Would you convert your forum...?

[SensoVision]

As I already mention on this board developers of YaBB SE board(Which we're currently using) start new project called SMF - Simple Machnies Forum, which written on new optimized code which make it run very fast(at least for me). It also have number of  cool features which are built in like skinnable system, child boards(sub-boards), spell checking before posting(didn't saw such feature on other forums yet), powerfull permission options(which let you to allow and disallow to cetatin people what they could do), built-in quick reply(previously it was a mod, but now most popular mods are built in), new poll system which are more flexible, extended member management system, has popular feautres which appear on other boards such as show new threads from your last visit and many others (which as claim developers not available yet in any other forum software). And while development process isn't finished you can register and request features you like this board to posess, and if people would like your idea, thede features most likely be implemented in next build.
But that's not all it's GPL or in other words it's completely free
So tell us would you be interested to convert your current board you're using or create your new community using Simple Machnies Forums? If you're interesting in coverting your forum's database check this board, currently there is only two requests for converters one from YaBB 1 Gold and one from Invision(I think they got more users from Invision since IBP plan to cease all free support and with time their board change it's status from trial to paid one...   ), but if you're using other software and wish to update for SMF you can register and ask for convertor for your board....
We'll upgrade our software to it as soon as beta would be avaiable for downloading...
would like to hear your comments and thoughts on this matter.

[Queen Bee]

SMF looks like it's going to be great forum software! I'm looking forward to when it's finally released to the public...

[CoastPC]

Hi Denis,
          The thing that worries me, in the case of our site( http://www.coastpc.info , is the confusion it may cause to the "new" computer User! Our site is designed for the 'Newbie', not the webmaster, if you know what i am trying to say ?
          What do you guys think? Is 'Teemz' (our current software) to basic? Try to remember what is was like when you were just learning? Would you have felt comfortable with a more advanced forum or a basic one?
          It certainly tempting, I like advanced forums, but I wonder weather it will help or hurt our visitors??
          I will go have a good read of SMF but you guys input, would be appreciated too.
Chris
         

[Queen Bee]

Try to remember what is was like when you were just learning? Would you have felt comfortable with a more advanced forum or a basic one?

Hmm, I can't quite remember what it was like, but I don't recall having any problems with forums, even the advanced ones. I think if everything is well organized and properly explained, even novice users should be able to use them.

It certainly tempting, I like advanced forums, but I wonder weather it will help or hurt our visitors??

I see what you're saying, but I think SMF allows you to turn off certain features, correct? So if you want a less advanced board, it should be possible.

Not sure what to tell you... Maybe we can hear from someone who hasn't been using the internet that long and can remember what it was initially like using advanced forums.

[SensoVision]

The thing that worries me, in the case of our site( http://www.coastpc.info , is the confusion it may cause to the "new" computer User! Our site is designed for the 'Newbie', not the webmaster, if you know what i am trying to say ?
          What do you guys think? Is 'Teemz' (our current software) to basic? Try to remember what is was like when you were just learning? Would you have felt comfortable with a more advanced forum or a basic one?

ok Chris, here is my opinion on that subject: from times I remeber I always has problems with reading boards like Agora or Gossamer Thread Forum which use Thread system similar to Teemz, I mean they don't show whole topic but only part of it with links to other replies... in my opinion it make difficult to read such boards.
I know that your site targeted on newbie... actually our forum also was created as support area on questions about building own site... but later become separate part of weblamp... as for choosing YaBB one of the reason I've choose it was it's simplisity and that I can understand how it's work from the first time I saw it and knowing nothing about scripting or anything... Only a little later I also discover that there is great community stay behind this software.
as for SMF or YaBB, Rachel is right it's customizeable, and SMF would be have more options for this, you'll be able to turn things you don't like and enable those which are necessary. Don't forget that SMF would have skin system and you would be able to create look which you want for it...  
so I really not see why your users have a problem with it. you would get advanced admin interface and your users easy in use and handy board. Also why not encourage people to learn more, don't forget that you and other folks would be there to help newbies and explain how to solve possible problems.
Also why don't you make a poll asking people about forums software they like? maybe some of them know other boards and like them, you could ask what boards they like.
So I think you could still have Teemz and install new forum along it or look for covertor, you may try to request convertors with SMF, probably there would be no other folks who need such converter since most people never heard about this one(because when I ask few folks they probably make round eyes;) (can't say for sure since I  doesn't saw their face but I could assume this judginf from rplies... )) and if your try to search for boards using Teemz you don't find much... but I would advice you to write anyway since folks there are helpful and if someone from dev. team or just usual SMF members who know something in scripting has time probably they help you and write some converter of database. Also you may try to search for Teemz users and ask if they would be interested in upgrading to new forum. and if so give them info and ask to post on SMF boards that they would also be interested in such convertor.

[whiteRabbit]

At the moment, I have no intension of converting my forum.  I use phpBB and I'm pretty happy about it.  I can make minor changes pretty easily and it does what I need to do now.

> Would you use SMF if converter from your software would exist?

I doubt.  I would consider converting to vBulletin later on depending on how I can grow the community.  I heard that vBulletin works faster than phpBB and has many more options; in particular, it it so much easier to change the look.  It has a commercial support and I find it pretty important.

The other possibility is jspBB, which is still under development right now.  Since most of my site is written in JSP/Java, the conversion may make more sense than keep using phpBB or convert to vBulletin.

[SensoVision]

I doubt.  I would consider converting to vBulletin later on depending on how I can grow the community.  I heard that vBulletin works faster than phpBB and has many more options;

yes I think that's true, I saw some table where was compared all popular boards... and with speed and quantity of members vBulletin was the leader of them and leave YaBB, phpBB and iPB behind. But check out speed of SMF in comparance to YaBB for me it seems that it's work much faster since it use new optimized code
 in particular, it it so much easier to change the look.  It has a commercial support and I find it pretty important.

in particular, it it so much easier to change the look.

not sure how it will be in SMF but I believe they do easy way of changing skins, it was promised that there will be two ways basic and advanced.

It has a commercial support and I find it pretty important.

yes every poular software even if it's free should have commercial support since it's impossible to provide free support to thousands of members without dedicating all your time to them... so I think it's good idea that SMF got free support with commercial one.
and as for features which has vB and other boards doesn't, check SMF features board they implement almost all popular features which suggested by people, I saw only few requests which was denied and said that could  be implemented in next versions.

[12noon]

I paid for invisionboard, so until i get my use out of it, i'll stick to what i've paid for. BTW i'm still on the old invisionboard, i've not upgraded yet.

[SensoVision]

yeah I see you point of view, 12noon, actually if I would pay for something I'll probably try to get something of it as well and keep with it until I really see better alternative.

[SensoVision]

and just another cool feature which appear on SMF, it's spellcheking. it's build in into posting form so you can check spelling by one click just before posting... Also from features I like they add feature which let you more easily quote someone you wish when you replying post... also enabled adding polls to existing threads, and implemented option to show results of poll only after certain time, also you could define more poll options(I could mention this earlier).
Also there are many other features which isn't interesting for me but could be useful for you so be sure to check this community yourself.

[SensoVision]

I remeber that in other topic related to forums we raise speed issue and I've spot this topic which could be interested if you wish to compare speed of most popular forum software.
there are early results which was taken from the Alpha so later speed could be changed... anyway seems that SMF is among first 3 speedies boards, but Ikonboard and vB are faster.
Check this out:

Test #4 (vBulletin) was the fastest at 0.2304 seconds.
Test #6 (Invision) came in at 0.2504 seconds.
Test #5 (SMF) came in at 0.2871 seconds.
Test #2 (phpBB) came in at 0.2904 seconds.
Test #3 (XMB) came in at 0.3038 seconds.
Test #1 (YaBB SE) came in at 0.3195 seconds.

Test #6 (Invision) was the fastest at 0.2552 seconds.
Test #5 (SMF) came in at 0.2653 seconds.
Test #4 (vBulletin) came in at 0.2654 seconds.
Test #2 (phpBB) came in at 0.2802 seconds.
Test #3 (XMB) came in at 0.3004 seconds.
Test #1 (YaBB SE) came in at 0.3131 seconds.

they also promise to carry out tests when SMF would be released.
By the way folks is anyone know similar speed tests carried out on other forums or somwhere on the web? if so please share URL with us.

[Queen Bee]

YABB SE was the slowest each time? Curious... Of course, it was only a few hundreds of a second, which really isn't anything to pick about.

[SensoVision]

yup but this would make difference when community is active and many members appear on it...

[alchiba]

YABB SE was the slowest each time? Curious... Of course, it was only a few hundreds of a second, which really isn't anything to pick about.

As Phoenix said, if you add a large number of concurrent users, that small difference can become painfully big. It isn't just the query and script logic that makes for an efficient forum, but the underlying design of the database. If the database design is inefficient you will never have a smooth running board. So the bottleneck could occur in the data tables, the scripting, or both. I've seen some totally horrid forum designs over the years that even with just a couple users on them run like lame mules. YABB SE is an improvement over the orginal YABB (which I've never allowed on my servers because it was a resource hog) and SMF seems to be an improvement over YABB SE. It's all about evolution and it's good to see the YABB group reaching for the next level.

My favorites: InvisionBoard (it rocks, and we offer it free with a one-click setup on our servers) and vBulletin.

[SensoVision]

thanks for post Ed, BTW wasn't your favourite phpBB? since last time I check it cPanel you offer it for install or you change it already?
As for Invision I somehow doesn't like it much... also they seems to discontinue free support.