If SMF wants to be successful

Started by goldenboy48, February 16, 2008, 02:29:41 PM

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Fustrate

I have the ultimate solution for SEO - replace all $txt strings with the words "viagra", "pills", "free", and "salisbury steak".

Just as Motoko-Chan said, SEO doesn't do much for a huge majority of people... heck, people lose more money buying all of that SEO crap than they would gain, on average.
Steven Hoffman
Former Team Member, 2009-2012

JayBachatero

I don't agree with the "You can't judge a book by it,
's cover".  Many newbies tend to do this.  I am the same way to an extent.  If I don't like how something looks then I wont use it.  Now is that my mentality torwards that has changed.  Yahoo for example.  The interface is too cluttered and I don't like it.  I could careless if Yahoo is the best thing since sliced bread.  If there is something with a cleaner inerface and better looks then I use that.  Most newbies are like that.  It's  bad thing but most of the time it's the first impression that counts.
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ToxXxic


riker

#23
Quote from: PanesarV on February 16, 2008, 02:29:41 PM
In my opinion, if SMF wants to be successful and take place of PHPBB then it must have a more elegant and professional looking DEFAULT skin. People turn their face away from SMF by looking at the ugly [no hard feelings] default skin. What do you guys say?

Have to agree, having one fantastic default skin could be the biggest push SMF could ever ask for but alas the current one does look like a slapped bum.  People seem to forget alot of noobs don't really look at the feature list they look at what they see.

What I don't get is SMF does have alot of theme designers so why do they sit back and do nothing when they have so much creative talent around?

spottedhog

ok.... my 2 cents....

First off, the title here of the post is wrong.  SMF IS successful.  No security issues, growing user base, what else needs to be considered to be a success?  Maybe the title should be: SMF needs a better default theme.

Secondly and maybe more importantly, good, bad or indifferent, SMF has made its bed with the default theme and a lot of the Mods.  If SMF changed the default theme to use something other than the tabbed template menu, then all Mods that add to that menu would need to be recoded.  Of course a new default theme could simply change the graphics and style colors.

What has been suggested here is not something that can be quickly decided.  There could be all kinds of ramifications.

It is kind of interesting because when the default theme first came out, nearly all thought it was very nice.

oh well...

ToxXxic

Quote from: spottedhog on February 17, 2008, 08:58:15 AM
ok.... my 2 cents....

First off, the title here of the post is wrong.  SMF IS successful.  No security issues, growing user base, what else needs to be considered to be a success?  Maybe the title should be: SMF needs a better default theme.

Secondly and maybe more importantly, good, bad or indifferent, SMF has made its bed with the default theme and a lot of the Mods.  If SMF changed the default theme to use something other than the tabbed template menu, then all Mods that add to that menu would need to be recoded.  Of course a new default theme could simply change the graphics and style colors.

What has been suggested here is not something that can be quickly decided.  There could be all kinds of ramifications.

It is kind of interesting because when the default theme first came out, nearly all thought it was very nice.

oh well...
True, true, true!

spottedhog

another thought....

Maybe the default theme could be changed to make it multi-colored to maybe give it say 10 different looks.  Then there would be a little more to look at.

...just thinking...

ToxXxic

Or let some coders create a few themes and then let the people choose the one they like the most.
Something like a vote where people can see the theme's demos or screenshots or something like that...
I like the default theme being used right now, but it could be done better ;).

HecKel

In my honest opinion, SMF is already better than PHPbb.

About the visual..., well..., I love vB visual, I love IPB visual..., but I only "like" SMF visual. I think that is very "low" eyecandy, and the "face" is very important as well.

And yes, I think that SMF team should consider to enhance the visual of the default theme, you shouldn't judge one book by it's cover..., but you don't take if no one talks about it before...
Quote from: Eliana Tamerin on August 23, 2008, 04:10:10 PM
SMF 7 is where it gets good. That has time travel. You can go back and post before the guy who flamed you. :P

klumy

Quote from: PanesarV on February 16, 2008, 02:29:41 PM
In my opinion, if SMF wants to be successful and take place of PHPBB then it must have a more elegant and professional looking DEFAULT skin. People turn their face away from SMF by looking at the ugly [no hard feelings] default skin. What do you guys say?

I absolutely agree.
e.g. SMF could use the current SMF Homepage Theme as default skin.

riker

Quote from: klumy on February 17, 2008, 10:38:04 AM
Quote from: PanesarV on February 16, 2008, 02:29:41 PM
In my opinion, if SMF wants to be successful and take place of PHPBB then it must have a more elegant and professional looking DEFAULT skin. People turn their face away from SMF by looking at the ugly [no hard feelings] default skin. What do you guys say?

I absolutely agree.
e.g. SMF could use the current SMF Homepage Theme as default skin.

That's a question in itself that really.  Why hasn't SMF wanted to use their own default skin ?

spottedhog

Changing the theme would mean a lot of change for the SMF Mods that have been created.

Bloodsurfer

Quote from: spottedhog on February 17, 2008, 11:40:16 AM
Changing the theme would mean a lot of change for the SMF Mods that have been created.
They will have to be changed anyways because of 2.0, so this would be the perfect moment for doing such changes.

Aaron

Quote from: riker on February 17, 2008, 11:09:29 AM
That's a question in itself that really.  Why hasn't SMF wanted to use their own default skin ?

Oh, we've used the SMF 1.1 default theme for quite a while here, even when it was running on SMF Development Edition.  It was changed after SMF 2.0 was announced, if I recall correctly. :)

Stüldt Håjt

The best possible solution for themes would be ability to create a theme just by using css and graphics. Just like MediaWiki.

So all the styles would come from css and html would be as plain as possible.

Like this site: http://www.csszengarden.com/

Jpg

Quote from: riker on February 17, 2008, 06:47:01 AM
Quote from: PanesarV on February 16, 2008, 02:29:41 PM
In my opinion, if SMF wants to be successful and take place of PHPBB then it must have a more elegant and professional looking DEFAULT skin. People turn their face away from SMF by looking at the ugly [no hard feelings] default skin. What do you guys say?
What I don't get is SMF does have alot of theme designers so why do they sit back and do nothing when they have so much creative talent around?

I resent that.

Quote from: Bloodsurfer on February 17, 2008, 11:43:59 AM
Quote from: spottedhog on February 17, 2008, 11:40:16 AM
Changing the theme would mean a lot of change for the SMF Mods that have been created.
They will have to be changed anyways because of 2.0, so this would be the perfect moment for doing such changes.

True, I agree with that...but also, you can change the css style without effecting the mods installation. ;)

Quote from: ToxXxic on February 17, 2008, 09:15:37 AM
Or let some coders create a few themes and then let the people choose the one they like the most.
Something like a vote where people can see the theme's demos or screenshots or something like that...
I like the default theme being used right now, but it could be done better ;).

That's a great idea. =D

---
If the smf team wants to change the default theme, our smf theme creation site can help. [Check my sig]

I believe that the default theme should be changed. It's been the same for a long time.


Check out our Smf and TP themes!
http://www.dzinerstudio.com/

Gary

Quote from: riker on February 17, 2008, 06:47:01 AM
What I don't get is SMF does have alot of theme designers so why do they sit back and do nothing when they have so much creative talent around?

As an SMF Designer, I cant say I appreciate that sort of comment. You just don't know how much work we have to actually do.
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青山 素子

Quote from: spottedhog on February 17, 2008, 09:12:12 AM
Maybe the default theme could be changed to make it multi-colored to maybe give it say 10 different looks.  Then there would be a little more to look at.

There is a topic back in the themes board with color variations for "core".

Quote from: Jpg on February 17, 2008, 02:47:36 PM
I believe that the default theme should be changed. It's been the same for a long time.

We won't be changing the theme for the 1.1 series simply because we need to maintain some consistency for all the mods. New themes, if any, would be on a new version where we break compatibility in other ways as well.
Motoko-chan
Director, Simple Machines

Note: Unless otherwise stated, my posts are not representative of any official position or opinion of Simple Machines.


riker

#38
Quote from: Gazmanafc on February 17, 2008, 03:29:17 PM
Quote from: riker on February 17, 2008, 06:47:01 AM
What I don't get is SMF does have alot of theme designers so why do they sit back and do nothing when they have so much creative talent around?

As an SMF Designer, I cant say I appreciate that sort of comment. You just don't know how much work we have to actually do.

I'm sorry if you've took offence but that's just how I feel and I think it would be even worse if people just lied.  Would you really appreciate people saying yea the default theme rocks it's the best thing since sliced bread if you knew they were lying ?  Seriously think about it even the main SMF forum here doesn't use it

Gary

Obviously not. But just saying that the designers including myself just sit around doing nothing isn't exactly great either.
Gary M. Gadsdon
Do NOT PM me unless I say so
War of the Simpsons
Bongo Comics Fan Forum
Youtube Let's Plays

^ YT is changing monetisation policy, help reach 1000 sub threshold.

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