Do you have a software bias?

[Huskerdust 625]

I think some of the others were saying that Jcink isn't the only thing out there that doesn't require skills, time, and money. For example, SMF and MyBB are free. And you can be hosted here on the initiative for free, so... being self hosted doesn't necessarily mean you need all that stuff. 

 

Nobody here was attacking or trash talking Jcink. We're just saying there ARE competent alternatives. 

[c.widow 123]

This is a very open but closed topic for me if that makes sense. My go to, all time favorite software is MyBB buuuuuuut let me explain some of my simple reasons why (there is more but I'll be short).

• It is a free and open source software! I can modify and build upon it to my hearts desire where I am able to dig deep into my joy of software development and learn some new cool things about PHP on the daily.
• Once again it is free and I can run it on endless areas of my reseller space. I just like free things. And even if I didn't have my own web space I could also run it for free via other ways (like the Initiative).
• Customization is absolutely endless if you dig deep enough into the web and either learn some tricks or hire someone to do them for you. Here is a few examples but not limited to:
  • Custom Plugins OR Pre-Built Plugins
  • Custom Themes (that literally can be customized from TOP to bottom in EVERY sense)
  • You can actually build a website around the forum software itself, as many pages as you want with the ability to interact with the other parts of the forum which means I can I have a personal website with also a forum to go along with it.
  • I am able to create custom looks for OOC accounts versus Character accounts so profiles and mini profiles all look different and can be easily identified as one or the other.
• When something goes wrong I will at least 99% of the time get support from the MyBB community forums. If I do not find support there I can find support from outside resources (like the Initiative here or other forums like Stack Overflow). The other 1% of the time that I do not get support is if its not an emergency and just something I want to do so yet again its learning for me.

Even with it being my go to/bias loved software there are softwares that I do like to look at and imagine using someday when I feel ready to step out of my comfort zone (and others whenever I have the spare cash lol).

 

I have software bias with the two well known free (with premium options) softwares & hosting:

• Proboards
  • Everything about any and all proboards sites loads SLOW as all get out. It takes longer for my laptop to open a proboards site than it does to open Photoshop, and trust me its a long time because photoshop takes longer than it should to boot up.
• Jcink

  • On 1/15/2019 at 9:51 AM, Kazetatsu said:

    I personally can't stand jcink, something about how most jcink sites look make me feel as if I got hot sauce in my eyes.

    Um yeah this is one of my bigger reasons.
  • Other than that it just looks and feels sooooo out dated and I'm attached to modernization.

With that being said, I won't join Proboards sites for the loading issue but I still look at Jcink sites (and will likely be participating in one soon) but Jcink just would not be my personal choice.

______________

All in all I thoroughly enjoy this topic and being able to see all the beautiful opinions everyone has here. I also enjoy those that dove in deep enough to explain why because it helps me expand my outlook. So thank you to everyone here that have participated with your own outlooks, opinions and experience with softwares that have been discussed so far (also to everyone that will give opinions after me). The beauty of life is that we can all see things differently and I feel like topics like this help expand knowledge to those deciding to use x software(s) in the future.

[Morrigan 1,826]

We offer it for free here on the Initiative because we don't put ads on your site. @SithLordOfSnark we encourage you to support us in other ways like patronage or purchasing advertisements for your site here on the Initiative.

[Gothic 307]

On 1/15/2019 at 11:26 PM, Kit the Human said:

 

 

I hang onto proboards prejudice because I remember a lot of drama over proboards deleting forums for mature or allegedly mature content? I'm not sure if that's still true. I wouldn't mind hearing what current proboard admins have to say about that.

 

 

It happened to me. Super old AeRo got deleted back in the way by proboards. 

 

I prefer IPS the most. (I have been converted.)

 

As a member? I will join anything really. 

[Archivist 26]

I think that we can all agree, or most agree on the statement that 'Free is a big motivator in the choice we make."

[Morrigan 1,826]

15 minutes ago, Archivist said:

I think that we can all agree, or most agree on the statement that 'Free is a big motivator in the choice we make."

 

I actually don't think most of us agree to that. Most of the people that have Jcink, pay for premium, and have stated so. The people that have IPS either have CIC or have purchased a license (or like me have over 7 licenses), and XF is a license as well. Those that use SMF have to have hosting of some sort (albeit, it can be free), same for MyBB, phpBB and Nova even though they are free source code.

 

I think the majority consensus is "the cheaper the better" rather than "free". Also, that it has to have the features that a user wants. Though this is the administrative look at it and this thread was intended for users joining a site.

[Deep Sea 326]

Somehow forum software doesn't strike me as an issue that most roleplayers would care about, aren't we sort of the tail end of the bell curve when it comes to how seriously we take this hobby?

 

Most roleplayers I know use Discord, which isn't a forum at all. Same with Tumblr, email, DeviantART, Reddit, Roll20, and Twitter.

 

Maybe from an administrative viewpoint we should be asking why we use forums still.

[Kit the Human 759]

1 hour ago, Deep Sea said:

Somehow forum software doesn't strike me as an issue that most roleplayers would care about

It might be a case of a very vocal minority, but a lot of looking for threads will specify that they will only write on one type of forum software. It's kind of sad that members (not admins that's another kettle of fish, is entirely subjective, and not what I'm talking about) are that well, snobbish.

 

I understand that the other platforms you mention have their own norms. As a member I think it's understandable to be hesitant of exploring those venues, particularly if it's difficult to work out what's expected of you and how it works. Which was my problem when I was trying to explore tumblr as an rp venue. As a member.

[Deep Sea 326]

40 minutes ago, Kit the Human said:

a lot of looking for threads will specify that they will only write on one type of forum software.

I don't believe you! Not in a "plz provide evidence" way but in a "are you fucking shitting me what the fuck" kind of way!

[Rune 1,099]

21 minutes ago, Deep Sea said:

I don't believe you! Not in a "plz provide evidence" way but in a "are you fucking shitting me what the fuck" kind of way!

Go check out resource boards with a looking for a site section. 

 

Personally, I won't join proboards but that's because it's slow and clunky and I have to live in fear of having a different definition of mature. 

[Kazetatsu 263]

I think its more likely to find someone who has one or two types of software that they won't use due to personal opinion on the software, than ones who stick strictly to brand loyalty and say they'll only play on one platform, but I've seen both sorts.

[StormWolfe 557]

Updated to get on topic!

 

First - as an Admin, I am living for the Nova 3 release. I currently use IPS and SMF.

 

As a Player - I do not have a bias against a specific app or software. I do have some requirements in order to join a site though. These include, but are not limited to: easy account switching or multiple character profiles, easy to read (nice, large fonts), well-organized with a clean / simple layout, fairly user intuitive (if I have to spend forever figuring out how to use it, I'm gone).

Edited January 18, 2019 by StormWolfe
Edited content to suit topic.

[Stat 60]

 

3 hours ago, Deep Sea said:

I don't believe you! Not in a "plz provide evidence" way but in a "are you fucking shitting me what the fuck" kind of way!

 

Only joining jcink sites is so much a thing that if you go on tumblr you'll see most advertising blogs only allow for Jcink ads, and I just don't get it. I think this thread is really interesting because I'd love someone to explain the reasoning behind only joining roleplays using certain software! I get disliking one for one reason or another, like how many of you said yo feel towards Proboards, but that's it. 

 

I mean, it's all forum software, and it all does the same thing, give or take a few features. Like Kit said, Jcink sites don't have a much different culture or very different expectations from Proboards sites or IPS sites. At most, the tools you're used to are going to be in different places, or a feature you like is not going to exist. So yeah, there are a lot of people only joining sites using specific software, and it absolutely baffles me!

[King Huey 11]

Personally I find it easy to use and cheap as an admin. As a member, it's familiar. I know it's a garbage reason but the user interface is something I don't even have to think about. I know it seems like a shallow reason but it's significant enough for me since I have enough going on in my life that I don't want to complicate things too much.

[Kit the Human 759]

2 hours ago, Stat said:

'd love someone to explain the reasoning behind only joining roleplays using certain software!

 

That was the point of this thread! It wasn't supposed to be a "defend why you use X software as an admin" because that's personal, you should be comfortable with the forum software and how it works, back end wise. It should offer all the tools you want or need. And what you want or need varies from admin to admin.

 

But why, as a member, do you have a bias against particular software? I'm biased against proboards because I feel like it's in danger of being yanked even if it's thriving. All others are fair game, usability of the custom theme willing.

 

15 hours ago, Morrigan said:

Though this is the administrative look at it and this thread was intended for users joining a site.

 

Edited January 17, 2019 by Kit the Human