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gforum v2 in the near future?

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gforum v2 in the near future?
Does Gossamer Threads have any plans to program and release a new version of this great forum, which should include further functionality and include many of the addons released by third parties?

vBulletin and Invision Board are getting way ahead in the forum software market... don't get me wrong, I like gForum alongside the other community applications provided by Gossamer Threads, I think its excellent programming... but aren't they (and ultimately us - the end consumers) falling wayyy behind?

I would be very interested in buying it if it would become available. Does anyone else agree? If yes, then please add your voice to mine.


Haitham

Last edited by:

halkibsi: Jul 5, 2006, 4:15 AM
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Re: [halkibsi] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
Here is to understand what I think about it:
http://www.gossamer-threads.com/...i?post=292663#292663
Now I’m in a process of converting my database to PHPBB which then can be converted easily to vBulletin or Invision Board, if I decide so in the future.
The GT old forum is very user unfriendly. Someone who uses the GT forum for some time will not understand this at all, but any information designer will tell you.
I believe my 3 years old forum would be much more popular if I would of choose different script 3 years ago.
I don’t believe GT has even started to develop the new forum script and I don’t think it will be ready this year.
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Re: [domino] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
I have to disagree.

Almost all forums I visit *suck* compared even to this version of GForum. Granted, there would be features I'd like to see, *but* most of these other forums, PHP ones especially, look worse than MySPace. They are out of control, unfriendly, hard to read, impossible to use, and miserable to look at.

I use very, very few forums because they are so bad.

Threaded messages, even following the order of posts. Garish colors, too much included HTML and graphics, and all things that are *NOT* part of a forum, unless you are running it for 13-y/o who are sitting down at a computer for the first time.

I would like to see GForum moved over to the luna template set to match the GLinks.

I would like to see Community improved to actually do what was promised.

But the last thing I want to see is GForum turned into anything PHP-like.

If you have a "good" forum you'd like to point out, I'd be interested in seeing it, but I've been on dozens of boards from support sites to entertainment sites and no matter what they are running .php, .html, .cgi, or some funky .xxx they pretty much suck. (I have no other word for it).

Maybe I'm used to GForum.

But I gave up WWWThreads and UBB long ago, despite having paid licenses. I hate PHP, I hate the fact it was born in the desire to circumvent web-server security (eg: need for running in a cgi-bin directory). I hate the fact it's a throw-back of 10 years of trying to separate the implementation from interface by burrying code in with HTML.

I've tried open source PHP boards, and others and non have the basic look, functionality, and clean lines of GForum.

I guess it depends on what you are trying to do with your board.

If you are using it just for messaging, or if you are trying to make it do all sorts of things a message board really wasn't meant to do -- and which irritate the hell out of those who simply want to message.

Like cellular phones -- they are for getting and making calls. It's "cool" if they have a clock, even an appointment calendar. But they don't need to take pictures, play games, play mp3s, download movie clips, get stock quotes, or all the things they are doing that are anything *BUT* getting and recieving messages. When the picture phones came out -- high-security installations had a problem. So do poeple who work there. They *CAN'T* have cameras on their phones.

At some point, their original function is lost, and you are both paying for, and wading through or working around, features that don't belong there, or belong somewhere else. It's a PHONE.

Like the old joke about the secret agent's watch -- it's a laser gun, atomic bomb, x-ray machine, circular saw, garrotte rope, etc, etc, ... But can it tell time? You can't expect it to do EVERYTHING.

So, looking at a few threads here, I wonder what it is you are looking for in message boards that really belong in message boards that isn't in GForum? It's *GREAT* FORUM/MESSAGE board.

GForum isn't a blog, wasn't supposed to be RSS or other "feed", isn't for sharing music or video, and as a business tool wasn't really about cute avitars and all that. It wasn't supposed to mail your cellphone every time someone read one of your posts. But hey, people have made it do some of those things. The payment system was added as a means of giving a paid-support forum, or similar. I was/am on the fence about that.

It was supposed to be a communication tool, and after 6+ years or so using it, I can safely say it has lived up to that purpose with shining colors, outstanding performance, and rock-solid reliability.

What else is really important?

OH -- a help file :) Something for new users to read?


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.
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Re: [pugdog] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
I have to agree.

I used UBB.classic for 6 years and moved to GForum in February this year. Infopop (as it was then) announced that a super new version of UBB.classic was in developement. The downside to UBB.classic was it's basic lack of features, was flat file and was not easy to personalize so this upgrade was eagerly anticipated. After 18 months of absolutely nothing, and e-mails reminding people that their $99 annual license fee was due, people were getting pretty hacked off with the whole thing. To try and calm things down they just kept trying to steer people in the direction of Eve ( formerly OpenTopic ) but this was hosted by them and came with a monthly fee. The more you paid the better forum you got. Finally they announced that UBB.classic was being discontinued and they were going to continue to develope UBB.threads. Well for me that was the final straw. I'd waited all that time for nothing!

As I was already running GLinksSQL (upgraded from Links2) I decided to try GForum. I then disovered GCommunity which tied the whole site together beautifully. No more multiple log-ins for different areas of the site for our users.

So, back to the thread: After using GForum for 5 months I can't believe that I struggled along with UBB.classic for so long. GForum is so adaptable / cutomizable and so easy to adapt it's untrue. The forum, community & links all fit together seamlessly. The only problem that we had was with our members, who obviously weren't happy with the change that was forced upon them but as with anything they got used to it and now prefer it. Simple things like being able to upload attachments and pictures rather than having to find a server to upload to and link from. Being able to use different fonts, colours, having some input as to the layout and design of the whole forum, where things were placed in the posts, receiving e-mails to replies, etc, etc, etc.

I think the problem most people have is the fact that they get used to something, bored with it even, and don't appreciate how good it really is.
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Re: [MJB] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
gforum was a good script about 5 years ago.
I cannot argue, because to point out scripts from other developers is prohibited here. But believe me I like thinks as simpler as they can be. I’m doing research on this for more than 3 years and I think I know what developer is the best in making forum scripts.

It is so important to have user friendly website, just think that almost every new user who will not understand something about the system on your website during the first 10 seconds will click away.
I want to have success and it requires a good scripts. I need SEO optimized script to attract people from search engines, I need fast, simple and user friendly design, so all the first time users will know what to do. I don’t need more features or new colored design. I need simple , secure and easy website.


Here is a classic phpbb optimized for search engines:
http://www.able2know.com/forums/ask-about37.html

Here is regular vbuletin script.
http://www.forum4designers.com/forum51.html

PS: I agree that many forum scripts including ubb suck. And I don’t say gforum is the worst, but I have found out there are a few much better ones for the same money or cheaper.

PSS: Just think how many years it was since the gforum was updated? Or some official bug fix released?
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Re: [domino] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
I have to admit that my only regret is the Search Engine Friendly part. One of my main requirements is this and the "Product Features" on the GForum description page is a little missleading:

Quote:
Search Engine Friendly - Using a separate set of templates, you can provide search engine friendly URLS. More details can be found on the support forum.

My previous forum supported SEO but no matter how I try, I can not get the search engine rewrite / templates to work which is very disappointing.

My users also miss the single "Reply To Post" button. I did point out to them though that if we would have stayed with UBB it would have disappeared anyway as the format changed to threads which is the same as GForum.

I strongly agree with you on the simplicity argument though. There are plenty of sites / forums out there that look amazing but are absolutely awful to navigate or understand. Keeping things simple can also be designed to look good and not be complicated to use. Clear directions and not overdosing of features makes for a more pleasent experience but doesn't mean that your site has to be bland or boring. A good balance is all that's required.
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Re: [MJB] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
Personally, I think this forum software is great. It has many features, it is simple and secure (cgi), and it is very well written. However, times are changing and GT has not even mentioned whether or not this forum is going to be updated. I think Links 3, and the lasted version of community, are written by smart pros. I sometimes think that GT sometimes forgets the importance of custumization. I.E. - There are around 100 different templates alone for EACH program: community, links, and the forum. Granted, it can be easy to change and add mods, but also TIME CONSUMING. I like the fact that links 3 has a 'check for updates' like windows update. I can imagine that all GT future programs will have this.

What is comes down to?

Like all of GT products, they can be custumized with new features because of their simple complexity (oxymoron). Most other programs can be near IMPOSSIBLE to change the simplies field, even though they can seem better in many other ways. I do wish that it was no so time consuming though.

I've been using this form for seven years (apparently!), and I am just used to it. I know generally how all GT products are arranged and set up, so I can use them to my will.

There are easy to use plugins to add new features and make things easier. Without all the tech-savy geeks on this form, a lot of us would have given up a long time ago. They, when I have time including myself, help the support process and augmentation of GT.

GT needs to let us know about the forum software. Is it going to be updated anytime soon? I think most of us are holding on... for now.

- Jonathan
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Re: [jdgamble] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
We are working on GForum 2.0, but it's taking a while because we've been busy with other projects. Converting templates to the luna style is a very time consuming process (it took about 4 months to do the conversion with GLinks [but more work was involved with that]), so it does take a while to do.

In Reply To:
I sometimes think that GT sometimes forgets the importance of custumization. I.E. - There are around 100 different templates alone for EACH program: community, links, and the forum. Granted, it can be easy to change and add mods, but also TIME CONSUMING.
Well, GLinks only has 66 templates Wink. We have tried to cut down on the number of templates in 3.x, but there's only so much you can do. Without all the separate templates, you lose a huge amount of customisability.

In Reply To:
I like the fact that links 3 has a 'check for updates' like windows update. I can imagine that all GT future programs will have this.
That's right, GForum 2.0 will be getting it as well.

Adrian
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Re: [brewt] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
Time Consuming I know! Thanks for the update!

- Jonathan
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Re: [brewt] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
I agree gforum is a good forum, one issue I had though was a server admin told me I should cancel an account on my server for abuse.... (I own a dedicated server...)

So what I want for Christmas is:....

I would like to see some features that are present with webmasterworld and also current in links 3.0

I like the fact that linkssql can build static pages...

This would be an awesome feature in gForums....

I have a copy of a board that does this if Gossamer would like to take a look.
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Re: [carminejg3] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
Hi GT,
did you cancel gforum? There were nearly no new posts in the gforum section in the last weeks.
Seems that there is no interest in this forum anymore :-(
Am I the only one who's still interested Pirate

The discussion above about the new gforum version is now over 12 month old.
As far as I can see, the new gforum (with luna template) on this site looks nice and works well.
Brewt told me weeks ago, this new forum has alpha status at the moment...

So what about a beta status?

A new gforum version would be a nice christmas present, but christmas is only 3 month away Crazy

Thanks
Matthias

Matthias
gpaed.de
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Re: [Matthias70] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
i agree.... this forum looks awsome, and i think it would do well.... but gt has to make sure it works or else we would blame them for it not updating welll....

at least some people may.

I would be willing to take a shot at the update, since my site targets a lot of dialup users and a css based forum would be great for them... dialup is still a large part of peoples way onto the net these days.
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Re: [Matthias70] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
No, we still intend to finish gforum 2 :) We've just been busy with other projects lately so gforum has been put aside for now. I also want to push out a glinks update as well, so that will probably delay gforum a bit too. Hopefully we can have something by Christmas :)

Adrian
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Re: [carminejg3] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
carminejg3 wrote:
my site targets a lot of dialup users and a css based forum would be great for them

Interesting! Why is css good for dialup users? Is the css file only downloaded once?
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Re: [tora] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
Well a site designed using CSS instead of tables will be lighter.... also if your server is setup right with setting your files to expire in the future say a week to month... it would be faster, since the browser will download the css file once.... then use the local cahed version til it expires....

this would save several k per page load, in addition to the page weight saved by not using an html table....

to a dialup user.... 4k could be 2 seconds.... so if a page could be 12-20k lighter you are saving them 4-8 seconds... in addition if you have your images cached, this will save them even more time, since every http request takes time... (ie each image, page file, include file, requires the browser to talk to the server, now do this with a dialup modem and try loading a 40-80k page.....
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Re: [brewt] gforum v2 in the near future? In reply to
brewt wrote:
Hopefully we can have something by Christmas :)

Hi Adrian,
do you have some new infos for us. I'm still interested in gforum...

Thanks
Matthias

Matthias
gpaed.de