Optimizing for mobile

[B3aker]

I want my members to stay connected to my forum, even when they are away from their computers. When I first tried it on my smartphone, I noticed text in some posts was massive and others really tiny. It made it pretty frustrating to post on a mobile phone. Even in the quick reply box, I can't see what I'm typing. If I'm having these problems, so are my users and its probably hurting my return rate for my members. I'd like them to post more and not get caught in their lives and have to wait until they can get to their computers.

I browsed through the add ons section and installed Mobile Device Detect 0.2.2 and it didn't make any difference. Is there any other way to optimize my SMF site to look really good on mobile? I'm running SMF 2.0.6.

[Arantor]

It's not supposed to make it any different - it is supposed to detect and divert a user to a theme you indicate for mobile use...

[B3aker]

Oh. Thanks for clarifying that. Is there any add on that makes the forum more mobile friendly?

[johnpaul2k2]

you mean for mobile?
yes there are mob for that

1 you can search through here http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?action=search;basic_search=mobile

2.http://smf-media.com/   . this is a paid mob

[Realinfo]

This is the biggest issue, that now too many people are using our forum at Tablet and mobile, so smf needs to make some changes in default theme, so it can be good for mobile users, it's need of  time, please make needed change in default theme, thanks

[johnpaul2k2]

This is the biggest issue, that now too many people are using our forum at Tablet and mobile, so smf needs to make some changes in default theme, so it can be good for mobile users, it's need of  time, please make needed change in default theme, thanks

you mean for mobile?
yes there are mob for that

1 you can search through here http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?action=search;basic_search=mobile

2.http://smf-media.com/   . this is a paid mob

Also

i am currently using Media smf. Paid but the fee isn't that high but it has Great Features which convert any mobile browser into MOBILE FRIENDLY  .

search here, there are free smf for mobile users
http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?action=search;basic_search=mobile

[B3aker]

Ah. Sweet. Thanks for the links. I'll have to check them out.

Last night I went on a related forum to mine. That community was using vBulletin and it looked the same as SMF on my phone (some topics with huge text then little text underneath, same with replies and the quick reply for them was also massively small on my phone). Started to think it was the way forums look on mobile devices and was also thinking why it hasn't been upgraded yet to automatically optimize for mobile. But then again, I remember I'm no programmer and have no idea how this stuff works

[Kindred]

honestly, the forums look perfectly find on my tablet - and pretty good on my phone (I occasionally get a weird text size on the phone)

yes... the smf theme for 2.1 should be more mobile-responsive than the 2.0 theme was...
(but 2.0 will likely not see any theme changes along those lines)

[B3aker]

This is the biggest issue, that now too many people are using our forum at Tablet and mobile, so smf needs to make some changes in default theme, so it can be good for mobile users, it's need of  time, please make needed change in default theme, thanks

you mean for mobile?
yes there are mob for that

1 you can search through here http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?action=search;basic_search=mobile

2.http://smf-media.com/   . this is a paid mob

Also

i am currently using Media smf. Paid but the fee isn't that high but it has Great Features which convert any mobile browser into MOBILE FRIENDLY  .

search here, there are free smf for mobile users
http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?action=search;basic_search=mobile

I checked it out. The free smf themes weren't really what I was looking for. Checked out Media SMF. That looks pretty much exactly like what I'm looking for. Didn't really want to pay for a mod but the fee isn't that bad at all and I'm not that cheap anyway  Plus for the amount of time I can imagine the developer put into it, I'd be happy to support them.

[busterone]

I have been using the SMF4mobile theme since it was released. Only about a third of my regulars log in on mobile, but they all like it. I have had very few complaints in the last year so I recommend the few dollars it costs to get it myself. 

[B3aker]

I figure worst case scenerio, I'm always on my forum on my phone. So at least I pay 20 bucks and I will get some use out of it. 20 bucks to convenience myself, lol.

Only question I have is its 20 dollars one time fee, right? Or is it like a yearly thing?

[Illori]

Only question I have is its 20 dollars one time fee, right? Or is it like a yearly thing?

yearly if you want upgrades and support otherwise one time.

[B3aker]

Are the upgrades major or could I get by upgrading every other year?

[Illori]

that depends on if you want the newest version this year or next year and when the next version is released.

[B3aker]

With my luck, I'll buy it and the new version will be released next month, lol. Anyway, thanks for the help. I'll give it a try and report back

[NeedIt]

So has anyone written an app yet for smf, i.e. an app to work with smart phones?

[Arantor]

What use would that be, exactly? Unless you're a registered Apple developer, you can't push that to the App Store yourself - which is why folks end up having to buy something like Tapatalk for that.

But honestly there's not a lot of point with a dedicated app when there is a decent enough mobile theme out there.

[NeedIt]

What use would that be, exactly? Unless you're a registered Apple developer, you can't push that to the App Store yourself - which is why folks end up having to buy something like Tapatalk for that.

But honestly there's not a lot of point with a dedicated app when there is a decent enough mobile theme out there.

Well, the reason is this:  people think in apps now.  They would rather click on an app button on the smart phone than go the internet, find the bookmark to my site, etc.  I see many sites now that offer apps for their forum.  Also, these are free apps in every case I have seen.  It's not a money maker:  it's a way to pander to an app-driven public.

Also, this is not just Apple but also Android.

[Arantor]

So, whether it's Android or Apple it doesn't matter. I could write you such an app, but you couldn't launch it for your forum unless you pay for it to be released since both Apple and Google (and other app stores) have a fee for such things. Just because it's free to use doesn't mean it's free to release.

[johnpaul2k2]

So, whether it's Android or Apple it doesn't matter. I could write you such an app, but you couldn't launch it for your forum unless you pay for it to be released since both Apple and Google (and other app stores) have a fee for such things. Just because it's free to use doesn't mean it's free to release.

*wish i have somebody like you as a Neighbor...will just duplicate your Developer aspect*

[Kindred]

NeedIt...   No, people actually do NOT think in apps any more.
There are TOO MANY sites that have "dedicated app" versions on their website...  and each one clutters up your device more and more - so much so that people only download one or two apps these days and then go back to using the web.  The whole dedicated app for a website was a short-lived fad that was never going to make it, because people don't want 1,000 icons on their device for each different site. They just ant bookmarks in a browser, like they have on the computer

[Arantor]

And of course, don't forget the truth of http://xkcd.com/1174/

[Kindred]

yes. that. exactly.

[NeedIt]

NeedIt...   No, people actually do NOT think in apps any more.
There are TOO MANY sites that have "dedicated app" versions on their website...  and each one clutters up your device more and more - so much so that people only download one or two apps these days and then go back to using the web.  The whole dedicated app for a website was a short-lived fad that was never going to make it, because people don't want 1,000 icons on their device for each different site. They just ant bookmarks in a browser, like they have on the computer

Okay.  I'll go with that logic.  Can't wait til the default theme is ultimately mobile friendly - that will be nice.  Thx guys for all you're doing.

[Arantor]

So, just so I know what to do when I have free time sometime in 2016 or thereabouts, I make SMF 2.1 all powerful with an alerts system, give it a mobile theme, then what? What demand will be the next thing I'm expected to add because you want it?

There are three people on the dev team. We're going as fast as we can, and people complaining how nice it will be when we finish something is not exactly encouragement. It just makes us feel bad that we haven't done it yet.

In the last few weeks I've had several people tell me that a fully mobile or responsive (the two are very different) theme is "only a couple of weeks work" but then mysteriously fail to deliver on it when we suggest they should contribute rather than stand back and be all arrogant about how easy it is for it to be done and three people in their spare time "decide not to do it" because apparently that's what it is, it's us being lazy and not doing it. (I mean, here it is, 3 hours into the day after Christmas and I'm up to my armpits in bug reports again. Because I felt guilty for taking one damn day off. Because of people like you who complain about not getting it fast enough, and that's what you were doing, even if you didn't mean to.)

[Realinfo]

So, just so I know what to do when I have free time sometime in 2016 or thereabouts, I make SMF 2.1 all powerful with an alerts system, give it a mobile theme, then what? What demand will be the next thing I'm expected to add because you want it?

There are three people on the dev team. We're going as fast as we can, and people complaining how nice it will be when we finish something is not exactly encouragement. It just makes us feel bad that we haven't done it yet.

In the last few weeks I've had several people tell me that a fully mobile or responsive (the two are very different) theme is "only a couple of weeks work" but then mysteriously fail to deliver on it when we suggest they should contribute rather than stand back and be all arrogant about how easy it is for it to be done and three people in their spare time "decide not to do it" because apparently that's what it is, it's us being lazy and not doing it. (I mean, here it is, 3 hours into the day after Christmas and I'm up to my armpits in bug reports again. Because I felt guilty for taking one damn day off. Because of people like you who complain about not getting it fast enough, and that's what you were doing, even if you didn't mean to.)

You people did a great work to give us 2.0

But just all want to have more as per todays need

thanks

[Arantor]

I'm sorry, did you not actually read what I said? I'm well aware that SMF needs better mobile support. But for all the people who actually ask (or demand or threaten)... no-one has actually stepped up to not only offer to help but *actually* help.

Which means we're back to the three people who are spending THEIR FREE TIME for everyone else. Right now, I hear that you want better mobile support. But from my perspective, it's going to take months to implement and test - that means you won't get SMF 2.1 until probably 2015. Would you rather wait that long or just quit the moaning for now and let us get on with what we do in our spare time for your benefit? (It's seriously ungrateful from everyone who complains that SMF <doesn't have feature X> because we put in a vast amount of our time to make something for you and all you seem to do is complain)

Every time I have this argument a little piece of me wants to tell everyone to go to hell and leave because I'm fed up of people telling me what SMF needs to have but *never ever ever ever ever in a bajillion years* ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. If you want it, you could actually consider trying to help instead of complaining that we're not adding it because that's all you're doing: complaining that <feature you want> isn't implemented yet.

[Realinfo]

I read it, and got it, also got that time issue, but it's a good things that people suggest you to what to have in new smf, that;s not bad idea, may they not able to give actual help, but they are helping in just just suggesting,

[Arantor]

You might not think it's a bad idea. Wait until you hear it at least a dozen times a day, to be told how you're letting so many people down because you don't have the hours in the day to make them something.

[Imitator]

Opera Mini works quite well on my old BlackBerry with your/our SMF  forum.   Was actually quite readable and usable.     Still use the computer and keyboard for entry but this works fine for just browsing.  Easy zoom and pan features also.