This evening I just stumbled upon a forum, and I kind of liked a lot its menu bar:
http://www.lux-optima.com/index.php
not in the styling, more in the disposition idea, in particular the "Discussion" entry.
It's nothing new I don't like the double "new posts/new replies" on the "main level" with the "recent posts" as a sub of "Community", it doesn't make sense to me, no matter what.
When I saw that, instead, I found it a very interesting idea, so a "Discussions" (or "Forums", open to ggestions) top level, with subs:
Recent posts (that leads to a page with a tabbed interface with "new posts", "new replies", "recent posts"),
spacer (------- or an hr)
* list of forum categories
So that the top level would become:
| Community | Discussions | Admin | My Messages | Mentions | | Profile |
Thats an interesting approach to the issue.
I've always thought of the "stuff" under community the generic items, things that look the same for all members of the community, like recent posts ...
Then the other things are unique to the member, its new posts for them, new reply's to threads they are active in, etc.
Moving the various views to a tabbed interface (via ajax) may be the way to go, also allows other views to be added, and perhaps even allow the member to set the default view.
This will only work with "Be Social", right?
I can see
It's too many, I'd say. For me, this will include my messages and mentions as well. But that it's ok generally.
Just one top menu, whatever that name should be. May be alerts, highlights, updates, notification / notice / notify or whatever. All in one. Under that you can list all of them all. My replies (for topic subscribed or answered or liked), new topics (only new topics), recent posts (not topic or replies).
I'd prefer mentions is also included in this new menu or in my messages. That will reduce that particular menu buttons from 4 to 2 (for other usages like admin and mod).
hmm... okay, seems I see the recent as part of the "personal" rather than "generic", probably because it shows things based on {query_see_board} (or {query_wanna_see_board}, don't remember). But yes, it could be a generic as well, because it's not really related to what you have or not read.
Good idea. O:-)
Not really. Be Social! is a theme variant and theme variants are meant to define the color and small differences in positioning of elements, not to change the disposition of menu elements. ;)
What I'm talking about is a possible re-organization of the menu, and the menu is (mostly) independent of the theme.
So: it would affect any theme.
You mean
really split the "personal" part and the "general" part of the menu in two separated menus?
Something like the following?
| Profile | My Messages | Mentions |
----------------------------------------------------
logo or whatever
----------------------------------------------------
| Home | Admin | Moderate |
Current: Home | Admin/Mod | Messages | Mentions | New Posts | Replies
Profile
Suggested Home | Admin/Mod | Messages | Notifications
Profile
- Combine all last 3 menu under one top notification menu.
- Notifications should include all mentions, new posts and replies.
Alternative Home | Admin/Mod | Messages | Mentions | Notifications
Profile
- Maintain mentions but create only one top posts menu
- Notifications should include all type of posts, events or activities whether the user has subscribed or replied to posts, boards, events or activities or his friends did.
Admin and moderator may be separated or left as it is.
But I wish that any of the said notifications could be counted and a number is put next to it just like messages and mentions. May be post replies is by default while for others can be enabled via admin or profile panel. This should be made the same for admin/mod who has something to be reviewed and approved / rejected.