New Forum Software

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
Okay, so first of all we're talking about an avatar here. I didn't just kick your dog.

I just made you a 200x200 image with your avatar centered in the middle. It should look like what you want.
 

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46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
New look looks good!

Anyplace I can change the text size. I have it set to largest in the browser and I'm still squinting. Maybe I should get my eyes checked :)
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
46er - The text size for pretty much everything was increased from the old software. Someone else even further up even commented that the text size was larger and easier to read.

What text size are you talking about? Menus? Posts?

Edit: Also, what browser are you using?
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
The posts are good, it's the other stuff like page numbers and headings of items. I am using IE8; text set to largest, screen set to 125%. I boosted it to 150% and its good, but need to scroll sideways. No worries, I'll work with it.
 

PancoastDrifter

Explorer
Dec 7, 2008
728
56
www.flickr.com
Well, it's only there for folks that want to have a single signon between NJPB and Facebook. Nobody is forced to use it.

When somebody likes a post or a photo is what I have issues with. I just don't like FB gobbling up stuff as data for marketing etc. I am not making a fuss over this just voicing my opinion as an ex FB user.
 

Boyd

Administrator
Staff member
Site Administrator
Jul 31, 2004
9,502
2,765
Ben's Branch, Stephen Creek
You laugh about it, however I don't really think it's funny.

I wasn't "laughing about it" really. I told you how to fix the problem. Glad to see that Ben took care of it - by doing exactly what I suggested.

I could care less about Facebook and all that also, and initially I'm not so crazy about the new format either. But really... calm down. If the site no longer suits your needs, there are other places to go. Otherwise, just relax and give yourself time to get used to the changes.

In the first post of this thread Ben said he made the change to be "more feature rich, future proof, and sustainable." Considering all the hard work he does, and the expense he incurs running this site, I think we need to trust him on that. Happy Easter Ben, and thanks for all that you do for us. :cool:
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,143
Coastal NJ
Yeah, page numbers are a little small. I can look at making them a bit bigger.

Headings should be really big already. Can you attach a screen shot of what you're looking at?

Will do. Getting ready for company now, will do it later today. It is mostly on the main forum page for the posted topic title in the right box next to the orange RSS symbol. Headings are fine.
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Ben,

I am sorry I have not thanked you for your work here. I have been busy with a project here and have been distracted. I am happy with the site and thanks for all your hard work.

One question, the emails notifying me of a post no longer contain what is written in the post. Is this something you plan on keeping that way? I actually like the info in them because I keep all the emails I receive and can easly search for posts without even having to be on the site. And, short of me having a copy of your backups, I have in my computer almost every response to any post I have been involved with. That has ended with this software so far.

Guy
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
In the first post of this thread Ben said he made the change to be "more feature rich, future proof, and sustainable." Considering all the hard work he does, and the expense he incurs running this site, I think we need to trust him on that. Happy Easter Ben, and thanks for all that you do for us. :cool:

Thanks. It certainly wasn't my intention to ruffle any feathers or rain on anybody's parade with the upgrade to the new forum software. The fact of the matter is that I was pretty much done with running vBulletin, which in my opinion is just a mess right now and I bought a Xenforo license as soon as they went on sale to test and play around with. I looked at it many months ago and it wasn't ready for prime time yet, but over those few months they've really done a lot of amazing work and I felt comfortable going live with them.

Integration with social media - whether people like it or not - is the future. I have a feeling that eventually web based forums such as this will go the way of the BBS from the 1980s and 1990s. Going with a product that ties into social media will, I believe, help future proof the site. The nice thing is that you're not forced to have a Twitter or Facebook account, or even participate in any sort of social media site, to use the site. Do I use cues from those other sites now? Yes. Avatars here now work in a very Facebook-like way. But again, if you don't want one - you don't need one. At the end of the day it's just a picture that shows up next to your posts.

Regarding the redesign of the layout - which seems to have cause the greatest amount of concern - it was a decision that I made consciously to have the layout of the forums match the layout of the front page (http://www.njpinebarrens.com) which never took up the entire width of the screen like the old forums did. So yes, now the forums all fit within a 960 pixel wide box and you see the background with the trees on the side. If you run your browser in full screen on a 24 to 27 inch monitor set to a high resolution you're going to be unhappy. But really, a lot of other websites are going to look like garbage as well.

The design of a website is a purely subjective thing mixed with some technical considerations thrown in for good measure. I can make a site that will look really good for giant size monitors, but will look like crap on small ones. I can make a site that looks great on small monitors but looks like crap on larger ones. I feel like I struck a balance between the two and ultimately obtained my objective of making the forums look like the front page. I know that things need some tweaks here and there and I'm working on them (heck, today was a beautiful day and I was inside working on the site all day - trust me, I'd rather have been outside doing something fun.)

I appreciate the feedback that everyone has given me so far. To the folks that don't like the new design I just ask you to give it a few days and see if it grows on you. Trust me, I know how hard change is.
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
Ben,

I am sorry I have not thanked you for your work here. I have been busy with a project here and have been distracted. I am happy with the site and thanks for all your hard work.

Thanks!!

One question, the emails notifying me of a post no longer contain what is written in the post. Is this something you plan on keeping that way? I actually like the info in them because I keep all the emails I receive and can easly search for posts without even having to be on the site. And, short of me having a copy of your backups, I have in my computer almost every response to any post I have been involved with. That has ended with this software so far.

Let me ask the Xenforo support folks and see if this is something that can be brought back or if there's a workaround.

It is a feature they're working on and currently is in testing with a number of email clients. Look at this post to see how it will eventually look (and then further on in the that thread it gets mentioned that it will probably show up in Xenforo 1.1. We're at 1.01 right now.)
 
Jul 12, 2006
1,318
307
Gloucester City, NJ
........ I appreciate the feedback that everyone has given me so far. To the folks that don't like the new design I just ask you to give it a few days and see if it grows on you. Trust me, I know how hard change is.

That's exactly what I plan to do. The info on this site is what I fell in love with. The software is mearly the means, the window if you will, to access that info. Like it or not, I'll get used to the new software.
 

Ben Ruset

Administrator
Site Administrator
Oct 12, 2004
7,616
1,863
Monmouth County
www.benruset.com
That's what I was asking about earlier, but Ben thought I was asking about starting a new thread. For "new posts" go to FORUMS then down to WHAT'S NEW.

Sorry, I misunderstood you. I broke out all of those links into a secondary navigation menu which now sits under the main one all the time. Should be easier for everyone to access now.

That's exactly what I plan to do. The info on this site is what I fell in love with. The software is mearly the means, the window if you will, to access that info. Like it or not, I'll get used to the new software.

Thanks!
 

Teegate

Administrator
Site Administrator
Sep 17, 2002
25,602
8,177
Thanks!!

Let me ask the Xenforo support folks and see if this is something that can be brought back or if there's a workaround.

It is a feature they're working on and currently is in testing with a number of email clients. Look at this post to see how it will eventually look (and then further on in the that thread it gets mentioned that it will probably show up in Xenforo 1.1. We're at 1.01 right now.)

Did you notice that the words "this post" are not showing as a link. I was confused for a second and though you had forgotten to post the link. Anyway, thanks for checking into it.

Guy
 
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