Site Changes

[anthony]

As per already outlined with the server upgrade, the site will also be upgraded. As part of this, I'm making some changes that will be vastly different from the way the site currently is. I have a mockup site that I play around with that only staff can access, so as I see if an idea works or not on that mockup, I will roll them out here for member feedback.

Nothing is concrete and everything can be changed, however, because one or two people don't like something, does not mean I will change it. If a whole lot of people complain about it, then I will absolutely listen. Simply, I have never pandered to minority input, but majority rules. I am happy though if an issue affecting a minority can be tweaked to suit both, where possible, but otherwise, it will be a "suck it up" moment where not possible.

Just be honest with me, that simple. I don't get offended by honest feedback. The site is a community, which means the community can decide. To do that, the best way is for me to roll things out here so people live with them a little while, get the feel of it, then tell me if its sustainable or not.

Most of this is simplifying the layout, cutting out as much noise as possible, bringing some terms inline with more modern social media methods, toying with colour change, there will be a sidebar on more pages than just home, to get more content options to everyone on what is currently being discussed and more.

I will discuss all of this here, not in the above server upgrade post, as this is now beyond the server upgrade, as that exists, I just have to move this site to that server as is, then with time I will start upgrading the software and such further. The newer Xenforo software has some more features, but was mainly design towards performance, which was a total rewrite of the underlying code base. Looks the same at the front, is completely different underneath. The theme changes mean nothing for the server or software, as they will exist regardless.

 

[Charbella]

Any chance one of the upgrades would be searching our own diaries for key words? Maybe that’s already a feature and I just haven’t figured out how to use it.

Otherwise thanks for all your work on the site!

 

[anthony]

You can already search a post only for keywords, in the search bar, top right, change "everywhere" to "this thread" soon to be "this post" and that will limit a search to that post only.

 

[Charbella]

You can already search a post only for keywords, in the search bar, top right, change "everywhere" to "this thread" soon to be "this post" and that will limit a search to that post only.

Now I’m wishing I’d asked sooner…

 

[anthony]

Forums > Topics
Threads > Posts
Messages > Comments

Likely I will have missed some places, so if you read something that doesn't make sense, screenshot it and let me know how to replicate please for change. This brings terminology much more inline with modern social media wording.

 

[anthony]

Important Note​

For those using the current passkeys to access the site (facial recognition, fingerprint, etc), ensure you know your password and/or ensure your profile email is correct to retrieve a new password, as when the site is upgraded, the software default includes passkeys, which means all your existing ones will be lost and will have to setup new ones.

If you know your password / email is correct, you will still be able to login and set new ones, which then are default part of the base software and no third party issues going forward, as the current implementation is third party provided.

 

[anthony]

Sidebar​

You will see changes I've made to sidebar implementation. The homepage is now missing all the stats, which are now in the footer of every page. Useless information day-to-day, but people like to know some stuff, so it exists in the footer.

Increasing donation exposure, by now having the donation box on the more important post pages.

Increasing new content exposure, where now a variance of unread comments and new posts are exposed on the primary used pages.

New sidebar content coming - Trending is a new addition to the upgraded software, along with Featured content, which I am thinking about making available to sponsors (mixed feelings and undecided), who can then mark their posts or any post they deem needs more exposure, as Featured, which will briefly list it within that relevant block on every primary content page. I am between two minds on Featured, staff only or sponsors only. Have not yet decided, may see what happens, time will tell. I can always turn it on/off as I deem fit if the thought turns to shit in reality.

Example:

 

[anthony]

For those wanting access to who is online, you can now do that on the main index from members menu.

 

[anthony]

Site Home​

Simplified. About sums it up. All member and private topics are now behind their public ones, access from the dropdown beside each one.

 

[Friday]

Just be honest with me, that simple. I don't get offended by honest feedback.

Thank the f*ck. And so completely true.

 

[Movingforward10]

I am between two minds on Featured, staff only or sponsors only.

I might be misunderstanding this, but my vote would be not to have a sponsor have more rights about content being featured than non sponsors. I'd prefer featured content being staff only.

 

[Tinyflame]

Thank you @anthony for your work, and for saying we can say anything.

It might be just me, but just trying this last night the shrunken window seems to feel like it creates a wall of text on the left I can't begin to wade through. Similarly when I can't see who made the last post on a thread Idk if I've read it? (Then again I am on a laptop if I want to respond and on my phone I don't usually sign in because of where I am). Although I also value or simply relate to the type of guidance or experiences some people I know here and therefore seek it out if I see it listed. In that regard it also provides (just myself, personally) more help and a sense of community which I can't lie feels lost. I only ever tried one other ptsd-specific forum and it was more like that, sort of a great number of threads but they kind of all ran together and weren't as useful for getting to the meat of things, more like just talking.

Thank you, whatever you choose!