phpBB; Major Version Release

[Jaztar]

Hi all,

It’s been a number of years since a major version release.

We are contemplating moving to XenForo but have been stalling in the hope phoBB team have something in the near term.

We are very anxious about a potential move to another competing forum as anything bad or unexpected can occur, but we are fast losing members and visitors to competing forums that run something a little more contemporary.

No, I do not work for the competition! Apologies if I’ve posted in the wrong forum category.

[david63]

phpBB 4.0 is in the pipeline but there is no ETA

[warmweer]

It’s been a number of years since a major version release.

January 6, 2017 viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2399606#p14596926
While that is, strictly speaking, a couple of years ago, I still wouldn't classify that as extensively long ago, nor is it as though development has been halted. (see http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewforum.php?f=81 and viewtopic.php?f=596&t=2485796)
It's less than 3 years ago yet it seems a move to another platform has been contemplated, and is being stalled. In other words: even before the less than 3 years ago, a major version release was expected

...
we are fast losing members and visitors to competing forums that run something a little more contemporary.

I read: losing members, and ... to competing forums which are more contemporary
but nothing about the cause.

Isn't is a bit easy to put the blame on the software?
Anyway, for sake of argument: which contemporary features are needed (or are there estetical issues)?

[3Di]

phpBB 4.0 is in the pipeline but there is no ETA

Ern, phpBB 3.3.0-b1 is: https://github.com/phpbb/phpbb/milestone/30 - Last updated about 11 hours ago, 100% done.

4.0 is far away.

[dingus33]

yes, which additional features do you feel you're in need of?

also, out of curiosity, has anyone seen a migration done from xenforo to something else? i'm guessing that, for example, going from phpBB to xenforo is much easier than going from xenforo to phpBB.

[david63]

Ern, phpBB 3.3.0-b1

Technically 3.3 is a minor release and the OP asked about major release - the next being 4.0

4.0 is far away.

I didn't say anything different.

[Mick]

we are fast losing members and visitors to competing forums that run something a little more contemporary

I find that difficult to believe, I don’t think the majority of board users give a toss what board software is being used although, personally, I do tend to steer away from VB and Xenforo boards if at all possible. What do you mean by contemporary, have you got any examples?

[DTMWC]

I don’t think the majority of board users give a toss what board software is being used although,

If your board has members who are under 30 - you get a lot of members asking for like buttons, social logins, more modern smilies, slide out lists and other stuff they've seen on FaceBook and other forum softwares etc. If you look at Xenforo out the box the style looks totally different to phpBB, more modern and site wide, https://xenforo.com/demo/ most of which is achievable with styles and extensions but takes time.

If you have members that are 45+ I tend to see the majority of them will moan if you make changes to the forum, if it works they think it should be left as it is.

Before moving to a new software, especially a paid one, I would ask my members if they have any suggestions for improving the forum or if they've seen something on another forum that they like.

[Toxyy]

If your board has members who are under 30 - you get a lot of members asking for like buttons

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... r_posts_2/

social logins

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... ial_login/

more modern smilies

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/styles/smilies-13

.....

there are also some styles, some paid as well, that make your board appear more "modern", where your board members wouldn't be able to distinguish it from "contemporary" XF. Phpbb is incredibly customizable if you do a little googling and look up the CDB...

I'd also disagree about them asking for these features. That really depends on your audience, your boards subject matter, where you advertise... they moved to your forum in the first place and signed up, I doubt there are droves of people signing up to a site threatening to leave it if you don't change some minor QOL feature of it.

[DTMWC]

If your board has members who are under 30 - you get a lot of members asking for like buttons

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... r_posts_2/

social logins

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/exte ... ial_login/

more modern smilies

https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/styles/smilies-13

Yep, exactly as I said, most of which are available with styles and extensions,

With things like sports forums there could be 3 or 4 forums or more for that team so members mostly have an account on all of them and if one forum gets something that is slightly more moderner than yours the members fade away, on the other hand the content can also drive people away, i/e you get one or two members who reply to every single topic even if they have nothing to add to it or they keep repeating the same opinion over and over etc.

At the end of the day if you keep the forum easy to navigate and find what you're looking for, keep topics related to the topic title and make sure you don't have any posters who think they own the forum - it will run tickety boo.

[Lumpy Burgertushie]

subsilver2 design would be considered "modern" by today's standards. most of the so called modern styles are just flat styles with square corners and very basic colors.

I agree that most adults would probably not care what the board looked like as long as it gave them the content they want.

also keep in mind that phpbb's whole concept was a basic bare bones bulletin board that you could add whatever extras you wanted to.

that is what it was from the beginning and even though what is considered bare bones now has a lot more built in features, it is still true to the original concept..

also, keep in mind that it is a bulletin board script. it is not facebook, it is not twitter etc. etc. even though with the extensions, you can turn it into a facebook or twitter etc. etc.

oh, I just checked out that xenforo demo. it is horrible looking and the way it works when clicking on a menu item makes me crazy.

yeah, I am definitely in that 45+ group....


robert

[bubbathegimp]

Win10 & Aero look pretty nice....

[2600]

Look at my forum. Is that not contemporary enough? I also have the same if not more features as Xenforo. Minus some of the social crap like trophies and a WYSIWYG. I will never install that but there is an extension here to do just that.