Kiteforum 2014 - how do you want it?

[Toby]

Hi guys,

In 2014 I will add few tools and integrate parts of other websites.

Since you are the users as well, I would like to ask your opinion, so together we can improve kiteforum.com.

Here a part of the things I want to change, please let me know how you would like to have it and which functions it should have:

Home:
- different design, maybe less info, just the passed 2 days or just latest entries, therefore more clear what the site offers, then with a click you get to the section (e.g. Forums, Videos, News etc)

Videos:
- nicer design
- Which functions do you want? Rating? Comments?
- which options? like most viewed, best ratings etc?
- or just do a video forum, which works like forum posts, sicne youtube and vimeo can be integrated anyway, then comments are easy

Pictures of the day:
- easier access via home
- nicer layout
- better tool to view more like a slide show, specially for mobile devices

Second Hand:
- better layout, any suggestions?
- right now you can add your 2. hand not being logged in, the problem is that you cannot edit or delete your ad, so will make it for logged in users only so you have the freedom to do edit it when needed

Anything else you would like to be changed or added?

Thanks a lot for your help!

[s1buell_wl]

Toby

One thing I like in forums is quickly seeing the history but the way you have it now takes up to much real estate.

Here is my paraglider fourm and they use "view active topics" then you go to a separate page to see all the info and BS for the week or two.

http://www.paramotorclub.org/forum/index.php

Off to the right you will see it.


This is a cool format
http://kitelife.com/forum/

you could put www.splocs.com/‎ up in the top right

cool pic of the day right up front

Man its hard to redesign a web page.... unlimited possibilities. Get some design help its amazing what those creative guys come up with. They changed mine 100%

[saildawg]

It would be nice to have sub sections within the various forums relating to specific subjects. For example in the Kite forum a sub heading "Repair" or in Board building, "fibers and resins", Travel "golf bags" "compression bags". I believe this would negate some of the repetitive lines of discussion. The search helps a bit but I find it a bit frustrating when I end up with 1000 possibilities when I thought I had submitted a fairly refined search.
I enjoy using Kiteforum, thanks for taking the time to operate and upgrade it.

[william_rx7]

Content tagging would be an interesting feature in the forum.
Check-out how StackOverflow does it with programming.
Each question on StackOverflow (form thread in this context) is tagged with the relevant technologies, new tags are dynamically added, existing tags are reused. Within the site, clicking on the tag generates a pre-built search for all questions / threads on the topic.

For example, a thread might be tagged with the tag "Lightwind". Clicking on the tag would reveal all other "Lightwind" threads.

Tagging could replace sub-forums for each specialty interest, (snow / foil / lightwind / racing / freestyle / weather / access), the tags would filter discussions based on the tagged content.

[Toby]

thx for the feedback guys.

few comments:

the problem with more forums is to have tons and no one looks at it...there is already a Boardbuilders forum, but going into sub categories I don't think make sense.

I am stuck to the phpBB forum software and can only do the options and features they offer.
But maybe they have a tag tool, we will have a look.

What is important for me is your opinion about the home...now you get all latest on one site. Irritating for new users, but could be also comfortable for users who know where is what.
But I don't know if you use it like that. If I make the home more structured with less info, the user need to click a bit more to get all latest from all areas.

What do you guys think about it?

[i96dansa]

Out of all forums that I read, this is by far the best.
I love how I only have to load the front page to see if there's any topic that I want to read.
Don't change that.
There's nothing in kiteforum.com that bothers me to the point where I feel like not reading it.
Of course, there are always minor tweeks to be done but don't change the overall structure.
Good work!

[SENDIT!]

Been here many moons, Toby and there's not much I'd change. I WOULD like to see it compatible with Tapatalk! Trying to visit the forum via mobile is terrible.

Other than that, keep up the good work!

[madworld]

Please get the pages to load faster(display) !

[tautologies]

thx for the feedback guys.

few comments:

the problem with more forums is to have tons and no one looks at it...there is already a Boardbuilders forum, but going into sub categories I don't think make sense.

I am stuck to the phpBB forum software and can only do the options and features they offer.
But maybe they have a tag tool, we will have a look.

What is important for me is your opinion about the home...now you get all latest on one site. Irritating for new users, but could be also comfortable for users who know where is what.
But I don't know if you use it like that. If I make the home more structured with less info, the user need to click a bit more to get all latest from all areas.

What do you guys think about it?

phpbb is opensource...you can just develop your own features. Then have your developer help the effort and post it back to the community
https://github.com/phpbb/phpbb

I would say any feature you consider test it first...even before you even develop. Then you'll save a lot of time and money by knowing more about what people want. Asking like this is a good start.

[dyyylan]

thx for the feedback guys.

few comments:

the problem with more forums is to have tons and no one looks at it...there is already a Boardbuilders forum, but going into sub categories I don't think make sense.

I am stuck to the phpBB forum software and can only do the options and features they offer.
But maybe they have a tag tool, we will have a look.

What is important for me is your opinion about the home...now you get all latest on one site. Irritating for new users, but could be also comfortable for users who know where is what.
But I don't know if you use it like that. If I make the home more structured with less info, the user need to click a bit more to get all latest from all areas.

What do you guys think about it?

I agree and I think there are too many subforums already that have so little activity there isn't much point in posting in them because no one will read it. I think a lot could probably be combined so they are more active.

For the homepage, Newschoolers does it really well, there is a page of the most popular content with articles, pictures, videos, and topics all on one page. www.newschoolers.com/home