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    • CommentAuthorudon
    • CommentTimeAug 7th 2005
     # 1
    Anyone care to tackle this as an extension? Just something simple where you can add a dynamic poll to a post.... and be able to add/edit a dynamic number of poll entries. It should be tied tinto security properly like posts.

    I wish I knew more PHP (I'm a ColdFusion and C++ kinda guy) as I've done this sort of functionality before. I can certainly assist someone in how to handle it in the database....
    •  
      CommentAuthorMark
    • CommentTimeAug 7th 2005 edited
     # 2
    I have no interest or time in doing this extension, sorry :/

    But you're a ColdFusion and C++ kinda guy?

    What an odd mixture!
    •  
      CommentAuthorstuart
    • CommentTimeAug 7th 2005
     # 3
    ��ん - Have a go yourself, ah go on. Its something that not a great number of people want so you might wait a while before someone else comes along and has a poke at it.
    •  
      CommentAuthorducky
    • CommentTimeAug 8th 2005
     # 4
    I'm all for a poll extention... Maybe if I find some free time I could write one. Doesn't look very likely right now. I could use it for my forum which is for our LUG. It would be nice to use that as a way to have member vote on stuff.
    • CommentAuthorPoke Alex
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2005
     # 5
    Polls can be useful. I am looking for a Yahoo group replacement right now and Vanilla looks very interesting... I for one would love a poll extension.
    •  
      CommentAuthoroutbreak
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2005
     # 6
    I for one would love a poll extension.

    i get about 400 spam emails about that everyday. i'm sure one of them has what you're looking for. ;)
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeAug 15th 2005
     # 7
    :)
    • CommentAuthoralteeffour
    • CommentTimeAug 17th 2005
     # 8
    one of the reasons we might not move our forum over to vanilla is the lack of a poll. they are important to us as we are using it right now to decide what we should use to host our forums on and other group decisions. So please, someone make a poll extension
  1.  # 9
    haha. Start a poll to decide whether to move to vanilla!
    •  
      CommentAuthorMark
    • CommentTimeAug 18th 2005
     # 10
    What kind of a poll are you looking for?
    One that sits in the control panel, or a thread that is actually a poll?
    •  
      CommentAuthorBen
    • CommentTimeAug 18th 2005
     # 11
    both would be good, admin-started poll for the whole community and individual polls within categories, like favourite film or something.
    • CommentAuthormoe
    • CommentTimeAug 22nd 2005 edited
     # 12
    just a pointer for anyone who's interested in online polls.
    mod_survey (very very unfornationally only for apache 2) seems to be the most advanced html-poll-toolbox around.
    if anyone happens to know a better (or equal) tool please let me know.
    i love the design (simple xml to describe your poll, mod_survey takes care of the rest) but the apache requirement has been a showstopper for me so far.

    anyways, check out the demos.
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 25th 2005
     # 13
    certainly the lack of a poll function in vanilla is a major sticking point for me in making the switch from phpbb.

    i really hope someone can develop an extension.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 25th 2005
     # 14
    I have two suggestions on how the poll should work.

    First is that the poll would be on the sidepanel (I'd love to have some more functionality on it) and it could be seen on every page of the thread.

    The second suggestion is to add the answer on the right side from the icon and post time, so it would be like "icon 1hour ago answered: not so often" so people would see what the guy answered.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKrak
    • CommentTimeSep 25th 2005
     # 15
    I have never found polls to be too usefull. No board I've ever used has used them much, and if they did, most people never voted... they just tossed out their opinion in the thread, so you had to read it all anyways.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 25th 2005
     # 16
    Well, the poll functionality usually comes handy on a community that isn't there just for the community, but the community is created by something larger, as an example, I have used tons of polls in many MMORPG boards on voting for events, changing functionality and so on.

    It wouldn't work on a board that is there just to create a community.
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 17
    i think extensions like this (not necessarily a new feature but one that is common among other forums) are important for vanilla in the overall scheme of things.

    fair enough a lot of people will like vanilla because it's slim, lean and unbloated. But for a lot of people, to convince their community to switch their current forum over to vanilla, they will want to retain as much functionality as they've been used to...

    so whether you like polls or not, it would definitely be beneficial for vanilla to have an extension to enable them.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 18
    I agree with timberford, as we have seen from the top most popular forum softwares, the plethora of funtionality means alot to some communities and their leaders.
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 19
    Then why not use the other software? It is a serious question. If you want ALL the functionality of other forum software, then I suggest you use it.

    I don't mean to be rude, and I hope you don't feel that I am. I am just trying to see the bigger picture here. Vanilla is different, so we should keep it that way.
    •  
      CommentAuthorgiginger
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 20
    I like Vanillas *lack* of features myself. What's there works pretty damn well. This is where extensions come into their own though. Phpbb does too much in my opinion.
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 21
    exactly.
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 22
    "Then why not use the other software? It is a serious question. If you want ALL the functionality of other forum software, then I suggest you use it."

    i currently use phpbb but it is tables build and i'd like a css forum.

    if you could point me in the direction of a css forum with all the functionality of phpBB then I would be more than happy to go away and use that.

    i understand that you don't want vanilla to lose it's simplicity but that certainly doesn't mean there shouldn't be extensions for those that require further functionality. afterall, isn't that the point of the extensions?
    •  
      CommentAuthorBen
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 23
    I think the structure of vanilla is a great benefit. What other forum has that rearranged front page to show latest posts? That encourages people to post more because the ones they haven't read are flashing at them, so to speak.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 24
    If you can have the functionality of the bigger and more popular forums why not make the extensions? Why fight it? Now THERE is a serious question.

    I understand the Vanilla ideology perfectly, but if someone loves Vanilla simpilicity and soldi performance as much as I do, why the hell you go and tell him "oh you want a poll? Well bad luck but we don't want one, so go use some other forum software," it's just srange to me.
    •  
      CommentAuthorgiginger
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 25
    Maybe I misunderstood what some people said but I read it as being more a case of people stating it would never be a part of the main program but extensions are more than welcome.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 26
    Hell no, something like a poll, nor a calendar or any other unnecessary functions for a forum to work are not going to be a part of Vanilla, for obvious reasons.

    But what I don't understand is why people are against the poll extension is just beyond my imagination.
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005 edited
     # 27
    I want a poll. I don't want it in core. I also stated that I can't understand why some people (no one in this thread mind you) want to make the switch to vanilla, if the are going to fill it with crap again. If you are simply 'duplicating' a feature set from the other forum software, why make the switch? That is all I am saying.

    I am all for the extensions. That is why the extensions are there.

    Lets move away from the 'should we have one' discussion, and start talking about how we make one.

    I like the idea of having it in the panel when you view that page.
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 28
    one consideration with placing it in the side bar is that it doesn't give you much room...

    the other obvious place is at the top of the topic between the header and the first post on the page.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 29
    Yeah, I'd put it in to the sidepanel (the results not the answer form), it is just asking for more functionality based on the post you are viewing, and Poll is just the first one to come to my mind.

    But I'd like to see what the posters answered too, if that could be possible, maybe you'd have the poll answer thingies on the right hand side of the comment form so you'd answer to the poll at the same time as you post your comment so you can log the user answering and put his answer somewhere in his comment.

    I don't like the anonymitypolls since they just go straight to hell, you could have like 100 voters on the poll, and just 5 posts on the thread itself, which is aking a question "did they really want to answer to the poll, or did they do it just for the hell of it".
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 30
    What is wrong with putting it in the panel timberford? A nicely styled bar graph would look perfect there.

    How about we have something different. A pie graph/ chart. You don't see too many of those around.
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 31
    i don't think there's anything wrong with putting the poll in the sidebar. I like the idea, I was just saying that there isn't that much room and was just suggesting another place the poll could go.
    •  
      CommentAuthorBen
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 32
    Community wide polls, that might not have a topic but just exist on their own, could be placed on the discussion page, at the top.
  2.  # 33
    The one thing I like the most about Vanilla is it's simplicity (and the fact that is fast, clean, awesome!). Adding polls, smilies and others of the kind will just add bloat. There are other forums scripts out there that already do all that, right?

    One extension that it would be nice to have is for attachments. But as an "extension"...
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 34
    Well, I like the piechart thing, but it might need some sort of library, I used a JS lib when I did some work in school for my website, it could generate all sorts of charts.

    But it might go nicely on the right hand side of the first post explaining the Poll, I really wouldn't like to place it above the first post in any circumstance, and certainly not above everything in Discussions page, it gives the poll way too mcuh attenttion and "rule".
    •  
      CommentAuthorgiginger
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 35
    The PHP GD library can be used to output pie charts.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKrak
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 36
    If your only thing against phpBB is the fact that it uses tables, there are other themes out there for it that are pure CSS... Mike Lothar makes one (or more?) of them, and there are a few others as well... and you could always, make your own.

    Nifty pie charts would be cool, or a fancy bar graph like someone linked to (css graph). I dont like things that require the image library things, GD, imagick (or something) ... I dont have any if those. On my server or in my testing setup. Although I do like the things that they do, never felt compelled to install it all just so I can thumbnail an image...
    • CommentAuthortimberford
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 37
    "If your only thing against phpBB is the fact that it uses tables, there are other themes out there for it that are pure CSS... Mike Lothar makes one (or more?) of them, and there are a few others as well... and you could always, make your own."


    well the phpbb forum on his website is still tables... phpbb does utilise css enough that you can change the colours etc. and it is possible to write a 'pure css theme' but it is still a table build.

    i have written style sheets for phpBB forums before in my job. but it certainly doesn't have the appeal of writing a layout one for vanilla, which i'm really looking forward to.

    anyway back to the polls... someone mentioned about anonymous voting, i don't think it's particularly fair to force people to post a reply when voting, but i completely understand how frustrating those 'phantom' votes can be.

    maybe it would be better to have a vote history link next to the poll that shows the users that voted for each option. could even have that in a cheeky collapsable div that just pops open when you want to view it.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKrak
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 38
    The "Raid" theme is 99% css, only like 2 tables as the main structure...

    If you are going to force people to comment when they vote, why have them vote, if you have to read all the comments anyways? Thats my thoughts.

    I do like the idea of a vote history option. With the users name and the option they chose.

    --And I never said I didnt like polls, just never found much use for em.
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 39
    I liek the idea of seeing who has voted, but I think it is a bad idea (for privacy) to show what option they chose.

    The pie graph could be done using js, and if it ships with the extension, there would be no need for any additional ibraries to be installed on the server.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKrak
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005 edited
     # 40
    \o/ for not having to install extra stuff
    •  
      CommentAuthornathan
    • CommentTimeSep 26th 2005
     # 41
    :-)
    •  
      CommentAuthorKosmo
    • CommentTimeSep 27th 2005
     # 42
    My toughts on the poll is, it's not like politics, if we have a community vote, I'd sure would like to know why you voted for something, and when people can see what you voted, you have to stand behind your vote and not flipflop, which would ultimately destroy the poll.

    And as for the "If you are going to force people to comment when they vote, why have them vote, if you have to read all the comments anyways? Thats my thoughts."

    Example, you have a community with 10,000 users, and you have an important poll, are you going to read through roughly 30,000 posts (if it is an important issue) and having the possibility of non clear opinions like "I'm kinda against the for it, but I'm not sure", the poll is for a fast way of checking how the poll is progressing, the comment is for them to have the time to explain themselfs. But, they are not forced to do that.

    I completely loathe anonymous posting in a community, faceless people are worst kind there is.
    •  
      CommentAuthorKrak
    • CommentTimeSep 27th 2005
     # 43
    Ok, yeah , I see your point, ok, it makes sense...And I agree about the anon posting. For a quick pop in, ask a simple question, pop out deal, a guest account or something is needed though. But to allow everyone to post anon messeges, ack.

    If you just needed something like 1 simple support question, forcing them to reg and login is kind of a deterent to ask for help. Its hard to keep the two seperate I guess though. Maybe you could allow anon postings only in certain categories or something..

    Oops, just a tad off topic.
    • CommentAuthorSekt
    • CommentTimeOct 3rd 2005
     # 44
    I'm also heavily in favour of a poll extension. I understand not adding it to the core of Vanilla and completely agree with that. I think the beauty of Vanilla is that it's quite a pure base to build upon.

    To the people saying 'why not use phpBB?', my personal feeling is that Vanilla is a much nicer looking system with better functionality and a much better interface. I like it because it doesn't have all the excess crap that phpBB and the likes come with, but still has the option to add the functionality you need.

    The reality is that some people find polls extremely useful given the role that their forums play. This may not be the case for you personally, but that doesn't make it any less valid for those who do require them.

    As for placement, I think that more often than not, when a thread contains a poll, the poll is the focus of that thread. As such, the top of the thread seems a logical place for it. It's the first thing that catches your eye and makes it easy to vote straight away.

    The bottom could also be useful if you want people to actually give the poll some thought and perhaps first read replies before voting.

    I'm not in favour of requiring a post to vote, it would lead to too many pointless posts made simply for the sake of voting.

    Perhaps the creator of the poll thread could select whether the poll votes are private or not. Having them public would enable everyone to see who voted for what. I definately like the idea of perhaps displying it next to the person's username if they post in the thread. A collapsable div would be good as well, as it allows you to see the votes of those who haven't posted.

    Hmm, yeah. Someone should make it, it'd be really handy.
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