Forum Update

[Starmill]

It is, it makes the thread longer without adding anything new. A like button is much better for that kind of feedback.

Sigh

A like fundamentally, inherently, adds nothing new.

All it does is increase the polarisation of the debate. From my experience on other social media - and indeed the media in general - the most attractive contributions are those that are designed to inspire high emotions. Comments which employ hyperbole, emotional appeal or humour at the expense of facts are fare more likely to be 'liked' than ones which are actually the highest in quality. Likes encourage contributions which express very strong opinions, and there is inevitably a greater emphasis on those when people start competing for likes.

There is no need for any more tribalism on these boards than there already is. Liking will not encourage people to do more research, tolerate each other more or keep in mind mutual respect at all times. Competing for likes is counter-productive to these aims. And all to what benefit? Why, exactly, do you want to like a post? If you think it's great then tell the person who posted it so, and why, in just a few words. That will actually encourage more positive contribution. If all you do is agree with it, that isn't quite the same as liking something anyway. You can still express that with a very short post in the way I have done, or by using the words "I agree".

 

[BlueFox]

I run a Xenforo forum with likes enabled. None of the bad things you're talking about happen. Maybe people are more mature than you think.

 

[Lrd]

I run a Xenforo forum with likes enabled. None of the bad things you're talking about happen. Maybe people are more mature than you think.

Like

 

[BluePenguin]

What happened to the like button? Please could an admin explain.

It was one of the new features I liked and am very disappointed to see that it has been removed. It would have been another way for members to engage with each other's posts and to make it easer to see at a glance whether other people agree with certain posts in each thread.

What do people think? It would be nice to have it back, as a trial at least.

 

[cjp]

Sigh

A like fundamentally, inherently, adds nothing new.

All it does is increase the polarisation of the debate. From my experience on other social media - and indeed the media in general - the most attractive contributions are those that are designed to inspire high emotions. Comments which employ hyperbole, emotional appeal or humour at the expense of facts are fare more likely to be 'liked' than ones which are actually the highest in quality. Likes encourage contributions which express very strong opinions, and there is inevitably a greater emphasis on those when people start competing for likes.

There is no need for any more tribalism on these boards than there already is. Liking will not encourage people to do more research, tolerate each other more or keep in mind mutual respect at all times. Competing for likes is counter-productive to these aims. And all to what benefit? Why, exactly, do you want to like a post? If you think it's great then tell the person who posted it so, and why, in just a few words. That will actually encourage more positive contribution. If all you do is agree with it, that isn't quite the same as liking something anyway. You can still express that with a very short post in the way I have done, or by using the words "I agree".

This is now becoming what you did not want a topic about a like button - which I asked not to be removed.

A post, as you have suggested, of "I agree" also adds nothing but simply lengthens the topic whereas as simple "like" lets the original poster, and those who read the thread, know that they have expressed something in a way that resonates with one or more others. It is effective and pithy. In no way does it promote tribalism.
Certainly liking something has nothing to do with mutual respect or intolerance as you suggest.
Conversely a disagree button would be bad thing as it would not encourage expression or justification for a contrary position.
But hey perhaps a mod will split this off into a new thread?
Chris
PS - I enjoyed playing with the boards features but now I must go and resume regular posting

 

[Gordon]

Very much dislike the 'yesterday at' now attached to posts, without a date, so that the Friday before last is shown as just 'Friday' . Makes it extremely hard to see older messages.



.

 

[Gordon]

'go to first unread' keeps taking me to posts from some weeks ago which I have read several times.

 

[jon0844]

I run a Xenforo forum with likes enabled. None of the bad things you're talking about happen. Maybe people are more mature than you think.

I agree that a like isn't a big deal, but dislike certainly does encourage trolling/bullying.

Digital Spy has a few options, but removed the dislike. I think it adds value and at the very least won't make things worse if someone is being particularly argumentative.

I am sad to see Tapatalk no longer working. The mobile display isn't bad, but it's far easier to use the app.

 

[GusB]

I am sad to see Tapatalk no longer working. The mobile display isn't bad, but it's far easier to use the app.

It has been said upthread that Tap-a-Talk will be worked on, but it isn't a priority at the moment. If Tap-a-Talk functionality is re-introduced, the one thing I hope for is the disappearance of "Posted from my Super-Smart-Uber-Megaphone from Tap-a-Talk" that seems to appear on most messages posted from said app. Rather like email messages that have a "Sent from my iPhone" signature, it's completely unnecessary and, quite frankly, I don't care.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There used to be a "search" facility on the old system at the top right of an index page. How do I now access this as I cannot seem to find it under the new layout.

 

[jon0844]

It has been said upthread that Tap-a-Talk will be worked on, but it isn't a priority at the moment. If Tap-a-Talk functionality is re-introduced, the one thing I hope for is the disappearance of "Posted from my Super-Smart-Uber-Megaphone from Tap-a-Talk" that seems to appear on most messages posted from said app. Rather like email messages that have a "Sent from my iPhone" signature, it's completely unnecessary and, quite frankly, I don't care.

Yes it's damn annoying that by default the signature is on. As I change devices a fair bit they do sometimes slip through.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Under the old system, on the index page, on each entry at the right hand side there was the "postings" made total. You could click on this and a pop-up would appear showing a list of all contributors who had made postings on that thread and the number of postings they had made upon it, in numerically highest sequence. I cannot now obtain such information under the new system.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Will postings made on the Quizzes and Games forum still no longer count towards a forum members master posting total under this new system?

 

[Starmill]

But hey perhaps a mod will split this off into a new thread?

Alternatively, if you wanted to discuss it, you could have just created one yourself. I did suggest it.

What happened to the like button? Please could an admin explain.

It was one of the new features I liked and am very disappointed to see that it has been removed.

It has been explained, please read post #1. It is not a new feature! Regardless of whether a like button appeared for you or not, it wouldn't have done anything.

 

[BurtonM]

I really can't say I'm keen on the new forum - I prefer fora with focus on the text as opposed to overall look and feel (phpBB for example works well), but needs must.
I agree with many that a like button would be nice though, I use other fora with a like button (Autos***e; Skyscrapercity) and it works well. As an aside SSC are still using vBulletin with some paid mods on it.

I don't like the prioritising of avatars over usernames, due to the sheer amount of people without avatars it's hard to see who's who.

 

[freetoview33]

I think this is a big step forward for this forum, and hopefully will secure it's future and help it to expand. The mods have done a good job moving most of the things over in part of a day. As they said focus was on the basics first and trying to keep things as similar as possible at first.

So I'm sure as time goes on issues will be ironed out, features will get added, and more than likely a forum redesign! (Which I have an idea for if the mods want to know )

 

[alxndr]

Having same issues as others where if I click on a thread title from the list in a subforum, then it takes me to the front page of that thread, luckily there is the First Unread Button which does this!

I don't seem to be getting this option on my iPhone, although I am on the laptop, which is a bit frustrating.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

How do you now "strike-through" a posting (it used to be "" and "" at the start of finish of the text involved under vBulletin). I ask this as the rules in some of the Quizzes and Games thread insist this is done.

 

[Karl]

How do you now "strike-through" a posting (it used to be "" and "" at the start of finish of the text involved under vBulletin). I ask this as the rules in some of the Quizzes and Games thread insist this is done.

Strike-through can be found by clicking on the '+' button.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I did not receive any of the usual email updates/notifications on forum threads when I logged onto to my BT email account just now. Normally I get at least 3 or 4 and often more. Would that be due to the new style forum or a re occurrence of a problem that a number of us members had a couple of times some weeks ago?

 

[Blindtraveler]

Well Well this is, urm, well, different.
Thanks to all involved with the upgrade, we have to remember that all forum staff are volunteers with their own jobs and lives going on also.

A few musings from me.

1. Whilst I know the reasons for NOT including it I would still like a like button trialed, just to see how it works.

2. As a screanreader user I am missing the old Lightweight style/skin provided on the old system which I used 95 Percent of the time, switching back to the main site from time to time. I liked this as it removed a lot of screen clutter which when using a screanreader is essentail. Does something similar exist here and if so where to find it?

3. Where do I find Private Messaging?

Fully aware Im at the bottom of a long pile but if a staff member could respond that'd be great.

 

[RichmondCommu]

I very very briefly became a Veteran Member too, but I am now back to being an Established Member I should have taken a screenshot!

Sigh

A like fundamentally, inherently, adds nothing new.

All it does is increase the polarisation of the debate. From my experience on other social media - and indeed the media in general - the most attractive contributions are those that are designed to inspire high emotions. Comments which employ hyperbole, emotional appeal or humour at the expense of facts are fare more likely to be 'liked' than ones which are actually the highest in quality. Likes encourage contributions which express very strong opinions, and there is inevitably a greater emphasis on those when people start competing for likes.

There is no need for any more tribalism on these boards than there already is. Liking will not encourage people to do more research, tolerate each other more or keep in mind mutual respect at all times. Competing for likes is counter-productive to these aims. And all to what benefit? Why, exactly, do you want to like a post? If you think it's great then tell the person who posted it so, and why, in just a few words. That will actually encourage more positive contribution. If all you do is agree with it, that isn't quite the same as liking something anyway. You can still express that with a very short post in the way I have done, or by using the words "I agree".

Do you not think people have better things to do with their time than "compete for likes". It is after all just an internet forum and not Tinder.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

3. Where do I find Private Messaging?

http://www.railforums.co.uk/conversations/add

Private messaging is called Conversations in XenForo

Is the unread posts done by user or by device used to access the forums?

 

[Hadders]

Well done on the upgrade - this like this are never easy.

One thing I can't see is the Previous Thread and Next Thread links at the bottom of each screen. I used to find these very useful when going through threads in each forum.

I can view but not post in the Fares and Routeing Experts Forum but I guess the staff are working on this given previous comments.

 

[pdq]

Well done on a smooth migration and to the beta testers and UAT volunteers who must also have worked hard in the past months.
I use the forum mainly on a mobile: so far it's working well and seems to be well proportioned on screen. Seeing a massive ad at the bottom of the page made me wonder if the new platform gives any opportunity for a subscription option that makes the experience ad-free.

 

[infobleep]

Not got time to read through all 11 pages right now but I do like the fact that the new forum is mobile friendly. Thank you for your hard work.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

For those complaining about font size, the icon pointed to by the arrow shows the option to customise the font size. https://prnt.sc/gtdpj5

That doesn't seem to do anything except on a post you are actually writing? I'm more looking for changing the size of the whole default display from 4 to 3.

 

[martin2345uk]

While I miss tapatalk support (and realise staff have said its on the to do list), this is probably the best mobile version of any forum I’ve used...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Strike-through can be found by clicking on the '+' button.

Forgive me, but where exactly do I find this particular button.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Forgive me, but where exactly do I find this particular button.

Between the icon that looks like a reel of film and the icon that looks like a floppy disk