What's new

[Mike]

A couple of users have asked me to identify some of the new things around here. I thought this was going to be a simple explanation, but the end game is that everything is new. We're on a new branch of the XenForo forum software, which is still in the Beta testing process. (Have I mentioned XenForo provides zero support for Beta software? Whatever you do, looking down is not recommended. We're up pretty high, and there is no net below us. Welcome to the bleeding edge, by the way. )

When I moved the site onto the 1.5.x branch of XenForo, our old styles were out-dated. And the DXF-Red style we used as our site default is no longer available. The developer behind DXF and DXF-Red decided he was finished doing styles. I think most of you know I love a challenge, so I actually considered re-coding DXF-Red to work with XF 1.5.x, but there are just so many hours in a day. So, after a couple weeks of agonizing over a long list of choices, I decided to go with Audentio Design's Intrepid theme. I tried to tick as many check boxes as I could with this one - it's as colorful as seeing a peacock on acid, but it still retains a light look, and an airy feel. And I went out on a limb and bought an Intrepid license without asking anyone for their opinion. We currently have a little over 1,700 members, and had I asked for input, a grand total of 6 people would have responded, with 3 being ecstatic about it, and 3 being absolutely negative about it. Instead, I threw caution to the wind. Screw it, either you like it, or you don't. And that's the end of that story.

As for new functions and features in XF 1.5.x, well, there are a whole lotta things goin' on. Some of them are designed for members to use, on the front end. Some of them are designed for staff members to use, on the back end. But for the purposes of this tutorial, I will try to focus on the front end changes and additions. Yes, in most screenshots, you are going to see some elements you do not see on your end, but let's try to focus on what I am pointing out, rather than what I am not.

OK, we're about to push away from the gate, so please fasten your seatbelts, return your seats to the upright positions, fold up your trays into the locked position, and stow all items under your seats. Because, here we go...

 

[Mike]

PROFILE POST COMMENT IMPROVEMENTS

This is an area I rarely ever use, but I know some of you tend to use it, a lot.

Profile post comments now include features that allow for better user interaction, as well as moderation management.

Above, you can see that you now have the ability to Like someone's profile posts.

And the forum staff now have the ability to moderate profile post comments.

And now, you can even search for keywords on profile posts. As you can see, there is a second arrow, indicating that you can also search tags, which is yet another new function in the software. Hang on, we'll cover tags in a few minutes.

 

[Mike]

THREAD TAGGING

OK, to show you this one took some thinking, but I got around the snags.

Let's say I want to write a thread about a new build, using a Renault engine, and a Doug Nash (R.I.P. Doug) 5-speed transmission. That would be a pretty unique build, right? Well, with XF 1.5.x, I can now add some keyword tags to the initial post in the thread, to allow those keywords to be searched, and to help the search engines find keywords we deem critical.

I zipped off to a private forum section, and created the above post, about XenForo 1.5.x thread tags. And, in the tags field, I entered two keyword tags - xenforo 1.5.x, and tags. Because those were the key words of the thread.

To go back to my example, above, I would use renault and doug nash 5 speed as my tags. There is zero need to use t-bucket as a tag, because everything around here is already focused on t-buckets. But Renault and Dog Nash 5 speed are some pretty outstanding keywords, so those would be the tags I would use.

This took some thinking, because our new, Intrepid style is not geared up for tag displays, yet. So, I had to switch over to the XenForo Default style, to get the tags to appear. But there, you can see both tags, right under the subject of my test thread.

As mentioned, in the previous post, those tags could be searched, using the forum search engine. And, those tags would also be indexed, by search engines like Goober and Bing. So, tagging can be a really good tool. I have almost zero expectation of any of our members actually tagging threads, and those that do will likely not tag them properly, but if people will take a few minutes to see how this works, it can pay huge dividends, down the road. Back in the early days of this forum, when we were still running vBulletin software, we had an add-on that allowed threads to be tagged, and it even added a page that was a tag cloud, where all of the tags were displayed. Search engines feed on keywords, and we want the search engines to feed heavily, so tags are a bonus.

 

[Mike]

TWO-STEP VERIFICATION

This is a feature that I will absolutely use in other locations, but I really do not see it getting off the ground on this site. Frankly, because the majority of you approach security with such ho-hum attitudes. But for those of us who embrace security, two-step verification is a welcome addition.

Basically, what it does is require you to provide two, different things to log into your forum account. A general description of two-step verification, or two-factor authentication, if you prefer, is something you know being used with something you have.

You already know your password, which is required to log into the forums. But with this new function, you will also have to have something, in order to log in. And currently, that something would be one of two things - a verification code app on your smartphone, or an e-mail verification.

There are currently no plans to activate two-step verification, at this time. But time change, so it may become something we will look at using. If someone is already security-minded enough, flag me up and I will enable the system for you to use.

The first method would require you to install an app like Google Authenticator, or Authy, on your smartphone. When you log in, you would be prompted for your password, same as always. Once that is successfully entered, you would use your phone to generate a 6-digit code (which changes every 30 seconds), you would use as your second step. Once the code is successfully entered, you would then be logged into the forums.

The second method would allow you to enter your password, after which, a confirmation e-mail would be sent to your e-mail address. Once you clicked on the e-mail confirmation link, you would be logged into the forums. No, this method would not be as secure, because if someone has managed to crack your password, they probably already own your computer, so they will have access to your e-mail address, as well.

Either way, this amounts to additional security through extra effort. If you are reading this with Internet Explorer on your Windows computer, you are so far behind the security curve, you probably didn't even read this post. If you have a grand total of 7 posts, what do you care if you get cracked? But for some of us, our accounts are over 8 years old, and contain several thousands of posts, so security means something to use.

This is a feature I will be following closely, but we're not going to be imposing it on anyone. At least, not at this time. But the function is on board, if someone would like to use it.

 

[Mike]

ADDITIONAL SECURITY

A couple of new changes have been made, to make you more aware of changes to your account, and to <HALLELUJAH> simplify the password reset procedure.

If you change your password, or your e-mail address, a confirmation message will be sent, to let you know things have been changed. Yeah, yeah, yeah, if you made the changes, you already know all about it. But if someone has cracked your account, this will let you know what has happened, so we can lock out the cracker, and get your account restored to you.

And, saints be praised, password resets are no longer being handled the same way. In the past, if you requested a new password, the software would generate a secure, but temporary password, and would e-mail it to you. Most of you have no idea what a thorn this has been in my paw. Because most of you have nary a clue how to copy and paste information. You would get your new password, which would be randomly-generated characters, both upper and lower-case. And since you can't copy-n-paste, you would try to type the password you received. And since you did not realize the password was case-sensitive, it would almost always fail. And then, you know what you would do - you would e-mail me, whining that the password you received was too complex.

Now, if you lose your password, you will request a new one. At that time, the forum will generate a link for you, and will send it to you in an e-mail. (Yeah, you DO have a valid e-mail address associated with your account, right? RIGHT?!? ) If you know how to use a mouse, you can just click on that link, and you will be taken to a page where you can enter your own, new password. This one change will save me between 8 and 12 e-mails, every, stinkin' week, and I am dancin' the happy dance.

 

[Mike]

IMPROVEMENTS TO NOTICES

Well, this one is new to core XenForo, but it is really not new to this forum.

For quite some time now, we have displayed floating notices in the lower-right corner of the site. One notice is designed to encourage lurkers to register a forum account. One notice is designed to remind our non-donating users <AHEM> this is a <COUGH> donation-driven site. These notices are generated by an add-on, created by a very talented coder. So talented, in fact, that he has been hired by XenForo. And his Notifications add-on has been merged into the XenForo core.

For the time being, we will continue using the add-on, but that will soon change. Chris has alluded to making some changes that might still make his Notifications add-on worth having, so we're going to ride along, to see what happens. But I do like to remove any add-on code that I do not feel is essential for our use, so we may switch over to the new option.

Stay tuned.

 

[Mike]

USER MESSAGING IMPROVEMENTS

I have always had the ability to send e-mail messages to all forum users, or to users based an customized criteria. But I know most people don't care for a lot of unsolicited e-mails, so it is a function that I rarely use. Back in the day, I used to e-mail members who had not been active in 30 days, to remind them we were still around. And if some big change came along, I would e-mail everyone, to flag them up. The bonus was that these e-mails would almost always generate traffic. But, as mentioned, I didn't want anyone to think I was spamming them.

Now, I have the option to send forum alerts to everyone. When you log into the forum, you would see a new alert waiting for you. That way, you could be notified of major changes coming down the pike.

I think it is safe to assume I will be using this function, regularly. It allows me to ramp up communication with everyone, without my having to crawl into your Inboxes more than you would like.

I now also have to ability to send a welcome Private Conversation, or a welcome e-mail to newly-registered users. This is likely a function I'll not be using, at least not right away. I have given some thought to using these features to point new users to the Introductions forum, where they would be required to at least say hello, before they would have permission to post elsewhere.

Sometimes, taken individually, these functions seem rather pointless, but there are times where functions can be used together, to create cumulative functionality. So whilst some of these are not going to come into immediate play, the reason I am pointing them out now, is to prepare you for the future.

 

[Mike]

MISCELLANEOUS IMPROVEMENTS

We now have the ability to display new posts, on the forum index sidebar.

And, as you can see, the new posts block is permissions-based. I have obscured two posts that have been made to our new, Pub forum, to hide the subject titles, as well as the identity of the member who posted them.

Those of you who do not have access to The Pub would see that same module, as shown above.

We now have Link/Title Conversions, happening automatically, in the background.

Here, you can see I have copied a link to a new post.

And here, you can see the forum software grabbed the page title for that link, and used it, rather than just displaying the raw URL. I've long wondered why we did not already have this feature, because it works on the same principle as displaying a YouTube player, if a YouTube URL is added to a post. Displaying the page title makes it easier to read for humans, and it will help optimize things for the search engines, as well.

Another feature, that comes to us along with the new, Intrepid style, is a pulsing online indicator. That one is tough to catch in a screenshot, as the image will change from just a round, green dot on an avatar, to an expanding ring, that pulses outward. I did manage to catch it in this image, but it was simple serendipity.

OK, for this one, I had to use a post submitted by someone else.

Forum staff members have always had the ability to edit all posts. But now, we have the ability to notify the authro of the post of the reason why the post was edited.

And lookit there, you can also see my online indicator pulsing.

No, AusBucket, you did naught wrong, I just grabbed the first post I saw.

 

[Mike]

And as for new functions, that about covers it. I have some new tools to use in the back room, which will come in handy, but I see no need to bore you with those details.

About the only thing left is the new style. And about the only thing I can say about the new style is the more I use it, the more I love it.

The first time I ever ran into flat styling, I turned my nose up at it. But it has quickly grown on me. And I think Audentio has gone over and above in color usage. Had you told me I was going to love purple, green, red, orange, and gray, all on the same page, I would have laughed in your face. But when I see the forums now, I think they look better than they ever have.

If you don't like the new look, I'm sorry. The option is to use the XenForo Default style, which I think looks like the south end of a north-bound hippopotamus.

Scroll to the bottom of any page on the site. In the upper-left corner of the footer, you will see a link, Intrepid-TBF. Above, you can see my mouse hovering over the link, just above the About Us block.

Clicking on that link will open up the Style Chooser menu. You have two choices, Intrepid-TBF and Default Style. Click on Default Style (after you have opened the barf bag in the seat pocket ahead of you), and you will see -

<SHUDDER> I simply cannot tell you how much I HATE that style.

The XenForo company forums opened on 29 July 2010. And I was there. I knew the principal coders of XenForo, as they were previously the hardest core of the vBulletin software team. I took one look at that styling, and my initial reaction was, "Screw every last bit of this, it looks like ass!" And I left. At that time, we were running on Invision Power Board software, which was the biggest waste of $1,000 I ever saw. The coding on IP.Board went down the plughole, shortly after, and I was scrambling to find something that would work better. Ask RPM, I talked with him at great length about how disastrously IP.Board was taking this site down. I was pushing every panic button I could find, because that was a trainwreck from Hell.

Fortunately, I have a very, very dear and close pal, over in Alfreton, Derbyshire, England, who granted me Admin access to one of her XenForo test sites. And the beauty of the code really pulled me in. I found that Xenique DXF-Red style, which emulated our previous looks, and in November 2011, we made the migration to XenForo. All it took was changing the style away from the XenForo Default Style, and I was all in. By the way, purchasing XenForo licenses was the best money I ever spent on a Web site. Thank goodness Lisa was there to talk sense into my head, when push came to shove. Actually, I was on Skype with her, and she was walking me through some of the styling changes in Intrepid, just this past Saturday.

One thing I do like about Intrepid is the way it places the sidebar at the same line as the forum stack. That opens up that particular ad template, which allows there to be some spreading out of the forum sponsors' logos. The Default Style bumps the sidebar all the way up, under the NavBar, so it rather cramps the logos down into a smaller bit of real estate. And, to be honest, with Intrepid's flat styling, I am starting to think our 3-D forum logo looks out of place.

The good news? Kier and Mike are already hard at working, coding XenForo 2.0. That one is going to represent some huge changes, but it is still down the road a bit. So, for the time being, sit back and enjoy XenForo 1.5.