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Why are less websites using threaded boards?

conkermaniac

conkermaniac

VIP
NLC
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?
 
Originally posted by netnexus
i believe it is because threaded boards look really ugly..thats jsut my opinion.
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That's true, but there isn't anything uglier than an empty linear board. :confused2
 
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 :)
 
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 :)
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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
 
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.
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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.
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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 ;)
 
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.
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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 ;)
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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.
 
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.
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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...
 
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*
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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--
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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...
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Hehe...that's a good idea, but I only know how to create a threaded board. :D
 
PHP/MySQL versions of WWWBoards though, so you don't have to deal with flat-file databases.
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Wow, who would write something like that? :p
Hehe...I never realized that.
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'Course not. Meh, I have too many netnames...
Hehe...that's a good idea, but I only know how to create a threaded board.
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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 ;)
 
Originally posted by notnamed

Wow, who would write something like that? :p
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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 ;)
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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, programming a board should be no problem. :)
 
Oh, I remember making one of those on the first day I learned PHP
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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.
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Hey w00tw00t thanks. Programming experience...helpful :D
[edit]
*yawn* but not the best thing to work on anytime after 9PM...
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by Archbob
Isn't slap that just a form that writes to a data file?
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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.
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This forum is linear - just look at the word "linear" and you can tell. ;)
 
be prepared for more threaded boards (at least you can choose) as vbulletin 3 will have a threaded option.
 
There's also a hybrid version, from vBulletin 3, which combines everything. But I can assure you it spoils the impression of vB.
 
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