phpBB 3.2 Discussion

[Black Antitoon]

I agree. That's also why it's so important to have an automatic mod installer, otherwise phpBB will be a board suitable for advanced admins only, and that's not what we want, right?

(I know that work on this is already in progress)

[Malphas]

Two things a lot of people are going to want: version of ProSilver with the avatars on the left hand side, and a quick reply. You should just ditch the arrogance and add them - disabled by default if need be.

[EXreaction]

prosilver can easily be edited to have the profile info on the left. It takes like 3 edits to the css files.

There is a tutorial for it somewhere on phpbb.com, perhaps in the KB.

[Malphas]

prosilver can easily be edited to have the profile info on the left. It takes like 3 edits to the css files.

There is a tutorial for it somewhere on phpbb.com, perhaps in the KB.

I know, it was the first thing I did after installing phpBB 3.0, but it causes other issues with MODs and such when it's implemented as a hack rather than being an official style - same goes for quick reply. Plus a lot of users simply aren't ever going to edit the CSS and will just be stuck with whatever vanilla phpBB comes with, when I'm guessing a sizeable majority of admins and forum members simply don't appreciate the profile on the right and lack of quick reply - features everyone is used to and takes for granted - at all.

People aren't going to care about the developers philosophies and reasoning for why phpBB's basic functions are totally different from basically every other piece forum software (and rightly, since it's their forums to be used the way they want, not the phpBB developers), they're just going to make the assumption that phpBB is a more basic, inferior software. I know a lot of other admins are using phpBB rather than vBulletin or Invision simply because they don't want to pay for their boards. I'm not one of them, I think phpBB is considerably superior, but let down by developers trying to dictate how the software should be used rather than listening to what their users want, as evidenced by the earlier comments in this thread about how quick reply will be the most requested feature. I mean, what developer in their right minds not only blatantly refuses to implement a simple, most requested feature from their userbase, but acts haughty, indignant and patronising whenever it's brought up (which is why it's not even mentioned as much as it would be if these boards weren't so hostile to anyone other than sycophants - another thing than turns me off from using phpBB). It's like the developers are making a deliberate effort to alienate and insult people that want to use their software and turn them away to competitors.

[EXreaction]

I'd like to see the quick reply implemented as well.

[statm1]

You know Malphas.. I don't think its the developers job to cater to ONE side over the other. There are PLENTY of people that like the new design of viewtopic and anyone that wants it changed will get it changed. By coming to the support forum and asking how to change it. I think its an insult to all the work the developers do to think they dont listen to the public about what features to include in vanilla product. I am one that hates the people who complain about bloat but in this situation adding a quickreply is something that if you want it you should add it yourself. The developers dictate whats going to be added to the software because its their software.. I highly doubt that anyone would think that phpBB is inferior JUST because it doesn't have a quick reply.

Get off your high horse please.

[EXreaction]

The quick reply adds 0 bloat.

Not even the largest boards would see a difference adding it.

[statm1]

Even though I implied that.. That wasnt the point I was trying to make.. My point was that the developers arent at the mercy of the users. Its their job to determine whats best for the project. And in my opinion they do a fine job. If they think a suggested new feature is a good one to add they add it. Look at 3.0 for instance over 2.0..

[yautja_cetanu]

Personally I think this is one reason why the developers don't accept donations. I think this separates phpbb from many other opensource projects. Phpbb team are literally doing this for their own pleasure, they want to build their vision a fantastic forum software and so they are going to build it. I think they stick to their design philosophies because they actually believe these are the ways things should be done with the hope of maybe influencing others as well. I think this is why they won't care about things like the QuickReply Mod. They arn't building this to make people happy, they are building it to make themselves happy and all the better if some people benefit from it.

I dunno is I'm right about this. They made a big deal about the secrecy of proSilver because they didn't want their thunder stolen. Maybe i'm wrong about them, maybe they are just not entirely consistent.

EDIT: btw I think this is a great thing about the phpbb team, if I'm right.

[Black Antitoon]

I agree. I would complain if they - for example - did not allow Quick Reply MODs to be submitted to the MODs database and style based on proSilver but with avatars on the left to the styles database, but they do, so everyone can have it the way he likes it. The only complaint is that installing a MOD can be a problem for an inexperienced admin, but an automatic installer is under development. I think that it should be included in the next release, since almost everybody installs at least a MOD on his board, and most of those who don't are afraid that they can do a mess or corrupt something.