vBulletin 4.0 Is Here!

[Darren]

Hey gang,

Right around the turn of the year vBulletin released version 4.0 of our forum software, and we're just about ready to roll out the upgrade for you to see! You'll notice the change immediately when you visit in the next day-ish.

In terms of functionality, I don't think there is a lot that is new in 4.0. You'll still have the same discussion folders, profile pages, social groups, etc. The biggest impact is the new design. So GateWorld Forum is undergoing a significant face-lift. We're taking the opportunity to make such changes as:

• A wider layout. In anticipation of the next iteration of the main GateWorld site (now in the very earliest stages of development), the forum will move to a 1024 pixel width. (Those of you with wider displays -- no need to complain. This is to accommodate the most members, and to keep a single line of text readable -- i.e. not too long, horizontally.)
  
• Post headers become post sidebars. The wider layout accommodates a change in the way posts in a thread are displayed. Instead of a horizontal header, your username, avatar, title, location, reputation blocks, etc. will appear in a vertical column to the left of each post.
  
• Bigger avatars. The vertical post "headers" give us lots of space to allow for larger avatars. The new max size will go from 80x80 to 120x120. Those of you with custom avatar privileges will get to take advantage of this immediately, by uploading a new avatar. For everyone else, we'll work on getting some 120x120 Stargate avatars created and uploaded in the near future.
  
• Bigger profile pics. Your profile page will have a fresh, new look, including more space for your primary profile pic. The new max size goes from 150x150 to 210x210, which everyone will be able to take advantage of immediately.
  
• Forum home page sidebar. You'll see some new goodies on the forum home page, including newest threads, active threads for some key folders, and a forum tag cloud.

After the rollout I'll be happy to spend some time entertaining suggestions and any design-related "fix" requests you might come across. Just post them right here. (While your opinion is always welcome, comments about the above items -- why the forum should be 1920 wide or variable width, or how much better it was to have post headers at the top -- won't result in changes at this stage.)

Thanks!

[DigiFluid]

Fantastic!! I still think 1024 is small, but it's a step in the right direction for sure. Everything else sound great too, much like how things are on other vB boards I post at

Looking forward to the rollout!

[jelgate]

I don't suppose 4.0 will fix that IE glitch? A person can hope.

[aretood2]

I only hope that Google Chrome can handle it
But other than that...I can't wait!!

[Kidwizz]

Oooh nice. Cant wait! I'll be happy to find something that needs fixing.

[Pharaoh Atem]

Hey gang,

Right around the turn of the year vBulletin released version 4.0 of our forum software, and we're just about ready to roll out the upgrade for you to see! You'll notice the change immediately when you visit in the next day-ish.

In terms of functionality, I don't think there is a lot that is new in 4.0.

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...lopment-Update

The vBulletin 4 project is progressing quickly and we are in a position to share some further information about what to expect in our next new major version release.

In August, we announced a major overhaul of the code base. Rather than targeting all of these changes in a single, long-term release, we intend to accomplish all the planned improvements over a number of versions. In order to achieve this goal, the largest vBulletin development team ever assembled is now working within an Agile development process, allowing us to deliver new features into your hands faster.

Each incremental release in the vBulletin 4 series will include improvements in features, usability and architecture. Development efforts are prioritized towards those areas that can provide real, tangible benefits to our customers, at all times with an eye toward maintaining and enhancing the performance and reliability expected of a vBulletin product.

The goal of the vBulletin 4 series is to develop a modern, scalable application platform that will allow your communities to thrive.

so it's all fresh and new

[Kidwizz]

With this new update, are there any plans on updating the theme as well? Something more... shiny and web2.0?

[Pharaoh Atem]

With this new update, are there any plans on updating the theme as well? Something more... shiny and web2.0?

darren said the layout is getting updated

[Gregorius]

So basically GW's moving to the layout nearly every other forum has been using for years?

I've got a few questions:
- Will the image tag in quotes finally be automatically be replaced by a link (I know I've submitted a patch to do this in the current forum aeons ago).

- Will there be a mobile version of GW?

- Why a fixed width for the forum and not a percentile width? (I know this question is pointless but with a fixed 1024 it's going to be a pest to load GW on a mobile phone)

- A lite version of the forum where all the web 2.0 AJAX crap is disabled?

- Will there be a public beta where users who know what they're talking about can test and bughunt the new layout/forum since the last time a major change happened a lot of bugs and template mistakes slipped through the cracks (I'd be willing to do such a thing).

[SaberBlade]

Whoohoo for 120x120 avatars. I can't wait for that.

I can't say I am excited about the change in layout. I use 1366x768 and love the look of everything at this resolution, I think it's perfect so going to post sidebars and not the header is a bit of a disappointment. That said, I am sure it will work out well in the end.

[Regularamanda]

I've got a question...which is probably a stupid one.

If you use an avatar that's 100X100 now and it's scaled down and put into the 80X80, if we have an avatar now that's 100X100 and upload it when the avatars are 120X120, will the avatar get stretched out or will we just lose the resolution a little bit?

[SaberBlade]

Your avatar should stay 80x80 as it's what the current settings are at. You'd need to reupload it once the increase is done.

[jelgate]

I've got a question...which is probably a stupid one.

If you use an avatar that's 100X100 now and it's scaled down and put into the 80X80, if we have an avatar now that's 100X100 and upload it when the avatars are 120X120, will the avatar get stretched out or will we just lose the resolution a little bit?

The avatar will stay a 100x 100. The 120 x 120 will be the new max.

[Darren]

Gregorius, many of these issues are for taking up with the developers of vBulletin. We can do tweaks and plug-ins and the occasional hack when we think it's worth it, but most of the items you ask about (mobile, image tags, AJAX-free) are software components (or lack thereof) over which we, as users of the software, simply have no control.

No beta is necessary, since we aren't developing software and can't fix any true bugs you might find. All we're doing is tweaking the new default vB template, and this to a lesser degree than when this current design launched in 2004. So while there may be some tweakage required, nothing should be "broken" (unless it's broken on the software level, which is, again, out of our control).

EDIT: I dislike variable width for a text-heavy site like this because our members have such a wide range of display sizes -- 800 wide to 1900+, excluding mobile devices. So a 100% setting for the benefit of smaller resolutions leaves lines of text ridiculously long and difficult to read on a larger display; while something reigned-in like 80% ends up compressing the forum elements and wasting precious screen space for those at 800x600 and 1024x768.

Studies show that the human brain tracks better when reading lines with fewer words (thus the skinny columns in newspapers), and that there is a word count threshold after which you just can't track a line of text -- especially when it's in the middle of a paragraph. For text-heavy Web sites (particularly with one- and two-column layouts), variable width layouts invite this chaos.

The new dimensions I gave for avatars and profile pics are the new maximums. What you have now won't be upscaled; you'll simply have the option of choosing something larger, if you want it.

[Gregorius]

Gregorius, many of these issues are for taking up with the developers of vBulletin. We can do tweaks and plug-ins and the occasional hack when we think it's worth it, but most of the items you ask about (mobile, image tags, AJAX-free) are software components (or lack thereof) over which we, as users of the software, simply have no control.

I send you a hack for the image tags some time ago. It's about a single line addition to the bb parser of VB.

As for the mobile, it's pretty easy: Create a template without all the images and with variable width. That's all you need to do. In fact remove all the images from the current template, make it variable width and you have a template for usage on mobile phones.

I dislike variable width for a text-heavy site like this because our members have such a wide range of display sizes -- 800 wide to 1900+, excluding mobile devices. So a 100% setting for the benefit of smaller resolutions leaves lines of text ridiculously long and difficult to read on a larger display; while something reigned-in like 80% ends up compressing the forum elements and wasting precious screen space for those at 800x600 and 1024x768.

Isn't it possible to add a variation of the new template that is the current width for the poor small screen users, and a variable width one for the people who have large screens?

Studies show that the human brain tracks better when reading lines with fewer words (thus the skinny columns in newspapers), and that there is a word count threshold after which you just can't track a line of text -- especially when it's in the middle of a paragraph. For text-heavy Web sites (particularly with one- and two-column layouts), variable width layouts invite this chaos.

Link to the research? I'm quite interested.