[RFC] Modern profile fields in 3.1

[Christian 2.0]

Issue: Microsoft has announced the EoL for Windows Live Messenger from all countries (except China) by March 2013. It wouldn't be sensible to continue releasing phpBB with the MSNM profile field when the service has been deactived and replaced with Skype. Joas also pointed out that other profile fields facilitated by phpBB (ICQ, AOL, Yahoo & Jabber) are not widely enough used (if at all) to justify inclusion.

Solution: To simply remove all existing 'social' profile fields from phpBB and replace with modern alternatives: Facebook, Twitter and Skype.

Ticket: http://tracker.phpbb.com/browse/PHPBB3-11201

[Arty]

That's a very good idea.

[igorw]

+1

Removing WLM is a no-brainer. This should be done ASAP.

Deciding which ones to add is a bit more difficult. Facebook does not make much sense in most cases imo. Twitter on the other hand, +1.

[bantu]

While this solution is simple, I do not like it. I would prefer having all of those fields removed and replaced with custom profile fields. This however might require making the custom profile field framework a bit more powerful.

[nickvergessen]

While this solution is simple, I do not like it. I would prefer having all of those fields removed and replaced with custom profile fields. This however might require making the custom profile field framework a bit more powerful.

And as this may take quite some time, I wouldn't mind having a "Delete msn" now and a "add other stuff" later. because shipping a field that is invalid is worse

[callumacrae]

Imo, they should all be removed.

[Christian 2.0]

I would prefer having all of those fields removed and replaced with custom profile fields. This however might require making the custom profile field framework a bit more powerful.

In response to Igor's post, I was going to suggest something similar. Many of my clients ask for Pinterest integration, although my opinion is that this would be widely left alone across many phpBB boards so custom profile fields definitely seems like the way forwards.

[bantu]

I would prefer having all of those fields removed and replaced with custom profile fields. This however might require making the custom profile field framework a bit more powerful.

In response to Igor's post, I was going to suggest something similar. Many of my clients ask for Pinterest integration, although my opinion is that this would be widely left alone across many phpBB boards so custom profile fields definitely seems like the way forwards.

I just noticed there already is an RFC for changing built-in profile fields to custom profile fields: https://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... 08&t=33864

[Senky]

+1 to this RFC. But we should brainstorm about what to delete and what to add, as it is not clear enough in the ticket.

[wGEric]

Facebook does not make much sense in most cases imo.

Why?