Something other than phpBB (and threaded conversation model)

[catskul]

I'd like to humbly suggest another platform other than phpBB.

Really any other platform that supports threaded conversation would do IMO.

I'm not sure if I'm alone, but I find it nearly impossible to read in depth conversations that involve more than 2 people if the conversation does not allow for deep threading.

Apart from the threading issue. I find the phpBB design extremely visually distracting and unpleasant. I'm obviously only one person, but I have quickly stopped participating in every phpBB based community soon after joining because i've found it that unpleasant and hard to follow.

I'm curious what others think.

[catskul]

While I prefer threaded discussion, I'll put forward Discourse or NodeBB as a potential alternatives which offers a much superior visual design if not a threaded discussion model.

http://discourse.org
http://https://github.com/discourse/discourse

https://community.nodebb.org/
https://github.com/NodeBB/NodeBB

[jet]

phpBB is 1) free and 2) usable by anyone with a web browser. I have it set up so registration is automatic, new members don't have to wait to be authorized by an admin.

It does support threaded discussion by topic, and people are free to create topics on any subject in any forum. (If you can't create a new topic then something is broken with permissions and I need to fix that ASAP.)

As for visual design, I haven't had a chance to clean up the generic phpBB install. I wanted to get something on the ground and running as quickly as possible, but speaking as a designer, cleaning up the generic UI is one of my P1 bugs.

[toddmedema]

What about a subreddit? It'd obviate the need for most users to create another account and check in on another website, so we'd likely get much better community engagement

[jet]

"[subreddit would] obviate the need for most users to create another account "

You're making some sweeping generalizations about the users of TechShop PGH, especially given our ages and experience. Yes, using this forum requires creating a new account, an action that takes a few minutes at most. None of this site's activities are tied to other accounts, so using pittsburghmakers.org doesn't mean that Facebook/subreddit/whatever can use your activity here as part of their marketing efforts.

I have been on the Internet since it was called "DARPANET" and we had a printout OF THE ENTIRE NETWORK on our wall in the server room and I don't have a reddit account. I use Facebook for write-only advertising my company and as a replacement for evite, "who would I invite to my house for BBQ next weekend?" I only use Signal if someone else is paying for it and their (mac) client is Yet Another Client I Have to Run Because of Someone Else.

One of my goals with pittsburghmakers.org is making it as inclusive as possible; all one needs is a web browser and an email account to participate.