I disagree, I like this forum because of its simple design, not to fancy, easy to read. Though there are some missing essential features, like an "edit" button, maybe an "watch thread" with auto mail as soon as this thread gets a new post.

Sounds like you are describing the standard forum to me! :)

i like this format

i like this format too...

Me too...

Simple and easy , I like this format too !

Oooops, sorry for double post

moved to general... And for my 2c I far prefer this to phpbb...

This kicks ass over the phpBB. This forum is easy to read and follow. No pov avatars!

except for moderators :) oops

Just so you know I don't mind this format, I just think we would all benefit from the phpbb format. Couin could have removed his double post for example!

AJ made a few comments about this a while back:
www.scratchlive.net

Still think phpbb is the way to go but will be on the forums regardless! :)

the layout of this forum is nasty but i agree all avatars and sigs should be banned.

In what way?

i like the cleanliness of this board, but i'd really like to see people being able to remove and edit their own posts, etc. also the ability to track which posts you've responded to is a staple.

phpbb has lots of features but it be real bloated at times. and the sad thing is, phpbb has gotten a bad rap because it's one of the most common boards available; and the trend seems to be lately lots of webmasters (or not really... let's call them code monkeys w/ no design skill) seem to use the worst possible hard-to-read color schemes.

the fact that it doesnt fill the screen properly -on my powerbook it makes it extra bad

Thats strange, I don't have a problem on my PowerMac. Do you mean the boards don't cover the whole screen? That's how it is Mac or PC isn't it?

just that the columns are to thin, they dont fit the screen. and this is worse on a wide screen.

You would rather have the text stretched all the way across the screen? That would be my definition of nasty...

It would be my definition of "not wasting space". I mean I don't really care, but not having to scroll quite so much would be nice. I really don't see any need for the fixed width column, thankfully that particular fad seems to be dying out.

from a design standpoint a longer line length is nasty. a shorter line length has been proven to improve readiblity becuase your eye doesn't have to travel all the way across the page and then find the next line. just check out your local newspaper for evidence--the columns aren't there for nothing.

The shorter columns don't bother me but not separating the longer threads into different pages does make for some lengthy scrolling.

Show me a newspaper with a single narrow column. If the forum used multiple narrow columns I'd have no problem, but it doesn't. I (personally) read a lot of webpages which use full width lines, and I don't have any problems reading any of them. But whatever, it's not really important, IMHO the column is way too narrow.

only suggestion I could make is an edit button and maybe an opportunity to add more details to your profile.

s
I like it simple and clean

how about this:

whoever doesn't like the forum the way it is should design something better... then, we can have a vote and if we like the new design better, the winner would receive a complimentary SSL system. :-)

dear oh dear - just sort it out so it doesnt look terrible - cant be that hard!

I understand Joshs point about not using phpbb, esp. his comments about editing after posting... www.scratchlive.net

It's great as is!

I agree with "DJ_Dynamight" if peeps want to change it, show us a better one.

that's coming soon...


good, because we do too.

just to cast my vote, id rather have the team working on ssl than making the boards sexy..... are you guys really suggesting they spend their next work day making adjustments to the layout of the boards (hence not working on ssl)? or is there something I dont know about these people? are they like umpalumpas who work 24/7? i vote we keep the team working on ssl.....

exactamundo, petey. I agree.

this threads gotten gay

Whats wrong with gay? :-P

Yeah, I'm gay! Not really, but if I was I may be offended...

Maybe he meant it the other way round and he was trying to say (translated):

"this thread has gotten hot" :-)

Maybe he's just happy?

oh dear

i have to agree. just because you guys (serato) are software developers doesn't mean you have to reinvent the wheel (forums) when there are (imho and others apparently) perfectly decent forum solutions that can be tailored in an afternoon with all the features your users are requesting from the forum.

I could see not allowing people to have avatars, but it would be nice to allow them to put their system specs in their profiles for referencing (ie. Apple 15" PowerBook).

I think the main gripe was none that we found could intelligently track which threads you'd _actually_ read.

The people who want to change the format are probably the people who want all that signiture stuff....Or there lil witty comment.. or there lil logo's. I'm good with a nice simple board. Some people be thinking that they are Confucious or something. Let's Keep it Simple....

Do you mean Confucius? If so I think he'd be more down with the simple approach.

I find it a little ironic that the unofficial forum sends you an email to notify of the latest update but not this official one. I guess they figure everyone is on these boards?

everyone is on this board because it works. trying to hunt for unread posts is some extra chromosome type of thing.

i like this forum compared to some others that i registered for. At least here things are kept simple an you dont need to train yourself to use every feature on some of the other sites. I cant even log on them even after supposely registering properly. They emailed me saying i was valid to log on. I can name all them to be exact Pioneerprodj, world dj, unofficial serato live forum. I call that BOGUS!! This site is far better no one should sit back an ask for me here.

I wish this forum had a way to find other Serato DJs in your area, for example, your profile asks your zip code, and you can search to find other users in your area.

stalker















j/k

lol.



i like this format. much faster than standard forums

I like this format. it gets my vote. i see other forums out there and never go back because the format annoys me. its harder on my eyes

keep this format but add a edit button

this format is tight. its always about being clean cut. I think signatures are annoying bc people take advantage of it and put huge ass pictures of ugly people on there. lol

wouldnt mind a lil avatar though.

i like them just the way they are, but add an edit button.

No sigs, no avatars.

I love that everything isnt sorted by pages. imagine the "You DJ so bad" thread....

Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,........

I agree with you briguy, the only thing missing is an edit button, other than that dont change a thing. This is my favorite forum by far out of all that I have seen, just because people can't post dumb ass pics

this format is fine until a single thread gets HUGE, my crackberry no longer loads for a few specific threads..

I'd like to see this board on vBulletin..

...cuz that's not easy to hack at all.


signatures and avatars suck.

Moved to off topic discussion.

Hater!

Touché

lol

ha ha ha!!!!
ive said it befor but i really do like that the mods can have a laugh here with us!

Good job guys!

its gonna take them years to move all of the off topic discussions to here.

i wonder if they are going to try... seems like a lot of work that could be better spent playing with a 57...

+1

No way! You're right, we have much better things to do.

phpbb or vbulletin, yes.

this engine seems really basic, like 1996.

What's wrong with 1996? That was when the best hiphop music came out ;)

No!

holy thread revival!

Just speed 'em up. (no misquote)

Please no avatars or signatures, thats one of the main things i like about this forum.

exactly..

also,
3. "Your message has been posted, Click here to view" (hate that!)
4. Ability to embedd pics makes for a very messy thread

..and for house music (as was most of the 90's), but not for forum engines! ;)

i use forums for about 2-4 hours EVERY DAY.

i have my own phpbb forum setup.

i spend most of my time on a vbulletin forum in america. it's the best one i've seen. i know some people like to be basic, they think they are more 'hardcore' or something, but more sophisticated forums provide better debate portals.

this is REALLY basic.

The design is a bit 1996, but what's so old about the engine? What features from a standard forum are you missing? We're not trying to be 'hardcore', we like the lack of avatars, signatures, and other images; it makes it less cluttered.

this isn't too bad. im on quite a few forums too... no edit button sucks. but the lack of avatars, sigs, etc. isnt THAT bad. i kinda like it, i just don't like the no embedded pictures because i have to click out so much to see a thread with a lot of pictures. but i can see where embedded pictures are a pain in the ass with the weird sizing

phpbb sucks unless you prefer a server intensive application that is easy to hack.

vbulletin is only established because its been around for ages.

invision power board for the win.

scratch that... edit button ftw

x42 (for the life... universe, and everything)

I don't particually like sig's either but if everyone had one which said 'no homo' in, they it would make life much easyer.

An edit button, quote boxes which had the persons name you quoted off and changing the URL link displays to the full link or adding your own descprition would be handy (ie. [url='www.ssl.com]Serato scratch box[/url])wouldn't go amiss...and you could make the forum a little more asthetically pleasing to the eye please.

i say dont change anything..

yeah [url= needs adding, even if post doesnt.

is this what forums looked like in 96'? (this is the only forum i've been apart of)

Cuz some of the other ones i've seen, i thought those looked a little outdated compared to this. Those other forums look a cluttered, quotes look like new posts....pictures and full lettered links.

I like this one. I like the fact it's pretty plain coloured so I can slack about at work and not get caught looking at some bright day glow web page.

Same reason I like the lack of sigs/avatars and pictures.

Maybe allowing pics in the help section or share tips and tricks sections only might be cool. Can that be done??

i like this forum cuz it looks like a random database i'd use for work. so people dont look twice at it.

Again: just speed it up. :)

OK, its good to hear that some of you like it, but I'm keen to hear what people don't like about our forum.

We have an extensive list of features we are planning to implement, and it sounds like the following are the most requested:
1) edit button
2) make them faster
3) allow url markup [url=link]description[/url]

#1: would be nice.

#2: TOP PRIORITY

#3: ???. Can't you already write whatever you want before or after any link you might post? I don't understand.

Yes, but some people still want url markup so that you can describe the link.

Oh, I gotcha. You post a description of what they'll be seeing on if they click on the link. That would be good.

Don't forget 4) Logout link.

Eh?

Inside joke.

Warning this is a logout link:

www.scratchlive.net

click that and you'll get logged out.

maybe allowing SOME info under the username like on other sites would be useful. maybe just location and join date/post count/something. so we dont have to click in to profiles. just an idea.

i like your top 3 though... they're def the biggest

Bah... no need for that IMHO.




+10!

We should go back to the top poster deal.

I figured as much bit it didn't work as a joke in this context :P

You can say that again. :)

i needed it the other day to post a link to the mix i put up.

NEEDED.

no, no, and no.

when you have post counts, people feel like they need to post one word answers just to get their post counts up. i think its stupid. Also, no ranking systems please. It'll make the already "powerfull" memebers feel more powerfull, and the less powerfull ones feel dumb, and get spit on but us powerfull members. lol

www.jalife.net

Someone doesn't know their ratites. That's an emu, not an ostrich.

o rly?

ya rly

Id like to ask for a list of the forum sections to be added to the area down the side of the page on the right where you would normally only see from profile to log out It would be nice to add in Off Topc DJ discussion VSSL section etc etc etc so you can navigate to where you wanna go from every page!

That would be sweet!

That actually is a good idea Nicky

What would be nice is a page count at the bottom of each forum.

That way when I'm bored I can jump to the last page and see what's been discussed before instead of having to click through each page to look at older threads.

I do have them! Once every blue moon man!!!

Ha ha ha!!!!

I think the only thing under our names should maybe be the city we are from.

i don't mind pictures or avatars..they are not vital, but you are not being 'more hardcore' by not having them. it doesn't make this forum better or more intelligent by not having those features.

it's not mandatory to use a sig or an avatar, if you can. many places i go to (including my own forum) people just don't bother with that. if you are a bit nerdy and you like some flashy sig, it's only going to mark you out as being a bit nerdy in the eyes of 'serious' people, anyway. it would seem ^^

it doesn't detract from the message, if that's what you're concentrating on.

e.g. i'd rather be able to insert screenshots directly and not have to rehost them elsewhere and reference them by a link. that would save time.


i just think in this day and age a forum that looks like this just seems cheap and old fashioned. it would actually put me off, if i saw it. just so happens i can live with it, but that's my opinion.

nothing wrong with that.

i think this looks cheap.

proper forums don't look like this, imo.

this is what they looked like before 2000.

if phpbb is "server intensive" then that's a problem for the hoster, not me!

..and as for hacking, well, mine hasn't been compromised yet and wasn't actually aware of any specific problems with phpbb and hackers. (i'm not saying you're wrong, tho)

"less cluttered" = too simplistic and cheap looking.

you can say a lot with a screenshot. how long would it take you to describe a screenshot?!

just out of interest, i'd like to see these forums that make this one look outdated?

that's something that must be witnessed!

this format is the way to go. really easy to navigate. i hate those other places with stupid pictures and smileys.

lets not turn this place into nerd central with all those bells and whistles. keep it simple thats what most of the people like about this forum.

This forum is great. The only thing is that it needs an edit button.

+1

Nothing looks cheap more than a phpBB forum, or any forum full of avatars and sigs.

Thanks for the feedback wtfbollos.


I think the reason why this forum is cheap looking is because of the table borders, color, and font choices. It could look a bit better.

You're right about less clutter being simplistic. That's either a love or hate thing. Some people love the simplicity / lack of clutter. Some people hate it.


That's a good point, although how many people have you seen describe a screenshot? Maybe a few so I may have to eat my hat...

We've resisted having pictures in the past because we think that people would post things that don't contribute to a discussion (eg pwned, lolcatz, other schtuff). That said, we are often working on this forum, and its a possibility for the future.

Again, thanks for the feedback :)

i love the simplicity of these forums. avatars and images is what it is... cluttered.



If they used "better servers" to run some lame phpbb forum then the cost would reflect back on the consumer. So yes, it is our problem


once you've been here long enough you will learn to appreciate the format of these boards.

Think of it this way... Serato/Rane offers TOP NOTCH customer support here (just look at the way Matt G and dave quickly responded to your posts...)

I think an edit button is unnecessary, as well as being a likely vector for unproductive mischief.

Instead of that, it would be much simpler to only have the "preview" button displayed at first, having the "post" button displayed after the user had previewed the post.

Since this is primarily a technical resource, I think it's better to have the design bare-bones and clutter-free. Besides the aesthetic considerations, I'd prefer to have the man-hours put into SSL development/testing/debugging...as opposed to putting those man-hours into gratuitously pimping up the forum.

One of the biggest potential improvements would be in the way people choose to use the forums. Those who post questions in "tips and tricks" immediately come to mind.

Yeah. I could see myself having a lot of fun with the edit button UNLESS IT WAS LIMITED TO A FEW MINUTES. In other words, you can't edit after say 2 minutes after posting.

But yeah, your idea is somewhat good. The problem right now is that people just don't hit preview instead of post. We hate to proofread. :)

Why is that?

Sounds good. I think if you start a PM you are forced to preview first.

If you start any discussion you have to preview first.

The forums are fine the way it is and works great for DJ's.
Lets not turn the forum into nerd central with all the goofy avatars and emoticon things and .gif pictures of people getting owned.

This is perfect. and for pictures, we can post links from photobucket which is great because people who dont want or need to see don't have to.

And the no-edit button is great, its a nice way for everyone to see how ignorant people can be when they cant go back and change what they said

cosign sniffles

Thanks cube, cuz my credit sucks

i personally dont need an edit button, but if it were added, just make it so a post cant be edited if it has been replied to

"avatars and sigs" don't make a forum look cheap.

hi dave :)

i currently use around 4 or 5 boards, if my memory serves me correctly ^^

the "pnwed" stuff you refer to usually revolves around gamers, i have 1350 hours of BF2 under my belt, 74 hours of COD4 SP and 700 hours of BFV (and more recently about 40 hours of GTA4), amongst others!, so i know a bit about this ;)

i don't think dj's are afflicted with that stuff?!

gamers can also go down to very young ages (i know people half my age), i would venture that this forum is mostly frequented by adults?

either way, i think someone would have to be pretty sad or lonely to want to frequent this forum as a way to pass the time. i am here merely to sort out my SSL probs/issues. otherwise i post on other forums, so i don't think people would get too bogged down with that.

one could always create a "lounge" sub forum where people, if so inclined, could engage in that sort of thing, why not?

it doesn't bug me that i can't have some nerdy avatar or post my xfire sig, 'impressing' you all with my gaming exploits, but being able to link to remotely hosted images would have been useful.

but like i say, our SSL's are mostly stable now (my partner bought SSL on the back on my recommendation, as did TWO other people!), so my usage of this forum is more or less finished.

regards :)

it's not a question of familiarity.

just reminds me of the bulletin boards of the 90's.

it's like a project for a student to write a forum, this is what they would come up with.


with respect, true but irrelevant.

if nobody responded, what would be the point of the forum at all?

it's manufacturer support.

(obviously, if it didn't exist somebody would create it)

lack of edit button doesn't bother me too much, one just has to treble check what you post.

nearly every other forum i have been on, has edit buttons and that's what i persnoally am used to and was expecting, but you can adjust your methods to suit this forum easily enough (but that's half the point!)

curious as to this "likely vector for unproductive mischief", tho?!

maybe you dj-types are just scared of i.t.!

eheh! ;)

My only problem is i can't get to my private messages. Unless i'm using my Mac/ Fire fox.

What gives serato?

well, clearly everything you say is irrelevant because you posted 5x in a row which is the worse forum ediquette ever.



uhm hello? is this thing on? This is the off topic forum.


show me a company forum that responds that quickly before telling me it is irrelevant.


yes they do. they look like a cluttered mess.
SSL forum FTW

<img src="myjpegs.com/pwned.jpg>PWNED!!!!!!</img>

+ 100,000
If it ain't broke then don't try to fix it.

i likes this luuk on it the forlums, like a simpal blak skreen ofs Serato, berry propreshional

yes they do.


im an i.t. type more than i am a dj type.


fail. iv been known to post a lolcat or two and theres been an increesin trenz to lolspeeks.

Thirded.


DJ LTIZZZLE, are you accessing the forum from scratchlive.net or serato.com? The serato.com forum access doesn't let you get to private messages yet, as it's still in development. But you should be able to get to private messages fine from scratchlive.net. If not, let me know what happens when you try and I'll see if I can sort it out.

Thanks Matt. I'll log off and try it that way.

No need to log off :) You can stay logged into both sites.