Forum software of choice! (1 Viewer)

[Dismal_Bliss]

I've noticed that most IPS forums seem to have more limited, or simpler post/reply editors? Like on the vast majority of IPS sites, either they disable the Table bbcode, or it doesn't exist?

You can enable BBCode Parsing if you're community wants to use legacy BBCode.

You can also add a Table button to the CKEditor....

 

[kensonplays]

You can enable BBCode Parsing if you're community wants to use legacy BBCode.

You can also add a Table button to the CKEditor....

View attachment 2633

Though it seems like 75% of the IPS sites I visit do not have that button, and I'm not an admin or mod so I can't add it?

IPS doesn’t use bbcode any more. They also (correctly) figured that replying most of the time just didn’t need any complex formatting.

I do use it, for certain types of posts like my "commands list" pages and such.

 

[Tracy]

Though it seems like 75% of the IPS sites I visit do not have that button, and I'm not an admin or mod so I can't add it?


I do use it, for certain types of posts like my "commands list" pages and such.

It can only be added in by the admin of the site.
CKEditor has a lot of abilities that I miss in the janky XF editor. I really don't know why XF didn't go ahead and implement CKEditor, which has been out for a while and has a decent history instead of going with Froala.

 

[Arantor]

Mostly because CKEditor only deals in HTML (yes there are plugins to make it speak bbcode) and IPS just accepted that and made that the default, while XF still lives with bbcode. You have to do extra work on the security front (which IPS already does, which XF currently does not as far as I know because they don’t accept any old HTML)

Any time there is a hybrid of worlds you get some pain. (As long as you’re not Discourse that intermashes Markdown, HTML and bbcode all at once)

 

[kensonplays]

Mostly because CKEditor only deals in HTML (yes there are plugins to make it speak bbcode) and IPS just accepted that and made that the default, while XF still lives with bbcode. You have to do extra work on the security front (which IPS already does, which XF currently does not as far as I know because they don’t accept any old HTML)

Any time there is a hybrid of worlds you get some pain. (As long as you’re not Discourse that intermashes Markdown, HTML and bbcode all at once)

I find that the vast majority of users prefer something easier like BBc to HTML. Would be nice if they had both a BBc and HTML option in IPS that you could select on your user profile, since I do use tables to make things like Commands Lists and similar easier to read, with having the CMD Name | Description | Usage Example and similar, for example.

I'm also thinking of the vast majority of people who are less tech-savvy, or not-code-savvy, which is like 90% of people.

 

[Arantor]

I find that the vast majority of users prefer something easier like BBc to HTML.

I find the *vast majority* don't write either in comments. It's been that way for as long as I was running forums (I started doing that in 2006), that the vast majority don't even do basic formatting.

For most people, simple italics and bold is enough, and Slack and Discord have been teaching people Markdown instead.

Note that you seem to be conflating your needs as a content creator with your users' needs as commentators. Note that many platforms (not least Facebook and Twitter/X) give you even less formatting control as a commentator.

 

[Dismal_Bliss]

Would be nice if they had both a BBc and HTML option in IPS that you could select

For the record, You CAN enable BBCode on Invision 4.x, and you CAN allow members to use HTML, although this is risky and best to enable only for yourself.

 

[Jason]

MyBB seems to have more mods and to make it responsive, it's as easy as a free or paid responsive theme. Anyway, for paid, I think XF is the best value but I haven't really tried Wolt Lab.

 

[Calamity]

I like IPB and Xenforo. I started forums way back in like 2003 with invisionfree so used IPB after that due to similarities. Then I wanted to create a website that allowed videos and music to easily be embedded and uploaded into Media and I didn't see that IPB supported that so I switched to Xenforo. IPB also took away the Marketplace for add-ons, so I prefer Xenforo now given a choice.

 

[Cedric]

I like IPB and Xenforo. I started forums way back in like 2003 with invisionfree so used IPB after that due to similarities. Then I wanted to create a website that allowed videos and music to easily be embedded and uploaded into Media and I didn't see that IPB supported that so I switched to Xenforo. IPB also took away the Marketplace for add-ons, so I prefer Xenforo now given a choice.

Aha a long lost InvisionFree user. A lot of us here were from InvisionFree, myself included. What usernames did you use and what kind of forums do you remember? Our paths might have crossed before.

 

[Calamity]

Aha a long lost InvisionFree user. A lot of us here were from InvisionFree, myself included. What usernames did you use and what kind of forums do you remember? Our paths might have crossed before.

cshutout33 & shutout. My cousin and I ran an awful PS2 review site on expage and eventually added a forum. Actually had a small amount of active users on daily (20 or so regulars. Ps2gamesite and eventually thegamesite were the names.

I didn’t venture outside of that group too much. I was on 2 others from other close members that were similar popularity to mine. Then some niche ones dedicated to simulation sports leagues.

What about you? What were some of the popular boards back then on IF?

 

[Cedric]

cshutout33 & shutout. My cousin and I ran an awful PS2 review site on expage and eventually added a forum. Actually had a small amount of active users on daily (20 or so regulars. Ps2gamesite and eventually thegamesite were the names.

I didn’t venture outside of that group too much. I was on 2 others from other close members that were similar popularity to mine. Then some niche ones dedicated to simulation sports leagues.

What about you? What were some of the popular boards back then on IF?

I was on quite a lot. Managed some popular ones too. My MOST notable one was Revision Reviews. It was brought back a few times (granted, those who know - too many times) IFProducts, IF Perseverance, Sleekly Put Styles, to name a few.

 

[Empire]

I like IPB and Xenforo. I started forums way back in like 2003 with invisionfree so used IPB after that due to similarities. Then I wanted to create a website that allowed videos and music to easily be embedded and uploaded into Media and I didn't see that IPB supported that so I switched to Xenforo. IPB also took away the Marketplace for add-ons, so I prefer Xenforo now given a choice.

IPB does offer the resources but really needs addons for in deep to make that happen if that makes any sense and there are some wonderful projects out there

Also, addons/marketplace is still available for IPS communities, it's now all outside of the IPB site,

Home

Marketplace - SOS Invision

www.sosinvision.com.br

forum.invisionize.pl - Support Invision Community (IPS4, IP.Board)

forum.invisionize.pl

DevFuse - IPB (IP.Board) mods, applications, hooks, articles

Enhance your forums with IPB (IP.Board) applications, hooks, modifications and articles.

www.devfuse.com

 

[Husk]

I still have a soft spot for SMF, maybe out of nostalgia. When it comes to running a forum, it's also what I've become most familiar with. As for joining forums, I actually don't care what it is, as long as there's a reply button.

 

[Arantor]

If you have a new topic button and a reply button and you can get your point across, nothing else really matters beyond set dressing for the regular folks.

Life's a bit different on the other side of the fence depending on your needs but SMF is as solid as it ever was in that department.

 

[Shortie]

When it comes to the forum software, in terms of paying it would be Xenforo as I love how much they have to offer out of the box before you need addons.

Free I would have to say MyBB as that is one I see as similar to Xenforo in a way.

 

[ladyquack]

For running a forum, I love SMF and have been using that for a long time.

As a member, I don't really have a preference. I can adapt to pretty much anything quickly, so as long as the forum is something that interests me, I'll use any software and/or host/platform.

 

[Tracy]

For running a forum, I love SMF and have been using that for a long time.

SMF has a very decent and somewhat "current" script in the "free" field.
But as an admin... honestly...almost every current (I have not paid for IPS or WoltLab recently but even their old versions surpasses most free scripts) paid surpassed most free scripts.
By the very nature most paid scripts will be pushed because they have people behind them paying actual money. In ranking of license users requests to developer response to those requests currently (personal position as having exposure to all) I perssnally pLACE the paid scripts at the following rankings
IPS
WoltLab
XenForo
vBulletin

XenForo would be higher.. but it seems that their developer desires are more important than those license holders that support them, requiring one to go to 3rd parties for many functions considered basic amongst the other paid scripts.

 

[cpvr]

I’m a fan of Xenforo’s forum software and it’s my go to software. I used to like vBulletin, but that was way before vBulletin 4. I liked vBulletin 3. I also like Smf.