Discussion: Forum Makeovers

[Nera]

I have six skins for one of my proboards, and the otherone has about the same. I sometimes switch the default skin, but normally me and my co admin just pick the one we like best and have it as default for a few months.

[BrowserBasedRPGs]

I've had my forum for about 3 months and I'm on skin V3, with V4 in the making. I keep the other skins open for members that like past skins more then current, and i try to update and make my forum look better as much as I can. Wheter it changes daily or weekly I like change.

[masta]

LINK REMOVED

please become a member I beg u all if you don't then I'll only have 9 or ten members forever!

[Enchant]

masta said:

LINK REMOVED

please become a member I beg u all if you don't then I'll only have 9 or ten members forever!

Do not spam this board. If you can not use the boards properly, then perhaps this isnt the community for you.

[HoudiniDerek]

xtina8 said:

i think having a forum make over is really essential lol...i had a forum and it's been 3 mos now since i have set it up..and i think i've changed the skin, the banner and the contents like 8 or more times already..btw that board wasnt a proboard..my proboard..has just been set up

Personally, I think that is incredibly fast turnaround for a site, Proboard or not. Was there really any reason or need to keep changing the site that much? What did it do to help the site overall?

I just feel that constant changing can annoy members, especially when you don't give them time to enjoy the most recent changes or they feel that the forum is not being professionally run because it is always undergoing an overhaul.

[Les Norton]

Interesting discussion. I wouldn't have thought decoration was all that important. I've only just stumbled onto the place and have only the one fledgling board. All I've been concerned about is content. All this V1 and skin stuff is going right over my head but I think I'd better look into it if that's what people want. To be honest I'm not really all that computer literate. Writing is more my forte and these infernal machines have a language of their own.

Perhaps after I've finished setting up the basic forum layout and kicked off a few topics.

[HoudiniDerek]

lesnorton said:

Interesting discussion. I wouldn't have thought decoration was all that important. I've only just stumbled onto the place and have only the one fledgling board. All I've been concerned about is content. All this V1 and skin stuff is going right over my head but I think I'd better look into it if that's what people want. To be honest I'm not really all that computer literate. Writing is more my forte and these infernal machines have a language of their own.

Perhaps after I've finished setting up the basic forum layout and kicked off a few topics.

I know what you mean. I am the same way. I understand some of the basics and ideas I want to present, but I am not very adept at moving them along to fruition.

Of course, most of the forums I originally joined were not that intent on changing all the time and making updates, which I liked.

I still feel content is the most important. But, if someone has to choose between two sites with similar content, they will probably go for the one that can hold their visual as well as mental interest more.

[Gamoc]

houdiniderek said:

lesnorton said:

Interesting discussion. I wouldn't have thought decoration was all that important. I've only just stumbled onto the place and have only the one fledgling board. All I've been concerned about is content. All this V1 and skin stuff is going right over my head but I think I'd better look into it if that's what people want. To be honest I'm not really all that computer literate. Writing is more my forte and these infernal machines have a language of their own.

Perhaps after I've finished setting up the basic forum layout and kicked off a few topics.

I know what you mean. I am the same way. I understand some of the basics and ideas I want to present, but I am not very adept at moving them along to fruition.

Of course, most of the forums I originally joined were not that intent on changing all the time and making updates, which I liked.

I still feel content is the most important. But, if someone has to choose between two sites with similar content, they will probably go for the one that can hold their visual as well as mental interest more.

It's true. The sad thing is that most people do look at the skin before they go into content, and if it has bad content, then they try to make it better. I like designing skins, but it is sad truth.

lesnorton said:

Interesting discussion. I wouldn't have thought decoration was all that important. I've only just stumbled onto the place and have only the one fledgling board. All I've been concerned about is content. All this V1 and skin stuff is going right over my head but I think I'd better look into it if that's what people want. To be honest I'm not really all that computer literate. Writing is more my forte and these infernal machines have a language of their own.

Perhaps after I've finished setting up the basic forum layout and kicked off a few topics.

One thing that you could do is look around for a graphics designer to make the skin for you and make them an honorary staff member on your forum. Then, when you want to upgrade, politely ask them to make a new one, but I wouldn't do it like very couple of weeks, maybe ever couple of months. Best to wait every 5-9 months to make a new skin.

[📚 Dianne 📚]

I'm going to be the lone dissenter here. While I do add new codes, add-ons and things periodically, I haven't change the layout or the skin in almost a year. Why? Because the last time I did that, the board members nearly put my head on a pike. They have come to be comfortable with what they see and how everything feels and they rely on the fact that they know how to find everything without searching. (plus they thought the board had disappeared when they saw the new skin) That's not to say I don't do regular maintenance; old threads to arcvhives, deleting unused and unnecessary boards and categories. But through all of that the skin stays the same and so does the main layout.

Now MY question is - would this; the need to keep the board static, be because most my base posters are over 25 and the content of the board deals with a very old fashioned LOL! topic???

I don't know, perhaps if I had a sports board or a RPG board I might feel the need to keep it fresh. After all, there are a lot of boards like those and very few like mine.

[HoudiniDerek]

cats57 said:

I'm going to be the lone dissenter here. While I do add new codes, add-ons and things periodically, I haven't change the layout or the skin in almost a year. Why? Because the last time I did that, the board members nearly put my head on a pike. They have come to be comfortable with what they see and how everything feels and they rely on the fact that they know how to find everything without searching. (plus they thought the board had disappeared when they saw the new skin) That's not to say I don't do regular maintenance; old threads to arcvhives, deleting unused and unnecessary boards and categories. But through all of that the skin stays the same and so does the main layout.

Now MY question is - would this; the need to keep the board static, be because most my base posters are over 25 and the content of the board deals with a very old fashioned LOL! topic???

I don't know, perhaps if I had a sports board or a RPG board I might feel the need to keep it fresh. After all, there are a lot of boards like those and very few like mine.

I agree that it depends on your membership. On most forums I am on, they might change the banner every couple of years...and that suits us all just fine. We like the look and we are happy with it, so why change it? I think the idea that you HAVE to change all the time is overrated. It always depends on what people want.

[Gamoc]

cats57 said:

I'm going to be the lone dissenter here. While I do add new codes, add-ons and things periodically, I haven't change the layout or the skin in almost a year. Why? Because the last time I did that, the board members nearly put my head on a pike. They have come to be comfortable with what they see and how everything feels and they rely on the fact that they know how to find everything without searching. (plus they thought the board had disappeared when they saw the new skin) That's not to say I don't do regular maintenance; old threads to arcvhives, deleting unused and unnecessary boards and categories. But through all of that the skin stays the same and so does the main layout.

Now MY question is - would this; the need to keep the board static, be because most my base posters are over 25 and the content of the board deals with a very old fashioned LOL! topic???

I don't know, perhaps if I had a sports board or a RPG board I might feel the need to keep it fresh. After all, there are a lot of boards like those and very few like mine.

Well, some people are different, yes. I don't suggest giving your forum a makeover in this case, but I do suggest putting secondary skins up. Skins that people can use if they get bored of the current one that you have. Then, use the different headers and footers for different skins codes to help with the layout.

You could also ask people to view the skin and give their opinions on it. Ask them if they like it better, and if majority rules, change it. If not, just make it secondary (if they like it).

[callsemas]

I have an issue with my site i totaly messed it up need help

[Enchant]

callsemas said:

I have an issue with my site i totaly messed it up need help

This is not a support board for graphic or coding issues, but a discussion board for the topic of the thread. If you are having coding or graphic issues, please post in the support board or graphics board and someone there will be more then happy to give you some assistance. Thank you.

[BlueGhost]

Back on topic. I believe that to us men, skins are like girls. If their pretty you want to see more of the skin. If not, you hardly give them a second look.

[📚 Dianne 📚]

houdiniderek said:

Now MY question is - would this; the need to keep the board static, be because most my base posters are over 25 and the content of the board deals with a very old fashioned LOL! topic???

I don't know, perhaps if I had a sports board or a RPG board I might feel the need to keep it fresh. After all, there are a lot of boards like those and very few like mine.

I agree that it depends on your membership. On most forums I am on, they might change the banner every couple of years...and that suits us all just fine. We like the look and we are happy with it, so why change it? I think the idea that you HAVE to change all the time is overrated. It always depends on what people want. [/quote]

I agree with this, and thank you for helping me make my point. So many times I've been a member of long standing with a board...gone away for a couple of weeks and the next time I go to it, I wonder if I'm at the right place, because they've changed the whole board!

I get the idea that offering up a choice of skins to posters is a good idea, but what about changes to the board itself? For a while when mine was new, I had to make a lot of changes and it confused many of the posters. Luckily, they stuck with me and actually helped me make many of the changes, so they really feel as if they are part of the "team". Now I feel, as they do, that the board is comfortable, kind of like a favorite pair of shoes.

I suppose many of the posters, are correct in the idea that some changes are needed, like adding chat, shout boxes or like I'm doing now and setting up through an affiliate, a store that links with my site.
But to change the entire board after only a year would seem (to me) as if you just can't land the 'good idea'.