Why are less websites using threaded boards? [Archive]

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 05:15

I've noticed a definite trend: many more people are switching from threaded to linear boards. Unfortunately, with this change, we are getting lots of message boards that have virtually no posts and are essentially useless. I think threaded boards can actually increase popularity if you are just starting out. Unless you feel confident that you can average, say, at least 5 replies per thread without ANY problem, you should go threaded. The problem with linear boards for less popular communities is that it makes popular boards look more popular and unpopular boards look REALLY empty. This turns away users more than the style does. If they were to use a threaded board, a few posts would seem like much more and attract users. And once they truly build a large community, they can upgrade to a linear board. What do you guys think of this?

netnexus

November 2nd, 2002, 05:37

i believe it is because threaded boards look really ugly..thats jsut my opinion.

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 05:42

Originally posted by netnexus
i believe it is because threaded boards look really ugly..thats jsut my opinion.

That's true, but there isn't anything uglier than an empty linear board. :confused2

netnexus

November 2nd, 2002, 07:08

lol cept an empty threaded board

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 07:13

Originally posted by netnexus
lol cept an empty threaded board

Threaded boards with 5 posts look much better than linear boards with 5 posts.

netnexus

November 2nd, 2002, 07:55

actually u are rite there

notnamed

November 2nd, 2002, 09:45

Personally, I think it's probibly because it's really hard to get those posts transfered to a linear board once you get a lot of users...so people planning on getting lots of users get a linear board. Also, threaded boards have been considered "unprofessional" and "old-fashioned" (as much as an internet technology can be old-fashioned) since the better paid linear boards came out. That's my opinion anyway :)

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 10:23

Originally posted by notnamed
Personally, I think it's probibly because it's really hard to get those posts transfered to a linear board once you get a lot of users...so people planning on getting lots of users get a linear board. Also, threaded boards have been considered "unprofessional" and "old-fashioned" (as much as an internet technology can be old-fashioned) since the better paid linear boards came out. That's my opinion anyway :)

Why do these posts have to be transferred over to the new board? Couldn't the administrator just start over? I mean, if he really has built a strong community, they should come back and build the community back in no time. :D

I agree, though, that if you had a board like IGN that you knew was definitely going to be popular, you should simply start with a linear board. However, that is not true for 95% of all websites out there. I'm just sick of seeing all these empty, uncustomized IBForums and phpBBs. :confused2

notnamed

November 2nd, 2002, 13:24

Why do these posts have to be transferred over to the new board? Couldn't the administrator just start over? I mean, if he really has built a strong community, they should come back and build the community back in no time.

Same reason that the members of Aaron P's forums want to keep theirs... sentimental value. On my hosts's forum, one of the admins moved a topic to the Staff forums because he didn't like all the spamming going on in it. Everyone was very sad/angry about it..."It was fun" etc. I re-created it on my forums but "it just won't be the same". I have to agree with them.

I'm just sick of seeing all these empty, uncustomized IBForums and phpBBs.

That's true, there is nothing uglier than an uncustomized IBF/PHPBB. Any webmaster not actively looking for hacks and skins should be beat upside the head with his ugly default forum ;)

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 21:44

Originally posted by notnamed

Same reason that the members of Aaron P's forums want to keep theirs... sentimental value. On my hosts's forum, one of the admins moved a topic to the Staff forums because he didn't like all the spamming going on in it. Everyone was very sad/angry about it..."It was fun" etc. I re-created it on my forums but "it just won't be the same". I have to agree with them.

Ah...I understand. I think someone should tell those boards to create a converter for WWWBoards as well. ;)

That's true, there is nothing uglier than an uncustomized IBF/PHPBB. Any webmaster not actively looking for hacks and skins should be beat upside the head with his ugly default forum ;)

Hehe...and most of the ones that actually do make an effort to customize their board go to like the only board templates site on the Internet, and everybody ends up with the same template. :devious2: So I get sick of seeing the same templates over again as well.

notnamed

November 2nd, 2002, 21:51

Templates over and over again don't bother me because it's nearly impossible to get the same template/hack combo (on a good board).

I think someone should tell those boards to create a converter for WWWBoards as well.

Ok I know you were half-joking (I think :)) but you can't create a WWWBoard converter [edit] because there are too many home-baked versions of it.
Besides, most of them use flat-file...ugly flat-file...
Hmm there's another reason I don't use WWWBoards, flat-file DB's...ugh *shudders*
--Off topic--
Ahh I love talking about BBS software :D
[btw conker, I am whereat on Aimoo FYI]
--Off topic--
Perhaps both of us should create a BBS that has MySQL/PostegreSQL support and you can switch from threaded to linear mode so that it doesn't look ugly either way. Then include lots of hacks and templates default :rolleyes:
Sure, me and my Mad PHP/MySQL skillz...

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 21:58

Originally posted by notnamed

Ok I know you were half-joking (I think :)) but you can't create a WWWBoard converter [edit] because there are too many home-baked versions of it.
Besides, most of them use flat-file...ugly flat-file...
Hmm there's another reason I don't use WWWBoards, flat-file DB's...ugh *shudders*

Yeah, there are too many different versions of these boards. I actually meant to write "threaded boards". There are certainly PHP/MySQL versions of WWWBoards though, so you don't have to deal with flat-file databases. :P

--Off topic--
Ahh I love talking about BBS software :D
[btw conker, I am whereat on Aimoo FYI]
--Off topic--

Hehe...I never realized that. :D

Perhaps both of us should create a BBS that has MySQL/PostegreSQL support and you can switch from threaded to linear mode so that it doesn't look ugly either way. Then include lots of hacks and templates default :rolleyes:
Sure, me and my Mad PHP/MySQL skillz...

Hehe...that's a good idea, but I only know how to create a threaded board. :D

notnamed

November 2nd, 2002, 22:09

PHP/MySQL versions of WWWBoards though, so you don't have to deal with flat-file databases.

Wow, who would write something like that? :-P

Hehe...I never realized that.

'Course not. Meh, I have too many netnames...

Hehe...that's a good idea, but I only know how to create a threaded board.

In what language? I can't create anything near that. My best script is a trout-slap-esque script at http://bd.madsims.net/slap.php
Feel free to steal the code and use it wherever you want as long as you give me a little linkback :) I got some help with it too that kept it from showing text before the variables were declared...it was pretty ugly before that.
Whoops now I've gone off-topic. I'm quite terrible at that. Look at my post count ;)

conkermaniac

November 2nd, 2002, 22:36

Originally posted by notnamed

Wow, who would write something like that? :-P

Actually, I've done it already. :D

In what language? I can't create anything near that. My best script is a trout-slap-esque script at http://bd.madsims.net/slap.php
Feel free to steal the code and use it wherever you want as long as you give me a little linkback :) I got some help with it too that kept it from showing text before the variables were declared...it was pretty ugly before that.
Whoops now I've gone off-topic. I'm quite terrible at that. Look at my post count ;)

Oh, I remember making one of those on the first day I learned PHP. I must admit, it wasn't terribly difficult. But it's a fun script nonetheless. :D

If you follow the directions here (http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/31/index3a.html?tw=programming), programming a board should be no problem. :)

notnamed

November 2nd, 2002, 23:04

Oh, I remember making one of those on the first day I learned PHP

Good grief! The first thing _I_ did the first day I learned PHP was debug a manual (and rather crappy) navigation system!

If you follow the directions here, programming a board should be no problem.

Hey w00tw00t thanks. Programming experience...helpful :D
[edit]
*yawn* but not the best thing to work on anytime after 9PM...

Archbob

November 3rd, 2002, 23:11

Isn't slap that just a form that writes to a data file?

trenzterra

November 4th, 2002, 02:58

Sorry for being ignorant, but is this forum threaded or linear? i always get confused.

conkermaniac

November 4th, 2002, 03:56

Originally posted by Archbob
Isn't slap that just a form that writes to a data file?

Hmm...it seems like usage of basic variables added to a form, unless notnamed/whereat has added some secret mechanism that is beyond my poor PHP capabilities. :D

Originally posted by trenz
Sorry for being ignorant, but is this forum threaded or linear? i always get confused.

This forum is linear - just look at the word "linear" and you can tell. ;)

biggulp

November 4th, 2002, 04:07

be prepared for more threaded boards (at least you can choose) as vbulletin 3 will have a threaded option.

The Red Guy

November 4th, 2002, 04:07

There's also a hybrid version, from vBulletin 3, which combines everything. But I can assure you it spoils the impression of vB.

biggulp

November 4th, 2002, 04:22

i wouldn't choose anything other than linear. why click for each reply when you can read it all at once?

The Red Guy

November 4th, 2002, 04:27

Originally posted by biggulp
i wouldn't choose anything other than linear. why click for each reply when you can read it all at once? Agreed. However wwwboards are less bulky than linear boards, although they look real ugly IMHO.

conkermaniac

November 4th, 2002, 05:04

Originally posted by biggulp
i wouldn't choose anything other than linear. why click for each reply when you can read it all at once?

For a board that has few posts, it certainly makes the board seem a lot larger. And also, these boards generally don't have many replies anyway, so it shouldn't make for a frustrating experience. In addition, not all threaded boards display the replies separate, though most do. :)

I have found that it takes a shorter time to load four separate replies on WWWBoard (combined!) than it does to load 1 thread on vB with 4 replies. :eek:

notnamed

November 4th, 2002, 12:31

Hmm...it seems like usage of basic variables added to a form, unless notnamed/whereat has added some secret mechanism that is beyond my poor PHP capabilities.

Yup, just basic variables and a form. And an if statement so it doesn't show the output without any variables in it..."*slap*s with a" looks pretty bad in H1...;)

I have found that it takes a shorter time to load four separate replies on WWWBoard (combined!) than it does to load 1 thread on vB with 4 replies.

Well, vB isn't exactly the fastest of boards, esp. when very hacked.

be prepared for more threaded boards (at least you can choose) as vbulletin 3 will have a threaded option.

:D Hmm guess I'll start saving up!

There's also a hybrid version, from vBulletin 3, which combines everything. But I can assure you it spoils the impression of vB.

You mean a hybrid vB? I don't quite understand what you're trying to say...

The Red Guy

November 5th, 2002, 00:13

If you go to the beta vB 3 site, http://beta.vbulletin.com/vb3 , there is a hybrid option, basically meaning combining a threaded and linear view. But it's very messy, and I'd prefer a wwwboard to it.

biggulp

November 5th, 2002, 00:29

vb3 looks messy (for now).

The Red Guy

November 5th, 2002, 00:37

Originally posted by biggulp
vb3 looks messy (for now). Yes, and that is why at The Bear Spot (http://www.thebearspot.com/) they predict a very bleak future for vb3, including developers of InvisionBoard and phpBB.

biggulp

November 5th, 2002, 00:58

interesting site...

conkermaniac

November 5th, 2002, 05:21

Originally posted by notnamed

Well, vB isn't exactly the fastest of boards, esp. when very hacked.

Well, I could load 3 pages on a WWWBoard in the time that it takes 1 page to load on FreeWebspace.net (which hasn't been hacked very much). But I was just trying to show you that it's sometimes less annoying to open threads up on WWWBoard as opposed to a linear board, especially if it is a small-scale board.

And I do agree that vB3 looks quite messy. :confused2

Archbob

November 5th, 2002, 17:00

I prefer linear board cause they are neater than wwwboards.

notnamed

November 5th, 2002, 17:09

I'd switch to a WWWBoard if that's the future of vB...ugh...I hope when I find the dough to buy vB I can still buy 2.x...or hopefully they'll fix those nasty table width problems. When's the release slated?

conkermaniac

November 6th, 2002, 04:00

Originally posted by Archbob
I prefer linear board cause they are neater than wwwboards.

Even if you consider the fact tht you would probably have more posts (I would say 2 or maybe even 3 times as much) if you had used a WWWBoard instead? :confused2:

The only real weakness I can find with using a WWWBoard for a less popular board is spam. You might get quite some spam because WWWBoards are so easy to use. In any case, neatness should never be a priority for webmasters averaging under 50 posts a month, especially since those zeroes on a forum look worse to a potential visitor than the WWWBoard layout.