please someone add support for Tapatalk. Tapatalk is a free android/iOS forum app that makes it so much easier to use forums such as this.
That depends on how many admins have a suitable device on which to test and are willing to pay for an app with which to test. I for one own no iOS devices.
But I would recommend adding a mobile style.
But I would recommend adding a mobile style.
Well as I understand, it costs nothing to add Tapatalk support for a forum. The app costs money, but is well worth it, and better than a mobile version. I would be willing to donate money if that meant this forum would gain Tapatalk support.
I have no idea what this thing is, what it does, what purpose it serves, etc.. No offence intended by my statement here (honest), but I'd rather not know.
However, from an administrative perspective:
1. I would recommend all considering it look at this post on their forum. It's 3 pages, and the bugs/issues have pretty much been non-stop for something like 3 years. What this means (to me) is that this thing requires regular/constant upkeep:
http://support.tapatalk.com/threads/tap ... elog.3691/
2. If this thing requires any kind of code patches to phpBB (vs. a plug-in module that "just works"), I would have to strongly advise against it. One of the biggest problems this forum has had (historically) is custom modifications to the software. That is a complete and total nightmare from an administrative viewpoint. For example, a new phpBB version comes out that fixes some critical security problem, thus the forum needs to get updated. Upgrade goes fine, but Tapatalk no longer works/breaks/whatever. Rinse lather repeat this situation indefinitely.
Choose wisely.
My recommendation would be for someone with an iOS phone to actually show evidence of what makes this forum hard to use from their phone. Make an itemised bullet list of all the problems. Maybe they can be addressed without some weird add-on software. HTML and CSS are just HTML and CSS. Good/clean site design can sometimes solve problems on mobile devices. Figuring out what the issues are and solving them properly (vs. "custom one-offs") would be much more ideal.
Furthermore, I find it very interesting that the forum has been running for about 7 years now, yet this is the first time anyone has asked for this feature... and it just so times with when the forum software was upgraded. Did the previous forum software (phpBB 2.x) look fine on iOS?
Footnote of very strong opinion (and you are welcome to ignore it, it's fine): the web in general is not designed for mobile phones. In fact, the way it's supposed to work is the other way around -- the phone should be changing to handle/deal with the web, not the other way around. I consider "adding features for mobile phone support" to be akin to "make your web page use WML". What a total failure that was, and for the exact reason I cite. But then again, and this really is the gist of it (for me), I just hate mobile phones in general. Waste of money, too unreliable, and just a total nightmare. Would you give it a second? It's GOING TO SPACE!
However, from an administrative perspective:
1. I would recommend all considering it look at this post on their forum. It's 3 pages, and the bugs/issues have pretty much been non-stop for something like 3 years. What this means (to me) is that this thing requires regular/constant upkeep:
http://support.tapatalk.com/threads/tap ... elog.3691/
2. If this thing requires any kind of code patches to phpBB (vs. a plug-in module that "just works"), I would have to strongly advise against it. One of the biggest problems this forum has had (historically) is custom modifications to the software. That is a complete and total nightmare from an administrative viewpoint. For example, a new phpBB version comes out that fixes some critical security problem, thus the forum needs to get updated. Upgrade goes fine, but Tapatalk no longer works/breaks/whatever. Rinse lather repeat this situation indefinitely.
Choose wisely.
My recommendation would be for someone with an iOS phone to actually show evidence of what makes this forum hard to use from their phone. Make an itemised bullet list of all the problems. Maybe they can be addressed without some weird add-on software. HTML and CSS are just HTML and CSS. Good/clean site design can sometimes solve problems on mobile devices. Figuring out what the issues are and solving them properly (vs. "custom one-offs") would be much more ideal.
Furthermore, I find it very interesting that the forum has been running for about 7 years now, yet this is the first time anyone has asked for this feature... and it just so times with when the forum software was upgraded. Did the previous forum software (phpBB 2.x) look fine on iOS?
Footnote of very strong opinion (and you are welcome to ignore it, it's fine): the web in general is not designed for mobile phones. In fact, the way it's supposed to work is the other way around -- the phone should be changing to handle/deal with the web, not the other way around. I consider "adding features for mobile phone support" to be akin to "make your web page use WML". What a total failure that was, and for the exact reason I cite. But then again, and this really is the gist of it (for me), I just hate mobile phones in general. Waste of money, too unreliable, and just a total nightmare. Would you give it a second? It's GOING TO SPACE!
If anybody need a reason not to add this kind of thing into the forum then this is it:
Add it and you will get loads of posts ending "Posted from my iFone" or "Posted from my Samsung Galaxy WTFBBQ" and so on...
Actually, I suppose you could add a word filter to the forums settings to replace "Posted from my iPhone" to something far more suitable...
Add it and you will get loads of posts ending "Posted from my iFone" or "Posted from my Samsung Galaxy WTFBBQ" and so on...
Actually, I suppose you could add a word filter to the forums settings to replace "Posted from my iPhone" to something far more suitable...
koitsu,
I totally respect what you said regarding this request. Its just that since the computer world is rapidly shifting from PC's to smartphones/tablets, it may be a good idea (eventually) to add that kind of support for this forums. Many major game forums have Tapatalk support (neogeo.com, famicomworld,atariage, gbatemp, etc), and it is clear that the web/internet isn't just for full sized computers any more. But I respect the fact that you may not want nesdev forums to follow this trend...
I totally respect what you said regarding this request. Its just that since the computer world is rapidly shifting from PC's to smartphones/tablets, it may be a good idea (eventually) to add that kind of support for this forums. Many major game forums have Tapatalk support (neogeo.com, famicomworld,atariage, gbatemp, etc), and it is clear that the web/internet isn't just for full sized computers any more. But I respect the fact that you may not want nesdev forums to follow this trend...
I understand RGB_Gamer. I guess it would help if I knew what Tapatalk actually did that made forums easier for mobile phones, since to me, that's just about site design and not about "some third party program" if you know what I mean.
Anyway, like I said, I'm not against the idea, I just want to make sure it doesn't add complexity to the rest of the forum software/existing methods for the rest of the admins. At the same time, you are absolutely right that the reality is that there's lots of people using their mobile phones online these days, no matter how much I dislike mobile phones I cannot deny that is very true + a reality. So yeah, there is legitimacy in your request. :-)
Anyway, like I said, I'm not against the idea, I just want to make sure it doesn't add complexity to the rest of the forum software/existing methods for the rest of the admins. At the same time, you are absolutely right that the reality is that there's lots of people using their mobile phones online these days, no matter how much I dislike mobile phones I cannot deny that is very true + a reality. So yeah, there is legitimacy in your request. :-)
I have enclosed in this post two screenshots of Tapatalk in action. The second is a list of forums that I am subscribed to, and the first screenshot shows Famicomworld. Oh and by the way, i am posting all of this entirely on my Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Note)...
It is a valid point that mobile phone are becoming more ubiquitous but you should not forget that nesdev is a very, very, very niche community and only a few people can administer this site, when they actually have time! So the effort that could be required to maintain that extra functionality may not be possible with the current resources. From an administrative point of view, the less plug-in/extra setup, the more stable it will be (the KISS principle).
If everybody tomorrow in this community ends up on smartphone then I would see the benefit but since we are technically living in the past, I guess that won't happens
(my opinion).
I tried to use a few website with a smartphone (Galaxy Nexus at work) and for me, personally, I hate the simplified dumped down version and always go back to the full form.
edit:
And from the screenshots are not enough to explain the advantage, it just show that that now it look like a smartphone app.
If everybody tomorrow in this community ends up on smartphone then I would see the benefit but since we are technically living in the past, I guess that won't happens
(my opinion).I tried to use a few website with a smartphone (Galaxy Nexus at work) and for me, personally, I hate the simplified dumped down version and always go back to the full form.
edit:
And from the screenshots are not enough to explain the advantage, it just show that that now it look like a smartphone app.
I read this forum from my android phone frequently. I've always thought it was fine.
I'm actually surprised Tapatalk has any support at all if it requires the forum to install a plugin. You'd think it would be able to parse everything it needs on the client end, for common board implementations like phpBB. I guess it must be pretty popular if so many sites are willing to do this for it.
I'm actually surprised Tapatalk has any support at all if it requires the forum to install a plugin. You'd think it would be able to parse everything it needs on the client end, for common board implementations like phpBB. I guess it must be pretty popular if so many sites are willing to do this for it.
The problem is that phpBB doesn't have an XML or JSON API yet. A MediaWiki browsing or editing app can use MediaWiki's API, but until phpBB gets a standard API, apps would have to parse each style separately. I'm guessing the Tapatalk MOD just provides such an API.
Ahh, that explains a lot.
Perhaps a command-line program can be made using Tapatalk protocol? And then need not to load the web browser to send/receive messages on this forum. (I do not own a mobile phone and do not intend to own one. Now you know, not everyone has a mobile phone)
A tablet is not mobile phone, but it runs mobile phone applications.