New forum style coming

[Sami]

You probably notice that the forums look different (you may need to force refresh). It's a result of just a few changes I asked rainwater to do as a test. It's not a complete style by any means, so please ignore the fact that many parts are still default.

The next vBulletin release will be out hopefully by the end of next week. It has a style generator, which will be used to create a full style some time after that. After testing the style generator we will know if we need to find a commercial skin or not. Therefore I thought it would be a good idea to ask for opinions and suggestions regarding the style. They will be certainly appreciated.

When you post your ideas, please keep in mind that the new style is likely to resemble the old one. So no pink elephants. Thanks. :)

[ANR Daemon]

If you want one selfish and biased opinion... apart from forums being least effective collaboration engine, the current layout contains too much free space.
I like default phpBB3 skin more in that regard. With avatars and signatures disabled, you practically only see the ongoing conversation.

[Federalist]

Can we remove the Facebook Connect button?

[Sami]

If you want one selfish and biased opinion... apart from forums being least effective collaboration engine, the current layout contains too much free space.
I like default phpBB3 skin more in that regard. With avatars and signatures disabled, you practically only see the ongoing conversation.

Avatars caused problems on the previous server, if I remember correctly, and spam bots love signatures. To be hones I'm not sure what you mean. Those things can be enabled or disabled regardless of the style.

Can we remove the Facebook Connect button?

That would probably require disabling Facebook connect. I use NoScript in Firefox and I don't see the button unless I allow Facebook.

[Angeli-Ka]

Please, get rid of wide gray margins on left and right.

[rainwater]

Can we remove the Facebook Connect button?

I do not want to remove it since it would break Facebook support. However, it can probably be moved to a better location so it isn't in the navbar.

[ANR Daemon]

Avatars caused problems on the previous server, if I remember correctly, and spam bots love signatures. To be hones I'm not sure what you mean. Those things can be enabled or disabled regardless of the style.

I mean that there's too much free space after I have disabled avatars (I always disable them if forum allowing) and signatures (on certain forums, it seems like people coming to show off their signatures rather than talk with people...)

That would probably require disabling Facebook connect. I use NoScript in Firefox and I don't see the button unless I allow Facebook.

For Opera - put

http://*.connect.facebook.com/*

and

http://www.facebook.com/extern/*

into blocked content.

Please, get rid of wide gray margins on left and right.

I'd like to see liquid variant of style too.

[rainwater]

I'd like to see liquid variant of style too.

Yes, we need to update the entire site (www, addons, forums) to use a liquid layout. I don't want to only change the forums though until we change all of them (otherwise, the layouts will not match when going from domain to domain). It is certainly on the todo list.

[Sami]

Before I for get... Apparently he style generator wasn't very useful. In my opinion we can do enough on our own nonetheless.

[MxxCon]

i hope it's not too late to chime in, but like it's been mentioned before, i too would like to see a wider forum layout.
instead of scrolling for a mile down, content could fit into onto a single (wide) page.
also with such layout also to move user's "header?" (name, group, date, location, posts) into a more tradition place to the left of their post rather than above like now.