Community Feedback: how can the site improve?

I think the website itself needs a new look, it has a very pre 2010 site look and I we would attract more users if you completely redesigned the forum to look more modern.

Also there about 1 - 6 member to guest ratio and I think this would help with that
 
This is kind of a random interjection/comment. But I think the purpose of this thread isn't to get feedback which requires reprogramming the entire website's design unless it's for a really necessary reason. I think it's for minor/feasible changes.

Examples:
  • I recommended users who had an issue with animated GIF images to simply disable them on their device instead of suggesting that the animated GIFs be disabled in threads or on the homepage or give the user an option to disable them.
    • I am almost certain neither of these features are coded into the system's design.
    • This forum is "Forum software by XenForo" which means this website's code was purchased from a third party consulting firm who has a general (rather than customized) system design for their clients.
    • In addition to financial costs for major system modifications, XenForo may not support (or be willing) to make the type of system changes that some users are requesting. And I think @pjk has carefully chosen this specific forum design for security issues among other GOOD reasons. (I mean, the team doesn't sit around all day discussing nothing. They do think this through you guys!) If anyone knows how to stay up-to-date, it's @pjk . This forum from its beginning was always using state-of-the-art forum design. (Made other cubing sites look outdated IMO.)
  • I requested the wording for the security question for wiki edits to be changed, not that the security question should be removed on condition. (My request requires zero major system modifications, other user's requests regarding that required major changes. How major depends on the system's design. But still nothing minor.)

Just keep that in mind . . . unless you want to cough up the money (donate) to make the BIG changes some of you are requesting . . . and you be willing to pay for the damages if your suggestion would make the site vulnerable. This website doesn't get maintained for free! And there are many factors (and potential binding contracts) to consider.

Just my two cents.
 
CFOP INC said:
Ok . That makes sense. I did not take into consideration that it would cost money my bad.
Click to expand...
You definitely don't have to apologize to anyone. In the first post in this thread, @pjk specifically mentioned that he considers making layout changes on occasion! But making a layout change that someone suggests could very well mean that they have to go with another company. And other companies who have a better layout design may not pay attention to security (or other features which this specific forum has grown accustomed to needing over the years).

All in all, I have been wanting to write this post for a few weeks now (see the examples I provided? those were not at all pointing to your rightful suggestion), and it wasn't targeted at you.

Any suggestions which @pjk and the other admin ignore are just simply ignored.

My only intent was that members do not waist their time thinking (and posting) suggestions which will not see the light of day just due to these facts (because in the first post, @pjk also explicitly mentioned "necessary changes".)
 
qwr said:
I agree, because animations, like animated ads, are extremely distracting on a site that is mostly static content.
Click to expand...
The super annoying and flashy ones are pretty bad, but I think mine isn't awful in that category

They are cool right now but I'm willing to bet that no one will continue to use them in a few weeks unless a ban happens sooner.

CFOP INC said:
I think the website itself needs a new look, it has a very pre 2010 site look and I we would attract more users if you completely redesigned the forum to look more modern.
Click to expand...

I for one think it looks fine. It could also be considered "iconic" by some people.

Also, this is really the only GOOD spot that isn't a facebook page for cubers on the internet (r/cubers sucks), so making things look a little more modern wouldn't help much. Plus, I think the new modern minimalist style looks awful, so keeping it like this would actually be kind of nice if you ask me.
 
SpeedSolving's birthday is coming up. I feel like it is time to make the site more ... User Friendly.
1622935261273.png

>

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>
1622935016619.png

>
1622935143715.png

>
1622935244539.png

There we go
 
Christopher Mowla said:
  • I am almost certain neither of these features are coded into the system's design.
  • This forum is "Forum software by XenForo" which means this website's code was purchased from a third party consulting firm who has a general (rather than customized) system design for their clients.
  • In addition to financial costs for major system modifications, XenForo may not support (or be willing) to make the type of system changes that some users are requesting. And I think @pjk has carefully chosen this specific forum design for security issues among other GOOD reasons. (I mean, the team doesn't sit around all day discussing nothing. They do think this through you guys!) If anyone knows how to stay up-to-date, it's @pjk . This forum from its beginning was always using state-of-the-art forum design. (Made other cubing sites look outdated IMO.)
Click to expand...
I am just going to point out this forum is quite unlike the other XenForo forums I've seen (admittedly not a huge sample—the only other forums I used to check regularly never used XenForo, so this just covers forums I happen to stumble upon via shared links), so it already has extensive changes done to the base software. You're probably underselling the effort pjk has put into the website. (And Mike Hughey too!)

Also, amusingly, XenForo sells itself as being a forum software that's quite explicitly meant to be customised, contrary to your insinuation that all customisation is potentially extremely costly. Some food for thought there.
 
Last edited:
I've re-enabled the profile posts for now and the Whats New tab. We may remove them in the future, but since many people requested, I've re-enabled them for now.

As for a redesign of the site, appreciate the feedback. We will consider this. For now, please consider adding Speedsolving.com to your homescreen on your iPhone or Android. When you visit the site on mobile, do you guys already have a shortcut or do you manually type in speedsolving.com into your mobile browser?

Keep the feedback coming, it's useful in improving the community.

qwr said:
btw my reaction score should be manually recomputed because it is completely off due to the spam attack

edit: profile posts are back??
Click to expand...
Noted, what did it go from before to now?
 
pjk said:
Noted, what did it go from before to now?
Click to expand...
idk the exact number but I believe it was on average about 1 reaction per post. it's not a big deal but hopefully people don't accuse me of trying to inflate my reaction score or something absurd like that.
 
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