# Forum software change



## Shaun (16 Aug 2011)

Hello everyone,

We've been using the new IPS forum software for 14 months now, and whilst it has offered us some new features and allowed us to expand the content of the site, I have decided not to continue upgrading it.

Instead I am going to move CycleChat to a new software platform.

It's not a decision I have taken lightly or without a good deal of consideration for the impact on you fine ladies and gents (_I realise the last move was a big wrench for many of you and doing it again so soon might have you all sighing and rolling your eyes!!_), but the new software should make CycleChat easier to use and therefore be a positive improvement for pretty much everyone.

We will also be able to use all three domains again - like we used to before - so www.cyclechat.co.uk and www.cycle-cafe.net will start working properly again.  

I will be spending the coming months working in the background to try and replicate as much of the current functionality as I can, and I'll report back as things progress, but I'm confident that the move will be a positive and permanent one and we won't be moving again for a very long time!

It's months away but I wanted to mention it now so that everyone is aware that some changes are coming.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## crazy580 (16 Aug 2011)

What software are you planning on changing it to?


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## phil_hg_uk (17 Aug 2011)

Don't forget tapatalk mr admin ....... tap tap tap 

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

phil_hg_uk said:


> Don't forget tapatalk mr admin ....... tap tap tap
> 
> Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk



AFAIK it's supported, or at least will be by the time we move to it ...


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## phil_hg_uk (17 Aug 2011)

Admin said:


> AFAIK it's supported, or at least will be by the time we move to it ...



Excellent carry on 

p.s. do we get social groups back


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

crazy580 said:


> What software are you planning on changing it to?



Xenforo. It's not quite ready for CC yet - it needs a few more features adding (_that are coming later in the year_) - but after using it for GeeksChat I have found it very easy to use and think that, for CC, getting back to a simpler forum system and a cleaner layout will be a good thing.

The team behind it are the key developers of the popular vBulletin 3.x series software (_that we used before moving to IPB_), so they have a great pedigree and I'm confident that moving to XF will be a good investment for the longer term for CC.

I'm going to spend the next few months getting to know the inner workings of it, and hopefully when the time comes to move I'll be able to offer a better transition package this time around (I was so busy fire-fighting and getting used to the new settings myself last time that I never really had chance to help anyone else figure out where things were; this time I'm hoping to take it a bit slower and prepare transition docs in advance).

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

phil_hg_uk said:


> p.s. do we get social groups back



I'm not sure if there's an add-on for that, but I'll check.


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## coffeejo (17 Aug 2011)

I've not spent much time on GeeksChat but the software is most smooth


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## LosingFocus (17 Aug 2011)

Please dont lose a version of the mobile skin.


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

LosingFocus said:


> Please dont lose a version of the mobile skin.



I'm not sure how XF deals with mobile devices, I'll find out.


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## Dan B (17 Aug 2011)

If this means a less buggy editor, I'm all for it


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## Red Light (17 Aug 2011)

Any chance of making it compatible with off-line readers like Forum Pilot and Web Forum Reader for those of us on the move?


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## ColinJ (17 Aug 2011)

Dan B said:


> If this means a less buggy editor, I'm all for it


+10[sup]27.5[/sup]!


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

Red Light said:


> Any chance of making it compatible with off-line readers like Forum Pilot and Web Forum Reader for those of us on the move?



Something I can look into, but I do know that XF will bring a return to individual RSS feeds for each forum - something I know a number of people have missed since we moved away from vB.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

Dan B said:


> If this means a less buggy editor, I'm all for it



Yes, the editor is much less buggy than the current one. XF uses the TinyMCE editor.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Crackle (17 Aug 2011)

My heart sank when I read this. Clearly there are reasons you want to do it and need to do it but I don't take to change easily and things seem to change constantly recently, forum structure, mod approach and a couple of other things. Perhaps it's just my perception and I've reached that stage where I've spent too long on here.

Will the functionality be the same, blogs, downloads, chatroom, status stuff or will we lose some of this?


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

Crackle said:


> Will the functionality be the same, blogs, downloads, chatroom, status stuff or will we lose some of this?



This is what I will be working on over the coming months. I am hoping to keep as much of the current functionality as possible, and where we can't I will let everyone know, or try to find an alternative approach.

I am aware that I focused too much on the technical aspect the last time we changed, and that I changed too much at once. I left the community to pretty much fend for themselves as I stuck my head under the bonnet fiddling with the technical stuff - and I plan to do it differently this time.

I will be preparing migration info _before_ we move (How to's and video demos) and polling the membership regarding the main features you use so that I can demonstrate how to do the same things in the new software.

I will familiarise myself more with the admin tools so that when the change does happen I will not be distracted by technical chores and instead be able to concentrate on being available to help everyone aclimatise.

As I said, I have not taken the decision lightly and will do my best (_taking previous lessons into account_) to try and make the transition as smooth as possible.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Theseus (17 Aug 2011)

Ok, if you are polling for views ...

One of the features I use most of all is the one to follow forums. There are some that I am not interested in at all so this helps me keep track of any new stuff in the ones I do follow.

A feature I would like to see in addition to being able to ignore posters (which I don't use as invariably they get quoted), is the ability to ignore selected threads. For example, in the rides forum, I want to follow anything in Scotland, but on the whole I am not interested in the FNRttC simply because I can't make it.


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

There's a nice simple "Watch topic" link for each thread, and in addition you can auto-watch every thread you post in and it's really easy to access your list of watched threads.

You can also get neat little notifications of new posts or likes on topics you're watching so it's easy to jump in if someone has repsonded.

You can follow people too, so if someone regularly hosts rides you're interested in you can follow them and see their posts in your news feed - allowing you to easily pick up on their new ride threads as you scroll through your daily CC digest.

I'm not sure about watching whole forums though - I think that's a feature that has been requested but isn't yet available.

However the Xenforo developers are working on 1.1, which is due out in the summer, and there may be further point releases before we move; so whilst the current version may be lacking some things, they may become available by the time we move.

I'll get into more detail with everyone nearer the time - do some features Q&A etc. - but I'm confident that most people will find it easier to use, and as a result, enjoy visitng CC more.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## rusky (17 Aug 2011)

I'll put my name forward as a beta tester when you're ready/if you need one since I've used XF on GC


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## coffeejo (17 Aug 2011)

rusky said:


> I'll put my name forward as a beta tester when you're ready/if you need one since I've used XF on GC



Ooh, yes, me too


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

rusky said:


> I'll put my name forward as a beta tester when you're ready/if you need one since I've used XF on GC



Thanks, and yes, I'll want to go through a similar process to the last move and create a focus group to test it out beforehand.


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## ColinJ (17 Aug 2011)

Admin said:


> Thanks, and yes, I'll want to go through a similar process to the last move and create a focus group to test it out beforehand.


I volunteer to test it on the Opera browser!


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## Crackle (17 Aug 2011)

Admin said:


> This is what I will be working on over the coming months. I am hoping to keep as much of the current functionality as possible, and where we can't I will let everyone know, or try to find an alternative approach.
> 
> I am aware that I focused too much on the technical aspect the last time we changed, and that I changed too much at once. I left the community to pretty much fend for themselves as I stuck my head under the bonnet fiddling with the technical stuff - and I plan to do it differently this time.
> 
> ...




Thanks Shaun. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful in my post, all your hard work on this forum is appreciated.


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## Shaun (17 Aug 2011)

Crackle said:


> Thanks Shaun. I didn't mean to sound ungrateful in my post, all your hard work on this forum is appreciated.



You didn't - and I'm well aware that "Software" and "change" are two words that, when used together, strike fear into the hearts of many ... 

The simplicity and ease-of-use are the key factors in me finally deciding to change. The whole "user experience" is less, well, clunky and cluttered (_for want of a non-technical description_).

I'm confident that once we're on the XF platform people will enjoy using CC more.

Cheers,
Shaun 


(Yikes ... I'd better make sure it's damned-hot or else I'm gonna get lynched!!!)


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## phil_hg_uk (17 Aug 2011)

Admin said:


> You didn't - and I'm well aware that "Software" and "change" are two words that, when used together, strike fear into the hearts of many ...



Dont tell Lisa she will freakout ...................... second thoughts how would you tell he difference


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## jonesy (21 Aug 2011)

Shaun, the one request I'd make for the new software is to include easy to use selection of the mobile version with a standard link, so we don't have to rely upon auto detection of mobile browsers. The 'skinchanger' link in the current version is great in principle, but as soon as you log in the selection is over-ridden by whatever previous setting you had when last logged in, making it necessary manually to select the mobile theme again.


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## Shaun (21 Aug 2011)

Okay. I haven't looked too hard at mobile support and skins just yet - I want to get the core functionality and major added extras sorted first - but I'll likely run a mobile Q&A further down the line to gather feedback and usage habits so we cover the main elements.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## theclaud (21 Aug 2011)

Admin said:


> You can follow people too



A Stalk Feature! Excellent! Perfect for us Nutters With A Grudge.


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## dellzeqq (21 Aug 2011)

^^^^ (just keeping an eye on TC.......)

Shaun - do you perhaps need to get out on the bike a bit more? I mean 'GeeksTalk'. This is scary stuff, matey. And I write this as one with an unhealthy obsession with gear ratios. 

Anyroadup - I'm sure that a) it will be perfect and that b) I won't understand a word of it. Now, if somebody can just tell me how this PM thing works..........


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## theclaud (21 Aug 2011)

dellzeqq said:


> ^^^^ (just keeping an eye on TC.......)





You better had- you're top of my stalker target list. I shall be using the little-known and exclusive Eye of Sauron feature.


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## theclaud (21 Aug 2011)

Why does the evil smiley have a downturned mouth? It's all wrong. What's the code for a smiley evil smiley?


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## jonesy (21 Aug 2011)

1510305 said:


> You need the smiling evilly evil smiley.


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## dellzeqq (21 Aug 2011)

1510301 said:


> I expect that there will be a limit to the number of stalkers an individual person is allowed. There might be waiting lists even.


do you mean that one might choose one's own stalkers? Or would one's stalkers have to fit some kind of diversity profile? Or perversity profile?


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## theclaud (21 Aug 2011)

Will people know who is stalking... I mean, following them?


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## phil_hg_uk (21 Aug 2011)

You could have a "You are currently stalking" status bar and maybe a "You are currently been stalked by" status bar


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## phil_hg_uk (21 Aug 2011)

1510312 said:


> That sounds a bit Facebook to me.



Oh maybe not then, never used facebook and never want to.

I guess it would be best to just stalk anonymously as usual then


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## Adasta (21 Aug 2011)

Sounds good.

A minor cosmetic suggestion: Could you turn off the poster's avatar as it appears next to the poster's thread (as is the case on GeeksChat)? I just find it...odd.

Looks smooth, though!


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## summerdays (21 Aug 2011)

rusky said:


> I'll put my name forward as a beta tester when you're ready/if you need one since I've used XF on GC



I don't mind being the dumb, doesn't understand tester again .... you need one of those for all the other like minded beings on the forum


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## Shaun (22 Aug 2011)

Thanks for the beta testing offers - I'll put out an open call nearer the time.



Adasta said:


> A minor cosmetic suggestion: Could you turn off the poster's avatar as it appears next to the poster's thread (as is the case on GeeksChat)? I just find it...odd.



You soon get used to it; it also replaces the icon for "you've posted on this thread" by placing a _Mini-Me_ avatar in the bottom right corner so you can quickly scan the threads to see which ones you've posted in.

I'll preview the skin nearer the time so that everyone can get a feel for it, and do some how-to's on where different bits and bobs are.

Cheers,
Shaun


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## Zoiders (29 Aug 2011)

Not a software change but I do think the board needs a stand alone section for lights.


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