Off topic forum

[Steve Jenkins]

Why can’t I access the off topic forum

[John K Jordan]

Why can’t I access the off topic forum


I haven't heard of that problem before now. Did this start recently?

What exactly are you doing to try to access?
When you click on "Forum" above do you see the forum name? What happens when you click on it?

What device are you accessing from? Can you try another device?

Are you using Mobile mode or Full mode?

JKJ

[Lee Schierer]

The first thing to try is to log out, delete your smc cookies and then log back in.

[Steve Jenkins]

It seems to have corrected itself. I had tried to read a new thread and couldn’t access it. I use my phone exclusively and always “ show new threads”. Don’t know if I’m using mobile or full mode but since it’s working ok guess it doesn’t really matter. Thanks

[Jim Becker]

Steve, mobile access can unfortunately be wonky sometimes with this vBulletin forum software. It's a major reason that there will be a change to Xenforo at some point in the recent future...that software supports mobile natively and transparently. 'Glad your issue cleared!

[John K Jordan]

... Don’t know if I’m using mobile or full mode but since it’s working ok guess it doesn’t really matter. Thanks

If you are in the Full mode, you will see a List box at the bottom left of the page with "vB4 Default Style" highlighted.

If you are in the Mobile mode, the look is completely different and at the very bottom of the page are "buttons" for Log Out | Full Site | Top. Click on "Full Site" to get back. I tried the Mobile mode for a bit but found too many limitations so I use the Full site even on my iPad.

[Steve Jenkins]

Thanks John I see I’m in full mode

[Bert Kemp]

We've been hearing Xenforo for years now it seems any idea when that will happen and will there be much of a learning curve

[Lee Schierer]

We've been hearing Xenforo for years now it seems any idea when that will happen and will there be much of a learning curve

It will occur, but when is still up in the air. When we tested the software, the learning curve was pretty low. The appearance will be different, but basically it will work nearly the same with better features for uploading photos amoung other things. It will also work better on portable devices.

[Jim Becker]

Bert, it's still on the table and moving closer. Aaron's time availability is important because while the actual migration of the site to the new software is relatively easy and automated, there is other work that has to be done for not just "look and feel" but to insure that things work as expected and to support a few add-in things that are required for maintaining the site and its security. Another site I frequent did the migration this past week and it went really smoothly, however. And the native support for mobile, etc., is excellent.

[Bert Kemp]

Bert, it's still on the table and moving closer. Aaron's time availability is important because while the actual migration of the site to the new software is relatively easy and automated, there is other work that has to be done for not just "look and feel" but to insure that things work as expected and to support a few add-in things that are required for maintaining the site and its security. Another site I frequent did the migration this past week and it went really smoothly, however. And the native support for mobile, etc., is excellent.Thanks Guys what other sites use it so we might take a peek ?

[Jim Becker]

There are lots of them, Bert. And they all look different. The Subaru Ascent forum (ascentforums dot com) is the most recent conversion for a site I frequent and it's VERY different look from, say, the Telecaster (guitar) enthusiast forum I've begun to participate in which looks more like the forums here. (tdpri dot com) The Ascent forum blows away its sister Outback forum in performance at this point by an order of magnitude and I hope that the corporation that owns them converts their remaining long list of sites. An equestrian forum I was moderating on did the switch a couple of years ago...looked identical to previous but worked a lot better. Unfortunately that forum site shut down recently and suddenly after a decade 'cause the funds ran out to pay for the hosting, etc. What's most important is the engine in the background. Xenforo has native mobile capabilities which are critical today and seems to run briskly based on my experience "before" and "after" with more than one forum.

[Bert Kemp]

There are lots of them, Bert. And they all look different. The Subaru Ascent forum (ascentforums dot com) is the most recent conversion for a site I frequent and it's VERY different look from, say, the Telecaster (guitar) enthusiast forum I've begun to participate in which looks more like the forums here. (tdpri dot com) The Ascent forum blows away its sister Outback forum in performance at this point by an order of magnitude and I hope that the corporation that owns them converts their remaining long list of sites. An equestrian forum I was moderating on did the switch a couple of years ago...looked identical to previous but worked a lot better. Unfortunately that forum site shut down recently and suddenly after a decade 'cause the funds ran out to pay for the hosting, etc. What's most important is the engine in the background. Xenforo has native mobile capabilities which are critical today and seems to run briskly based on my experience "before" and "after" with more than one forum.

looked at a couple .Didn't care for the fancy looks of one of them but I suppose Keith can make it look how ever he wants. I assume there very customizable as far as looks go.
I

[Jim Becker]

looked at a couple .Didn't care for the fancy looks of one of them but I suppose Keith can make it look how ever he wants. I assume there very customizable as far as looks go.
I
The default for the software is pretty generic 'forum' and yes, the UI can be customized a little or a lot, both using native tools and third party add-ins. You can see the generic look merely by looking at the Xenforo site and clicking on "community" at the top of the page. If you're actually interested in the details, there are tons of discussions there.

[Bert Kemp]

Thanx Jim was just curious to what the new site might look like I'm not tech savvy enough to get into details LOL

[Jim Becker]

Thanx Jim was just curious to what the new site might look like I'm not tech savvy enough to get into details LOL
My guess right now is that it will not look different, more or less...but who knows?

[Myk Rian]

Gad. I hope those chat balloons aren't used.
https://xenforo.com/community/

[Jim Becker]

Gad. I hope those chat balloons aren't used.
https://xenforo.com/community/

Those are not "chat balloons"...they are just the default icons for a forum discussion area for a "traditional look" forum implementation. They are typically changed by a forum owner to individual icons that are "visually relative" to the discussion topics in that area and have a highlighted color when new posts are present in that forum area. You will note that the implementation of vBulletin here currently has the same thing, albeit they have not been customized.