Forum Redesign?

[Apple Key]

Originally Posted by arn

I'm with you.

I would like a forum refresh. In fact, ideally I'd like a dramatic forum refresh. vBulletin is a bit dated in general. I've thought about how the forum should evolve both in style and functionality.

The ambitious version of doing a forum refresh would be very ambitious and would likely piss off some of the regulars.

Of course, these all take time. vBulletin is also a bit of a beast in terms of skinning and maintaining. I have a group that might be able to do it, so there is some progress in that front.

arn

What type of ideas did you have in mind for a dramatic forum refresh?

I have been mostly thinking about the design and not functionality. But, I could definitely see some changes in functionality having a positive effect.

I may be able to help out if you are interested.

[arn]

Originally Posted by Apple Key

What type of ideas did you have in mind for a dramatic forum refresh?

I have been mostly thinking about the design and not functionality. But, I could definitely see some changes in functionality having a positive effect.

I may be able to help out if you are interested.

For example, I think the last replied ordered thread list is a bad choice for a default view. It is so volatile and hard to follow in a busy forum.

arn

[WillEH]

Why change something, that doesn't need changing? Everything works fine, no problems with the forum. It's nice and simple, remember it's about the discussions, not how many gadgets or how pretty the forum is.

[Feed Me]

The best-looking forum I've ever seen uses IPB with a nice theme
(http://www.invisionpower.com/products/board/)

Maybe worth looking at.

[davidinva]

Would be nice to have a "next" button, but that appears to be a V-Bulletin thing.

[Comeagain?]

Originally Posted by davidinva

Would be nice to have a "next" button, but that appears to be a V-Bulletin thing.

We are on vBulletin.

Originally Posted by Squashy

The best-looking forum I've ever seen uses IPB with a nice theme
(http://www.invisionpower.com/products/board/)

Maybe worth looking at.

If we must change, let's go to Xenforo.

[-aggie-]

I'm fine with as it now is, especially after they've added some new options recently (like quote notifications). However, Search could be improved, so I don't have to use Google.

[Comeagain?]

Originally Posted by -aggie-

I'm fine with as it now is, especially after they've added some new options recently (like quote notifications). However, Search could be improved, so I don't have to use Google.

We have a google search function, I just wish it was in the search bar that's on every page, not under the search drop down.

[arn]

Originally Posted by -aggie-

I'm fine with as it now is, especially after they've added some new options recently (like quote notifications). However, Search could be improved, so I don't have to use Google.

Search is probably as good as it'll get. Any specific search term issues?

arn

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Originally Posted by WillEH

Why change something, that doesn't need changing? Everything works fine, no problems with the forum. It's nice and simple, remember it's about the discussions, not how many gadgets or how pretty the forum is.

I don't agree that "everything works fine."

arn

[GGJstudios]

Originally Posted by arn

Search is probably as good as it'll get. Any specific search term issues?

arn

I can think of a number of ways search could be improved/enhanced, but the likelihood of them being implemented is slim. They're probably too complex to bother with. Search works fairly well, as it is, but there's always room for improvement. It would be nice if people would actually try searching more often.

[WillEH]

Originally Posted by arn

Search is probably as good as it'll get. Any specific search term issues?

arn

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I don't agree that "everything works fine."

arn

I mean, works fine in the design part (as in, looks fine and doesn't need new fancy colours) The inner workings of the forum, I have no idea about.

[-aggie-]

Originally Posted by arn

Search is probably as good as it'll get. Any specific search term issues?

arn

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I don't agree that "everything works fine."

arn

You can't search for phrases ("battery life" "MacBook Pro") and you can't search for specific timeframes. So, I find myself using Google to search with the parameter site:Macrumors.com most of the time. The problem with the Google search is you can't specify it to certain subforums (understandably, because it's a search engine and not made for VBulletin).

Not that any of these fixes are going to fix those who never search to begin with, but it would help me to help them faster.

[SandboxGeneral]

In the area of search, I agree with -aggie- and would like to add that it would great if we could drill down further than forums and sub-forums and into individual threads. That would be helpful when you know there is a post in a real long thread, but can't quite remember where it's at.

Of course, being able to do an individual thread search would probably bring a lot of server overhead with it.

[GGJstudios]

A few capabilities that would be nice:

• Have the ability to define search preferences in the User CP.
  
  
• Define which forums by default you want to include/exclude in searches.
  
  
• Define which time frame by default you want to use in searches.
  
  For example, I'd like all my searches to be for posts within the past year, with the option on search results to alter or remove that criteria.
  
• Have the ability to save searches that you perform frequently, including search terms, time frame, thread titles or posts, forums to search, etc.
  
  
• Have the ability to specify to search for "this" or "that", or "this" and "that".
  For example, I want to find threads on calibrating batteries, not calibrating displays.
  
  
• Be able to search more frequently than every 10 seconds. This particularly applies to clicking "Find all posts by a user". You have to wait 10 seconds to search by another user.

[Tilpots]

I'll offer my thoughts:

There should only be 4 sections to this site, as I see it. The redesign should be made to make the site as simple to navigate as possible. This will make it flow and work whether on a Mac, an iPad or an iPhone.

News & Info - Buyers Guide - Forums - User CP


News & Info- Combine Front Page, Mac Blog, iOS blog and Page 2 and keep them all on one page, much the same way the mobile site currently works. Color code each category so the readers know which section their article belongs to. The articles appear in the order they're posted, but exceptional "Top Stories" could be pinned indefinitely. The recent forum material would not be on this page. Articles only!

Buyer's Guide- Functionally, this page works great right now. I would just lose the Front Page stories as the appropriate articles are already displayed next to the product. And maybe, just maybe, it's time to add the AppleTV...

Forums- I know a lot of this is tied to vBulletin, but it might be time to move to something more mobile friendly. But assuming you stick with vBulletin, I would only keep 3 of the subheadings: FAQ/Rules, Forum Spy and New Posts. User CP should be its own category, and the Community links would go there, too. A Search bar is already included on every page and Quick Links Are mostly redundant info anyway.

User CP- This is a very useful space now. I think it could be much more useful though if it was treated as more of a social space, kinda like you attempted to do with the last update here. Posting on others pages, adding photo galleries, listing friends and the like should encourage a more personal space, but it's really not a "beautiful" space that people want to "hang out" in. If you can let people customize their MR "home" people would socialize a lot more. Chatting is frowned upon in the forums, but it could be welcomed here. You could also add links to your favorite searches, forums or other MR spots.

---

So that's briefly the direction I would head. As much as I enjoy this site, I think it can be better. Again, the goal would be consistency across platform, ease of navigation and a decidedly social element. I don't think MR should go with a standard or follow established trends, I think they should innovate, try some new ideas. Your users are some of the most tech savvy and creative folks out there and this has got to be one of the most popular communities on the web. Lead the way in this space and don't settle for what's easy. The company that brought us here didn't do it and we're only here because that's what we respect and admire.

[-aggie-]

Originally Posted by GGJstudios

A few capabilities that would be nice:

• Have the ability to define search preferences in the User CP.
  
  
• Define which forums by default you want to include/exclude in searches.
  
  
• Define which time frame by default you want to use in searches.
  
  For example, I'd like all my searches to be for posts within the past year, with the option on search results to alter or remove that criteria.
  
• Have the ability to save searches that you perform frequently, including search terms, time frame, thread titles or posts, forums to search, etc.
  
  
• Have the ability to specify to search for "this" or "that", or "this" and "that".
  For example, I want to find threads on calibrating batteries, not calibrating displays.
  
  
• Be able to search more frequently than every 10 seconds. This particularly applies to clicking "Find all posts by a user". You have to wait 10 seconds to search by another user.

Arn, just read this. GGJstudios identified exactly what I'd like to see in search.

[arn]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

In the area of search, I agree with -aggie- and would like to add that it would great if we could drill down further than forums and sub-forums and into individual threads. That would be helpful when you know there is a post in a real long thread, but can't quite remember where it's at.

Of course, being able to do an individual thread search would probably bring a lot of server overhead with it.

There is a search for individual threads.

[arn]

Originally Posted by -aggie-

You can't search for phrases ("battery life" "MacBook Pro") and you can't search for specific timeframes. So, I find myself using Google to search with the parameter site:Macrumors.com most of the time. The problem with the Google search is you can't specify it to certain subforums (understandably, because it's a search engine and not made for VBulletin).

Not that any of these fixes are going to fix those who never search to begin with, but it would help me to help them faster.

In theory, you can search phrases.

"MacBook Pro" for example (with quotes). Does that not work?

arn

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Originally Posted by GGJstudios

A few capabilities that would be nice:

• Have the ability to define search preferences in the User CP.
• Define which forums by default you want to include/exclude in searches.
• Define which time frame by default you want to use in searches.

probably doable

• Have the ability to save searches that you perform frequently, including search terms, time frame, thread titles or posts, forums to search, etc.

probably doable in some fashion

• Have the ability to specify to search for "this" or "that", or "this" and "that".
  For example, I want to find threads on calibrating batteries, not calibrating displays.

This is how it's supposed to work. Is it not working?

calibrating batteries - search for calibrating and batteries
calibrating | batteries - search for calibrating or batteries
calibrating -displays - search for calibrating, exclude results with the word displays

[*]Be able to search more frequently than every 10 seconds. This particularly applies to clicking "Find all posts by a user". You have to wait 10 seconds to search by another user.[/LIST]

done. it's 1 second now.

arn

[-aggie-]

Originally Posted by arn

In theory, you can search phrases.

"MacBook Pro" for example (with quotes). Does that not work?

arn

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probably doable



probably doable in some fashion




This is how it's supposed to work. Is it not working?

calibrating batteries - search for calibrating and batteries
calibrating | batteries - search for calibrating or batteries
calibrating -displays - search for calibrating, exclude results with the word displays



done. it's 1 second now.

arn

No, the quote searches don't work correctly. For some reason it searches for the phrase, but it also includes the individual words. Try it.

Thanks for changing the repeated search times.

As far as using "and" in a search that just adds "and" as a search term.

[arn]

Originally Posted by -aggie-

No, the quote searches don't work correctly. For some reason it searches for the phrase, but it also includes the individual words. Try it.

Thanks for changing the repeated search times.

As far as using "and" in a search that just adds "and" as a search term.

Ya, it seems to highlight the individual words too. But have you seen any results where there the phrase doesn't exist in the result?

arn

testing: macbook crazy

edit: yup, you're right. I'll look into it.

[SandboxGeneral]

Originally Posted by arn

There is a search for individual threads.

Doh!
Thanks. I'm accustomed to going directly to the advanced search pages and doing all of them there. I never noticed that function on the thread pages.

[yanksrock100]

A redesign would be nice! Maybe bigger buttons because alot of us are using ipad, iPhones, and Tablets. I know theres a mobile version, but its not nearly as good.

Maybe a hybrid sort of thing, with thumbnails, colors, and stuff!


Just Sayin'