[SOLVED] Please make forum more mobile friendly

[Snoopy8]

Using Samsung Note 10 running latest Android and default Chrome browser.

Have been putting up (for a long time) with a less than ideal forum when using phone.  The default mobile portrait view shows only the left side of forum and it is not possible to scroll to the right.  The workaround is to tilt phone to landscape or set browser to show Desktop site.

I understand that the priority has been to fix and improve SO, and I agree with it.  However, a poor user experience on the forum will likely turn off potential SO converts. I am sorry to divert your precious time but this should be fixed.

[agent_kith]

Using Samsung Note 10 running latest Android and default Chrome browser.

Have been putting up (for a long time) with a less than ideal forum when using phone.  The default mobile portrait view shows only the left side of forum and it is not possible to scroll to the right.  The workaround is to tilt phone to landscape or set browser to show Desktop site.

I understand that the priority has been to fix and improve SO, and I agree with it.  However, a poor user experience on the forum will likely turn off potential SO converts. I am sorry to divert your precious time but this should be fixed.

Unfortunately themes on this forum is really a pain to do.

Do you still use Tapatalk? Maybe I'll install the Tapatalk plugin later tonight and you can use that to access the forum from now on? The interface and experience should be way better.

[Snoopy8]

Unfortunately themes on this forum is really a pain to do.

Do you still use Tapatalk? Maybe I'll install the Tapatalk plugin later tonight and you can use that to access the forum from now on? The interface and experience should be way better.

Sorry, do not use Tapatalk; also it has been phased out in other forums like SNA.

For most users, the phone is the primary tool and used all the time. The new UI is working well on the phone, and can even update firmware. However, accessing the forum on the phone is a pain. If the aim is to grow the SO community, then the forum must cater for mobile use.

If it is too difficult to maintain the forum and current themes, then perhaps it may be time to look for alternatives that look stock standard and easier to manage? Unfortunately, I know nothing of what is available nor the effort to put up a forum.

[agent_kith]

Sorry, do not use Tapatalk; also it has been phased out in other forums like SNA.

It's OK, I don't use Tapatalk either.

For most users, the phone is the primary tool and used all the time. The new UI is working well on the phone, and can even update firmware. However, accessing the forum on the phone is a pain. If the aim is to grow the SO community, then the forum must cater for mobile use.

Given the real estate of mobiles in portrait mode, there's probably very little flexibility. The side box should not be visible at all when in mobile portrait mode actually. Unsure why that is so. Will see if I can disable that. Have tried some mobile themes and they're all similar. Might be time to switch to a different theme. Will experiment with themes this weekend then.

If it is too difficult to maintain the forum and current themes, then perhaps it may be time to look for alternatives that look stock standard and easier to manage? Unfortunately, I know nothing of what is available nor the effort to put up a forum.

Maintaining the forum is easy, updating/changing themes isn't.

Good forum software (e.g. Xenforo) costs money. Free forum software are becoming abandonware now because nobody uses forums anymore.. For me I rather use the money from donations to offset the monthly server costs (currently stands at $80 a month).

We could also move to discord or discuss, but those aren't good options IMO.

[Bromf]

Sorry, do not use Tapatalk; also it has been phased out in other forums like SNA.

It's OK, I don't use Tapatalk either.

For most users, the phone is the primary tool and used all the time. The new UI is working well on the phone, and can even update firmware. However, accessing the forum on the phone is a pain. If the aim is to grow the SO community, then the forum must cater for mobile use.

Given the real estate of mobiles in portrait mode, there's probably very little flexibility. The side box should not be visible at all when in mobile portrait mode actually. Unsure why that is so. Will see if I can disable that. Have tried some mobile themes and they're all similar. Might be time to switch to a different theme. Will experiment with themes this weekend then.

If it is too difficult to maintain the forum and current themes, then perhaps it may be time to look for alternatives that look stock standard and easier to manage? Unfortunately, I know nothing of what is available nor the effort to put up a forum.

Maintaining the forum is easy, updating/changing themes isn't.

Good forum software (e.g. Xenforo) costs money. Free forum software are becoming abandonware now because nobody uses forums anymore.. For me I rather use the money from donations to offset the monthly server costs (currently stands at $80 a month).

We could also move to discord or discuss, but those aren't good options IMO.

HiYa AK... good reminder about the server costs and how you subsidise our musical nirvana to such a large extent !!
Just bunged you some more slides via PayPal... hope that helps and that others will step up as well
Have a grand weekend and do something to relax and unwind !!
All the best...
bob

[agent_kith]

HiYa AK... good reminder about the server costs and how you subsidise our musical nirvana to such a large extent !!
Just bunged you some more slides via PayPal... hope that helps and that others will step up as well
Have a grand weekend and do something to relax and unwind !!
All the best...
bob

Thanks Bob.

Have disabled side box when in mobile mode. Do a refresh if you're still seeing it and it should be gone. Hopefully that'll make the browsing experience better? Will try and see if I can add more themes later this weekend. I kind of like the current one - just discovered it has a dark mode (click on the crescent moon on the top right and it'll go dark)... That's really cool.

[Snoopy8]

Have disabled side box when in mobile mode. Do a refresh if you're still seeing it and it should be gone. Hopefully that'll make the browsing experience better? Will try and see if I can add more themes later this weekend. I kind of like the current one - just discovered it has a dark mode (click on the crescent moon on the top right and it'll go dark)... That's really cool.

Thank you!

That simple change has made things better when using the phone.  Apologies for the grumpy posts, but that side box made navigation and viewing of the forum unwieldy.  There is no need to spend more time on the themes.

[agent_kith]

Thank you!

That simple change has made things better when using the phone.  Apologies for the grumpy posts, but that side box made navigation and viewing of the forum unwieldy.  There is no need to spend more time on the themes.

Fully understand your reasons. Don't use the mobile phone much to use the forums because sadly I'm always on the desktop computer. As such I didn't even realise the side box is showing up in mobile. Should thank you for brining it up.

Shows how much time I've been checking the forums feature even, only just realised there's a dark mode yesterday. Thought I broke something when I tweaked the settings .