NEW TEST FORUM IS POSTED - ready for you to play around...

[CFu]

For reference, my browser is ~ 70% of my screen width.
A comparison of current WB vs Trydiscourse for whitespace. Discourse seems to be designed to encourage vertical scrolling.


Screenshot 2022-04-26 090048.png

Hi Bruce,

I made a post on the Discourse site explaining why it looks like it does and lots of pictures showing how websites are currently set up in general.

https://wineberserkers.trydiscourse.com/t/amount-of-whitespace-on-discourse/97/10?u=charliefu

It’s not to encourage vertical scrolling. Discourse (as long as pretty much every modern website) has a UX design goal that you never should have to turn your neck when you’re browsing a website.

So text is aligned in one portion of the screen. Most websites align on the center of the screen, Google aligns on the left so you have basically 70% white space on one side of your screen. We don’t seem to notice how majority of websites are center indented with large amount of white space because every website is doing it. But the difference is a bit more stark from PHPBB Wineberserkers to Discourse Wineberserkers because it’s what we’ve all been used to for WB.

[ToddFrench]

Addressing each below, in red (as phpbb doesn’t have as slick a quote/reply system as Discourse

A few comments from my use of the Discourse site so far:

-Not sure whether the current existing set of smilies will carry over into whatever iteration the forum may take. I think smilies are an integral part of the forum. There’s a lot of banter, teasing, joking around on the forum. In my view, smilies are an integral part of aiding users convey tone in their messages. And while emojis can in part serve some of that, I feel like there are certain smilies that Berserkers love and often use. Not sure if I’m the only one, but I’ve found myself at times looking for an emoji while texting someone, only to remember that the ‘emoji’ in question is really a smilies on Wine Berserkers. I feel like there are some that almost feel like they are a part of the forum’s DNA. If there’s a way to keep them, or at least some most frequently used, I feel like that’d be great.

The reactions are emoji-based, so every emoji that every mobile device has can be implemented as a reaction. I have found that we CAN introduce custom emojis, including the berserker, for example. Reactions are a bit more limited, as they should be, but the smilies/emoji are endless - you’ve probably seen the massive list, it’s all the ‘standard’ ones from every mobile device, very extensive, but we can add our unique ones.

-Really like the wider set of reactions outside of just like. If it’s possible to customise them, I think avoiding the ability to react with negative reactions would be good. Berserkers can be fairly opinionated people as it stands, adding in a feature where they can ‘dislike’ something certainly has the possibility to allow for unnecessary pile-ons or making reticent users feel unwelcome.

Yes, fully customizable, the list is the same as with adding emoji/smilies - I added the angry one as I also wanted the ability to show ‘dislike’ that way. This can easily be done with input from the community on which to choose, which are needed

-Different colour user banners. The current site has different colour banners for different user types, GCC, MC, Berserker Business, mods, etc. Curious to know how that will work in the new system. I always like noting who’s a Berserker Business and checking out their business if I haven’t already. Would be nice to continue that feature in someway to continuously highlight those Berserker Businesses that both support the site and post here.

Will have to check into this, and see if JulianD has some insight - he’s been amazing in this setup process

-Probably verging into curmudgeon territory on this one, but I do miss inline signatures in the current trial Discourse system. I find it often has useful information on it, especially when it notes when someone may be ITB and where they may work.

Yes, I’m accustomed to it as well, but I understand the desire to de-clutter. It’s an adjustment, and it’s very easy to check someone’s info with a click of the username icon, which also has more information than just a signature, and doesn’t force you to go to a new page like viewing someone’s profile here - it just opens it up right there for you, expanding the info easily

-The unread topics feature works slightly differently than the current system. It seems to only show unread topics which a user has interacted with, and not all unread topics. The current version of unread topics that displays all unread posts is usually my preferred way to browse Berserkers. It allows me to see which topics have been added or posted on since I was last online. I can then mark everything else as read and rinse and repeat. Maybe I’m a fringe case of using it like that, but I found that method helpful in keeping up with topics that interest me, both new and ongoing. Not sure if there’s a way around this in Discourse.

You want to click ‘Latest’, that’s our ‘unread topics’ here, shows every post made, in order, that you haven’t seen. Unread is, as you said for those topics you’ve participated in or already read. Also, the ‘last visit’ bar shows up for any thread you’ve already been in, showing a graphical divider between what you’ve already read/seen and what is new - super helpful

[ToddFrench]

Is it possible to have the button for Latest [posts] to appear at the top of every page, the way Active Topics is at the topic of very page on classic WB? As it is now, you have to use back arrow or hit the main WB logo at top left to get back to it.

All navigation is available at the top of the screen at all times. Just click the three lines, you get everything you need

Also, what I like to use with ‘latest’ is the back button. Once you click ‘latest’ it is showing everything you haven’t seen (again, like our ‘new posts’, which is my bookmark for this site, so I feel you) and you can view whatever, then just click the back button and you go right back to the list itself, just work your way down like you do here.

[CFu]

A few comments from my use of the Discourse site so far:

-Not sure whether the current existing set of smilies will carry over into whatever iteration the forum may take. I think smilies are an integral part of the forum. There’s a lot of banter, teasing, joking around on the forum. In my view, smilies are an integral part of aiding users convey tone in their messages. And while emojis can in part serve some of that, I feel like there are certain smilies that Berserkers love and often use. Not sure if I’m the only one, but I’ve found myself at times looking for an emoji while texting someone, only to remember that the ‘emoji’ in question is really a smilies on Wine Berserkers. I feel like there are some that almost feel like they are a part of the forum’s DNA. If there’s a way to keep them, or at least some most frequently used, I feel like that’d be great.

-Really like the wider set of reactions outside of just like. If it’s possible to customise them, I think avoiding the ability to react with negative reactions would be good. Berserkers can be fairly opinionated people as it stands, adding in a feature where they can ‘dislike’ something certainly has the possibility to allow for unnecessary pile-ons or making reticent users feel unwelcome.

’

Very wide range of emojis on discourse. You’ll find something for any applicable use.

Reactions have multiple choices as well. There’s 7 choices for the instant react. An “angry” react would fit the bill for you.

-Different colour user banners. The current site has different colour banners for different user types, GCC, MC, Berserker Business, mods, etc. Curious to know how that will work in the new system. I always like noting who’s a Berserker Business and checking out their business if I haven’t already. Would be nice to continue that feature in someway to continuously highlight those Berserker Businesses that both support the site and post here.

That’s actually something VERY cool that Discourse allows. You can create avatars/custom banners for each badge and give it priority on the person’s card. It’ll be something we work on later. Right now it’s just testing modules.

-Probably verging into curmudgeon territory on this one, but I do miss inline signatures in the current trial Discourse system. I find it often has useful information on it, especially when it notes when someone may be ITB and where they may work.

ha - curmudgeon territory. The idea is to display less text. A simple click of a username pops up a card that’ll display the equivalent of a signature.

-The unread topics feature works slightly differently than the current system. It seems to only show unread topics which a user has interacted with, and not all unread topics. The current version of unread topics that displays all unread posts is usually my preferred way to browse Berserkers. It allows me to see which topics have been added or posted on since I was last online. I can then mark everything else as read and rinse and repeat. Maybe I’m a fringe case of using it like that, but I found that method helpful in keeping up with topics that interest me, both new and ongoing. Not sure if there’s a way around this in Discourse.

Hit latest and it’ll show all the newest posts.

[AndyK]

Does Discourse change the color theme based on my Mac settings? I’m using dark mode and the forum is impossible to read. Very light grey text on a white background, but the rest is dark:

[ToddFrench]

Another question I have is around the transition what happens to the existing topics when/if the forum were to migrate to new system. Specifically around the transition of the various multi-comment cascading quoted posts (see a recent short example here) that often happen on the forum. Any issues in formatting or transferring over things like that to the new system?

Good question, one I don’t know the answer to, as I would have to hire a migration specialist either way to get all the data from here over there. No idea how the quote within a quote within a quote works, but since Discourse HAS a quote function, it should be able to transfer, as I know they’ve done thousands of migrations from phpbb

[CFu]

Does Discourse change the color theme based on my Mac settings? I’m using dark mode and the forum is impossible to read. Very light grey text on a white background, but the rest is dark:

The main complaint we had (as you can prob see) is that there is too much white and the posts aren’t distinguished enough. So we laid out a light grey background on posts to make it less glaring and easier on the eyes. But because of this, we realized it changes how dark mode is presented on which is just a color inversion. Because your settings are inverting black and white, the grey background washes out the white text. That’s something we are going to figure out once we get a chance to.

[CFu]

Does Discourse change the color theme based on my Mac settings? I’m using dark mode and the forum is impossible to read. Very light grey text on a white background, but the rest is dark:

AndyK I think it’s fixed now. I just went into dark mode and it looks good

[ToddFrench]

Does Discourse change the color theme based on my Mac settings? I’m using dark mode and the forum is impossible to read. Very light grey text on a white background, but the rest is dark:

@AndyK I think it’s fixed now. I just went into dark mode and it looks good

screenshot?

[CFu]

Does Discourse change the color theme based on my Mac settings? I’m using dark mode and the forum is impossible to read. Very light grey text on a white background, but the rest is dark:

@AndyK I think it’s fixed now. I just went into dark mode and it looks good

screenshot?

Uploading media is truly terrible on PHPBB. LOL.

[David_Wright]

Any idea why a 1.2MB photo posts at that size on this site (“classic WB”), but comes over at 66.5KB on the Discourse test site (Photo Upload thread)?

[ToddFrench]

Any idea why a 1.2MB photo posts at that size on this site (“classic WB”), but comes over at 66.5KB on the Discourse test site (Photo Upload thread)?

To make it easy to include/embed in the thread, visually less cluttered, then you can click it to get full resolution if you wish

[David_Bu3ker]

Well my home desktop PC has a relatively small monitor (17"), and on that one the Discourse forum is OK.

Overall I am not a fan right now, but I am sure, just like with the updated CellarTracker several years ago, that I will get used to it, and then not really care anymore.

[LasseK1]

The grey background already helped a lot. It is easier on the eyes and more calm and pleasant. Just needs some padding adjustments to the text content boxes now.

Overall it is great with an updated forum. As a millennial myself, i know most of my friends would leave the current site within 5 seconds as it is now. I also know from my line of work that people HATES visual/interface changes, but most adapt quickly.

Excited to see the final result

[David_Wright]

Any idea why a 1.2MB photo posts at that size on this site (“classic WB”), but comes over at 66.5KB on the Discourse test site (Photo Upload thread)?

To make it easy to include/embed in the thread, visually less cluttered, then you can click it to get full resolution if you wish

Still reports as 66.5KB when enlarged. Maybe that is not accurate (?)

[Brian_Tuite]

This isn’t getting off to a very good start for me.

[ToddFrench]

This isn’t getting off to a very good start for me.

2F217B68-AEA5-4026-9913-0E4E99176AC7.png

You already registered, your username is ThatTuiteGuy

Freakin’ boomers.

[CFu]

The grey background already helped a lot. It is easier on the eyes and more calm and pleasant. Just needs some padding adjustments to the text content boxes now.

Overall it is great with an updated forum. As a millennial myself, i know most of my friends would leave the current site within 5 seconds as it is now. I also know from my line of work that people HATES visual/interface changes, but most adapt quickly.

Excited to see the final result

Can you post in the site suggestions what visual changes you’d like?

Thanks!

[LasseK1]

The grey background already helped a lot. It is easier on the eyes and more calm and pleasant. Just needs some padding adjustments to the text content boxes now.

Overall it is great with an updated forum. As a millennial myself, i know most of my friends would leave the current site within 5 seconds as it is now. I also know from my line of work that people HATES visual/interface changes, but most adapt quickly.

Excited to see the final result

Can you post in the site suggestions what visual changes you’d like?

Thanks!

I need to spend a bit more time with it. But i will add more feedback as soon as possible.

[CFu]

Alan Rath wants us to launch now.

This is why we did the test forum, spend a couple hours (or the day) on it and you’ll see a lot of what we can do on discourse that we can’t do on PHPBB.

Loads of visual customization options as well within a user’s interface settings. I’m currently using the “dark” theme which is actually a low contrast soft theme that’s super easy on the eyes.

But we’ll let the trial run for a bit as we customize and tweek based on suggestions