Forum looks - default changed

[Peter]

The default forum looks have been changed to Curve.

• This change only affects unregistered/not-logged-in visitors.
• Previous members have their custom set settings and theme.
• The rationale behind this change is the "Responsive Curve" mod.

(As the name shows, it modified the default 2.0 Curve theme to be reponsive, and to be promoted by Google as a mobile-friendly site. Other themes would require custom written mods to make them responsive.)

[ciaobaby]

I wouldn't worry about  the Google 'mobile' update, it always was going to a non-event, a week after it was rolled out out nobody had actually noticed anything different. If Google had not announced it, no one would even know it happened.

[Peter]

One thing for sure, if they say it will have a score in ranking, people better take that seriously.
I know that we are the only forum, I just didn't want some malware site to hijack our users.
(By the way I found a 2-3 year old Facebook page for qBittorrent ... like wtf?)

[ciaobaby]

Google say a lot of things about what affects rankings, most of them are very minor factors that only affect a small percentage of  queries, but of the "usual suspects"  in the SEO world like to "big them up" because it makes them, [the "experts"] sound like they know what they are talking about. Most of them don't. They simply repeat "the ancient wisdom" from 15 - 20 years ago that wasn't even right then.

[Peter]

It's okay. Tapatalk is a pain to add anyway.
Installed it, contacted support - because it wasn't working.
Waited days, removed it, then support answers that I may not have it installed at all (ha!).

Installed it right then, contacted support, it's not working, they say I should wait.
Wait days, update to latest, contact support and forums, waited weeks, no answer.


10 out of 10.

[ciaobaby]

[quote="Peter"]
It's okay. Tapatalk is a pain to add anyway.
Installed it, contacted support - because it wasn't working.
Waited days, removed it, then support answers that I may not have it installed at all (ha!).

Installed it right then, contacted support, it's not working, they say I should wait.
Wait days, update to latest, contact support and forums, waited weeks, no answer.


10 out of 10.
[/quote]
Been there, tried that, gave up. (three years ago) ... moved the website to Kunena on Joomla!

Yet they STILL send me emails saying "We have noticed your website is not set up for Tapatalk, so has been removed from the list of sites ... ..."  every few months.

You would think they would get the message.

[Nili]

Congratulation! New look seems simple and approachable.

[Peter]

The default theme should have a max-width in %, but if I set that, mobile verification fails.
Let's hope the guys at SMF will fix the mod.

[ciaobaby]

Does the site get a huge amount of traffic from Google mobile and does it bring in any income?

[Peter]

We get tons of visitors from search engine, just like any other site.
I placed ads on the forums for a tiny short period for covering hosting costs - but then Chris stepped in and just used the donations to pay for the hosting.

Anyhow. There are no ads, whatsoever, it's just better if we get more visitors.

[ciaobaby]

We get tons of visitors from search engine

But do they come from Google mobile search specifically? Because that is the only results that might be affected by this series of algorithm changes. And what  benefit does the site or the project derive from Google visitors?

Because as I used to explain to potential SEO clients, if you don't know what you want from Search visitors, you are wasting your time talking to me and will be wasting your money in paying me.
And if anyone said they wanted "rankings" I got up, said "bye" and left, or they were shown the way out, physically if they were in my office and metaphorically by telephone or email.

[sledgehammer_999]

[quote="Peter"]
Previous members have their custom set settings and theme.
[/quote]

I used Argentum2 but today the forum was presented to me in the new default theme although I was logged in.
This isn't a big deal to me. I thought I should inform you.
PS: I am not sure if I had set Argentum2 explicitly or if I had left it at "default"(= Argentum2).

[ciaobaby]

but today the forum was presented to me in the new default theme although I was logged in.

SMF is a bit curious like that, as I recall one has to push out a theme change to user profiles in the admin UI.

[Peter]

[quote="sledgehammer_999"]I used Argentum2 but today the forum was presented to me in the new default theme although I was logged in.
This isn't a big deal to me. I thought I should inform you.
PS: I am not sure if I had set Argentum2 explicitly or if I had left it at "default"(= Argentum2).
[/quote]

I paid attention NOT to set everyone's theme to X or Y.
Looks like SMF just ignored my intentions.
(Because I used only the "visitors" option.*)

Should I set it back to Argentum? (i.e.: reset everyone to that?)

* = Overall forum default:
I did not touch the Reset everyone to: feature (which I did use back then to set Argentum as the site-wide theme.)

[100%]

I like the new look, well done!