Resolved Showcase Alternatives

[Sonnie]

We've had some complaints about Showcase for a few years now and some of our staff are ready to make a change. Here is the consensus in summary:

1. It seems a bit wonky (not my words, but others).

2. The way it's set up, there are two discussion threads for each item, which makes it confusing.

3. Notifications don't really show the user where the new post is located.

4. Many believe keeping it in a regular forum is a better option.

5. Several don't use it because they believe it is a bit unfriendly.

Perhaps we are not using it in the correct manner... or maybe don't have the correct options set?

Any ideas?

AV NIRVANA

Regards,
Sonnie

 

[Bob]

1. It seems a bit wonky (not my words, but others).

Constructive criticism is welcome, however, this is not constructive nor helpful in any way shape or form. Its not that hard to create an item (no more difficult than creating a Thread or Resource). The comments system in Showcase is the same as XFMG (which is basically the same as posting in a thread). Same with Reviews. Maybe you have too much stuff turned on? Hard to say when they don't provide any usable information.

2. The way it's set up, there are two discussion threads for each item, which makes it confusing.

HUH? This is NOT a behavior of Showcase. You are going to have to explain HOW a Showcase Item is connected to TWO Discussion Threads as this is NOT even possible unless you have heavily modified Showcase programming code.

Each Category has the OPTION of creating an Associated Discussion Thread when Creating a new Showcase Item in that Category. Maybe you have both COMMENTS and Associated Discussion Threads for EACH Category enabled... could they be saying that its weird to have both a COMMENTS SECTION (which is not a discussion thread) AND an associated Discussion thread?

Showcase has MULTIPLE OPTIONS available for different needs (some like the light weight comments system, some like discussion thread integration, but its NOT designed to enable BOTH at the same time (that would be confusing). If you have both enabled, you might consider disabling one or the other.

Notifications don't really show the user where the new post is located.

Showcase has NOTHING to do with Discussion Threads Notifications, that is 100% Core XenForo. Notifications produced by activity (posting) in the Discussion Thread are a Core XF feature.

btw, every single notification that Showcase generates has LINKS to both major and even sometimes minor content eg, both linked to the Comment (in the comments section for a Showcase Item) and to the Showcase Item itself. The Category (title and link) are also included in MOST Notifications that Showcase generates. They must be talking about Notifications produced by the discussion thread (which obviously doesn't include Showcase information, nor does the XFRM associasted Threads have notifications about XFRM (just the thread itself).

Many believe keeping it in a regular forum is a better option.

I don't know what "IT" is, so I can't even begin to respond to this.

Several don't use it because they believe it is a bit unfriendly.

As with #1 above, this is not helpful in any way shape or form without CONTEXT. Explaining each detail that is unfriendly and why they feel like each thing is unfriendly along with what they think would be better.

Perhaps we are not using it in the correct manner... or maybe don't have the correct options set?

Any ideas?

Showcase is HIGHLY configurable... I can't even begin to guess all of the configurations settings you have enabled/disabled, however, the comment about TWO discussions threads makes me think that one of the issues is maybe having both the Comments System and Associated Discussion Threads activated for each Category (which you should only be using one or the other unless you have a NEED for both).

I'd really need a lot more DETAILED information (which you could provide in private if you want to) in order to give you any meaningful suggestions.

I do think that Admins should explore the possibility of using Threads and Thread Fields IF THAT WILL SUFFICE and only consider using something more powerful IF YOU HAVE THE NEED (like if you have a need for Rating and Reviewing, something Threads don't have).

Anyway, feel free to inbox me here if you want to discuss more in depth in private