Remove Unnecessary Panels/Widgets

[~Legend~]

How useful is the default panel to the left of the forum page?

The User Info through to the Search options take up considerable space, while adding little to the forum itself.

If they were taken out there would be more space for the topics and posts themselves - the stuff that matter.

Of course, this side panel may be a part of the theme, but I'd like to reiterate the general consensus of most users regarding add ons and widgets: the majority do not seem to contribute positively to the forum experience, and so perhaps simplicity wins here.

[Brian]

I use both daily, if you don't click them click this button and it will go away.
But I use all of the features except for Theme selecht daily.

[~Legend~]

I use both daily, if you don't click them click this button and it will go away.
But I use all of the features except for Theme selecht daily.

While it hides them it does not remove the sections themselves, though?

Also, is it not just a duplicate of what you have on the top panel and bottom sections of the forums?
Like with all SMFs the unread and updated posts can be found by clicking the links at the top, while things like PMs are displayed on the panel itself. Information like the total number of messages is arguable not needed.

Similarly, a more suitable list of who's online and who was online today is there at the bottom, where it's displayed more conveniently in full.
I think on larger forums such as this, where the vast majority of users and topics may not actually concern you personally, having a permanent update is not necessary, when you can just scroll up or down.

The benefits of not having this panel are that you get the full forum space, as it was before this theme was added. Perhaps the panel would be more suitable in a different location as then it wouldn't compromise the topic space so much.

[JDC]

Instant access to theme select, recent posts, and Who's Online while reading a topic are useful for me. Furthermore, these can be hidden by the toggle button at the top-right of the topics.

I'm all for removing unnecessary widgets, but those three are not on the list and can be taken care of already.

[TiMoN]

The three first widgets are the only ones I use, they are useful to everyone.

[Axison]

True, i use the "Recent Posts" everyday... especially on my phone. My phone takes longer to load the forum but displays these widgets first, its useful to me.

[~Legend~]

I would personally prefer to have the full topic space as it then keeps this forum similar to the other Argonath forums, as well as the vast majority of other SMF forum pages out there.

As already said, it takes up the page and you cannot remove them; rather than the content they display it's more a matter of the space the occupy permanently that I was considering.

I too use these features daily, but not from the user panel on the left, but from the drop down menus at the top and the 'New posts' & 'New replies' towards the upper right. The main reason being that all the things you need are there, in one place, and not in bits on the left there.
While I agree that the left panel can also have benefits, it has already displaced the design of many existing forum topics - which before had been very carefully made by people who had poured a lot of time and effort into them. Now they must be adjusted just for these forums, while other forums would be much more accommodating.

If the panel was removed, nothing would be taken away in the grand scheme of things as it is after all a duplicate of what already exists. : )
However, having it there, in the left, taking up the main portion of the page does compromise the normal size of it.

Furthermore, these can be hidden by the toggle button at the top-right of the topics.

While it hides them it does not remove the sections themselves, though

[~Legend~]

Oh, as an example take a look at the ARPD forums, which has been maintained well by Paul, Trane and the other webmasters that came before them.

Link: http://arpd.argonathrpg.com/forum/

Immediately it is so much more open and unrestricted. You don't get that feeling of things being 'closed in', and the content is not at all bunched up or poorly displayed.









At the most simple level it looks ugly and misshapen. But beyond that, to me, it needlessly takes up space (ater all, it is just a crude duplicate of what already exists 10 cm away) obstructing topics and posts which ultimately should be the focal point. Whenever people post more lively topics - such as those found in the business, clans/groups, courts and events sections - where they may make use of more complex features like tables and graphical elements, each time the poster has to make specific adjustments just to get it displaying properly on the Argonath boards. This problem did not exist in the past and nor does it exist currently in the majority of other forums which use the SMF system.




I appreciate that certain widgets, or even specific parts of certain widgets may actually prove to be beneficial in ways originally unintended. It's great that more and more people use Argonath's site from their phones and other devices. Thanks a lot for bringing this up Axison - I hadn't thought about that directly.
Obviously we may not necessarily ever reach 100% compatibility, especially given the vast range of devices and software that we would have to account for. But in light of this, if we strive for simplicity and always put first the things that matter (i.e. the ability to display the post content) then we can make Argonath very accessible for people on a very large scale.

Check out the ARFD forums, really well organised by SugarD

Link: http://www.arfd.argonathrpg.com/forum/index.php

Now, the ARFD employs a great feature which beautifully offers this additional menu tab to the left of the page without compromising the forum space in any way.




This menu can be opened or closed with a click and it gives the user complete freedom in how they use it.
Once tucked away, it's hardly noticeable. The ARFD forum preserves space whilst still offering additional tools to people that want to use them.

[JDC]

Immediately it is so much more open and unrestricted. You don't get that feeling of things being 'closed in', and the content is not at all bunched up or poorly displayed.









At the most simple level it looks ugly and misshapen. But beyond that, to me, it needlessly takes up space (ater all, it is just a crude duplicate of what already exists 10 cm away) obstructing topics and posts which ultimately should be the focal point. Whenever people post more lively topics - such as those found in the business, clans/groups, courts and events sections - where they may make use of more complex features like tables and graphical elements, each time the poster has to make specific adjustments just to get it displaying properly on the Argonath boards. This problem did not exist in the past and nor does it exist currently in the majority of other forums which use the SMF system.

All you need is just one press of the button at the upper-right, and you'll have the same thing; the widgets will be good as nonexistent to you.

[~Legend~]

All you need is just one press of the button at the upper-right, and you'll have the same thing; the widgets will be good as nonexistent to you.

Of course, but with the default setting being 'on' - the panel displaying - does it not cause additional concerns for topic designers as they have to bear in mind a lot of people would have the widget on, even if they did not use it.

At the most simple level it looks ugly and misshapen. But beyond that, to me, it needlessly takes up space (ater all, it is just a crude duplicate of what already exists 10 cm away) obstructing topics and posts which ultimately should be the focal point. Whenever people post more lively topics - such as those found in the business, clans/groups, courts and events sections - where they may make use of more complex features like tables and graphical elements, each time the poster has to make specific adjustments just to get it displaying properly on the Argonath boards. This problem did not exist in the past and nor does it exist currently in the majority of other forums which use the SMF system.

Unfortunately, it's not like a small widget, so the impact of having it on or off is quite considerable.
It changes the display of the forum based on if you have it on or off. I just thought if it was not a hugely worthwhile tool (with the same options being located a few cms away), it would be a benefit to the majority to have it taken out completely, than temporally for some, while not for others.

The ARFD forum example was a suggestion of how we can make the best of both; an add-on like that keeps everything and it is something that makes the viewing of the forum same to all.

[Radagast]

All you need is just one press of the button at the upper-right, and you'll have the same thing; the widgets will be good as nonexistent to you.

Simple.

[SugarD]

As a suggestion to this issue, why not make it hidden by default, and allow those who enjoy it to keep their standard setting of having it visible? That way users who want it can still keep it open without causing the forum to look "cluttered" to those who join it for the first time. Allowing them to discover the awesome features we have will also keep their interest open as they further explore the forums.

[Devin]

Why hide a feature by default? I find it useful, if a user feels their screen is too cluttered by the panel on the side it is as simple as one click to remove/minimize it.

Hiding it by default won't exactly make it something for users to discover but simply make it useless to those that don't know about it as its minimized.

[SugarD]

Why hide a feature by default? I find it useful, if a user feels their screen is too cluttered by the panel on the side it is as simple as one click to remove/minimize it.

Hiding it by default won't exactly make it something for users to discover but simply make it useless to those that don't know about it as its minimized.

If they cannot find how to maximize it, then chances are they won't find out how to minimize it either.

As for hiding the feature, I do agree that it seems a bit cluttered to have it open by default. Especially when it is meant to be an add-on with extra access to the same information, rather than one that completely replaces already-existing menu items.

[Devin]

In simple terms: Why hide functionality and give a way to add it when you can instead give functionality and a way to hide it afterwards.

Users start off with the ability to use the side panel and are given the option to minimize/remove it if they would like to so at least they know that item is there to be made use of instead of hiding it and they will never end up finding out that it is even there.