[Released] Minimalism (was: Proteus)

[bloc]

Theme has been added to themesite awaiting approval, but you can also check it out here:

http://www.blocweb.net/index.php?action=bwgallery;design=141

From Blocweb:

"Minimalism" is a FREE theme experiment where the starting point was to remove as many of the extra information contained in the default templates, as possible. The result is a theme which is simpler and cleaner and allowed me to try new layouts for the most used templates. The theme is a work in progress, and so far has 2 alternative variations which you can select from "current theme settings".

Note that the theme does NOT display much of the normal info, and that while it has support for some mods it still will need edits for other mods. Note also that it uses custom db code for some of the avatar - fetching functions.

Special care have been taken to use the theme with portals - it has a setting which moves the content of the sidebar, to the middle. Ideal for portals using their own panels.

Supported Mods are:
Aeva Media
Related topics
Tagging system
Users Online Today

[Allusion]

Too much functionality would be impossible to mimic or rather be confusing to operate

Indeed, and it can be confusing as it is even. The Facebook UI isn't the best example of usability and accessibility. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/05/12/business/facebook-privacy.html

Here's a concept redesign I found: http://www.behance.net/Gallery/Facebook-Facelift-Home-Profiles-_amp-Publisher/314489 Perhaps you can get some extra inspiration from it.

All in all, your theme looks promising. The buddies functionality is one of the most underused in SMF, it's nice to see themes and/or mods that make good use of it.

[Nao 尚]

Very nice, Bloc. And not only because you used an interesting mod in your screenshot

BTW, yesterday someone pointed out a similar FB Wall design in a mod that was released this year. Did you see it by any chance? (I can go find the URL if you're unaware of it.)

I'll be PMing you about something related.

[bloc]

Allusion,
Yes, I agree, the buddies option is a nice feature but not explored much. And thanks for the link to the Facebook concept there, interesting way to show FB not the least because of its target at wide-screen users. Even widely spaced items works due to the use of containers and "stripes". Bookmarked lol.

Nao,
yes Aeva was pretty much the first mod I thought about when starting this, as gallery features is so instantly tied to social networking sites like FB. Maybe even attachments in posts could be used in this concept here..but they are not included in recent posts feature for example, so harder to actually include. And besides, I think people are more inclined to separate the two: photos go in a gallery, files go in attachments.

FB wall design? As a theme or mod?

[bloc]

Ah, I assume you mean the "SMF social network" mod. I looked at it earlier, but two things keep me from using that actively: its a stripped lite/pro version affair, I rather make use of full free mods as this theme will also be free(same argument goes for SMF Gallery mod really). And two, here its made as a separate portion of the site to *just* show the activity. My approach is more to take existing SMF features and just tweak them to be more social networking-like, and still be usable as a forum foremost. Not just be a direct FB clone. I think its less interesting for users to see if a buddy changed his avatar, than seeing boardindex AND what buddies have posted at the same time - for example.

[~DS~]

Well the paid mod was worth it.
Here's what it look like.

[bloc]

No doubt worth it, but still just a clone of FB. I assume the messages in the screnshot are not from the forum, but from a separate messaging system?

[~DS~]

No doubt worth it, but still just a clone of FB. I assume the messages in the screnshot are not from the forum, but from a separate messaging system?

It's on the forum yes. 

[bloc]

Finished preliminary drafts of display/messageindex pages, next up is the profile and PM ones. But first, more on Display -  polls and attachments needs some drafts too.

[~DS~]

Finished preliminary drafts of display/messageindex pages, next up is the profile and PM ones. But first, more on Display -  polls and attachments needs some drafts too.

No BBcodes?

[Allusion]

Nice, but shouldn't the theme be using Lucida Grande? Or don't you want to go that far?

[bloc]

Why Lucinda Grande..?

BBCodes..hm, I'll see how it fits. The posting box(which will appear under each post if you press quote) is just a quickreply, which doesn't have that normally.

[dannbass]

I think it looks awesome, you should leave it without the BBCodes, the more minimal, the better!!

[~DS~]

I think it looks awesome, you should leave it without the BBCodes, the more minimal, the better!!

Unless there's a + and - expand and collapse to hide BBcode.
I am sure that will work.

[Allusion]

Why Lucinda Grande..?

It's the font Facebook uses.

[bloc]

Ah I see..but its already different from FB, so I'll use just verdana/arial for now. Its just CSS for that, so easy to change should you want it.

I had a change of heart and modified some stuff. New drafts displayed underneath. I think the style is coming around now, being more coherent than when I started.

[Deaks]

Bloc, firstly nice idea, secondly, I think the box to the left that fades on your messageindex, needs more work a dif color etc, it just breaks the look. thirdly, I think the whole color scheme needs work, while i know you are going for simple look, it just doesnt feel right for the look. (if you understand)

[Ken.]

Great concept Bloc.
It will be nice to see the end result. 

[bloc]

Thanks, Ken. it will be fun coding it after working out the drafts. Half the work just to make these.

Runic, I think I see where you are going regarding colors..but a little unsure. The orange and blues/bluegreen don't match perhaps?

The fading background on the left will most likely change, maybe that will work better as a solid background. We'll have to see when its live.

Also, I haven't taking into account more mods other than Aeva on "front"(boardindex), but its important to get a certain style out that can be added to more templates.

[Deaks]

its hard to explain but for me the colors just dont fit the design, maybe it is what you are saying so letrs go with that for now

[Nao 尚]

its hard to explain but for me the colors just dont fit the design,

I think they do. Just missing some red.

[Antechinus]

It's interesting, but IMO the earlier Display.template is better than the latest one. I would also be inclined to integrate the avatars into the post backgrounds as I think that would give a smoother look. They look a bit choppy to me just stuck out the side, and it would be worse if people have larger and/or varying sized avatars.

Frankly I think that while the emphasis on content is good it isn't the be all and end all of a page. If you're going to emphasise content the logical conclusion is to use a completely unstyled page which is basically pure html output. I prefer to have more visual interest without actually detracting from the content. To me apps like Facebook look very bland and dull.

[bloc]

Update:
I have  changed slightly some parts again, and also added in( which i think will be interesting) quick-sections for more things than just quick-reply. Quick-reply btw are supposed to pop out right under a post - if you quote it - and adding a poll to a topic should pop out a quick poll template right underneath and so on. I also removed signatures + user-info in posts, they will pop out if you click any avatar.

To answer the question of uneven-sized avatars: they will be scaled to a fixed width with CSS so the layout keeps its cool. The exact scaling may be set though theme settings, and SSI will be used for things that aren't present in normal templates. In addition I'm adding support for mods that are popular and fit right in with the FaceBook-like direction of the theme.

Updated screenshots will be posted in first post soon.

[bloc]

Ok, added final drafts to first post. Time to start coding "Proteus" lol

Thanks for the comments, people.

[Nao 尚]

Name sounds too much like Nucleus to me, lol. Is that intended?

[king999]

i want to remove header from this theme and add a logo how to do that when i add a logo it's not compatible with this theme Can anyone make logo for my site is sharethetrick.com
help me

[Deaks]

be hard as this theme isnt even made yet.

[bloc]

Name sounds too much like Nucleus to me, lol. Is that intended?

No? Proteus I picked because of:

From this feature of Proteus comes the adjective  protean, with the general meaning of "versatile", "mutable", "capable of assuming many forms". "Protean" has positive connotations of flexibility, versatility and adaptability.

or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteus

[bullbreedluverz]

well lets hope the theme dont get Proteus Syndrome....... (which is what the Elephant Man supposedly suffered from)

[bloc]

Well, that would defeat the whole idea of a minimalistic theme then, wouldn't it? i dare say no other themes for SMF looks like this atm, and certainly not as stripped.

All the more exciting to see how it will work out when its used live.

[Ken.]

Well, that would defeat the whole idea of a minimalistic theme then, wouldn't it? i dare say no other themes for SMF looks like this atm, and certainly not as stripped.

All the more exciting to see how it will work out when its used live.

I'm ready for it. 

[Crip]

Groovy idea Bloc,
musta been harder to code than Theme Simplicity.

[bloc]

Oh yes. Working through Messageindex/Display now and already its total rewrite. I had to add in some db code too, to fetch the avatars among others..but I think its worth it.

Right now it will support Aeva Gallery and Online users Today, with planned Board Viewers,Related topics, AjaxChat and Active users in topic mods supported. Primary because they are popualr mods, secondary becasue they "fit" this theme better than most other mods. Not sure how portals will be supported..but I have some ideas on them too.

A live screenshot..:

[Matthew K.]

Very, very nice job! I will definitely consider adapting this theme for a forum of mine.

[Nao 尚]

Right now it will support Aeva Gallery

Just want to make sure you undertsand it's 'Aeva Media' when it has the gallery system, and just 'Aeva' when it doesn't.
That is, the terminology for listing pictures from within the system would be a 'Aeva Media gallery', 'Aeva Media albums/items/samples' or just 'Aeva Media'...
I'm just trying to have a logical terminology really... Please don't make it so confusing that even I am not sure about it anymore

[bloc]

Aeva Media it is then.

[Nao 尚]

Thanks

[zutzu]

very very nice man o.O!!

[bloc]

Some new colors, and removal of some sections -> new images from a live testsite added to first post.

[fords8]

Very nice work Bloc! Looking forward to the release of this!

[bloc]

Updated first post, theme was renamed to "Minimalism".

[zutzu]

wow! thank you bloc

[bloc]

Theme updated with a few enhancements:

- Fixed links so they go directly to the newest post.
- Added "quick-reply-with-quoted-text" inside, for easier to reply to posts/topic.
- Blue version shows all avatars instead of just any user once + goes directly to the post. Sort of a quick-jump to posts based on the avatar.It also has title tag showing how long ago that reply was posted.
- Blue version got some dividers in Boardindex and Messageindex templates, to better distinguish the topics/categories.

New file is called Minimalism20rc3b.zip and can be downloaded in the same gallery page: http://www.blocweb.net/index.php?action=bwgallery;design=141

[Deaks]

Bloc, getting nice simple error for you

Welcome, %1$s.

this is while viewing a clean install as a guest

[bloc]

Thanks, I have corrected it and will post updates later tonight. There have been a few other bugs/changes as well.

[bloc]

Updates:
- removed the sidebar border, looks better without
- birthdays show "soon" if it isn't on the same day as viewed
- error with mispelling of Subs-post corrected
- Error with welcome, guest corrected.
- Added quick-reply-on-the-post for blue version as well

Download:
http://www.blocweb.net/index.php?action=bwgallery;design=141

[Ben Dragon]

Hello.

What happened to this excellent theme?

It has disappeared off of all SMF websites and even the links to older version have gone.

Does it still exist in some renamed form?

Thanks.

[Matthew K.]

Bloc has apparently disappeared for now...