Forum migration

johnraff · 2022-07-24 05:40:40

ohnonot wrote:

twoion wrote:
…Have you seen the code? It's impossible to maintain. FluxBB's code base is garbage, best early 2000s spaghetty code.
ok, i'm convinced already!

i seem to remember that flarum relies on javascript to an extent it's practically impossible to use without, much like discourse.
I'd love to see something responsive and lightweight.
I'd love to continue being able to use the forums with javascript completely disabled.
I also much prefer the "early 2000s", if you will, format of a "classic" online forum where the user decides which posts are interesting to them.
Simple sorting by date of last post, what more do you need.
Discourse, reddit and most fancy new formats seem to always want to impose some sort of ranking, to the point of me being unable to get my own, personal overview.

glittersloth wrote:

yoda wrote:
But it's a question of taste...
Pretty much. Turns out everything people like about discourse, I hate. From that scrolling timeline thing to that obnoxious top bar to the social media styled like/dislike/etc to the round avatars.

Feel like an old fogey to say it, but kind of agree with these guys.

Bearded_Blunder · 2022-07-24 05:57:43

Have you looked at SMF (Simple Machines Forum?) if you're looking for something fairly basic & still robust.. it ought to be in the running..

DeepDayze · 2022-07-24 15:48:34

I've tested phpBB on a test VM and it's pretty nice once you set it up and it has a LOT of configuration options in its admin panel plus I think there's a mod for it for GDPR related stuff.

SMF is another basic opensource forum, but to me it's too basic for a forum like this and I've tested that one too.

NodeBB seems a bit more work to set up.

Last edited by DeepDayze (2022-07-24 15:51:36)

deleted0 · 2022-07-24 18:40:31

johnraff wrote:

Feel like an old fogey to say it, but kind of agree with these guys.

I really felt the same way and I thought my opinion would not be easily changed. After using Discourse for a while, using a static forum is like going back to horse and buggy.

johnraff wrote:

eight.bit.al wrote:
Fret, he labels my well wrought words of wisdom.
Sometimes I wish there were a Like button.

DeepDayze · 2022-07-24 18:46:03

eight.bit.al wrote:

johnraff wrote:
Feel like an old fogey to say it, but kind of agree with these guys.
I really felt the same way and I thought my opinion would not be easily changed. After using Discourse for a while, using a static forum is like going back to horse and buggy.
johnraff wrote:
eight.bit.al wrote:
Fret, he labels my well wrought words of wisdom.
Sometimes I wish there were a Like button.

ArchLabs uses Discourse and it took me a bit getting used to as well.

johnraff · 2022-07-25 01:21:37

SMF and phpBB are in the running, yes.
And who knows about Discourse? It seems a bit resource-heavy on the server too, but not ruled out...
Or Flarum.

Right now I'm leaning slightly towards phpBB if it's simple but configurable - it seems to be somewhat widely used, but I haven't tried it at all, or any others for that matter.

Personally I'd also be OK staying with FluxBB, upgraded to 1.5.11 if that was secure enough. At least for a while, till the obvious candidate appears. There's a fork that's still getting updated, might be usable?

eight.bit.al wrote:

johnraff wrote:
eight.bit.al wrote:
Fret, he labels my well wrought words of wisdom.
Sometimes I wish there were a Like button.

I got quite some stick for that remark at the time, and quickly wound it back... but still don't 100% abhor Like buttons.
That said, making a Linux Community forum look like Facebook doesn't appeal at all. BL isn't going to be running on any touchpanel portable devices any time soon on my radar screen. YMMV

DeepDayze · 2022-07-25 03:24:39

johnraff wrote:

SMF and phpBB are in the running, yes.
And who knows about Discourse? It seems a bit resource-heavy on the server too, but not ruled out...
Or Flarum.
Right now I'm leaning slightly towards phpBB if it's simple but configurable - it seems to be somewhat widely used, but I haven't tried it at all, or any others for that matter.
Personally I'd also be OK staying with FluxBB, upgraded to 1.5.11 if that was secure enough. At least for a while, till the obvious candidate appears. There's a fork that's still getting updated, might be usable?
eight.bit.al wrote:
johnraff wrote:
Sometimes I wish there were a Like button.
I got quite some stick for that remark at the time, and quickly wound it back... but still don't 100% abhor Like buttons.
That said, making a Linux Community forum look like Facebook doesn't appeal at all. BL isn't going to be running on any touchpanel portable devices any time soon on my radar screen. YMMV

Perhaps test the Fluxbb fork on a test server separate from the main site could be an option. Why not copy over the current Fluxbb databases to such a test forum for users to try out and if it works then why not make that the new temp forum until the migration to new software takes place.

As for Discourse I kind of feel off with the format of it and can be hard to follow the flow of active discussions especially when multiple threads are very active. NodeBB is nice too, but a bit of work to set up and being nodejs based it can also be more intensive on the server.

Last edited by DeepDayze (2022-07-25 03:26:57)

Döbbie03 · 2022-07-25 05:57:37

Discourse offers a hell of a lot of behind the scenes control. Many cool plugins (components) to enhance usability.

I definitely recommend Discourse.

johnraff · 2022-07-25 06:14:21

@Dobbie can Discourse be tweaked to look like a more traditional forum?

There's quite a lot to fix: I don't like the layout, don't like not seeing all the sections right off, don't like being given an algorithm's picks of what posts to look at, don't like the pastelly colour scheme, don't like the way post's colour fades in whan you open it, don't like the friendly welcome messages, don't like "trust levels"...

Last edited by johnraff (2022-07-25 06:21:14)

Döbbie03 · 2022-07-28 07:16:51

Yes if you are comfortable with CSS you can do what you need. There are options to have a more traditional look.

The trust levels keep the single posters permissions low. "Trust Level" is a shitty name for it. I personally like them, they work in the favour of mods/admins and keeps the work load required for a busy forum a little less (not saying AL forum is that busy we are run off our feet). Any spam accounts are quickly identified and their ability to mass PM and spam posted is hugely limited.

The more you participate the more you can do at the forum.

deleted0 · 2022-07-28 17:09:09

What does it take, or is it even possible to import user data to a new forum format? Or does everyone start as a new user? TIA

DeepDayze · 2022-07-28 17:12:34

eight.bit.al wrote:

What does it take, or is it even possible to import user data to a new forum format? Or does everyone start as a new user? TIA

Usually there's a conversion tool that's supplied that migrates the database from the old forum software to the new one so that users and posts as well as PM's get migrated over. Sometimes this process may need to be tweaked to ensure everything falls into place correctly, especially if there are attachments to posts.

Last edited by DeepDayze (2022-07-28 17:13:30)

johnraff · 2022-07-31 01:47:53

Lots to think about...

Thanks to everyone for the input so far.

or1o9 · 2022-08-01 15:50:11

Personally I prefer a more old skool traditional forum design over a more modern looking "social media style". But that is me being being an old grumpy bore.

By the way, the default "Beryllium" desktop looks absolutely {)

juancuyo · 2022-08-01 16:52:59

Hello and good afternoon, I see that there are several comments on the style for the new forum. Personally I do not dislike the current style, I find it similar to the one Trisquel/GNU has, on the first screen the sections and when choosing one the different threads, select one and read from beginning to end. When I have to post pictures I upload them to Imgur and leave the link along with the comment. Simple and effective, I use the dark theme in BundenLabs.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

johnraff · 2022-08-02 02:21:22

Vaguely on topic:
https://xkcd.com/810/

sleekmason · 2022-08-02 19:36:04

^ We need like buttons:) that was funny!

Sector11 · 2022-08-02 19:38:51

orionH wrote:

Personally I prefer a more old skool traditional forum design over a more modern looking "social media style". But that is me being being an old grumpy bore.

Agree 100%

Sector11 · 2022-08-02 19:40:33

sleekmason wrote:

^ We need like buttons:) that was funny!

OH YEA!!!!!

johnraff · 2022-08-03 04:54:46

Arch Linux forum is still using FluxBB.
(I presume they've updated to 1.5.11.)

#41 2022-07-24 05:40:40

Re: Forum migration

#42 2022-07-24 05:57:43

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#43 2022-07-24 15:48:34

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#44 2022-07-24 18:40:31

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