Is BGAFD ever going to get a 'proper' forum?

[bill goss]

Just testing something - this is a reply to the root message of the thread - but done in 'flat view' mode.

[bill goss]

That put it in the right place in the hierarchy, I suppose, though most threaded forums put newer updates to the top ( on the basis that you scroll less to read new stuff).

[Cenobitez]

Nah take a look at or they both run in what you may call "Flat View" and they still have new posts at the bottom

[Cenobitez]

Bloody Show Offs (I'm using a PPC Push Power Computer)

[bill goss]

Yes, but that style of forum ONLY operates in flat view, which is cack.

A proper forum needs a decent flat view AND a decent threaded view.

[Cenobitez]

Unfortunately Shy of Custom written or Expensive forum software is doesnt exist, I know of a few Forums that have the feature set everyone wants, but neither are cheap.

Theaded View is generally considered "old fashioned" and most software goes Flat View, Along time ago i did an installed for a Doctor who wanted a "threaded overview" of his forum, so he could follow it, but wanted Flat View for his staff, in threaded view he said 'I dont have to suffer the intolerable babble of imbeciles and chose the intellients people to read', I believe he ended up paying around ?450 and that was bout 5 yrs ago, I'l have to look thru my books and see what and who made his solution

[bill goss]

I know, that's why I wrote my own. I've offered to discuss a deal with admin here if they're interested, but they're clearly not.

You say "Theaded View is generally considered old fashioned". By whom? With flat view, you end up going through a lot of stuff you've already read. The problem with threaded view is that people used to implement it so badly.

Properly done, it's a joy.

[Cenobitez]

Say the people who write forum software

Look at the major players in the forum software world, name me 10 popular ones that use Threaded View and 10 Popular ones that use Flat ? I can name you combined 20 in flat but only about 3 that use threaded.

I can also name you half dozen flat forum sites that are rated 5 or above on google page rank, i cant even name one that uses threaded.

This is because nowadays people dont want it.

10 years ago threaded was the way forward and was loads around, but threaded In my humble opinion was left for guest books not for forums these days.

I will say from a programmers point of view Flat is easier to write and maybe the reason its become dominant, but i believe in the end, Better and Best always prevail.

[bill goss]

People choose the free ones, and the free ones are mostly flat.

Ergo, the popular ones are flat.

The GOOD ones are both flat and threaded. I'd love to show you an example, but it'd kinda give away my real ID, so I can't really. So I guess I won't be able to convince you, which is a shame.

[Cenobitez]

I'll give ya that one

Well that flat ones are mostly free mainly because they are easier to program

I just had a play with in VB and i knocked up a basic threaded module in about an hour.

I cant see why one cant be built to slap on the front of PHPBB ? i may suggest it to my lil buddys at PHPBB