Vote for your favorite board - vB Board of the Month - October

[s.molinari]

Hello vB fans,

Unfortunately we could only get 4 boards up for the running this month. But all 4 are worthy nominations.

At any rate, as always, have fun!

Scott

[blindchild02]

Vote cast :) good luck everyone!

[kiwilerner]

They're all good entries this month! Touch choice for me between KOWW.net and sc2board.net, but I had to give it to the latter for its clean, lovely, elegant and atmospheric design. I'm not even much of a gamer, except for HalfLife, but the Starcraft 2 site is so attractive it makes me wish I knew what the heck it was about. :D

One quick thing: I think the eachparent link should go to the forum at http://eachparent.com/forum/index.php, rather than the homepage. (Well, that used to be the rule, anyway -- if it's outdated, forget I said anything. :) ) No big deal, just a note for consistency!

Congrats and good luck to all the nominees.

[FreshFroot_]

They're all good entries this month! Touch choice for me between KOWW.net and sc2board.net, but I had to give it to the latter for its clean, lovely, elegant and atmospheric design. I'm not even much of a gamer, except for HalfLife, but the Starcraft 2 site is so attractive it makes me wish I knew what the heck it was about. :D

One quick thing: I think the eachparent link should go to the forum at http://eachparent.com/forum/index.php, rather than the homepage. (Well, that used to be the rule, anyway -- if it's outdated, forget I said anything. :) ) No big deal, just a note for consistency!

Congrats and good luck to all the nominees.
you said nothing about gamerz-place.net?? would be nice if some feedback was provided....

Also, does everyone JUST look at the design of the site and not the stats or activity or even overall?

From the votes so far it seems like people most likly look at the design only.. because the stats for some of the forums above is pretty low, though the designs are nice.



Active Members: 10 (Members: 5,750)
Threads: 2,954
Posts: 8,903


Eachparent... nice design.. but lack of active members?


Members: 15
Threads: 31
Posts: 44

sc2board.. practically a brand new board...



Threads: 5,963,
Posts: 127,527,
Members: 1,191


gamerz-place.. not sure what's wrong with it.. been running for 5 yrs and has a decent skin.. sometimes slow though e.g server


Threads: 2,132,
Posts: 8,368,
Members: 174

koww.. some what of a new forum, nice design.

So I'm wondering what people are rating based off of.. because at this moment I don't think people rate based of activity or the overall progress of the forum, but they... I don't control what members choose, but it's some what sad that people just choose based off a skin... because the design/skin isn't what makes a forum, that's that one piece. The members, activity, and years added in ALONG with design is the key.

Anyways, just wanted to point that out, maybe I'll get hate PM's for this, but I thought I'd point it out, because it seems like it's been like this for "MOST" BOTM competitions.

[dilbert]

@FreshFroot

I will speak for what I look for.

I do look at the stats, but having a low usage board myself (a small niche), that's not a deal breaker.
Simply buying a skin and adding it isn't enough. Making some modifications and doing something unique really helps.

There are a few things I really don't like.

Any site that plays sounds in the background.
Flash or animated gif headers.
Horizontal scrolling (it seems obvious that vertical scrolling is needed, but I always leave a site that has horizontal scrolling - it shouldn't be that much work to view a site.
Very dark themes.So based on my limited list of criteria, there was only one choice. I don't vote if I don't like any of them though, I did like the eachparent site.

[blindchild02]

"practically a brand new board"

It IS a brand new board ;)

[MsJacquiiC]

hmmm - for me it was a toss-up between Gamerz-Place Forum & Each Parent --- both are really nice and ordered very well with simple style...

My vote: Gamerz-Place - nice forum Dude = Keep up the good work ;)

Jacquii.

[FreshFroot_]

hmmm - for me it was a toss-up between Gamerz-Place Forum & Each Parent --- both are really nice and ordered very well with simple style...

My vote: Gamerz-Place - nice forum Dude = Keep up the good work ;)

Jacquii.
thanks Jacquii, it feels good to know atleast 1 person likes the hard work we've put in for over the last 5 years and onwards... :)

[FreshFroot_]

@FreshFroot

I will speak for what I look for.

I do look at the stats, but having a low usage board myself (a small niche), that's not a deal breaker.
Simply buying a skin and adding it isn't enough. Making some modifications and doing something unique really helps.

There are a few things I really don't like.

Any site that plays sounds in the background.
Flash or animated gif headers.
Horizontal scrolling (it seems obvious that vertical scrolling is needed, but I always leave a site that has horizontal scrolling - it shouldn't be that much work to view a site.
Very dark themes.So based on my limited list of criteria, there was only one choice. I don't vote if I don't like any of them though, I did like the eachparent site.
Thanks for sharing your idea, appreciate that some members are sharing their voting suggestions.

All I can comment about it is that... aren't Boards of the Month, supposed to be.. well BOARDS of the Month, meaning they are good in EVERYTHING overall? I mean if we wanted to vote on design, we could have DOTM (Design Of The Month)..

also.. by saying you rather or you prefer the design over the stats, is like going up to someone and saying I will rate you based off your looks instead of your personality.. how do you know a forum is good or has progressed, if you JUST look at the appeal?

Have you guys taken the time to look at threads.. the discussions going on, the community, the members? It's like the saying "never judge a book by it's cover" and it's the same for forums... "never judge a forum by it's design"... because a design is JUST a look.. anyone can get a design and have a forum, but to RUN a GOOD quality forum is all about the design AND! the members/community/stats etc..

[bdude]

I'm voting for Gamerz-Place, everything is so well thought-out and organised, but in a cool way

[FreshFroot_]

Well I think the total lack of participation in this event speaks for itself,

Perhaps we should have a DOTM contest, or something else because personally a forum is a site and a site is more then just stats and design is allot more then just changing out a few default graphics and adding a few MODS, a good site is a whole package from start to finish, its in the details and it's based on how well it fits in with the theme or use of the board or site, not all that easy a thing to do if its done right.

I could have built the KOWW site out of any known code, HTML, PHP, Flash, Flex, Joomla and so on but I chose to build it using vBulletin as a core because of its infinite flexibility, customization and rock solid performance and security, why does a forum have to have x numbers of members or posts to be good, its ridicules considering some sites are built to suit the needs of the users be it 10 or 10 thousand.

People are not even digging into these sites before they vote, looking at the visitor logs 90% of them only look at the forum home page and that’s it, well they just missed 99% of the site.


Anyways, I spoke my peace.

Cheers,

_V
well i know for a fact.. "many" members actually DO look at stats before joining... if people see an active forum, they will WANT to join.. where as if I see a forum with 10 members, I might say why waste my time.. when I can sign up on an active forum already...

As for using different languages ANYONE could really do that, that is if they know some programming. However, people stick to the vB structure, because it's a pain in the butt to make those modifications ALL over again, when a new update for vB is out. Then you have to redo or make more changes etc..etc.. hence why people stick to the vB struture.

BTW, ANYONE can buy/create a design and put it up.. and get mods from vBorg and install them.. and have 5 members for the whole year still. That's why stats ALSO count, because without a active members, good quality posts and threads.. the forum is worthless.. you can visit and stare at the design all you want... but with no stats/members.. there isn't going to be much use to visit the forum. So that's why I think MANY factors play a role in boards, or rating boards and not just the design or addons.

[Floris]

I've corrected an URL in the poll, upon request. And I've voted for http://eachparent.com/forum/index.php

Nice sites everybody.

[Loco.M]

voted for #4
nice style, not one I'd ever use but unique :)

good luck everyone

[Wayne Luke]

Get the thread back on track and stop the arguing or I will close this contest.

[Lizard King]

I voted for eachparent.com , if i would choose from the other sites my ranking will be sc2board.net , knoww.net .

[ty_ferrell]

Man.....that's some good eye candy:D

[Floris]

Freshfoot, if you can't respect the staff's requests you're ruining it for everybody. I've deleted the posts so we can go back on topic. This goes for everybody, personal attacks are not welcome on this web site. Disputes between members should be taken outside this web site. Don't ruin this competition for everybody.

[StrongMotive]

Koww.net for me - very nice

[nexialys]

i personally voted for my own site, but i would have voted for KOWW... each time i have a site nominated, KOWW is also nominated... and i think it worth it...

[MsJacquiiC]

so the plot kinda thickens - but ain't it refreshing the confession without mass :P -------- anyway j/k -- I thought KOWW is nicely styled as well - I think it's a bit too much though....

Jacquii.

edit: BTW nexialys = GREAT site you have - I love the customization you've put into it!

[Steve Machol]

Unfortunately eachparent.com is offline for one month and was removed at the request of the site owner.

[MsJacquiiC]

Aw that kinda sux - It was a really nice Forum

Jacquii.

[ShawnV]

Congrats.

_V

[MsJacquiiC]

Congratulations FRESH ;)

Jacquii.

[s.molinari]

Hello everyone,

The poll doesn't show the proper winner as was warned in point 5 of the voting guide lines.


5. If you are a new member please do not vote if your registration isn't over 30 days old. Votes from members registered within 30 days prior to the start of the poll will not be counted. This is not reflected in the poll but I will let everyone know if these types of votes changes the result.

The winner of this month's contest is koww.net (http://www.koww.net/forum/index.php).

Could the owner/admin please send me a banner for the winner's circle via PN? Thanks.

Scott

[FreshFroot_]

exactly how many members voted for each site, that were under 30 days?

BTW, you should have a way where they CAN'T use the poll, if their not over 30 days.

[ShawnV]

Hello everyone,

The poll doesn't show the proper winner as was warned in point 5 of the voting guide lines.



The winner of this month's contest is koww.net (http://www.koww.net/forum/index.php).

Could the owner/admin please send me a banner for the winner's circle via PN? Thanks.

Scott


Thank you, PM sent with banner.

Cheers,

_Volion

[Floris]

I am sure it has been taken into account.
Thread unstickied. Congrats to the winner.