Some small suggestions.

[CDN Rick]

Or maybe not small. I really have no idea what it takes to edit or operate a forum like this.


I'm an avid member on ADVrider and there are a few things that they use and do that would be cool to see here. If they are easy to add to the site it could really improve the user experience.

One is to have a "Like" button on posts. Sometimes I want to let someone know I appreciate what they had to add. But don't want to clutter the discussion letting them know that. A "like" button on posts like ADVRider uses would be a great way of doing this.

Another would be to add some more Emoji's. They can liven up a conversation and express emotions in a way that typed words cannot.

The third is more of a query... Is it possible to change a username? I've changed mine on a few other forums recently for personal reasons that I would rather not explain in public.


In saying all this please realize that I have literally no idea if this stuff is even possible, or if it is a lot of work or just the click of a button. You can check ADVRider to see how they use some of these things.

If its too much just tell me to bugger off.

[Neil E.]

I feel that while a "like" button can be good, to be fair there should also be a "dislike" button.

ADV switched over to Xenforo software which has some things built-in compared to other forums. XF has only just released version 2 of their software. This is a big revamping of the code and adds things you have asked about.

It is a lot of work to set up a forum and even more work if you are going to continually upgrade it. It may be worth changing over, but it is a big time suck.

I don't see any need for it since this current forum looks good and serves the purpose for sharing technical information.

[(F5)]

How about a `Meh` button. You know?, - like when you wanna tell people you don't care one way or the other?

My only problem would be if I could be bothered using it.


#solazy

[CDN Rick]

Originally Posted by Neil E.

I feel that while a "like" button can be good, to be fair there should also be a "dislike" button.

ADV switched over to Xenforo software which has some things built-in compared to other forums. XF has only just released version 2 of their software. This is a big revamping of the code and adds things you have asked about.

It is a lot of work to set up a forum and even more work if you are going to continually upgrade it. It may be worth changing over, but it is a big time suck.

I don't see any need for it since this current forum looks good and serves the purpose for sharing technical information.

This forum does a crack job at technical information. No question about that.
If I had a dollar for every time I've found my answer through the search function I'd have a shiny new bike by now!

I guess my suggestions would lean it more towards being a "community" alongside the technical stuff. Maybe the question is if that is what Jeff wants this place to be?

Not sure if the "Dislike" or "Meh" comments are tongue-in-cheek but I'd keep it to just a "Like" button. I've always thought if you want to disagree with someone openly you should have to voice your reasons openly.

[webmaster]

This forum uses an older version of vbulletin - for various reasons it is the "end of the line" for it.... There is no place to move forward with it.

Vbulletin used to be the best forum software - and it is still very good. Then an evil mega-corporation bought vbulletin. They created a 4.0 version of this software that was abysmal and expensive to migrate to. The founders and developers of vbulletin left that company and formed xenforo - which is used by ADV rider.

My view is that at some point this forum will need to move to xenforo which is better maintained (and also run by some very decent human beings). . But right now is a bad time for a couple of reasons and Neil pointed that out....

Neil has given me very good council in the past - conveying his experience, the current landscape for alternatives, and his recommendations.

His point about 2.0 being released is a good one and thanks for the info. A new release will typically have teething issues that can be a huge time sink.

It is also a domino effect - to upgrade to new forum software, I need to upgrade operating system on my web server - and that's another "time sink".

To be honest, with my career and a real need to focus on my family, I don't have that time to give.

As neil said, things are running well here. Too much work right now for a little incremental gain..

jeff

p.s. If one wants to change their username - they can send me a message and I can easily do it for them.

[CDN Rick]

Originally Posted by webmaster

This forum uses an older version of vbulletin - for various reasons it is the "end of the line" for it.... There is no place to move forward with it.

Vbulletin used to be the best forum software - and it is still very good. Then an evil mega-corporation bought vbulletin. They created a 4.0 version of this software that was abysmal and expensive to migrate to. The founders and developers of vbulletin left that company and formed xenforo - which is used by ADV rider.

My view is that at some point this forum will need to move to xenforo which is better maintained (and also run by some very decent human beings). . But right now is a bad time for a couple of reasons and Neil pointed that out....

Neil has given me very good council in the past - conveying his experience, the current landscape for alternatives, and his recommendations.

His point about 2.0 being released is a good one and thanks for the info. A new release will typically have teething issues that can be a huge time sink.

It is also a domino effect - to upgrade to new forum software, I need to upgrade operating system on my web server - and that's another "time sink".

To be honest, with my career and a real need to focus on my family, I don't have that time to give.

As neil said, things are running well here. Too much work right now for a little incremental gain..

jeff

p.s. If one wants to change their username - they can send me a message and I can easily do it for them.

Great answers. Thanks so much!

[Jim Cook]

Thank you Jeff!
I appreciate all the work you do to make this forum possible for us, and all the GasGas enthusiasts around the world.

[(F5)]

Yeah we're thankful to be here and understand the pressures of life. Take care man.

[motopsycho87]

Personally I'd say keep the site as it is. It's simple and it works, just like the bikes we love!!

Remember what upgrading did to thumper talk... Christ you have to navigate through so much rubbish now, and an army of moderators that will send private investigators to find what bike you own so your general question ends up in am obscure sub-forum no-one visits...