The comment layout is awful here

[SamReomo]

Honestly can we make a push to bundle comments directed towards a certain side convo between users within a certain topic to stack directly underneath with a collapsible drop down that doesn't move the comments all the way to the last page? I feel like this system is due for an upgrade and could use some more social media like elements. ...

The forum's current layout is the best one for us and no other social media platform can match its simplistic design. I don't think that anyone would like this amazing forum to look anything like those social media platforms. I don't really spend much time on social media platforms because I spend most of my time on this forum and it's layout is really amazing for me.

I love to spend time on this forum because of its simplistic design and I give a lot of time to it because it's addictive for me. The social media platforms are useless and anyone who wants to destroy their time should spend it on social media.

[cafter]

Honestly can we make a push to bundle comments directed towards a certain side convo between users within a certain topic to stack directly underneath with a collapsible drop down that doesn't move the comments all the way to the last page? I feel like this system is due for an upgrade and could use some more social media like elements. ...

I like old, simple things more than modern and fancy and i like this forum in the way it is. you are talking about this type of changes because you may surf other forums or social media more than bitcointalk.
maybe i like this forum because i made first forum account in my life which is this one. if i were previously on reddit then i like to visit reddit more then bitcointalk.

[mk4]

I totally, agree, plus it kind a feels cool to type messages here. Like if one is making posts or messages here on BTT and using this same layout to make some posts, And if one is making them in public like among friends. Then they also become curious. As I have seen many situations like these. Where friend got curious whenever I tried to make a post or message in class. Those who sat near me, started to ask questions related to this and I have only one thing to say, this is a discussion form where you can learn and learn about and through BTC respectively.

I really like this layout and I hope this will never be changed. As, it is very cool and now become a little handy too.

I have no complaints on Bitcointalk's UI/UX as well — when I'm on my computer, that is. It's perfect and I really really love it when I'm on my computer but it's the total utter opposite when I'm on my phone. Quote tweeting multiple people are just the worst UX ever.

[philipma1957]

I totally, agree, plus it kind a feels cool to type messages here. Like if one is making posts or messages here on BTT and using this same layout to make some posts, And if one is making them in public like among friends. Then they also become curious. As I have seen many situations like these. Where friend got curious whenever I tried to make a post or message in class. Those who sat near me, started to ask questions related to this and I have only one thing to say, this is a discussion form where you can learn and learn about and through BTC respectively.

I really like this layout and I hope this will never be changed. As, it is very cool and now become a little handy too.

I have no complaints on Bitcointalk's UI/UX as well — when I'm on my computer, that is. It's perfect and I really really love it when I'm on my computer but it's the total utter opposite when I'm on my phone. Quote tweeting multiple people are just the worst UX ever.

you should have a tablet for mobile and a flip phone.

smart phones suck
the screens are simply too small.

[Don Pedro Dinero]

I have no complaints on Bitcointalk's UI/UX as well — when I'm on my computer, that is. It's perfect and I really really love it when I'm on my computer but it's the total utter opposite when I'm on my phone. Quote tweeting multiple people are just the worst UX ever.

Yes, well, I don't find it very uncomfortable to read from a mobile phone, with the limitations of space, obviously, as it will always be more comfortable to read from a larger screen.

Replying on the forum with my mobile is something I hardly ever do, and even less so when quoting several previous comments.

But as I said before, I wouldn't change anything.

you should have a tablet for mobile and a flip phone.

smart phones suck
the screens are simply too small.

Well, I have a tablet but I often don't take it with me. And I don't have a flip phone at the moment, but it will come.

[mk4]

you should have a tablet for mobile and a flip phone.

smart phones suck
the screens are simply too small.

I have a smart phone due to its compact and portable nature — so I can use it when on-the-go especially in public places. Having a tablet(or flip phone, because having to flip it open when on-the-go is a hassle imo) defeats this purpose.

At home, I exclusively use my computer.

As for tablets, I only use mine for design work.

[DooMAD]

I certainly wouldn't want it to be the default view, but if there was something in account settings that you could edit to change how comments are displayed for your own preferences, then I don't see an issue with it.  Am I right in thinking that type of layout is called "nested" replies?  Can't say I'm a fan of it, but each to their own.

[joker_josue]

Yeah, I hate Reddit with a passion.

I won't say I hate it, as I haven't attended it long enough to create that kind of feeling.  

But, in the research I do and end up on Reddit, I'm simply there for only 2 or 3 minutes (or a few seconds). I can't understand the conversations being had, because the answers to one answer are after the answer to any other answer. And in the middle there are still questions about something else. Just get lost.

My dear Bitcointalk forum!

[Synchronice]

You're pretty much describing Twitter and/or Reddit. If you prefer that layout, you can simply move to there. This old-style forum layout is one of the reasons why a lot of people are here so it'd be counter-intuitive to change it.

(Assuming Theymos is planning on changing anything in the first place lol.)

This website probably needs UI improvement but you are right, there are some users because of this old layout. But does that mean that website shouldn't improve and shouldn't attract new people?

Here I am at 66 and still see the same techniques to hurt the older for the newer's benefit.

I don't understand what is your point, should we always leave things the way they were from the very beginning? Or should we develop? I understand that it's hard for old people to adapt new things but you know, life continues, new generation is born, the world sets towards them because they are the future. Don't get my words wrong but that's natural to, as you would say, hurt older for newer's benefits.
If this forum wants to remain popular and attract new members, it should adapt to new things and change over time, it's not 2009 anymore and before anyone tells me to move on Reddit or Twitter, analyze what I said, I'm not enemy here.

[Rikafip]

If this forum wants to remain popular and attract new members, it should adapt to new things and change over time, it's not 2009 anymore and before anyone tells me to move on Reddit or Twitter, analyze what I said, I'm not enemy here.

This forum could definitely use some new features (first thing that comes to my mind is making it more mobile friendly), but features like having the comment layout to be more reddit like is completely different thing as it would make it harder to have a quality discussion which is the main feature of Internet forums and the reason why people still use them.

After all, I don't see what we would get if all these platforms look similar with similar features.

[mk4]

This website probably needs UI improvement but you are right, there are some users because of this old layout.

It just needs UX improvements, not necessarily UI. And it should be achieved through the mythical EpochTalk (that's pretty much a dead project now I think lmao).

But does that mean that website shouldn't improve and shouldn't attract new people?

In a business sense, that's going to be next to impossible unless Theymos' takes a huge risk through making a huge change on Bitcointalk — which I doubt he would do.

[philipma1957]

Yeah, I hate Reddit with a passion.

I won't say I hate it, as I haven't attended it long enough to create that kind of feeling.  

But, in the research I do and end up on Reddit, I'm simply there for only 2 or 3 minutes (or a few seconds). I can't understand the conversations being had, because the answers to one answer are after the answer to any other answer. And in the middle there are still questions about something else. Just get lost.

My dear Bitcointalk forum!

Yes it is designed to make you obsolete and be replaced be someone younger.

If you are over 40 always encourage retro ideas to fight back against the youngins.

At the age of 66 and having had 49 years working with computers I have seen tons of false obsolete moves made.  ie reddit is a false improvement.  young people look at it and are conned that bitcointalks format is obsolete.

you know reddit is like a pcie based ssd and bitcointalk is older like a floppy disk.

while it is true that a pcie based ssd kicks the ass of a floppy disk 1000x or more.

reddit does not kick the ass of bitcointalk.

but too many are fooled into thinking that.

[nutildah]

This website probably needs UI improvement but you are right, there are some users because of this old layout.

It just needs UX improvements, not necessarily UI. And it should be achieved through the mythical EpochTalk (that's pretty much a dead project now I think lmao).

But does that mean that website shouldn't improve and shouldn't attract new people?

In a business sense, that's going to be next to impossible unless Theymos' takes a huge risk through making a huge change on Bitcointalk — which I doubt he would do.

I for one would be horrified if it changed visually in any major way. I know I've said it before but one of the most powerful aspects of this forum is the fact that it acts as a repository for posts by important early contributors, like satoshi and Hal. When people come here for this reason, I assume they want to see satoshi's posts as he wrote them -- same font, format, background color & all... Changing the layout of the forum would be a detriment to this experience, so I hope it never changes.

As far as Reddit is concerned, interestingly bitcointalk gets 1.1% of its traffic from Reddit. It appears more people are coming from there to here than here to there.

[joker_josue]

If this forum wants to remain popular and attract new members, it should adapt to new things and change over time, it's not 2009 anymore and before anyone tells me to move on Reddit or Twitter, analyze what I said, I'm not enemy here.

This forum could definitely use some new features (first thing that comes to my mind is making it more mobile friendly), but features like having the comment layout to be more reddit like is completely different thing as it would make it harder to have a quality discussion which is the main feature of Internet forums and the reason why people still use them.

It's true that this forum was created in 2009. But do you know a very interesting point?
The way the forum is organized continues to be the same as that used today in forums created in 2023. They can have a different layout, more colors, more curves, a more dynamic look, etc. But structurally it is the same.

Therefore, it is not the structure of Bitcointalk that is outdated. At least we can say it's the layout, the design. Despite this, I have nothing against this design - even though part of my job is making websites. Maybe it could be suitable for mobile devices? Yes, it could... but if we look closely, that is also part of this forum and what makes it different.

[Pmalek]

I would never vote for something like that because I don't want to see it. If someone can create it for those interested in seeing a social media-lookalike, I don't mind it. But don't push it on everyone else.
Imagine a discussion of 10 or 20 pages where everyone would be posting and quoting someone on different pages and places. People would have to scroll up and down all the time to see if there is anything interesting quoted in a post from the past. No thanks.

This layout is the most logical one. You have the older posts on top and each new one goes below the previous one. You can't make a mistake that way.

[Synchronice]

It just needs UX improvements, not necessarily UI. And it should be achieved through the mythical EpochTalk (that's pretty much a dead project now I think lmao).

UX improvement will probably bring new UI elements and design changes, I usually don't write UI and UX together and I believe these words are often abused use only UI but probably you are right.

In a business sense, that's going to be next to impossible unless Theymos' takes a huge risk through making a huge change on Bitcointalk — which I doubt he would do.

I'm afraid dramatic changes are necessary for better future of this forum. To be honest, I think that at the moment signature campaigns are a huge drive of this forum but this is not a long-term solution if forum is unable to attract new customers in upcoming years. If there are no new customers and some old people are leaving, then there won't be new campaigns because it won't be financially and statistically beneficial for companies to pay here. And if sig campaigns die, I'm afraid this forum will die too, that's why dramatic change is necessary and theymos has to take this risk if he cares about the forum. I also think that community here is very friendly and educated unlike other forums, so, he may get help from some users.

Therefore, it is not the structure of Bitcointalk that is outdated. At least we can say it's the layout, the design. Despite this, I have nothing against this design - even though part of my job is making websites. Maybe it could be suitable for mobile devices? Yes, it could... but if we look closely, that is also part of this forum and what makes it different.

Yes, layout is outdated and probably being a forum alone the exact way it is right now won't be enough in future.
By the way, it's entirely possible and very easy to make this forum responsive. This forum is made via HTML tables and we need to convert it in CSS Flexbox or CSS Grid. Then we have to convert some images in CSS grid and that's all. I don't know what kind of changes he has to do in SMF CMS but I think it won't be hard.
Here is an example of how would this forum look like if it was responsive: bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5414229

[KingsDen]

I would never vote for something like that because I don't want to see it. If someone can create it for those interested in seeing a social media-lookalike, I don't mind it. But don't push it on everyone else.
Imagine a discussion of 10 or 20 pages where everyone would be posting and quoting someone on different pages and places. People would have to scroll up and down all the time to see if there is anything interesting quoted in a post from the past. No thanks.

This layout is the most logical one. You have the older posts on top and each new one goes below the previous one. You can't make a mistake that way.

When I was new to this forum, I was practically suggesting many changes but theymos was adamant to my proposals, little did I know why he was deaf to my proposals and that of many others. I was obviously coming from the social media background and here appeared echaic to me. But right now I am just seeing perfection in the forum and I will hardly support any major change to the structure of this forum save creation of necessary boards. The layout of this forum is its originality and should not be toyed with.
If what Op suggested I implemented, I do not know the possibility of multiple quoting and that will hinder the free flow of conversation in this forum. This is a forum Op.

[DYING_S0UL]

It is perfect as it is now. Hence the name Simple Machine Forum. Thought it was funny, ha ha  . It is simply gorgeous. Yeah for new users it can be confusing, a headache. But after you really get to know the forum everything seems perfect. When I came to this forum, I said to myself, "what the hell is this!" How do people write here, how to post here, how to comment, how to reply, it was all so hard. I didn't even know what BBcodes were. But after some time everything was normal. If you want something like facebook, Twitter, Reddit  or any other social media platform, well! Good luck with that. That would never happen. Do you know what I like about this forum? My personal opinion, It gives us a classical vibe, a nostalogic vibe. 

[Pmalek]

Yeah for new users it can be confusing, a headache. But after you really get to know the forum everything seems perfect. When I came to this forum, I said to myself, "what the hell is this!" How do people write here, how to post here, how to comment, how to reply, it was all so hard.

That's probably because you belong to the newer generations that never posted on other forums or were ever a part of any forum community outside of bitcoin. And that's understandable. Many of us old folk are used to the forum culture, and we were and still are forum members in other communities outside of the crypto space. 

As you have realized by now, it isn't difficult to post and quote. Creating complex tables, for example, takes some practice and getting used to it. But that's not something you need to do every day, and many users probably never did it at all. Making simple posts and quoting those of other members is 90% of what happens on Bitcointalk. 

[tranthidung]

When I was new to this forum, I was practically suggesting many changes but theymos was adamant to my proposals, little did I know why he was deaf to my proposals and that of many others.

I did not know what you proposed but assume that like many topics in Beginners & Help, proposals can be repeatedly asked by different users.

If you want to propose anything, check Community generated suggestions to improve the forum (+ eventual voting on them) to know whether it was proposed before.

theymos does sees what community discuss especially in Meta board but he prioritizes security of forum and users, not new customization or new features even they can be done in SMF forum software. Have to mention many proposed features can not be done with this software. Forum also is lack of human resource to code it.