This thread is for forum update discussion

This is just a quick note. Over the next few weeks, the team plans on finally updating the forums to more modern, open source software that will play nice with current browsers and will connect with plugins that will allow for better mobile browsing. At the moment, the plan is for internal testing to take place on the weekend of March 3rd and full conversion to take place on the weekend of March 10th.

We'll attempt to keep everyone updated with our progress in this thread (until we no longer can). When the forums go down, keep an eye on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter for further updates.

With luck, the downtime during the switch will be brief, and the forum after the switch will be much more powerful. Thanks to all of you who have been pushing for this update. It's been a long time coming.

Feel free to discuss (and ask questions about) the upgrade here.

Can we see any screenshot or at least the name of the open-source forum format?

Updates are always welcome

This is really great news. I am very happy that this is finally happening. Thanks for all your hard work and will wait anxiously for the update.

At the moment, we're leaning towards using MyBB. The head of the project, Da-anda believes that will be the easiest conversion and will have all the necessary software to make things like tapatalk and regular mobile viewing work well.

I love the nice clean look of the forum now... Most of the newer boards are tacky and a pain... Only thing we need is tapatalk support!

Here is an early view of what the forum might look like.

do have a features list of what will be included in upgrade or what you will turn on to function? embedded youtube vids? share with social networks? awards? etc...

looks great.

rflores2323 Wrote:do have a features list of what will be included in upgrade or what you will turn on to function? embedded youtube vids? share with social networks? awards? etc...

looks great.

Just about all the forum software being looked at has support for just about anything we could want. They might not be enabled right away, since just moving things (threads, users, etc) is turning out to be a major task in itself, and we want to get it done ASAP. All in good time!

We're not interested in new features at this point (though no doubt some will crop up). We're primarily interested in a free and open source solution. Using closed software doesn't fit in with XBMC's philosophy, so that's the primary motivator (plus vbulletin by all accounts is a pain in the arse).

The biggest aim of the transistion is to try and minimize breakage. Expect some to happen - after all, it keeps life interesting, right?

Cheers,
Jonathan

Be careful with MyBB, it is not well regarded for security or BIG forums. It is also very hard to integrate with joomla or other front ends and has bad SEO features. I really would not recommend it. Most forum admins are trying to get away from it to be honest.

PHPBB is nice, but old and not in active development these days. Only security updates have been released for the last 4 years, no real new features and their spam protection is pretty shocking(although it can be fixed with new capatcha plugins and Q&A bot). Saying that mint linux have done some great work on their forums with it.

My choice would be either XenForo or VBulletin v4. Both are incredibly secure and well suited to large userbase forums. Both have great importers for vbulletin 3

VBulletin has a fantastic default skin in v4 and is easy to use. A good example of it is here.

Xenforo is the up and coming one at the moment and is brand new written from scratch by the guys who originally did vbulletin. Its a joy to use but lacks good skins at the moment. If anything this is the one forum admins are moving towards as it really is the most advanced out there with good prospects in the future. A nice example here

I understand the open source philosophy you aspire to but really would pay some money for decent forum software. It is one of those things that surprisingly is worth paying for in the long term. I’m afraid to say the open source alternatives just don’t come close.