A good set of reasons are discussed here:
[webmasterworld.com...]

However...

I, like most long-term members, appreciate the fast, clean interface. But, are potential new members being put off by the presentation without appreciating the substance?

That would definately be a shame. The fact a similar question pops up reasonably frequently implies it might be a problem.

[edit- spelling]

[edited by: Shaddows at 3:21 pm (utc) on Apr 15, 2011]

Or it indicates that newbies who know how to hack the "not lame" software(s) can't figure out how to game Webmasterworld... :)

Brett and company... I like WW the way it is... even those modifications made after Feedback Days.

Oooooooh, avatars and sigs , bling , dancing banana conga lines,like buttons, thumbs up buttons, smileys !..No Thanks!.

We don't need the latest whizzbangs. The information is the key. The software here mostly does what needs to be done.

If this site were to adopt a "major forum package" it would likely lead to a huge increase in page loading times, and repeated security breaches and downtime of the forum.

No thanks.

No, I was really looking easier searches instead of thorough the stupid Google, Yahoo and Bing searches. A Forum should let you search its posts and show them without having an external look.

I don't really give a rat's a$$ about the smileys, sigs, avatars, etc. But this forum does have a very distinct early 90's look and feel, for sure.

Brett- When's the bespoke search coming back?

It is so easy to install and modify a PHPBB or vBulletin forum

Thanks, I needed a laugh. Try modifying a vBulletin forum to look like WebmasterWorld (or anything that doesn't look like the default template), and you'll no doubt retract that statement. It's no wonder most forums look alike. phpBB is much better on that front, I'll admit.

As for keeping up with the times, some of the recent attempts to do just that, like the addition of Facebook and Twitter widgets (16 extra HTTP requests on this page, and noone seems to be using them, hello!), have only hurt the user experience.

The information is the key. The software here mostly does what needs to be done.

Agreed.

At first I wondered why another forum package was not used. I came to realize that the level of knowledge and wisdom in this forum is light years above it's biggest competitors. They both use vBulletin, and I no longer visit them. They attract many of the types of webmasters that are running scrapper sites, and spamming links. Frankly I think the interface keeps most of the get rich quick, spammers and "marketers" out. Either that or the high caliber discussions that I am learning so much from.

Please don't change the interface.

I'd leave everything as it is and make a new style sheet with new colors. A fresh paint job wouldn't hurt.

Please consider upgrading your site to at least show that you know what keeping up with the times means.

This he says smugly after 19 posts.

If it's that much of an issue go away. There are other really cool looking forums out there, no?

^{fixed typo}

[edited by: wyweb at 3:36 pm (utc) on Apr 16, 2011]

I, too, appreciate having the emphasis on the informational text content, and the plain text links, and the lack of bandwidth-heavy images, buttons, gadgets. Pages load instantly even on 56k modem.

I'm used to this forum now and it didn't take long to get with the program either.

Don't change a thing.

And baseball I'm not trying to be insensitive either. But "keeping up with the times"... man, c'mon.

There's cutting edge stuff in this forum. Stuff you won't find anywhere else. They don't just keep up with the times here, they friggin' go past it on occasion. They'll tell you what to expect here. What you can anticipate.

This is the elite brother. Maybe you haven't looked around enough to have recognized that. I did. I was everywhere at first. Learning and getting cussed at for asking "stupid questions." That won't happen here and if you don't see that, then you're just plain not looking. That's on you. Not this forum.

Go to the pretty ones then. Have fun. Enjoy your stay.

Please don't change a thing here. I like the 1990's feel. Avatars, sigs, etc all detract from the content of the page.

I like this look, it's good 'cause it's different.

And baseball.. please understand I'm not coming down on you. You've been a member since '05 and I've read some of your posts.

You're certainly not a noob. Noob's don't ask the questions you're asking. You've got your head wrapped around quite a bit and there is no disrespect intended here. Having taken a quick peek at your post history, it's obvious.

This is pure information. Does it matter what it's wrapped in? Do cool graphics and nicely blended color schemes improve the quality of that information? My answer has always been no.

Now you say no as well.

Who do you like this year anyway. I'm looking at the Reds pretty strong, and my Texas Rangers.

KC Royals were 6 and 2 last time I looked. I'll be going to some of their games this year. I'm only 60 miles away.

Get back in here and talk. You started it.

Why is it that you use such lame forum software?

joined:Sept 28, 2005
posts: 19

Ya, I could see a handful of people not understanding how to use the fora here.

Everything seems to work just fine for me.

Have you ever been to some of the other Webmaster Fora? Absolute crap!

I believe someone is Trolling.

Please consider upgrading your site to at least show that you know what keeping up with the times means.

Keep up with the times?

Since when does "keeping up" mean following the herd and using the same homogenized crap?

No thanks.

It is so easy to install and modify a PHPBB or vBulletin forum and they both make this forum look ancient, well, in fact it *IS* ancient.

It's also easy to get hacked if you don't keep up with the updates.

And most of the sites using it are cookie cutter layouts, often cartoonish looking and attacked ruthlessly by spammers.

Ugh.

P.S. they're site search sucks bigtime too

I don't mind using Google to search the site, it's very well indexed and native forum search is usually terrible anyway.

I like the spartan, retro look. It's fast and it seems to keep those incapable of appreciating intelligent discussions away. The noise level here is really minimal.

The only thing I'd wish for is a way to just get to the newest post you haven't read in a thread, which vBulletin does really well.

So here's with not keeping with the times and attracting the educated crowd who don't need shiny things to stay interested.

You know, if I knew that it was going to cause such strife, I wouldn't have even posted the question.

While I understand that "need for speed" and the "tons of awesome info" on this site, it's just that it was so frustrating finding things with this IMO crappy interface.

I will take my questions AND answers elsewhere and leave the oldies to their oatmeal and grits.

oatmeal and grits

Nothing wrong with that.

What do you eat? Wheaties and power drinks?

You never answered my question though. Who do you like this year?

You're about baseball right? Or wrong?

so frustrating finding things with this IMO crappy interface.

I can't speak for site search. I don't use it. This site gets topics spidered in minutes though. I've watched it happen.

Google any term and add "+webmasterworld" minus quotes and you will literally be blown away by the results.

Trust me on that one okay?

What do you think about the Royals this year? I know it's early in the season but they're off to one of their best starts ever.

Are you a baseball guy or not?

McLane should have sold the 'stros to Nolan. He really screwed up because they are now going to be fighting the Pirates for worst team in MLB. Their farm system is a joke. Their former AAA team used to play about a 1/2 mi from my house. The RR Express are now Rangers affiliates and best in AAA.

Rangers will win AL West and pretty good bet to make the series. When June/July comes around, I want to see what FA pitchers they pick up.

I really feel for Royals fans, awesome facility, crappy team. I worked in Overland Park on a contract back in 2005 and went by the stadium, Very nice. Makes the newer one in Arlington look like a dump. Well, it really is a dump. Went to a game their one Sept. and the smell of all the dead crickets was overwhelming.

Now we're talking brother.

Let's just start a baseball thread and forget about this other stuff.

Overland Park. My brother lives there right now and I'm up there often. Nephews and Nieces and so forth.

We eat grits too. If you're a son of the south it goes without saying.

To keep this on topic, The KC Royals don't care about the layout of this forum.

shadows - never left.

In fact - just flipped on testing of ThreadRank (SM):
[webmasterworld.com...]

My contract was at Sprint's headquarters. Great place to work but had to get back to home, though. Found a job 2 min from my house.

I played amateur baseball for over 20 yrs in the Austin area. Met many players from KC at tournaments in Phoenix and friends with the President of the KC MSBL.

Brett, looks good ..but ..click on search does nothing ..no action ..and the forum it links to for feed back is "closed for further posts"..

that' is why it is called beta leo...ymmv for awhile ;-)

The following 4 messages were cut out to new thread by brett_tabke. New thread at: webmasterworld/4301330.htm [webmasterworld.com]
9:58 am on Apr 20, 2011 (cst -6)

Brett- My mistake. I got confused by the message here:
[webmasterworld.com...]

"offline for a bit... new engine [webmasterworld.com]" (Emphasis mine)

And it WAS there when I posted my message, not just when the button stopped working.

Snazzy sliders, by the way.