Hello!
I`m just random folk, looking where to post my case. I found this one topic. Seems legit.
Will try to bullet point.
1. Where people are going:
● People are going away to FB because they are using mobiles. FB provides them with quick and easy online interaction. (phpBB does not provide this)
● People are moving away to instant messaging (Signal, WA) where they have instant contact in their group (integration aspect). (phpBB does not provide this)
2. What is phpBB better for:
● FB/Signal/WA - are great for quick communication and integration, but not for AGREGATING AND STORING KNOWLEDGE.
● And vice versa. Forums are the only place to store structured knowledge that needs to be preserved but they don't have the quick communication and integration functionality that FB/Signal/WA offers.
3. phpBB although it can be used on mobile is not nice and pleasant
As you can see from the following post.... - no further comment needed here
If we want people to stay with phpBB it has to be usable on mobiles
Marshalrusty wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 8:28 am
but will look harder tomorrow when not on my phone.
Conclusion:
● I wanted to write a post about TapaTalk (called later TT) and how You should replace it with your own solution. This is how I ended up here. Don't waste time explaining why there is no TT support because it's obvious. I do serious business and consalting in life and I give my perspective on topics here.
● I write from the experience of the community I look after.
1. this community had only a forum
2. then FB
3. then Groups on Signal and WA
4. finally as a defense against the outflow of users - TT....
(funny right?, altually to give people the possibility of dynamic and simple access to the forum, you need to install TT on it - is this business
correct?). All the time with the drain from point 1 to 2,3. FB is not the problem, the problem is instant messaging and poor usability on mobiles.
● A substitute for instant messaging is mchat, but to use it again you have to log in through www... so not good...
If we want phpBB to continue to grow and regain market share, it simply needs to be enhanced with options that this market needs and is looking for. What they are - I wrote above.
● create your own SIMPLE forum reader for Android / iOS - so that you don't have to use TT for easy access to forum content.
● created forum reader should have integrated live Chat - preferably with possibility of integration with mChat (or similar) in order to embed it also in the forum with possibility of accessing the same pool of people to the same chat both from the reader on android/iOS and via www. Components are ready, you can use open source protocols.
● Nobody can do it better than you....
What you gain, I will not elaborate.
As you write yourself, you have settled on your laurels, because most of the problems are solved. If you want the forums to continue to attract people, you need to get out of your comfort zone and take on new challenges by adding features that people need.
A native mobile application (forum reader) made by phpBB community, with livechat integrated into the web version and the application.
People will promote it themselves...
I keep my fingers crossed for you and the community
@Dawid63, thanks for starting such an important topic.