Honest opinions needed

[DAVID. D.A]

Please check my site out and do tell on anything that turns you off.
Site: Threadn Discussion Forum
Thank you.

[Arantor]

Aside from the board index that just looks cluttered (I am reminded uncomfortably of Nairaland), going into the boards just gives me a blank white space with the forum header and footer. Or at least it does the first time due to the use of the queryless URLs (which really don't help anything)

Not a single board worked for me, bad experience for first time visitors.

Topics work, not a huge fan of guest posting (very likely to cause spam, though the custom question will stave it off for now) and given that the quick reply box takes up more space on the screen than the first post I saw... doesn't inspire me.

It's also going to be very to motivate anyone to post because there's no defined purpose to the site, a generic general forum is never going to be that popular... though 200 posts in a couple of weeks is not a bad start.

[DAVID. D.A]

Aside from the board index that just looks cluttered (I am reminded uncomfortably of Nairaland), going into the boards just gives me a blank white space with the forum header and footer. Or at least it does the first time due to the use of the queryless URLs (which really don't help anything)

I'll remove the Index then and work on it later.
Never realized the blank page error. querryless URLs, is the effect of the search engine friendly links activated in admin right?. I'll disable that, since seo is a myth in itself 

Not a single board worked for me, bad experience for first time visitors.

I dont get. you couldn't view them? or non was of interest to you?

Topics work, not a huge fan of guest posting (very likely to cause spam, though the custom question will stave it off for now) and given that the quick reply box takes up more space on the screen than the first post I saw... doesn't inspire me.

Guest reply is just till i can get some active members(non atm). Any way to reduce the quick reply box?

It's also going to be very to motivate anyone to post because there's no defined purpose to the site, a generic general forum is never going to be that popular... though 200 posts in a couple of weeks is not a bad start.

The general is something i really want, will have to ignore that. Then, well the 200 posts is just to make it look active no real members actually
thought it was 100 posts even

[Arantor]

I dont get. you couldn't view them? or non was of interest to you?

The first time I tried to go, I couldn't see anything, because the URL got mangled with the PHPSESSID.

Never realized the blank page error. querryless URLs, is the effect of the search engine friendly links activated in admin right?

It's not a blank page. I was very, very specific about this. I see the forum header, the forum footer and just white stuff in the middle - not a completely blank page (that would be a much more serious issue)

Guest reply is just till i can get some active members(non atm). Any way to reduce the quick reply box?

Turn off CAPTCHA, really. You have a question (though it's not ideal) and that will do better than the CAPTCHA would.

The general is something i really want, will have to ignore that

Best of luck to you, you're going to need it.

[Colin]

Just a minor thing


The home button seems a bit off to the right.

[DAVID. D.A]

Thanx for the luck

Check the current index and review that again please.

The first time I tried to go, I couldn't see anything, because the URL got mangled with the PHPSESSID.

It's not a blank page. I was very, very specific about this. I see the forum header, the forum footer and just white stuff in the middle - not a completely blank page (that would be a much more serious issue)

anyway to prevent these? what could be the problem?

I'll turn off captcha.

Tnx for your time 

[DAVID. D.A]

Just a minor thing


The home button seems a bit off to the right.

Will look into that.
Thank you.

[kat]

Just a minor "WTF?".

The "Rules" button, top-left, seems to be trying to escape off the left of the page.

Other than that, it looks clean and compact without irritations, which is something quite unusual, nowadays.

I'm not into gimmicks, with that kinda thing. But, then, I'm an old crumbly.

[DAVID. D.A]

Just a minor "WTF?".

The "Rules" button, top-left, seems to be trying to escape off the left of the page.

Other than that, it looks clean and compact without irritations, which is something quite unusual, nowadays.

I'm not into gimmicks, with that kinda thing. But, then, I'm an old crumbly.

I'll go to the theme page for fixes on the tabs. Tnx for that.

Do you prefer the child board grouping mode or i  should expand the forum I.E sections will be categories and boards will be mains boards, not children?

[kat]

Personally, I prefer it as you have it. But, the way people are, now, having something "In your face" might help them notice things a bit more.

[DAVID. D.A]

I feel the same way too, but anything that wont drive off members. If i expand/show all boards, it might look too big and bulky  but again anything that wont drive of members

[kat]

See how it goes, ay?

[DAVID. D.A]

See how it goes, ay?

aii. thnx

[kat]

Pleasure!

[DAVID. D.A]

Added some portal blocks. please which is better, with or without the blocks? 

[kat]

Dunno.

Maintenance Mode

However, what WE think is largely immaterial.

Do your members like it? That's what matters.

[DAVID. D.A]

Maintenance Mode

off!

However, what WE think is largely immaterial.

Do your members like it? That's what matters.

True but when i have no members i wouldn't want something to turn back potential members

[kat]

Looks fine, to me.

But, some people find them to be cluttered and hate them. Some absolutely love 'em!

That really is a personal preference thing.

If you fiddle-around with the portal, you can get it to do some things that might be eye-catching, for the people you're trying to attract, though.

As we say, here, "Suck it and see!".

Oh... you WILL have my sig burned into your soul, won't you?

It's THE single most important thing to remember, when you're doing ANYTHING "Website".

Click it, for a "How?", if you need that.

[DAVID. D.A]

Thanx!
And yeah, before any mod install or file edits i back up every single thing. some weeks every night 

[kat]

With the software, back it up (Twice!), when you've finished with it. No need to back that up, again, until you change anything.

But, the database is where all the members/posts and stuff is stored. That, you can backup as often as you think's good. If you get to the stage where you get a lot of posts, you can even do that daily. It's quicker to backup than the software. Plus, of course, the software can be rebuilt. The database, generally, can't.