I see so many boards now a days that want to be 'light', especially in the free software world. phpBB3 thinks it's great because it's light. MyBB doesn't want to add too much AJAX, because otherwise it'll get 'too big'. PunBB was created that users could have a 'smaller board'. Heck, if small's still to big, there's miniBB!
And then there's this Web 2.0 approach that says the board should come slimmed down, and users should add what they want with plugins and mods. Just look over at Vanillabb and its cult following. phpBB3 also has expressed similar sentiments like that.
Can at least ONE board have the balls to go toe-to-toe with tried and true paid champions like vBulletin or Invision Power Board? Do you know why people pay over $100 for scripts like those? Because they are jam-packed with features administrators and users want. With vB and IPB, people really don't have to screw around with mods and that time consuming process.
I think it's time for a Web 2.0 approach that says 'freeware can be just as big as the other players, and hold its own'. What if users don't want light? What if we want a bloated forum script that does it all, and people flock to it because its...free.
I've been told so many times at this forum to look somewhere else if I wanted a forum script that's bloated with cool features such as AJAX, horizontally aligned postbits, etc. But there is nowhere else to turn anymore.
Can't at least one free board have the guts to do what the paid boards do...and do it better?
Just thoughts, thanks for reading,
Paul
I think MyBB is already doing it better....create a solid foundation for a good board with features and functions that make sense. The more there are features, the slower the loadtimes come and more complex the core-code becomes to support and develop.
I think the way definitely is through plugins. Just as there are webmasters that do want a forum with all the bells and whistles...there are those of us who don't want them as they might just take resources required somewhere else. With the plugin-approach...the core-system is there...and should you want all the bells & whistles...all you have to do is to go and get the plugin...copy it in a folder (often just one file), go to AdminCP and click "activate"...can't get really simpler than that. Of course, you COULD always have a plugin-pack distributed with the core-system and you'd skip the copying part and go right into enabling...but that could be a little confusing as people would easily start thinking that the plugins are official part of the core-system and then start expecting support on those as well when the support really lies with the developers of the plugins.
Personally I would perhaps like to see the plugin-system even a little more easy. Something like what CMSMadeSimple does. When you want to install plugins on your system there, you go to admincp, select the 'modules' (or whatever it was called there). The system will then contact the server to get a listing of available plugins for that system. You can read the names, descriptions, versions and dependancies right there on the page....and should you want to install one of them, all you do is click 'install'. Next thing you notice is that your system is ready...no googling for plugins, no ftpeing files, no setting file permissions no nonsense....just point and shoot basically.
However, this is in no means criticism towards the current system which I still believe is very easy to do. Beats the hell out of having modifications where changes in core-files are done (making future upgrades a challenge).
just my 0.02€
cheers,
kimmo
Auto-plugin installations would satisfy me, like Linux Package Managers that can download programs from the internet. Painless.
But for 'those of you who don't want [big boards]', there are a million different options out there. For those of us who want big boards...nada. Unless we want to pay.
So Paul, how about a few examples of things that are standard in vB or IPB but not the "light" forums you mentioned? I've played with IPB 1.31 (the last free version anyway), SMF, MyBB, phpBB, Ikonboard, and a few others; so don't think I haven't been around or anything.
Frankly, I don't see MyBB as having less features than IPB1.31 but more, which is great for a rather young forum package. Need I mention that it is free, so they don't have the resources or man-hours a corporation like vB and IPB have? So... why do you expect premature, professional-grade, feature complete software that is absolutely free? "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch..."?
IMO phpBB is the worst package around. Who cares about being "light" or "heavy" when the whole infrastructure behind the software stinks?
The reason you don't want to overdo AJAX has nothing to do with size, but complexity. The more AJAX, the more that can go wrong, and the more debugging hooks you have to place ... which summarily slows down both use, development, and debugging. I'd rather them keep it here where it is reliable, and implemented to an extent, for awhile and keep on adding more features and improvements to the core.
You can't build a skyscraper without an adequate foundation, so perhaps you should stop comparing this beginning (because I know it won't stop here) to a group who is darn near done.
Just my own 2 cents.
PHP_Paul Wrote:MyBB doesn't want to add too much AJAX, because otherwise it'll get 'too big'
That's a lie. We add AJAX only if it makes
sense, not just for the sake of adding it.
If you have ideas that "features administrators and users want" please feel free to post them at
http://ideas.mybboard.net and we will consider them for future releases.