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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 4:11:40 GMT -8
OK I'm reviving a dead topic here but it honestly confuses the shit out of me when people say they find other hosts difficult as a member. Like I've been on so many different forum types and you know what, they all have a sign up and avatars and a post button and when you click that button you get a bit where you type and then BAM you've got a post. There is nothing about host that will stop me joining a site, but rather what it looks like as a whole. Make a nice Zetaboards skin for a site with an interesting premise, I'll join, I don't give a shit. If the default look was nicer I'd probably still join - I've done so for worse. It's got words and I can read them and it's not too hard to work out where the post button is.
As an admin I prefer Jcink for all the reasons Novas said.
But again I don't really get the whole "I'm a proboards person" vs. "I'm a IPB person" vs. "I'm a whatever" from a member perspective because it just all seems full of really petty and silly reasons to me. The only thing I can really understand is "I'm a free host person" vs. "I'm a self-host person" because of things like mature content or whatevs. Stuff that actually affects the writing and not inconsequential nonsense.
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Post by ELIZA ♠ on Jun 24, 2013 4:27:11 GMT -8
Yeah, I don't get it either, but it's there. About eight months ago, a bunch of my members up and quit (after being on my site for years) because they declared that I had to move the site to Jcink and wouldn't take no for an answer, I guess =/ (Even though my 'no' was just, not for now and we'll bring it back up later). But yeah, they all of a sudden came out with their previously hidden feelings of all Proboards sites being only for beginners and stuff. =s =s It was so strange hearing people actually say that and strongly believe that. =s So stupid.
In terms of resource sites, there are a lot of them on IF/Jcink, so if we're talking about Gangnam Style specifically, I'm sure people would join for the resources and community. Even people who prefer Proboards join IF/Jcink resource sites, I find. Although, it would be strange to have mostly Proboards resources on a Jcink site, so I guess you need to think about whether the majority of the members here who submit coding resources are more versed in Proboards or IF/Jcink coding.
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the greatest general under the heavens
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Post by Egao, Egao Everywhere on Jun 24, 2013 5:52:48 GMT -8
OK I'm reviving a dead topic here but it honestly confuses the shit out of me when people say they find other hosts difficult as a member. People will give you different explanations on why they would stand as a [forum host] kind of person but it is overall because of culture. I'm not going to claim myself to be an expert on the field but the evolution of online culture follows the same pattern in real life. Culture is reflective of one's physical environment. You could say it is even a construct of lifestyle. So when you don't like the culture, you would naturally also prefer a certain environment. Applying that in the subject of our discussion, here's an example: registration. PB allows you to use a display name different from the name you registered in, which doesn't allow you spaces, while Jcink does. You can't change the account you've registered in in PB while you can change yours in Jcink whenever you want, though not as quick as you would be able to modify a display name from PB. There really isn't that much difference but the important thing is that both gives people choices to make. In PB, I can choose to register simply with my character's name, with my username, or something completely random. Maybe I have a certain theme, maybe I'm trying to be funny, maybe I just want people to go wtf. Or I don't really care. The thing is though when I change my display name to my character's name, the decision I made back then is permanent. When my character's account gets deleted, it would assume that name. In Jcink, it would stay the same. And here, applying it closer to us, is GS. People love changing display names all the time, some for the laughs, some for legit reason of wanting to use a different Internet alias. Yeah, you can change names in Jcink too but it might not be as funny. First, people may not really know who you are. Second, you have to go to your inbox to validate your new display name and as easy as it is to click, convenience is a huge factor people consider in their small or big decisions. The ability to freely change your display name without technical or social setbacks can create humor, as what I do with my display name, and that humor adds to the community's culture. This is just an example of what I'm trying to say. Not saying here that rpers are so shallow to give a damn about names. But the choice options give often leads to trend and eventually culture. They're small things that add to the big picture. You do have a point but that's taking into consideration what people value. If people could only value accessibility and quality without any other biases, then there really is no reason for people to care about forum hosts.
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 5:54:07 GMT -8
The ability to freely change your display name is available on a majority of hosts and I've always thought it the stupidest reason to avoid IPB. Not knowing who someone is because they don't have a root username? Look at past posts, graphics, they all stay there just like they do on pretty much all hosts. You do NOT have to go to your inbox to confirm an IPB username switch.
There is 'culture' everywhere, yes, but I've never seen it as being host divisive but rather membership divisive. There are enough sites out there on ANY host for me to feel comfortable on one of them so I think that's a pretty stupid reason too.
What *I* am saying is that it seems weird that people will lump host in to board culture. Because honestly? Who gives a shit. There are plenty of board cultures on PB sites that I avoid, and plenty on Jcink and IF and Zeta and IcyBoards and every other host. There are also plenty that I would like to be a part of. Dividing by host almost kind of feels like dividing by country, because by that same argument I don't have the same culture as pretty much anyone but I still find people I get on with. They all have people and places but things are set up differently. There are different social norms and use of language. But I never let the fact that in Japan lots of people think crocs are socially acceptable stop me from finding my friends who agree that they're a fashion crime.
And I legit do not understand how changing your name in any other host is not as 'funny' as on PB. The entire staff team on RPGD changed their usernames to a theme one day and it was the exact amount of hilarious it would have been on literally any other host. Don't confuse host mechanics for member culture.
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the greatest general under the heavens
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Post by Egao, Egao Everywhere on Jun 24, 2013 6:39:25 GMT -8
I had longer post about this but just going to address this:
It's most probably both. Host culture is the bigger circle and member culture is the smaller circle. It's like a Venn diagram. I had a longer explanation regarding host culture but we're deviating from the original topic.
Konya, you certainly are seeing it in your perspective based from your experience and values and I never meant to contradict that. I merely mentioned what my opinion was regarding people's idea of host preference because you said that you never get why people are like that, so I shared my idea. The name thing? That was just an example to illustrate what I meant by culture being reflective of one's physical environment. Neither of us can really further argue about that because both of us are citing anecdotes. Mine wasn't really a personal one. It's a general observation that I've always made. If and how host mechanics can really affect member culture is a topic of debate and research. My opinion was it does because of the pattern of culture IRL. I did say I'm not an expert on the topic lol so you really need not swallow everything I said. You're fine to disagree with them but I felt you attacked me as a person for having an opinion on it. So I've opted out of discussing further some of the points you've mentioned. I feel we're not in the same wavelength.
Sorry about riling you up ^^; really, didn't mean to.
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Post by GARDEN on Jun 24, 2013 6:39:57 GMT -8
i like everything i guess but i personally find proboards to be the most user friendly when it comes to members. i find jcink to be harder to find what i'm looking for and i can spend literally minutes on end trying to figure out where the reply button is. setting up your profile is significantly easier on proboards than it is on jcink, where you have to go to different areas to change your main profile, your avatar, your signature. on proboards, your member information is on one area.
plus, proboards lets me view member posts a lot more easily than jcink or if does.
changing your username is easier on PB and i like the display name a lot more. it's a hassle to remember my character's full name sometimes and constantly have to type it in to login. i like having a simple first name as my account name.
jcink allows more customization, sure, but from a member's point of view, i can see where it is much more complicated.
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 6:47:40 GMT -8
Sorry about riling you up ^^; really, didn't mean to. I'm not riled up, I just think it's bullshit. Just like I think it's bullshit that people let themselves feel contained and judge based on little tiny differences. They can do it, but I won't understand it. They're missing out and it's their loss not mine.
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Post by MASTERMIND NAEGI on Jun 24, 2013 6:56:04 GMT -8
I think what Paddy is saying is that not joining an RP just because of the small details you don't like in a hosting is stupid (and I agree). It's probably something to decide on if you're choosing which host to use, but not deciding to join an RP just because it's slightly harder to change profiles is weird. You're not basing it on the plot or on the admin's skill, but just on the hosting and that's sad. IPB or Zetaboards or Icyboards is usable, you don't need to learn fancy html or ubbc to RP if you like to write on it.
Imagine, if we were on the earlier times and there's no internet (so we all kinda know each other in person) so we just RP via pen and paper. Are you going to refuse to join in because the guys are using stationary instead of yellow pad paper?
I think most people here just prefer PB because we started with PB, it's what we're more used to.
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 6:57:28 GMT -8
Once again Novas excels at being better than me at things, bravo!
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Post by MASTERMIND NAEGI on Jun 24, 2013 7:00:48 GMT -8
Stop lying Paddy you're a lot better than me at things
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 7:01:59 GMT -8
Sush you know I just go around spewing vitriol and being lazy with my designs you are my opposite.
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Post by MASTERMIND NAEGI on Jun 24, 2013 7:03:54 GMT -8
Yeah you are my opposite because you're the one with the not lazy designs and gorgeous banners
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 7:06:30 GMT -8
how are my designs not lazy I can't even remember the last time I didn't just copy/paste and colour change on the other hand HAVE YOU SEEN WHAT YOU'VE BEEN DESIGNING LAZY OR ARE YOU BLIND.
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Post by MASTERMIND NAEGI on Jun 24, 2013 7:08:39 GMT -8
my designs are basically monochrome + color accent rehash number 293801938912 HOW IS MINE NOT LAZY you are still the best color schemer i've ever known and that takes a lot of talent don't you even deny that
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Post by konya on Jun 24, 2013 7:10:28 GMT -8
but you know what takes even more talent
it's not knowing how to use the eyedropper tool
it's actually bothering to learn more about coding
don't think you can win this novas i've already won.
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