phpBB goes all CSS / tablefree

[Dream]

The default phpBB 3 style is rather ugly, compared to the phpBB 2 default style.

It's nothing like the style on the first post of this thread. And that style is nowhere to be found.

[peterska2]

Please keep on topic.

Thank you.

[Comtech]

Forum users also like having a good looking forum to go and use, so that weights more to some administrators. And some administrators don't need a lot of functionality.

I agree one hundred and ten percent!

A forum member does not care what software is being used for a community instead they are there for several reasons and the software being used is definitely not one of the main reasons or concerns of the average forum community member. They want a forum which looks nice and carries topics that peaks an interest.

vBulletin has a nice blue design for their default skin (I like it and have used it a few times.) But it is outdated when compared to what users expect with todays new technology (especially with web 2.0 - which embellishes cool for a new age of internet users.)

PhpBB had an awful default skin, ever since I can remember. Now with PhpBB 3 they have revisioned their default style and decided to finally be the first major community software to go toward a Web 2.0'ish style and for that... they deserve all the kudos I can give.

[Dream]

Forum users also like having a good looking forum to go and use, so that weights more to some administrators. And some administrators don't need a lot of functionality.

[Comtech]

I can make vBulletin look like a Geocities site from 1999 but it'll still be the same API and such beneath the UI.

Exactly my point of style versus function - however there are a lot of people who go for style versus function. How many people do you know who have went for something " Cool Looking" just because it was cool looking and they didn't care if it functioned the way other competitors product does? - I have known a lot.

[filburt1]

I predict thread termination unless you guys start having a civilized argument and not calling each other names.

Besides, you can't possibly make comments on phpBB 3 without seeing its actual architecture. Any well-designed system can have its view component completely ripped out and trashed, yet still operate exactly the same internally. I can make vBulletin look like a Geocities site from 1999 but it'll still be the same API and such beneath the UI.

[Drexion]

As with any new technology or way of doing things...there will always be those who dislike the new.

Most will not dislike it, instead shall be in open support of anything that brings a refreshing look to an outdated piece of technology (forum software could be considered a form of technology) & I would say that over 50% of the vBulletin customer base would like to see an improved look - one that competes with the new PhpBB style.

Otherwise I could see a percentage of people turning away from their vBulletin or IPB licenses to PhpBB for the new style alone! I won't be one....but it does happen & may very well happen here. The selling of style over function has been a great marketing tool for thousands of now successful brands.

Except that of course none of what you say in terms of 'style over function' or being outdated is true over at phpbb.com - that is the phpBB3 beta you see there, and not phpBB2 re-skinned as you seem to claim.
phpBB3 is not only on par, but surpasses in some areas the current standard of functionality and performance expected from bulletin boards.

I do give you kudos for your eloquent method of belittling phpBB and its users though, you did so in quite a sneaky 'read between the lines' fashion so not as to appear to be a condescending zealot.

Except of course you did not stop there, you also had to belittle vBulletin users as well, by saying half of them are style-over-function whores.

I am afraid that in your attempt to subtly demean the phpBB software and its users, on a competitors forum in a thread whose intentions had nothing to do with functionality comparisons to begin with - you have only succeeded in making yourself look foolish instead of gathering the support of "hear hear phpBB sucks" you may have expected.

[Comtech]

Well I must differ from others here, because I don't like the new look of phpbb over the old style. And the post icons are nowhere near as nice as the old ones. I'm also not much of a fan of rounded off corners also.

Yeah, the new web coding is a big leap forward for them and great news. But the new style leaves a lot to be desired if you ask me

As with any new technology or way of doing things...there will always be those who dislike the new.

Most will not dislike it, instead shall be in open support of anything that brings a refreshing look to an outdated piece of technology (forum software could be considered a form of technology) & I would say that over 50% of the vBulletin customer base would like to see an improved look - one that competes with the new PhpBB style.

Otherwise I could see a percentage of people turning away from their vBulletin or IPB licenses to PhpBB for the new style alone! I won't be one....but it does happen & may very well happen here. The selling of style over function has been a great marketing tool for thousands of now successful brands.

[MRGTB]

Well I must differ from others here, because I don't like the new look of phpbb over the old style. And the post icons are nowhere near as nice as the old ones. I'm also not much of a fan of rounded off corners also.

Yeah, the new web coding is a big leap forward for them and great news. But the new style leaves a lot to be desired if you ask me

[Wayne Luke]

phpBB2 was released 6 years ago. I hardly think they would have started developing phpBB3 the minute after.

Actually, I believe they were working on a branch of phpBB3 before the final release of phpBB2.

[WurkAnimal]

Looks really nice

[forumguy]

phpBB2 was released 6 years ago. I hardly think they would have started developing phpBB3 the minute after.

[Quillz]

So 6 years to make the new forum and 1 year to make the style? Still...

Well, it's going to be slow with no permanent developers or source of income. Look at development of OpenOffice... it's the same way. 2.2 is just being released now, after being in the works since at least 2004.

[Zachery]

So 6 years to make the new forum and 1 year to make the style? Still...

[Quillz]

Well phpbb3 only has taken what? 6 years now?

phpBB 3 may have taken some time, but the new style was announced at most about a year ago, so it didn't take nearly as long.