other than "what the fuck?"

[Misaka]

Oh Misaka is always going to do that to be annoying on purpose, it's pretty bizarre he's even on the staff. I guess I don't really have a question about it other than "what the fuck?"

 

Oh how I hate the dead