[RFC] Responsive layout

[keith10456]

Why go backwards on phpBB's future software when everything else (phones and tablets) - hardware, software and connection speeds - is moving forward at an extremely fast pace?

Come the end of next year the majority of carriers will be using and/or offering LTE/4G (yes there will be some still on 3G speeds). And most browsers on phones and tablets (referencing the underlying software) will be viewing websites as the full site, not the mobile version. So I don't see the reason for hamstringing devs/mod writers with a mobile style that they have to support. Especially, considering that 3.1 won't be released until the end of this year or early next year, when the populace will be introduced to even better hardware, software and connection speeds.

I think the responsive layout is the way to go... This way the various screen sizes of phones and tablets will be accommodated accordingly.

[EXreaction]

It doesnt matter if mobile browsers have no problem rendering full browser pages, the problem is that it's impossible to navigate anything designed for a full width while being zoomed in far enough to actually read anything.

Prosilver could easily become a mobile style with only a new stylesheet (hopefully that will mean that mod authors will not need to do anything as long as they follow the general structure of the prosilver html code). I do not know myself what it takes to have a good responsive style, so I cannot comment on that issue (other than knowing that certain responsive stylesheets, such as the twitter bootstrap, are atrocious).

[callumacrae]

Why go backwards on phpBB's future software when everything else (phones and tablets) - hardware, software and connection speeds - is moving forward at an extremely fast pace?

Come the end of next year the majority of carriers will be using and/or offering LTE/4G (yes there will be some still on 3G speeds). And most browsers on phones and tablets (referencing the underlying software) will be viewing websites as the full site, not the mobile version. So I don't see the reason for hamstringing devs/mod writers with a mobile style that they have to support. Especially, considering that 3.1 won't be released until the end of this year or early next year, when the populace will be introduced to even better hardware, software and connection speeds.

I think the responsive layout is the way to go... This way the various screen sizes of phones and tablets will be accommodated accordingly.

I'm guessing that you're in the US? Here in the UK, most people don't even have 3G, let alone 4G!

[MichaelC]

Even towards the end of next year, LTE will only have been rolled out by major carriers in some major cities. Not in the majority of the country; and that will be a similar story across the world.

[Arty]

Ouch. I didn't think it was that bad.

Responsive layout could still work, but it would need tweaking to minimize amount of images used.

[DavidIQ]

I'm in the U.S. and I'm still waiting for LTE in my area.

[Ger]

Still, I think responsive design is the way to go. Currently, there isn't any built-in support for mobile devices. People either have to use a MOD of somekind or just use a default style. With responsive design, we have a major plus for those people that have the right devices.

[callumacrae]

Still, I think responsive design is the way to go. Currently, there isn't any built-in support for mobile devices. People either have to use a MOD of somekind or just use a default style. With responsive design, we have a major plus for those people that have the right devices.

A mobile style would be far easier to make than making the current design responsive. phpBB Mobile in its current state took me just under a week of probably about four hours a day, and only needs a couple more hours work (mind you, it is also using a very out of date version of jQuery Mobile and could use a rewrite).

[WormDay]

Sorry for reactivate this topic but I think that a very important question is being forget. What about the time lost by click in "Show the full style" or similar?

I used the Artodia Mobile style for a while and I think that is functional but I don't want to use this style, I want my full style, with all the options. It is my opinion and is not a universal opinion, but I think that the new mobile users don't want a lite style, they want a full style but more adaptable to their mobile browsers.

At this moment I'm using Wordpress with a responsive theme and I feel good with this.

I only am registered here for support the Arty request. Please, make me happy LOL. (It is only a joke)

Now seriously, I think that is a good option in the new phpBB.

PD: I tested in desktop browser and in a mobile browser my installation of Wordpress with a responsive theme and the difference of time is five seconds, with cache, and about seven or eight seconds without cache.

I use a Sony Xperia Neo V (is a very bad mobile phone to see web quickly) with the default mobile browser.

PD2: Sorry for my bad english.

Greetings!!

[keith10456]

Still, I think responsive design is the way to go. Currently, there isn't any built-in support for mobile devices. People either have to use a MOD of somekind or just use a default style. With responsive design, we have a major plus for those people that have the right devices.

A mobile style would be far easier to make than making the current design responsive. phpBB Mobile in its current state took me just under a week of probably about four hours a day, and only needs a couple more hours work (mind you, it is also using a very out of date version of jQuery Mobile and could use a rewrite).

After using my tablet for the last month or so I'm beginning to see more clearly the need for a change in how phpBB sites are designed. To be more mobile friendly (for phones, tablets, etc) nothing radical needs to happen.

Callumacrae's mobile layout offer's some very good ideas... It's very touch friendly and it's easy to make selections even if you're using an older phone.

Another option is to replace the small font text links (ie pagination, login/logout, etc) with larger font size links. A third example is making more use of tabs or buttons (where appropriate). Fourth, how about changing the layout of the forum index.

These are just some examples of things that can be done without going too far in one direction or another.