Ask me anything - within reason

[CarpCharacin]

I edited my post, I accidentally put I wasn't asking about XF2, when I meant to put 2.1 LOL.

 

[Neutral Singh]

Do you think media galleries are still relevant in 2018?

 

[The Sandman]

Anything new and exciting you can tell us about XF 2.1? Is the featureset finalized?

 

[Chris D]

Only that we will be talking about it very soon and, yes, the feature set is finalised.

 

[The Sandman]

Only that we will be talking about it very soon and, yes, the feature set is finalised.

Well, there you go!

 

[bernard]

This thread started two months ago and I haven't read all 6 pages, so apologies if the AMA part is over, but if not, I want to ask about something slightly technical.

First i should explain that I manage a forum that caters to an audience with a greater than normal distribution of people that have photosensitivity issues. Images - both static (when scrolling a page) and animated (while viewing a page) - can cause issues for them. Many of them disable images in their browser for viewing the web at large. However, this isn't always possible/practical - especially when they are using a computer that is also used by others. So there is a real need for accessibility in allowing members of my site to disable all image settings at the account level.

Most forum software include account level options for disabling images in posts (embedded media / or "img tags") and avatars. None offer an account level option for disabling emoticons / smilies. I was wondering if there is a technical reason for that? Does the post caching mechanisms employed by forum systems necessarily treat emoticons/smilies differently from embedded media/"img tags"?

If XF gave end users full control over image management (including emoticons/smilies), I'd have upgraded from vB 3.8 yesterday.

 

[Chris D]

Honestly, it's just never been something that has been on our radar. I'm not actually sure it is correct that "most" forum software include account level options for disabling images, and if they do then it was most likely added not for accessibility, but more likely a legacy approach to reducing page load times and more recently mobile data usage, etc..

I wouldn't say there's anything technical from stopping us, as such. I don't recall if it has even been suggested before, but that's the best way to ensure it comes onto our radar in the first instance.

Aside from that, it might be possible to achieve with custom user fields and CSS. There are some examples on XF.com about how to do things like that.

What it would consist of is a custom user field that a user would have to toggle, and then modifying a relevant template (probably PAGE_CONTAINER) to inject some CSS for users who have that toggled off/on.

The following is just an example, and by no means a working solution, but I mean something like this:

<xf:if is="$xf.visitor.Profile.custom_fields.disable_message_imagery">
<xf:css>.message-inner img
{
    display: none;
}
</xf:css>

That might get you started at least. For a more detailed implementation, you could look at employing the services of a third party.

 

[The Sandman]

This thread started two months ago and I haven't read all 6 pages, so apologies if the AMA part is over, but if not, I want to ask about something slightly technical.

As an aside, thread starters in this forum can open and close their own threads as they see fit.So if a thread in here is open, assume that it's okay to ask more questions.

 

[Alpha1]

Only that we will be talking about it very soon and, yes, the feature set is finalised.

Now 11 months after XF2 was released around 80% of XF users is still using XF1. Quite a few people are awaiting if XF2.1 will sink or swim.
Does that put pressure on you? How do you feel about the XF2.1 release?

 

[southernlady]

Now 11 months after XF2 was released around 80% of XF users is still using XF1.

And a large number are waiting for add ons to catch up.

 

[bernard]

Honestly, it's just never been something that has been on our radar. ... I wouldn't say there's anything technical from stopping us, as such. I don't recall if it has even been suggested before, but that's the best way to ensure it comes onto our radar in the first instance.

I asked about it a few times in the xenforo forums spanning several years now:

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/questions-questions-questions.90660/post-880388

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/per-user-option-to-disable-graphical-smilies.77110/

https://xenforo.com/community/threads/member-option-to-disable-smilies-all-images.90663/

Aside from that, it might be possible to achieve with custom user fields and CSS. There are some examples on XF.com about how to do things like that. ...

That would be excellent. That is how I'm currently handling it with vB 3.8. My vB3.8 solution only works with CSS3, but it's better than nothing.

 

[salem]

So much for some deriding open source forums
UCP/ preferences

 

[bernard]

salem - which forum system is that?

 

[salem]

It's phpBB I can't remember if it was possible in 3.0 but both 3.1 & 3.2 have the options available for members

 

[The Sandman]

Only that we will be talking about it very soon and, yes, the feature set is finalised.

I guess you weren’t kidding!

 

[The Sandman]

So what are your thoughts on XF 2.1 and how has the reception been so far from your point of view?

 

[Andro]

Its been almost a year since last post made on this thread, time to revive.

When will we get our first "Have you seen?" thread for the year 2019?

Is the feature set for XF 2.2 is finalised yet?

Do you expect XF 2.2 to be a bigger upgrade than XF 2.1 feature wise?

Last year you have mentioned about main XenForo site codebase upgradation to XF 2.1. Is it almost ready by now?

 

[cornnfedd]

up or down?

 

[Alpha1]

Do you have time for vacation this year?

 

[Chris D]

Not as much as we wanted. But rather than having one big holiday, we're having several smaller holidays/weekends away locally.

Oh, hey, I guess people don't know this yet. My wife is pregnant with our second child so that's the primary reason we're not wanting to go too far away from home for too long. At the same time she's also been somewhat unwell - nothing serious but it's something that can't really be treated properly until after she's had the baby (it requires surgery).

But apart from that, all is going well and our new daughter (yes, another daughter!) will be with us towards the end of October / early November