AJAX, jQuery, et. al.

[jwxie]

As for user confirmation, recently usability experts suggest its actually better to execute user commands immediately, but allow users to undo their actions. Confirmations have become something that people will almost automatically just confirm, and may still end up regretting their action. Of course completely unrelated to AJAX, but wanted to throw it out there anyway.

I agree phpBB needs to cut down on the number of complete pages served, but I don't necesarrily see that AJAX is the desperately needed answer. One source of excessive page requests are messages boxes, stating a topic has been posted, or other user feedback. This can easily be replaced by a messaging system, where a special screen area is reserved for feedback from previous actions, if any.

Yes we can have an undo in that sense. Or everywhere insert "warning: xxxxX"

[Michaelo]

Would like some feedback on YUI...anybody?
In particular version 3.0.0... ideal if you favour a unified approach with excellent documentation...
Also, are there any issue in relation to the BSD License?

[ToonArmy]

Would like some feedback on YUI...anybody?
In particular version 3.0.0... ideal if you favour a unified approach with excellent documentation...
Also, are there any issue in relation to the BSD License?

BSD license isn't a problem (assuming it's the new version) it's just we are more familiar with jQuery.

[rma-web]

Sluggish page load problems wouldn't even be that bad if you used JQuery. They enable you to have the javascript execute when the page is finished loading.

Code: Select all

 $(document).ready(function(){
   // Your code here
 });

[DoubleJ]

When replacing confirmation pages you do have to think of where you want to redirect people

For example, if you post a reply, you are returned to the topic viewing your reply.

However when you post a new topic, the current system allows you to either return to the forum, or view the topic you just posted. If you are going to replace this option screen, where will you redirect people to, the forum in which you posted the topic, or the actual topic you just posted.

Apart from that I think the moderation panels and administration panels can indeed benefit from AJAX technology. If you delete a topic within a topiclist, you only see it "disappear" rather then reloading the entire page to see the same list again with only 1 new topic from page 2 added to the list. Same goes for configuration options.

[Eelke]

Usually, wherever you redirect, the other option(s) will be one click away, just like when you present a list of choices. Nothing gained, but nothing lost either. Actually, there are default redirects right now; if you don't make a choice within a few seconds, the redirect is automatic.

[bobtheman]

When replacing confirmation pages you do have to think of where you want to redirect people

For example, if you post a reply, you are returned to the topic viewing your reply.

However when you post a new topic, the current system allows you to either return to the forum, or view the topic you just posted. If you are going to replace this option screen, where will you redirect people to, the forum in which you posted the topic, or the actual topic you just posted.

Apart from that I think the moderation panels and administration panels can indeed benefit from AJAX technology. If you delete a topic within a topiclist, you only see it "disappear" rather then reloading the entire page to see the same list again with only 1 new topic from page 2 added to the list. Same goes for configuration options.

In this case, IMO, sense you are posting to the topic, after you post your reply you would naturally be left on the same page letting the user verify it was posted and see it in action.

I would like to see more ajax/jquery in the acp, ucp, and mcp. A more eye appealing messaging notification system, an "update" notification system to inform you of replies to threads you have started, replied to, or marked as you want notifications.

[ToonArmy]

In this case, IMO, sense you are posting to the topic, after you post your reply you would naturally be left on the same page letting the user verify it was posted and see it in action.

I actually prefer to get right on with the next topic that takes my interest, so I usually go back to forum or close the tab.

[Highway of Life]

In this case, IMO, sense you are posting to the topic, after you post your reply you would naturally be left on the same page letting the user verify it was posted and see it in action.

Naturally, anything to get rid of the confirmation box abuse that is prevalent in phpBB3. -- The “You have successfully did what you just did” messages, it should take you back to the default location, on posting, this is the viewtopic to the last post. But this will have it’s biggest impact on moderator actions and administrator actions than anything else. Those are cases where we get to see: “Are you sure you want to perform the action which you just clicked on?” ... “You have successfully clicked [Yes] to the action you meant to perform, click here to go back”.

But here’s the funny thing about all of that: Almost all of it can be done without any AJAX or Javascript at all. Now of course you would still need confirmation for really severe actions such as deletions, etc, and these kinds of things could happen in an AJAX in-window pop-up, -- the fallback for JavaScript disabled is to go through the normal Confirmation Box that we have grown accustomed to. Doing this would speed up the user interaction time significantly, and upon selecting [Yes] in the in-window pop-up, it would take the user directly back to the default location, no more trigger_errors giving them a message that is nearly useless.
Instead, it could use an in-window alert box indicator with the message.

[Tom]

I am excited by the discussion here. I would love to see some usage of AJAX/jQuery in future versions of phpBB, especially in the ACP and MCP, as many people have already pointed out. I also agree with idiotnesia's post with regard to changing the reordering of forums in the ACP to use a drag-and-drop type of functionality. Of course, I'm not very versed in AJAX or jQuery, but I do know that it would be nice to see some implementation of it in Rhea, no matter how small (or large) it may be. I like the idea of an "undo" option instead of using these constant confirmation pages, but the developers have better insight into what it would require to do that sort of thing.

Also, even though this can be accomplished without the usage of AJAX/jQuery, I think it would be nice to allow members to login using a login box in the header bar of the forum without having to click the "Login" link, and once they login, it will take them right back to the page they were previously viewing without showing any type of login confirmation page. I've always disliked how, upon logging into the forum, it would always redirect you to the board index instead of the page you were previously viewing before logging in.

Well, there is my 2 cents. In any case, I trust that the dev team knows exactly what they're doing with regard to including such functionalities in future versions, and I doubt they would go overboard with it like some people are worried will happen.