newbie question

stim

Hi I’m newbie here and just wonder if vanilla can allows guest to start topic and post messages? Or is vanilla only for member? I was looking for forum that allows even guest to start tropic, post message etc, if user want to be anonymous sometimes. I also wonder hove they can see if they already have read topic or not, and hove they can see any new messages has posted in some topic?

Minisweeper

Guests cant post topics as there's nothing to tie the posts down to. You could make a guest account which is a half assed way of doing it. Otherwise you could attack the codebase with a rusty knife and hack some bits out of it (i'm not sure if it's possible as an extension in 0.9.3, it might be)

Guests having personalised forum experiences (read/unread/etc) is impossible due to the forum not being able to positively identify them. It could do it based on ip (again with an extension or some hacking) but that would be a very hit-and-miss way of doing it.

Course you could just turn automatic approval on and encourage users to join up and contribute beneficially

stim

OK All forum should have functions for allow guest to post and start topic etc, because so they can to be anonymous sometimes. Or should have some “hide user name checkbox functions� if they want be anonymous sometimes. About link colour: Can I change topic link colour for (visited link)?? It’s very much easier to see topic link if the can be mark with visited colour, and if they are new post its turn back to original link colour. Whiteout this guest or colour function in any forum, is not user friendly. I hope at least this colour function works with vanilla?

lech

If you're running your own forum, you can muck up the CSS to your hearts desire. In 0.9.3 (aka 1.0) guest posting will be in the form of a dedicated extension (depending on if you use it or not) and you can have guests post if you choose. However, like mini mentioned, there's no definate way for those guests to keep track of discussions (read/unread) like an average user can due to the fact that there's no guest usertable for them to track such things.

Bergamot

The link thing is a pretty simple stylesheet modification. The anonymous posting has been suggested before, to not much effect.

giginger

Why would someone want to post anonymously unless they're flaming?

lech

While not entirely anonymously, I do post to a couple other dev forums without registering if they allow it. Mainly for the purpose that all I need is one question answered or simply because some of those forums appear shadey and I just can't be arsed to register. Then again, in many cases, allowing guests to post leaves you open for spam and other unwanted crap.

stim

It depends on what kinds if discussions it is. It can be hard to start question for parents for example, if they can’t be anonymous if it’s something about they children they want help with. Here is example forum that I want need: http://www.adoptera.nu/discus/ All categories always shows on left side and topic list on right side. If some user posts something, the topic link changes back to blue colour, (active link). It is weary simple, fast, and user-friendly forum. Only problem I think it is with that forum is that have no member ship area if you want have your one nick, and there are no ban functions. I thing vanilla could be best forum and more user-friendly, if it have possible to combine between that forum and vanillas already nice look. Maybe it already is possible with vanilla? I run vanilla 0.9.2.6, on my localhost and try to set so even guest can post and try to fix that visited colour. Is it possible to make all that stuff whit vanilla, or whit this version of vanilla I use?

Minisweeper

While it would be *technically* possible to make vanilla 0.9.2.6 work with guests it's not worth your time when 0.9.3/v1 will be out *in due course*. Especially if it will allow for guests as lech said (i wasnt aware of this (i dont think, i forget stuff really easily)).

People can still be pretty anonymous behind a username, though. All you have to do is call yourself TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsPrince and put your full name/etc as either N/A, more random junk, or XXX's. The only thing it needs is a valid email address and theyre ten a penny to anyone these days.

It strikes me you're wanting ban functions on a forum which will (presumably) primarily be frequented by anonymous visitors - i assume you realise at this time that in such cases you wont be able to ban someone who is being a pest as you wont know who they are?

Mark

Guests won't be in the core of 0.9.3, but you could probably hack it up to work that way.

In my mind, a forum that caters to anonymous discussion is an entirely different beast from Vanilla. I'd almost like to write one of those, too. The requirements and therefore ui and programming are very different.

JohnM

I'm old fashioned, my Security system doesn't like some of the words in stim's website so has denied me access JohnM

lech

is this a result of swearingm JohnM?

Bergamot

That page isn't even in english.