New forum software?

by Caffeine on 03/09/2007 02:29, 30 messages, last message: 03/16/2007 21:09, 9425 views, last view: 09/28/2024 21:24

Aard, or whoever's responsible for the forum: Would it be feasible to switch to a more featureful and popular forum software solution? I know better than to recommend any specific product here, but it seems like this forum badly needs two key features. Namely: email address validation and the restriction of posters' information (both email and IP addresses) to moderators/admins only. The former feature would probably cut down on spam posts. The latter feature would make it safer to post here (in the case of IP address restriction) and would cut down on spam to our inboxes if we provide real and un-obfuscated email addresses.

Not knowing anything about the underlying software here, I don't know what it would involve to add those features. They do come out-of-the-box with some fairly well-known solutions, though.

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#23: ..

by makkE on 03/12/2007 10:41

"Sometimes, people are just new to this sort of thing, and don't know any better. Being arrogant scares off people who could genuinely learn enough and become regulars."

I have to agree. The tone has become quite rough, even some of those "regular" people here seem to have no problem in scaring off anyone new, just because he dared to ask a question here.

Really, all you rtfm´ers are annoying me. Just posting rtfm doesn´t help anyone either. If I was in charge here, I´d delete every post that contains rtfm and rude language towards new people (calling people noob for no reasons)...

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#24: ..

by KoiKitsune2006 on 03/12/2007 13:08

I have to agree with Makke. I know FPS games usually have that, "I must own everybody" aspect about it. But if you think about it, we're all contributors. We contribute in some shape or form. Even new people who come here that are interested with Cube/Sauerbraten should be able to come here and get into the gig without being scared off just because their new.

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#25: Forum Software

by Gnome.... on 03/12/2007 14:59

There are clean, simple options: http://getvanilla.com/

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#26: ..

by Drakas on 03/12/2007 16:46

Fine.

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#27: Re: ..

by Aardappel_ on 03/12/2007 22:42, refers to #23

It's a tough balance. For one thing, the stream of incoming people that don't RTFM will always far outnumber the people you can reach by trying to teach them to RTFM.

So there's no point to get angry at them each time, because they will just keep coming. Hence the wiki: it is the most flexible way to cater for new and existing questions, and be able to reply these questions with a single url answer. And hopefully once they see the wiki, they will dare click on some links... :)

herb: really. and what did I reply to you?

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#28: Re: ..

by Aardappel_ on 03/12/2007 23:51, refers to #28

I already explained you before, opening threads on issues that only really concern you is bad form. If noone answers on the
main thread, that's because noone has an answer.

and:

Creating new threads for every small problem you have, especially ones that are not really about sauer and are unlikely to interest others, is inappropriate. Read the text on the new thread page.

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#30: Re: ..

by Quin on 03/13/2007 04:19, refers to #27

Exactly, I totally understand where most people are coming from when they get upset, having worked helpdesk positions both online and offline for 6 years. The stream of easily-answered and simple questions gets tiring, but remember: we're here to share this great game we love with everyone, and as an open source project it's up to each and every single one of us to contribute and //sell Sauerbraten's worth// to the public.

If a question that isn't convered on the Wiki is asked, and you consider it fairly trivial, consider adding it the bottom of the FAQ ( http://cube.wikispaces.com/FAQ - linking vigourously to other topics/sources) and then pointing the original question asker there. Not only are you contributing back, but you're ensuring that user is pointed to a place where they won't have to ask any further questions.

And to keep this on topic: I'd be more than happy to help maintain the website/forum if it's wanted/needed. The software could indeed use a little love.

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#31: ..

by enigma_0Z on 03/16/2007 21:09

The only thing that I really hate about this forum is the cookie.

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