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Social => Website Showcase => Topic started by: Chas on November 12, 2009, 07:05:25 AM

Title: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Chas on November 12, 2009, 07:05:25 AM
Fifty Plus Forum is a UK based private forum for people over Fifty years of age. Serious and fun discussions, chat, debate and sharing of health problems ;) amongst other things. We have 200+ members.

I've recently updated the forum to use Simple Portal and have it running in Stand Alone mode. We have blocks that only show to guests on the HOME page and I have extensively used the Custom HTML block to provide various additional features, particularly an e-mail response block.

If you're of our age group and want to chat to a bunch of old codgers, feel free to knock (LOUDLY) on our door. :)

www.fiftyplusforum.co.uk
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: cme1st2302 on November 12, 2009, 08:51:09 PM
Very nice looking site!!!  Great job!!
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Chas on November 13, 2009, 03:46:04 AM
Very nice looking site!!!  Great job!!
Thanks. I've been setting up a test forum with SMF 2 and SP and it looks even better. Can't wait till SMF 2 becomes full release.
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: MultiformeIngegno on November 13, 2009, 08:11:46 AM
Thanks. I've been setting up a test forum with SMF 2 and SP and it looks even better. Can't wait till SMF 2 becomes full release.
Anyway it's already really stable! You can - IMHO - use it without any risk!! ;)
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Runic on November 13, 2009, 08:20:09 AM
personally I dont like it, your blocking off alot of the forum, this will encourage members to join to see but you will see many registering just to see what its like and not returning, there isnt any incentive for users to stay atm, also I hate the 1.1.x default theme I think you could use a dif theme, to makey our site more unique,

DS Natural could work well for the site:
http://smf.smfthemes.org/index.php?theme=475
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Chas on November 13, 2009, 02:18:55 PM
personally I dont like it, your blocking off alot of the forum, this will encourage members to join to see but you will see many registering just to see what its like and not returning, there isnt any incentive for users to stay atm, also I hate the 1.1.x default theme I think you could use a dif theme, to makey our site more unique,

DS Natural could work well for the site:
http://smf.smfthemes.org/index.php?theme=475
Thanks for that feedback. We've only just started using a portal page and yes, I agree, the default theme is tired looking. Before SP we had a website and a link to the forum, that gave us a bit more flexibility which I hope to reintroduce with articles and pages via SP. We don't get a lot of members joining just to have a look and those that do join stay and contribute so small quality numbers is important. We have over 200 join since January.
Privacy is a our main aim so we'll never open posts to non-members but I am encouraging members to contribute articles.
When we change to SMF 2, I think the portal will look a lot better with the Curve theme, it does on my test forum, so we just have to agree when to install it.
I quite like DS natural but I'd need to expand the width more. A lot of our members have sight issues so making the forum take up more horizontal space is important.
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Runic on November 13, 2009, 03:18:04 PM
if you need any help just ask :)
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: MultiformeIngegno on November 13, 2009, 04:21:00 PM
Anyway DS-Natural hasn't been updated yet to work with RC2... :(
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Runic on November 13, 2009, 05:13:46 PM
should work ok with RC1 ... not tested but RC2 comes with compat.css ... to make themes work better
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Old Fossil on March 20, 2010, 11:56:56 PM
Just had a look at the forum.

There are many better themes than the one you are using.

I use curvemavi on one of my forums.

I would open the rules to guests too.

Have you thought of a chatroom and gallery for the forum?
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: Chas on August 05, 2010, 04:45:09 AM
Just had a look at the forum.

There are many better themes than the one you are using.

I use curvemavi on one of my forums.

I would open the rules to guests too.

Have you thought of a chatroom and gallery for the forum?
Sorry it's been a while getting back to you on this Brack,
I've looked at Curve Mavi and it seems too squared to replace the default curve theme.

The rules are there for when members join, they can get what they need from the signup agreement, the rules just expand on that.

We have a Gallery but not a chat room, the members don't want it.

Thanks for the feedback.
We're now on 2.0 RC3 and the latest SP which I have learned to fine tune within the site so it's really being used. The best add-on to SMF I believe.

Cheers
Hal
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: deansmar on August 05, 2010, 05:17:56 AM
i would also say you have a long way to go to make the site perfect..!!

standard theme = you could change it to something appropriate

pagelinks = not highlighting the correct tab

links at the bottom of main page = don't show anywere else

a log-In block on the left = you have have also a log-In in the navbar

and as a couple of others have mentioned, the site is not open for guests, so your not really looking for new members??
your site is running SMF 2 so there is the option to open it for guests and the guests could post after approval.
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: dianadadly11 on August 15, 2010, 01:17:05 PM
very nice, good
Title: Re: Fifty Plus Forum
Post by: ♦ Ninja ZX-10RR ♦ on August 05, 2015, 06:45:58 PM
I had already seen this one. Ex smf team, deserves a bump for being beautiful and extremely active.
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