Guianas nature forum

Started by Auke, July 21, 2014, 11:20:58 AM

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Auke

July 21, 2014, 11:20:58 AM Last Edit: July 29, 2014, 09:03:50 AM by Auke
I was advised to post a link to my forum here to possibly get some tips.

The link to my forum is http://www.guianasnatureforum.org/

Most of you will consider the make-up of this forum quite minimal and you're probably right about that. I haven't made this forum because I wanted to make a forum, I have made it because I think there is a serious need for a forum like this but nobody else made one. I'm not handy with this kind of stuff (making websites) and I put my time rather in the content of the forum than in the pimping of the lay-out. I want visitors and members to focus on the content; texts and pictures should be well visible, the structuring of categories, boards and sub-boards should be logic. All the really important texts should be trilingual (English, Dutch, French). A decent protection against spam should be in place since I'm not always available to swiftly clean things up and I have not yet someone to take over my duties.

The purpose of the forum is to bring together all people interested in the nature of the Guianas. It also should become a place to ask questions and get answers (especially about spotted species). I will only probably open next week

The used software is SMF 2.0.8

Customization etc. so far is limited to:
mods
- BK-Modding Favicon and Custom Global HTML 2.0 (change of favicon)
- BK-Modding Sub-Board 2.0 ('Child Board' changed to 'Sub-board')
- Arantor CAPTCHA 1.0.8 (CAPTCHA change)
- Language Drop Down 1.5.3 (easy language changing, including pre-registering)
- Multiple QA support 1.0 (for anti-spam messages in multiple languages)
- Drafts 2.0.5 (for saving long, not finished messages)
other
- Addition of 2 languages (French and Dutch, both UTF-8) and the adding of English UTF-8
- Improvement of the texts of the Registration Agreement (all 3 languages)
- Removal of the SMF logo in top by putting a space instead
- Addition of self-made logo and favicon
- Replacement of the default smilies by a self-made selection

I'm not worried about building a community. I got a reasonably extensive network among my potential audience which I will inform about my forum when it opens.

I've only seen my forum on my own laptop and have no idea what it looks like on other devices.

All tips are appreciated, but please remember that I'm not going to change codes since that would only result in disaster (I know me).

Thanks!

Jade Elizabeth

#1
July 23, 2014, 07:13:19 AM
The multi-language is a bit daunting tbh. I would really look into a nice theme, and you will need to reinstall all those mods onto it :/.

Also I would get posting photos, video, and info :). Look into AEVA for auto embedding.
Once proud Documentation Writer and Help Squad Leader | Check out my new adult coloring career: Color With Jade/Patreon.

Auke

#2
July 23, 2014, 09:15:55 AM
Weird. I didn't post this topic here but in Showcase. It was denied there because of using the default theme, prompting me to say it could be deleted. I thought about putting it here on a later date with some more mods in place. Apparently the moderators in Showcase decided to move it here anyway without letting me know. Mmm.

Since it's now here anyway: what is daunting about the multi-language? I would consider it daunting if I was on a website which only used a language I'm not comfortable with.

What is wrong with the default theme? I think the developpers of SMF made an excellent choice with it. Very readable, quiet, pretty clear lay-out.

I'm thinking about posting a single exemplary picture/message in each of the identification boards just to get things started, but I only want to do that once I got all the important stuff in place. I don't feel like decorating my house for the housewarming party before I've put all the walls and the roof in place. ;)

I actually hope the amount of video people post will be limited, although I can imagine cases in which it will be necessary. Where do I find info about this AEVA thing you're talking about? The search function here turns op 50 pages which is a bit to much to check.

Jade Elizabeth

#3
July 25, 2014, 12:21:24 AM
I speak english and seeing all the french (is it french?) makes it really confusing for me.

Default theme is default...it's like using a plain wordpress. People think it's just been set up, temporary, not going to stick around, not unique. No one wants to join a website that's "just like every other website".

On the very top of the page is a link called customize, then there's a link in there called mods. I also recommend these mods:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/?mod=1547
http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2155

The first one checks whether the user registering is a known spammer, and the second makes sure bots are not the ones trying to sign up or use the site in a bad way :). I use them on my site and it's been years since I had any spam members get through.
Once proud Documentation Writer and Help Squad Leader | Check out my new adult coloring career: Color With Jade/Patreon.

Auke

#4
July 25, 2014, 01:21:23 AM
Quote from: Jade Elizabeth on July 25, 2014, 12:21:24 AM
I speak english and seeing all the french (is it french?) makes it really confusing for me.

Default theme is default...it's like using a plain wordpress. People think it's just been set up, temporary, not going to stick around, not unique. No one wants to join a website that's "just like every other website".

On the very top of the page is a link called customize, then there's a link in there called mods. I also recommend these mods:

http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/?mod=1547
http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=2155

The first one checks whether the user registering is a known spammer, and the second makes sure bots are not the ones trying to sign up or use the site in a bad way :). I use them on my site and it's been years since I had any spam members get through.

Thanks for your new comments!

I just made some small improvements and received and incorporated the introductory text in French.

Yes, it's French. And Dutch. I tried to explain the whole premise of the forum (including the language part) in the first message of the first board of the first category. I'm not sure how you could've missed that. I hope most messages will be in English, but I don't want to scare people away by allowing only English. I'm sure you'd understand if you'd know the situation of the Guianas.

I've heard of WordPress, but never seen or used it. I hope people will visit my forum not for what it looks like, but for it's content. I've had a look at the various themes though (about 2 weeks ago),  but saw nothing that would really fit the topic of my forum. Of course, there is no content yet, but I think the first message and the names of the boards should give an idea of what it will hopefully become.
Actually, I think SMF is just using default as well? And a Simple Machines powered forum of which I'm a member uses also the default theme (or something very like it) but exists close to 10 years now, has over 600.000 messages and dozens of very active members.
I think you may need themes when you try to operate a forum in a competetive field. That's something I'm not doing with my forum. If there was just one other functioning forum I wouldn't even have bothered starting my own.

I got a novel CAPTCHA and trilingual anti-spam questions in place to prevent bots from entering. If those are not strong enough I may put some extra defences up. The mods you recommend are both 2.0, I'm not sure if they would be fully functional in 2.0.8? I've noticed some newer anti-spam mods too, might use them sometime if necessary.

Auke

#5
July 25, 2014, 02:38:11 PM
Just updated the list of mods etc. in the first message.

Comments still welcome! :)

Auke

#6
July 26, 2014, 04:53:12 PM
Another update of the specifics in the first message. Except for the fact that the favicon is not appearing in IE I think the forum is ready to be opened. Comments still welcome! :)

Auke

#8
July 27, 2014, 10:14:06 AM
First one shows grass with daisies, second one shows gears(?). The other ones don't deviate too much from the first one. I must say I only looked at the themes presented here on SMF when I had a look at themes 2 weeks ago.

If I would change the theme -which I still deem unnecessary- it would have to do something with the nature of the neotropics. Given the fact that my forum covers all of the nature of the Guianas, I think it would be very hard to make something really covering it.

To me, the essence of the region is best covered by the logo I made: a view of the forest seen from a river. It's not only a beautiful view when you sit in a dug-out canoe, but it also combines 3 important aspects of the region: lots of creeks and rivers, lots of forest and (still) relatively little disturbance my humans. It also fuels curiosity: what is there to be seen in that forest? What animals are hiding under water?

So nope, I just stick with the default theme and the logo. What I actually hope for in this topic is ideas about what I may have forgotten or not thought about, not about what I already said I have deliberately omitted.
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