Did I get your attention? The forum software here is full of bloat and feature creep. We want to simplify it. Make it run faster. Make you happy. We don't think the current software is the road to that happy place (tho perhaps it is). So I am inviting you to test to alternative products. We really need, want, and value your feedback. We will not rush to any decisions. The first is called Xen and it is running at BigCricket.com. It is the most similar to our current software, so the learning curve for BigSoccer members is low. I've created a BigSoccer test forum here: http://www.bigcricket.com/community/forums/bigsoccer-test.54/ The second is called Vanilla. It's a new experience. You can find it here: https://www.bigsoccer.com/vanilla In either case we will be replacing the blogs and other pages of the site with WordPress to bring you an entirely new editorial experience. Again, we aren't rushing, but we are testing things out at www.bigcricket.com. Thanks in advance.
indeed - you get my attention the link to bigcricket shows 'page as an Error' what a way to start happy tues...everyone
Ask Knave. I'm sure he has an opinion. ------------ The BigCricket one seems a little lighthearted/dreamy/kiddish. And you're SURE the bloat isn't the networking, bot, and other random crap you've thrown in? I'll take your word for it, but why not get BigSoccer back to what it once was? A huge forum, sans extraneous crap. If you want to trim the fat, why not start with the stuff that seems to be universally hated?
vBulletin is a de-facto BBS standard for a reason - it's the best package out there. That is, as long as you don't screw with it. BigSoccer is the only vBulletin based site that I've seen that has so many problems. Go to the plain-vanilla non-customized version without tossing a bunch of needless add ons to it, and I'm sure it would run much better.
I strongly prefer vBulletin to these other systems. Try removing the useless "features" like the "fan or foe" social groups -- the last post in the LA Galaxy haters club was November 2009 -- seriously, with all the people who hate the Galaxy, you'd think that this "social group" would be overflowing, but it's not, because nobody is using it.
Let's make a list Remove the ads? Remove the store ads? Remove the expandable left nav? The fan and foe groups are not part of the forums - you never have to go there - so I'm confused, unless you are simply referring to the fan foe button at the top of team forums? Remove the extra breadcrumb at the bottom of pages? Remove the currently active users? Remove the share widgets? Remove the header and the footer - which I think is all that's left? When I talk about feature creep, I'm talking about a bloating backend. It's a long story. We've actually turned off most things on the front end. Most.
I think you'll want to detail a bit of the long story. What, exactly, is getting bloated here? Because I think everyone assumed it was the interface. (Isn't that what "feature creep" implies?) But you're suggesting here that it's not. So if you want some useful feedback, then I suggest you sit down and describe in specific terms what the problems are and what the options are for correction.
Why don't we talk about the front end first? The issues on the back end are as much about feature creep as they are about lack of extensibility, poorly written code, bad seo, non-semantic css, etc. I am game for turning off anything that we all agree is useless.
Leave active users alone!!! If there are cuts that need to be made, you can always get rid of the Golf Sub-forum, nobody wants that anyway
So are you talking about things like the embedded BigSoccer news links that show up in the first post? You could ditch that (I personally already block it). Bottom line here is that I'd encourage you to simplify the board in every way possible. Strip down the features to the bare minimum, and aggressively unclutter the interface. On a somewhat larger and different point, I think Wordpress is an extremely attractive blogging platform. I could see myself possibly moving things like this thread there in the future.
Can you guys include Champions League games to teams' schedules? At the top of forums it will say "last game" which was their previous league game, then "next game" will be their next league game, even is they have a Champions League game before that. It'll completely skip over and ignore a big Champions League midweek tilt. What the hell is up with that?
Have some changes already been made? The background is entirely white, and I don't remember it being that way 1-2 days ago.
Yeah I like the new white. The "My Public Profile" link under the "My Bigsoccer" panel has also gone. I liked that feature though.
I click on my name next to a post of mine. That method sucks though. Bring my profile back please. Also with the side forum on the left, can't that be removed and placed at the top, with multiple drop-down options when you scroll over a heading or subheading, like bookmarks in Firefox?
This used to be the case with the full-screen ad-free preemie. However, the consensus seemed to be that there was a lack of an area to put the navbar. If we could somehow bring back the true "full screen" that would be great. Look at the below link for what I mean: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/forums/
I forgot about that. Removed. We are moving to WP (or similar). And within 12 months we will redo the forum software. Trying to reduce redundant html so pages load faster. If you click "MY BIGSOCCER" your profile is the very first link at the top of the left nav. The only change was defaulting to grey header instead of red header. Background is the same. Full screen remains available for premium members. That's our understanding too.