Presales Questions...
First, let me compliment you folks on having the finest darned collection of website products I've seen anywhere. Very impressive... very impressive indeed! As a 35 year information systems professional, a computer consultant AND a webmaster, it really does my old heart good to see software of this quality and sophistication finally begin to make it into the hands of the professional web development community. Thanks, guys! You've restored my faith in programming-kind! And now, for my questions, I really LIKE your forums product and am definitely looking for such a tool for my site. My question is this: If the site visitor decides that he prefers the more traditional non-threaded flat-forum view of most of your competitor's products (i.e. UBB, Ikonboard, etc.) is there a self-configuration option anywhere that would allow them to switch to the more traditional view RATHER than threaded view?
Frankly, I MUCH prefer the threaded approach and it made PERFECT sense to me from the very beginning. I was VERY impressed... right up until the moment when I pressed the expanded view button for the first time and saw ALL those underlying folders! Good Grief... Even I found THAT pretty darned intimidating! For that reason, I'm concerned that those who are used to the more traditional flat forum - category / question / responses view of UBB may find the threaded view harder to understand and cope with and thus find it more intimidating.
As with most sites these days, my visitors are INCREDIBLY unsophisticated. Heck, many of them have trouble even figuring out HOW to ENTER my site, let alone signing up for membership after they get there! For that reason, I'm very concerned about both introducing a NEW Forums manager AND simultaneously forcing my users to switch paradigms from the flat-forum paradigm to the threaded hierarchical one... So, I'd really like to be able to offer them both views and let them to choose the view they are most comfortable with and change it later if they wish to.
Second question: Here's a topic you probably won't want to address... What about DATA CONVERSION?? Do you provide any mechanism or add-on tool at all that might allow me to take the message data from my current flat-file forums program and convert it into your MySQL database? I'm quite prepared to PREP the data and put it into a standard format if required. I'd just rather NOT lose it completely! Can you offer any suggestions on how to handle this ALWAYS touchy Information Systems subject?
Thanks VERY much, guys. Again, I think you're doing a GREAT job. I can't wait to get your FIRST product installed so that I can start planning for the second one! Your Links SQLproduct already has my mouth watering!
Best Professional Regards,
Sissy
Work Performed in the Spirit of Service is Worship!
