Should We Move To A New Forum Platform?

I'll apologize in advance for a long post, but this is rather an important topic so I hope you'll read it and at least vote and, hopefully, reply.

Background:

The forum software we use, Nabble, is antiquated and there is no maintenance being done for it. There are several problems with it, like the email system between members doesn't work.  Plus, as we aren't paying anything so it could easily go away.  NB: The forum is the part that you can type into, not the part of the website you get to via the menu at the top.

The gentleman that is hosting us, Franklin, is said to be working on a replacement although he's not provided an update lately.  So I've reached out to him to get the latest status and will update this thread if I get an answer.  And, here is his answer: "I originally planned to write a replacement for Nabble, but I changed my mind and won't do this.  I only support Nabble for my own use.  Nabble will be around for a while but I think users should look for an alternative."

Issues with Nabble:

As said, the ability to email between members doesn't work or isn't consistent.  And our joining process is broken and I cannot figure out how to fix it.  Plus, the posting of pictures is a problem and we usually wind up explaining what the problem is and how to correct it to every new member.

Potential path forward:

We could move to a new forum platform and keep Nabble open to post on for those of us that want to continue to update our stories.  Or we could lock Nabble for posting and just use it for reference via searches.  (And if someone was a guru on writing code or causing AI to write code maybe we could figure out how to migrate the stuff on Nabble to the new platform, although there doesn't appear to be a way to do that otherwise.)

Gary's wanted features: Some of the things I have been looking for in a new forum platform are:

A joining process that has the newbie agree to our guidelines before being able to post. And it might be nice to have a required first step of providing an introduction.

Email & private messaging that works.

Picture posting that is easy - and preferably that auto-rotates the pic prior to posting.

First attempt: Chris/ckuske graciously agreed to host a new forum, for testing purposes only, on his AWS server.  Initially we tried Discourse but it didn't seem like it was "right", although I think maybe we were wrong on that, so moved on to phpBB software.  He has it working fairly well and you can see it by clicking the New Bullnose Test Forum link in the menu at the top.  In fact, you can join if you'd like to kick the tires.

However, we both have come to the conclusion that this isn't what we were looking for, and some of those reasons include:

Pictures: When you click the image icon it inserts BBCode and you are then to go find your pic, copy the URL, and paste it between the brackets in the BBCode.  Then do a preview and click the rotate button to get it where you want it to be.  So not only does it not autorotate it doesn't give you a popup where you can navigate to your picture and click on it to insert the URL.  And, to top it off, the only way to figure out how to do that is to hover your curser over the image icon and read the popup.

Links: If you want to put a hot link on a set of text you copy the URL, highlight the words, click the link icon, and then add an equal sign in the BBCode and paste in the URL.  Not too bad, but the BBCode is small and the chance of error large.  And, to top it off, the only way to figure out how to do that is to hover your curser over the image icon and read the popup.

Lists: The ability to put in bulleted or ordered lists is there, but it is complex.  Maybe not as complex as on Nabble, but still quite complex.

Subscribing: To me the subscribing process is counter-intuitive and I can foresee having no end of problems because members don't get subscribed to even their own threads/topics.  The process is to click a wrench icon at the bottom of a post or forum and if you aren't subscribed there is a checkbox with a check in it that says "Subscribe".  To me the fact that there is already a check in it says you are already subscribed, but that's not the case.

Your Input: So we need your input.    Do you think we should consider moving to a new platform?  If so, what features are you looking for?  And do you know of a platform that appears to have those features?  

Should we move to a new forum platform?

Yes

No

Login to vote   

My other favorite car forum is on a Xenforo platform and I really like it. Some of the features I like:

1. If I have posted in a thread, my avatar appears next to that thread
2. It keeps track of what threads I have or haven't seen. If I have already seen a thread and I have read part of it but there is a new post, when I go back into that thread, it positions me to the posts I have not read yet
3. Photo hosting is fairly painless
4. Private message facility
5. All kinds of tools to see who is logged on, what they are looking at, etc.

Thanks, Pete.  I've now read some on Xenforo and it does look interesting.  But I'm finding that everything looks interesting until you actually use it, and that's where the issues show up.

So could you take a screenshot of you starting to post something on that forum?  I'm wanting to see what the various editing options are, like images, Youtube, embed, highlight, etc.

And could you describe the steps for including a picture in a post?  And/or anything else that you like or don't like?

Sure no problem. Other things I like area a "new posts" button that bring up posts that have been created/updated since the last time I looked. Here's what that looks like.



This brings up posts from any of the subforum areas, which are similar to the areas you have "pinned" to the top of the main Bullnose Forum page (Marketplace, etc.). In Xenforo you can do that same kind of pinning. Here is the main subforum view.



To post a new thread, there is a "new thread" box at the top of each subforum you visit. Only the subject line first appears, but when you start typing there, it opens up the main body area too. Here is what that looks like.



You can see in that dialogue you have the ability to select fonts, italics, etc. After that you have symbols to insert links, media (photos or videos), smilies, tables, etc. You can also choose whether your post will be a poll or a normal post.

You use the "attach" button on that screen to add a photo, that will go thru the normal windows "choose file" dialogues. Once you have selected a file, it appears as a small image under your post, where you can select to insert it as a thumnail (has to be clicked on to be viewed), or as a full image.

Thanks, Pete.  That helps a lot.

I see that you can do bulleted lists and also align text, probably left, center, or right.  What does the paragraph icon do?

And when you click the "link" icon does it pop up like here on Nabble so that you just paste in the URL?

Do you know if you can embed a document?  I see the table icon, but I really like embedding Word, Excel, or PDF documents in posts.

I don't think it's commonly done, but the button is "attach file" so I assume you can attach word docs and so on.

Looks like the paragraph button allows you to do Word doc style headings.



The insert link button pops up a dialogue that asks for a URL. I've never really played with that stuff, but could find out more if you need me to.

Attaching is different from embedding. If I attach a file you then have to open it to see it, but if I embed it you'll see it in my post. For instance, here's the instructions I put together for painting with SEM, purposely kept short in order to keep the post small. Since I do it frequently it would be nice to know if can be done.

Gary, I vote yes BUT:

• This forum hosts a HUGE library.  This is a gold mine.  Moving to a new platform should offer an easy way to transfer it.
• Another repository of information stands in the ability to search by subject and look at the numerous topics and threads.  Suggestion:   A new platform should offer the same possibility PLUS:
   - The ability for the posting member to tag the subject(s) discussed in his (her) thread (choosing in a pre-formatted subjects/categories menu?).  This would help all members to search more efficiently.  Kind of organisation of threads.
   - The possibility to "sort" the threads (more recent first, or reversal).
   - If possible, a more user-friendly way to post videos.
   - If possible, the possibility to post larger pictures (for more detailed zoom, if needed).
   - If possible, the possibility for a member to easily create "sub-topics" in his main thread.  For exemple, a restoration project could be sorted by main subjects (body, interior, engine, electricity, etc).  Or, a trip/adventure could be separated by different visited regions, or by trails for overlanding.
   -  A more flexible search engine.
   -  If possible, the possibility for a member (with no administrator status) to temporarily "lock" his post.  For example, while writing the «storyboard» of a restoration journey, a member would want to have the time to structure and complete his posts, before opening it to other members reactions, commentaries and questions.

Do you already have an idea of such platform?

FINALLY:
I know it's important for you to keep it free access for members.  But maybe there could be a tag/button/link to enable an easy way for a voluntary contribution, for members who would want to help to maintain the forum, contribute for some future hosting fees, or for some software subscription, on a strictly voluntary basis if you want so.

Gary Lewis wrote

Attaching is different from embedding.

I agree that the possibility of formatting a message is an important requirement.

And simply "attaching" picture or file is really different than having it (them) showed in the message core.

I don't know how to do that. I tried uploading a word doc, but it basically threw an error to the effect that only "picture" type files were allowed. I don't know that it can't be done, I just don't know how to do it.

However, there is also a "wiki" function that might allow that type of thing. I've never spent much time in there, but that seems like the place to put documents of that type. Screen shot of that below.

If you want, I can reach out to the Xweb moderators/admins and see if they would be willing to answer these types of questions for you.

Jeff - You have some good ideas, and some I'd not thought of.  But first, let's make sure we are talking about the same thing.  The "forum" is the part that all of us type into, reply to, etc.  The rest, which you get to via the menu above, is on Weebly and is not being considered for change.

As for the cost, I will watch to see if there is a way for people to contribute.  Right now the forum itself isn't costing anything, although there are charges associated with it.  But if we move it will cost something, we just don't know how much.  So I'll keep that in mind.

And your idea of people being able to lock their own threads is a good one.  But we might get their by creating a "forum" for those people since I think some platforms allow giving specific people the ability to manage their own forum.  That might allow creating subforums and locking them.  Good idea.

Pete Whitstone wrote

I don't know how to do that. I tried uploading a word doc, but it basically threw an error to the effect that only "picture" type files were allowed. I don't know that it can't be done, I just don't know how to do it.

However, there is also a "wiki" function that might allow that type of thing. I've never spent much time in there, but that seems like the place to put documents of that type. Screen shot of that below.

If you want, I can reach out to the Xweb moderators/admins and see if they would be willing to answer these types of questions for you.

Pete - That would be helpful.  They will probably know if embedding is possible.  I frequently embed Word, Excel, and PDF documents.

I have reached out to the admins there.

In the meantime, you might want to sign up on the forum. That would give you some idea of the process, and would put you in a position to directly contact the admins if they consent. The website is xwebforums.com.

Let me know if there are any anti-robot questions about Fiats or anything and I'll get the right answer for you.

Gary Lewis wrote

The "forum" is the part that all of us type into, reply to, etc.  The rest, which you get to via the menu above, is on Weebly and is not being considered for change.

Ok, I thought that the “documentation” menu was part of Nabble platform.
Now I understand that these are in fact “external links” to a different storage host, out of Nabble hosting/structure itself?

Gary, a number of years ago my son and I set up a site for me, Oldschoolhotrodder.com we were using PHPNuke which worked well, except it was housed on a PC in my house that needed to stay on 24/7.

I believe his site, Archionslair is still up.

Pete - I'll see about signing up tomorrow.  Thanks.

Jeff - It is actually the other way 'round.  The website and all of the documentation is on Weebly.  The forum is on Nabble but is embedded on a page on the Weebly website so it looks like it is part of the same website.

We've done something similar with the phpBB forum that you can see by clicking the menu item for New Bullnose Test Forum.  That forum is actually on an Amazon Web Services server that Chris is renting a slice of, but we've made it look like it is on Weebly.

Bill - I'm finding that forum software has come a long ways in the last several years, and older platforms have fewer functions.  But I'll take a look at phpNuke.

All - I got a note back from Franklin of Nabble: "I originally planned to write a replacement for Nabble, but I changed my mind and won't do this.  I only support Nabble for my own use.  Nabble will be around for a while but I think users should look for an alternative."

So we do need to find an alternative, and this time let's find one we like.  I don't think we are in a huge hurry, but it is good that we've started.

Between vbulliten dying and Photobucket deleting virtually decades of priceless documentation and Facebook, most forums I frequented are now dead.

I do not envy anyone trying to keep a site like this going, and I would just like to share my appreciation for all who are involved, and I am sure your guys will figure it out and make the right choices.

Anything a laymen might be able to help with, let me know.

That's why I don't want to jump to just anything to get away from Nabble.  I want to find some software that will be around for a long time and be user friendly.

But you just raised a question that I need to answer for each platform we look at - where do they store their pictures?  Luckily Nabble stores them with the posts, so even though Photobucket is deleting pics that won't hurt us.  But we want our future platform to do the same and not do like FTE where just the links to the pics are stored.

Gary, I sent you an email. An administrator over at xwebs has volunteered to answer any questions about xenforo that he can. His email address is in that email.

Got the message and will follow up. Thanks!