Several Built in features to consider deeply

[NikolaCR]

I would also like to add "welcome tour" to my list. If needed I can create new post about it. Do let me know.
What would this feature do? If enabled from ACP new users would get something like forum wizard/tour where they will be introduced with few basic features of phpbb such as changing profile information, avatar, sig, interests, languages and other settings during the tour process (ability) to set those via ACP. Wizard to guide them to post their first topic in certain forums you set such as "meet each others" can be also optional. They can skip the steps though.

What are pros and cons of this feature?
Pros;
1. More professional approach.

2. Adaptation to users on a far better scale and more universal.

3. User feeling welcomed, wanted and accepted. (basics of psychology) > Such as feeling better and like at home if they can select their own language and region.

4. More information about the user. (it help us with managing the community as we can target group of users more efficient.)

5. Encouraging said user to interact with the community. (link this with second pro and you get one awesome combination of systematic.

6. and many more.

Cons;
None.

[NikolaCR]

Even if they were being considered it would be unlikely that any of them would be implemented in the next few major releases (3.2, 3.3, 4.0), which is why it is being suggested to you to either develop or request extensions for those features in the appropriate forum on phpBB.com.

This is why I say for those to be deeply considered. I brought you up several key features that will enhance whole picture and give everyone enhanced experience. Personally, no offense here please; What would be good course to begin with is to compile a list of say top 10 mods/extension rated and consider them for implementation with rest of the team as a built in optimal feature. You can compare this with something like; windows OS never had anything like Notepad++ as a built in feature or their browser never had a built in feature to take a screen shot of whole page. One of many examples where you are able to see the parallel.

I look at things very different give that I am autistic, in matter of fact my autism helps me and my career is successful because of it. Therefore, I am not able to suggest something that might not be viable for you guys, it's blocked in my head as I go deep into details. Indeed I do feel stressed at times due lack of certain elements but obviously if that is the case something is not right or yet to be done. My suggestion are very beneficial and can help generally. That being said, depending what course of action you will do I can see phpbb being able to revolutionize how one manages things on the internet. This is what I recognized here. Whole magic here is that such system is available to everyone no matter of their profession and whatnot.

-Also, I am aware that I am going into this too deep. But that is how I function. I would like to apologize if I confused any of you.

Nikola.

[DavidIQ]

This is why we have Official Extensions. Doing what you've suggested of considering the top 10 extensions and just include them would bloat and complicate the core beyond belief.

@Pony:
I don't have an answer as to what features are being included in 3.2 and beyond so a developer would have to provide that info.

[NikolaCR]

This is why we have Official Extensions. Doing what you've suggested of considering the top 10 extensions and just include them would bloat and complicate the core beyond belief.

@Pony:
I don't have an answer as to what features are being included in 3.2 and beyond so a developer would have to provide that info.

No no, don't have to include everyone one of them. What team decides that's it. I also believe as a built in feature it would have no issues while extensions are going through countless of editions and versions. For instance, show topic in who is online; enable or disable? Simple. Autolocking and other ways of managing dated topics such as prevent from posting. Those among others are all little things that shouldn't be extension. They will be better being built in feature. Being more universal you would be targeting not only certain group of users, but everyone.

[CHItA]

No no, don't have to include everyone one of them. What team decides that's it. I also believe as a built in feature it would have no issues while extensions are going through countless of editions and versions. For instance, show topic in who is online; enable or disable? Simple. Autolocking and other ways of managing dated topics such as prevent from posting. Those among others are all little things that shouldn't be extension. They will be better being built in feature. Being more universal you would be targeting not only certain group of users, but everyone.

Installing extensions are easy (for anyone), and there is an Extension Team working on validating extensions so they function correctly and safe to use. Also, the number of editions or versions are not reflecting whether an extension has issues or not.

[NikolaCR]

Installing extensions are easy (for anyone), and there is an Extension Team working on validating extensions so they function correctly and safe to use. Also, the number of editions or versions are not reflecting whether an extension has issues or not.

I am aware that they are easy but hands down, there are so many extensions that can be put in the built in wagon. That being said, good chunk of extensions and MODs tend to do the purpose but very often things like "Partiall done" extension is being put in place. What I want to say with this is for example; we have an extension to make certain forums private to OP only. That is very well useful extension and I personally use it on live board, had to do custom coding though since I've found some bugs. They are refusing to add mopre features on it due to having to code too much, bad reason. But what is problem here? Ignore the fact that extension might be "finished" for the author, however it lacks several features to make it "full" such as adding a third user as an exception to permission so that more parties can be involved in the same private discussion. Hands down, similar system is to be built in. You can compare this with say avatar feature when you can't determinate custom resolution, even if you have the feature you can't make use of it to full extent. I hope you get my point.

That being said; Personally, I would make sure that such things are rare case, where you actually need two or three extensions to have one complete feature you expect. Upon discussing the extensions with validators, such thing should be dealt with. Say I want to introduce the extension that will reduce size of smilies by certain amount of pixels and when you mouse over it, the size will be native, to have nice animation feel overall. Now if I am to present such extension but without showing actual name of the emoticon that would be problem. So what I am saying here is that you simply think about ext submission, make sure you made most use of it. "Hmm this ext is nice, would be a lot better if it did this or that more". Or at least encourage the author.

[Khaos-Rage]

You can compare this with something like; windows OS never had anything like Notepad++ as a built in feature or their browser never had a built in feature to take a screen shot of whole page. One of many examples where you are able to see the parallel.

Nikola.

FYI WordPad and Notepad++ are similar. Also most browsers (even now) don't have a dedicated screen shot function. That's why all keyboards have a PrtScrn button.

[Pony99CA]

I would also like to add "welcome tour" to my list. If needed I can create new post about it. Do let me know.
What would this feature do? If enabled from ACP new users would get something like forum wizard/tour where they will be introduced with few basic features of phpbb such as changing profile information, avatar, sig, interests, languages and other settings during the tour process (ability) to set those via ACP. Wizard to guide them to post their first topic in certain forums you set such as "meet each others" can be also optional. They can skip the steps though.

If anybody were to try implementing this, the first screen should say "Would you like a tutorial?" Anybody who has been to a phpBB board more than a few times will probably opt out of it.

What are pros and cons of this feature?
Pros;
1. More professional approach.

In your opinion. Can you cite any research about that? Do real professional sites like Amazon, Facebook, Twiiter, etc. do that?

2. Adaptation to users on a far better scale and more universal.

That sounds like a bunch of jargon. If that's a way of saying "It's more user friendly", that's possible.

3. User feeling welcomed, wanted and accepted. (basics of psychology) > Such as feeling better and like at home if they can select their own language and region.

Many people come to a site to post a question. Having to go through this would be annoying and might scare people off. That's why you need an Opt-Out on the first screen.

4. More information about the user. (it help us with managing the community as we can target group of users more efficient.)

If they choose to fill in more of their profile or make the "meet me" post.

5. Encouraging said user to interact with the community. (link this with second pro and you get one awesome combination of systematic.

You could encourage the user with a banner saying "Please post in our Meet & Greet forum" and just link to that.

6. and many more.

That's a cop out.

Cons;
None.

Really? What about bloat? What about the time taken to develop this that could be used for something others have requested? (You're the first person that I've seen request this.) The fact that you don't see any cons shows that you're already biased.

if somebody wants to try implementing this as an extension, that would be interesting to see, and I'll look at it with an open mind. But you haven't convinced me that it's necessary or even very useful.

Steve

[leschek]

You're the first person that I've seen request this.

Well I wrote something like this in Ideas on phpbb.com. Mine was about wizard for admins - it would take user (after installing the board) to different important settings users usually do after installation of board like "Name of board", "Spambot countermeasures", "Account activation" setting etc, so it would be faster for experienced admins to set a new board (because it would take you to next setting just with one click) and it would help to set board correctly to new inexperienced admins + show things around a bit.

[NikolaCR]

Steve, the feature would be optional, Disable or Enable. That is where 90% of your answer goes to. my suggestions are transparent suggested features for said system and I believe I said that we would be able to alter which one will show and such. Not everyone uses forum for same purpose as you are constantly pondering to.

In your opinion. Can you cite any research about that? Do real professional sites like Amazon, Facebook, Twiiter, etc. do that?

You seriously are comparing phpbb with those? None above has same management nor they do same things. It's like comparing a car with a skateboard that rolls. You think more locally than globally. Nikola

FYI WordPad and Notepad++ are similar. Also most browsers (even now) don't have a dedicated screen shot function. That's why all keyboards have a PrtScrn button.

Notepad++ and Wordpad are not similar and it was random comparison. Keyboards having prntscreen button is not related with what you said since I was talking about capturing the screenshot of a whole page. Unless you have 15k display your answer would be valid. But you get the picture.