I can't believe there's no working forum solution

In terms of functionality, a couple of key items that I think would make a native forum userful:

• The ability to have more than one instance of a forum within a single MODx site. So, for example, the ability to have separate forums within separate subsections of the site, but all managed from a single backend
• The ability to have private boards with access based on web user groups
• The ability for both web users and manager users to post and/or manage the forums (I realise this may not be possible with Evolution, but if it was, it would be fantastic

I’m still looking into putting some money into this project if that would speed up development of a forum, but I won’t know if my budget will support it for another week or so.

Quote from: lossendae at Mar 31, 2009, 05:49 AM

It would be indeed interesting to set a general Forum which can be also used it in Documents as a Comment Snippet like [[Forum? &mode=`comments`]] which will create simultaneously a thread in a category predefined in the Forum settings (working almost like a bridge to popular forum used as comment system, but better integrated).

Also, it would be neat to allow the user in the profile to set the default showed category (Russian, French, etc...) when he click on the Forum link.

These are exactly the ideas and uses I was thinking of. It makes it a very powerful and flexible system, which can look like categories, if the webmaster so wishes, but provides a lot more if required. A bit like MODx’s document hierarchy and ditto. The thread engine, or whatever abstract thing it would be, could be put to so many uses.

Quote from: lossendae at Mar 31, 2009, 05:49 AM

I was also wondering about WebloginPE features on Revolution. Will MODx Revolution allow by default to extend users profile?

This would be important to me too, but could easily be extended into a custom table if not.

Quote from: PatrickSamphire at Mar 31, 2009, 05:52 AM

In terms of functionality, a couple of key items that I think would make a native forum userful:

• The ability to have more than one instance of a forum within a single MODx site. So, for example, the ability to have separate forums within separate subsections of the site, but all managed from a single backend
• The ability to have private boards with access based on web user groups
• The ability for both web users and manager users to post and/or manage the forums (I realise this may not be possible with Evolution, but if it was, it would be fantastic

I’m still looking into putting some money into this project if that would speed up development of a forum, but I won’t know if my budget will support it for another week or so.

I think these ideas are great too. They really extend the project into a big undertaking, so I’d be interested to see how we choose which features to take forward for a first version. I think consistency is always important, so the web/manager users gap would need to be closed somehow for an Evo forum. The other points fit nicely into Revo’s context concept, so we could take a lot of ideas from there, if they could be adapted.

Well, it need to be discussed with all the people who wish to take on the job and what can be accomplished in a relatively short time for a first version.

From my point of view, it would be neat to make a simple forum (like fluxbb/punbb) without the fancy features for MODx Evo, but including:
- Comments possiblity
- Forum administration on a document
- Private messaging
- basic forum features
- built on top of xPDO

And, later a MODx Revolution which will allow a full featured forum with all the fancy things who come along:
- Real backend Administration with Extjs
- Topic Subscription
- More flexibility to show whatever needed to be shown (I know, that’s pretty vague!)
- Private board
- Sub categories
- RSS feed

In fact for some of those features (RSS for exemple), it would be not bad to allow them via snippet plugin (if possible), so the forum can remain simple for those who just need a simple forum, and more specific for those who need popular forum features.

I don’t know if it’s possible, but it would for example be nice to:
- Set a poll by using an already existing snippet.
- Set a topic rank with star with existing snippet.

We also need to keep in mind that the MODx logic must not be left aside: Keep it simple!

Quote from: lossendae at Mar 31, 2009, 07:23 AM

In fact for some of those features (RSS for exemple), it would be not bad to allow them via snippet plugin (if possible), so the forum can remain simple for those who just need a simple forum, and more specific for those who need popular forum features.

I agree that the ideal structure would be for a very simple forum that can be enhanced by other plugins, to avoid making the basic forum install over-complex and to ensure that we get at least something very soon.

I’m not sure that messaging is a necessary part of the core.

For me, having private boards would be a key feature, because that’s my primary need at the moment.

I feel that private messaging would not be key to me either. In fact, again would ask how we zoom in on this. Here’s my point in simple terms:
- Are we building a full forum application; or,
- Are we building a threaded forum extension to MODx that could be supplemented by other extensions such as user profiles, PMs, polls etc.

The second solution would provide what is needed for a scaleable, powerful forum/discussion area but would view everything else as optional. This means simplicity, flexibility and no bloat. If we bundle a whole application on top of MODx, we run the risk of strangling our light and agile CMF with a bulky, prescriptive add-on.

A compromise might be possible (I don’t know) whereby we end up providing a complementary but independent set of packages. What I particularly like about MODx is the fact that I can make it do anything. If we build a full forum app, we remove that ability for webmasters. If we provide the functionality as a core extension, as suggested by others before, then we give that power back to individuals - and to ourselves when it comes to personal desires for what the system would do on our own sites.

I’m totally agree. While it’s possible to do, the more we try to put features in a Forum modules, the more we will lose the flexibility of MODx.

That’s why we also need the thoughts of people of the MODx Team, whether they want a full Forum or just a light solution (like Drupal integrated forum or BBpress).

For my point of view, MODx can do more than a simple replacement until bridges are made for another solution.

It maybe not the best solution to provide all features like phpbb, vB, smf or ipb (Plus It will be difficult to develop and maintain, and probably much more longer than we think).

A light Forum engine like Fluxxbb/Punbb seems more like the MODx way.
We absolutly need to avoid too the Drupal syndrome (depend on to many other modules)

Maybe it would be interesting to provide a vote system on desired simple forum features so that MODx member can vote for what they think it’s important and what is not.

Regarding private message, it is really liked on communauty oriented forum/website.

I think we are making this all too complex again.... we need the basics first! Once the basics are established we can then put the nice stuff in to it. If there’s a list of 50 things that people want then it’s going to make this idea far to difficult to get off the ground.

I know it would be nice to have X Y Z but we need ABC first.

Simple first and build on the idea... till there is a foundation people are going to be put off helping due to the amount being asked.

Quote from: rossco at Mar 31, 2009, 09:53 AM

I think we are making this all too complex again.... we need the basics first! Once the basics are established we can then put the nice stuff in to it. If there’s a list of 50 things that people want then it’s going to make this idea far to difficult to get off the ground.

I know it would be nice to have X Y Z but we need ABC first.

Simple first and build on the idea... till there is a foundation people are going to be put off helping due to the amount being asked.

Okay. But what is the foundation exactly? If we can agree that, we may be able to make progress.

I thought that’s exactly what we were homing in on, what all the discussion was about, working out the basics and deciding where the line should be drawn between requirements and nice-to-haves.

Rossco - If you disagree with all that was discussed, what do you believe the ABC should be?

Rossco - If you disagree with all that was discussed, what do you believe the ABC should be?

No sign of me disagreeing... I said the ideas are making the forum solution complex. The idea of a forum was something fairly simple and not a full blown forum build.

I personally don’t see private messaging systems, polls etc as the basics... I would say that was added extras as it’s something that going to extend the dev side quite a bit.

The basics in my eyes is being able to create and edit your own posts, create new threads. Admins can edit and delete posts, lock a thread, create forum rooms. I’m not jumping on anyone’s ideas, I would love all the added extras but as I said, if it’s over complex it might end up putting those off who are willing to help for free or think it’s too costly in time.

We all want a forum and to keep time and costs down... that’s all I meant by ABC.