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I don't understand why they went with a bb which isn't part of Joomla site ?

Its like coming to the Ford site only to find out there is a Chevy under the hood.

Sounds like the Joomla team threw up the white flag and said no joomla message board component is good enough for us.

I'd have much rather seen fireboard then phpbb3

Not sure why you switched the forum. The other forum had a GREAT search function. For example, you could go directly to advanced search. Now, your search has to fail before you're given that option. And that's why I'm writing: The SEARCH DOESN'T WORK! If if enter a search like "login redirect" is find NOTHING. same for "cache". I know there are message with those terms.

Is this going to be the normal behavior and the gold mine of historical messages not available?

Strange why Joomla! would move from SMF to phpBB

I would like to stress the fact once more to PLEASE be patient, and also to read through previous posts on the topic. You'll find that many of your comments have been said over and over. We realize that the search function is not always working properly. We realize the site doesn't cosmetically look that great. We realize that there are a few bugs. We even realize that many of you are not happy. However, this is the beginning of a road we are now travelling on which will eventually bring us to a much better position than when we used SMF.

The reason behind switching from SMF? SMF has a different license than Joomla!, while phpbb3 has the same license. This allows for the two open source organizations to work better together and to show support for each other, while at the same time finding better ways to integrate the two in the future.

Why did we not choose fireboard? There are MANY more functions in phpbb3 that you will see popping up shortly that are not available in fireboard yet, and neither will they be available. Not only is this one reason why, but the main reason is that the site forum.joomla.org is not powered by Joomla as the others are. This is a completely standalone installation of phpbb3 without any bridges or connections with the other Joomla! sites like extensions.joomla.org or http://www.joomla.org

Thanks to those who have been showing patience, and to those who have been helping us get solutions to many issues we are having. You shall be seeing many changes coming shortly that will make you feel much better about the decision to move to phpbb3.

Cheers!
Tim

I finally found the answer on why PHPBB. Good enough for me!

Thanks!

This incarnation of forum is buggy very much. I had to change my password two times within three days to be able to login. Tried it last time some minutes ago with IE6 which hangs now. Due to quality of Windows this forces me to reboot the very machine.

I watched this software for long time and I don't understand why this product has been choosen.

I'm sorry but, I'm very unhappy with this change.

diri wrote:This incarnation of forum is buggy very much. I had to change my password two times within three days to be able to login. Tried it last time some minutes ago with IE6 which hangs now. Due to quality of Windows this forces me to reboot the very machine.

looks funny when somebody using IE6 is complaining about other software quality...

Version3 of phpbb is really powerful, much more than SMF and has broader community support than SMF will ever have... if the license argument isn't enough.
It is obvious that migration of so huge forum is not perfect right from the start. Please be patient...

Just another try to log in to this forum with IE6:

"You exceeded the maximum allowed number of login attempts. ..."

This causes a lot of trouble for me in relation to Joomla! because several people being interested in getting Joomla! set up by me use IE6 and watch forums occational.

Roman Blanty wrote:

diri wrote:This incarnation of forum is buggy very much. I had to change my password two times within three days to be able to login. Tried it last time some minutes ago with IE6 which hangs now. Due to quality of Windows this forces me to reboot the very machine.

looks funny when somebody using IE6 is complaining about other software quality...

Version3 of phpbb is really powerful, much more than SMF and has broader community support than SMF will ever have if the license argument isn't enough.
It is obvious that migration of so huge forum is not perfect right from the start. Please be patient...

It's not my fault IE6 is being used very often and of such poor quality.

Each programmer in web environment has to accept this fact or his product is not worth to be used.

Edit:
Forgot to mention again that I watch phpBB since years and deny to set it up. Patching core is not the way to go when somebody wants a stable system.

pxforti wrote:Not sure why you switched the forum. The other forum had a GREAT search function. For example, you could go directly to advanced search. Now, your search has to fail before you're given that option. And that's why I'm writing: The SEARCH DOESN'T WORK! If if enter a search like "login redirect" is find NOTHING. same for "cache". I know there are message with those terms.

The search doesn't work because the admins haven't built the search index, the symptoms are just as you describe (no match for any keyword). It takes some time for the operation to complete (the index-building) and it puts a strain on the server during that period so I'm guessing that is why they're waiting. Just be patient.

On the other hand, I'm pretty lucky to see Joomla switch, as I said, plan to do the same and when reading this thread, I can prepare myself for the angry user grief that lies in front of me. Tnx, Joomla.

Just a short note here about the security related posts in this topic.

The conversion that has taken place on this board is from SMF to phpBB 3.0.0, not to phpBB 2.0.x. A paid external security audit has taken place of phpBB 3.0 at RC6 stage.

Please read here for a comparison of phpBB 3.0 and SMF.

For additional information read http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=584922 about most basic problem of phpBB (mods are changes at core level).

Further information:
Had log in problem with Firefox now. It looks like phpBB stores IP somewhere and uses this information for validation. In the morning I used different machines in one LAN, now I have changed location.

But, I don't want to develop phpBB, I'm here to work with Joomla!. No matter how many features phpBB offers. In case it's hindering it's not that recommendable.

timothy.stiffler wrote: I would like to stress the fact once more to PLEASE be patient, and also to read through previous posts on the topic. You'll find that many of your comments have been said over and over.

Interesting.. I didn't see any mod or "Joomla! Hero" tell those that were saying "I love it" to sit down and shut up.. so is it only those with descending opinions that need to read through previous posts ?

timothy.stiffler wrote: Why did we not choose fireboard? There are MANY more functions in phpbb3 that you will see popping up shortly that are not available in fireboard yet, and neither will they be available. Not only is this one reason why, but the main reason is that the site forum.joomla.org is not powered by Joomla as the others are. This is a completely standalone installation of phpbb3 without any bridges or connections with the other Joomla! sites like extensions.joomla.org or http://www.joomla.org

I feel that Fireboard would advance faster and with more stability with the full support of the J! community. You would think that at some point Fireboard could actually become part of Joomla's core code.. since lack of a forum is such a glaring hole in Joomla's source. Seems you would want to reward a group who committed to J!, rather then a group with a different goal, and while accommodating, not sharing the same vision.

pmcnamara wrote:... Seems you would want to reward a group who committed to J!, rather then a group with a different goal, and while accommodating, not sharing the same vision.

I am not sure I understand the meaning of this, please elaborate a bit - perhaps it is a language issue for me. What goal and whose? What vision and whose?

I believe your goal is on making Joomla! #1 in everything. I believe a goal for many of those who have been working hard in the Joomla! project is to make Open Source as a whole the best choice for software.

Joomla! will always have ties with fireboard, because fireboard relies on Joomla!. Just like with foreign relationships between countries. I could build up my country and make it number one, oh...but too bad for those other countries whom I'm not supporting or trying to strengthen at the same time. Rather than looking at "Who's The Best?" look at, "How can we help each other so that everyone is on the same side rather than against each other?"

Also, it's a lot different reading the same message that says "Good job" than reading the same message that says "Change Sucks". Especially since change is what has gotten Joomla to this point in the first place.

I believe everybody still have the freedom to choose Fireboard or phpBB as their forum Joomla script.

If you are not familiar with phpBB please go there and understand the power of this large community and phpBB 3.0. If you like Fireboard, SMF etc better no one stops you.

But please give phpBB a chance by using it for a while and then see for your self if its good or not. Its always possible to change back but please be a little bit patient.....

Hi,

Why is the letter font set to big instead of normal????

Hi kevins,

There is a button in upper right corner to chose font size.

There may be a few glitches but to move the forum was a massive undertaking, that I expect we all underestimate. Thanks to Tim, Brad and the team for all your efforts. I can see it will be worth it in the end.

first impression: argh - i liked SMF much better.
second impression: well its not too bad. enhancement in some things
third impression: must have been a hell lot of work to migrate all that and there is a long way to go design and function wise to make it look as good as SMF. SMF was just so simple and great. BB looks a bit more childish although some say it has more functions. so please make a skin that shows how great it is and has all the functionality in place right a way. AND MAKE THE FONTS SMALLER PLEEEEASE.


after all: as is i find it less intuitive and it is not as handy as SMF, as SMF seemed a little more condensed designwise so everything was on one screen, now there is loads of scrolling and it is not as pretty as before - sorry. But I am sure this is the right way and will also give the phpBB connector component a great community now ;-)
Well, as I learned to love SMF I will relearn to love phpBB again I guess
keep it coming

Search still doesn't seem to be functioning properly, 6:16pm EST , I've tried Google Search and standard Advanced Search, when I get a list of results and click on link, I'm returned to top forum menu.

This is the second time in a row I've come to joomla.org to solve a problem to just have to walk away empty handed. First time was last week when I needed to download an upgrade from 1.0.7 and nothing was there.

Having concerns, I've been using Joomla since it's first release and had switched over from Mambo, now my developers are urging me to consider Drupal for stabilities sake, has Joomla project peaked??? I had to concede to my developers that we'd need to evaluate drupal, which I hated to do after so many years.

mballew wrote:Search still doesn't seem to be functioning properly, 6:16pm EST , I've tried Google Search and standard Advanced Search, when I get a list of results and click on link, I'm returned to top forum menu.

This is the second time in a row I've come to joomla.org to solve a problem to just have to walk away empty handed. First time was last week when I needed to download an upgrade from 1.0.7 and nothing was there.

Having concerns, I've been using Joomla since it's first release and had switched over from Mambo, now my developers are urging me to consider Drupal for stabilities sake, has Joomla project peaked??? I had to concede to my developers that we'd need to evaluate drupal, which I hated to do after so many years.

You could use forum.joomla.org/search.php for a temporary solution to your problem.

Joomla is very much alive and kicking! Try looking on our help.joomla.org site for an upgrade solution. If you need any help, you could always post a new thread in one of the forums. There are always people ready to help!

Thanks to everyone who is showing support for the team. It is always appreciated when there are those who are patient and await for the fixes!

Looks like a lot of work indeed, but the benefits have yet to show to me.
Can't even search on the startpage of the forum. Search seems to work, but I first have to go to some kind of sub-section before the search can begin.

It seems before I can search for something specific, I have to go to some subforum, than search something, and only after that I can finally get 'advanced search'.
That's pretty tiresome.

I think the success of a OS-CMS depends on it's community and the help they can provide. Now I have to do quite some extra work before I can get to that specific help I'm looking for.

And indeed the font is really big. Can be resized, but I belive the standard-font should be good, while people that need more can increase. Not the other way around.....

Thanks for the work, but I do hope some extra search-functionality will be there.

darb wrote:I believe everybody still have the freedom to choose Fireboard or phpBB as their forum Joomla script.

If you are not familiar with phpBB please go there and understand the power of this large community and phpBB 3.0. If you like Fireboard, SMF etc better no one stops you.

But please give phpBB a chance by using it for a while and then see for your self if its good or not. Its always possible to change back but please be a little bit patient.....

darb,

it does not help when there is a big community and a buggy system. Related to chance for and phpBB's features it's like preparing tea: Less is more.

Patience at this very moment in relation to forum software used while trying to support Joomla! is a BIG problem direct after release of v1.5.1 only few days after 1.5.0 and continous need of changes in Joomla!'s code. There are still critical problems where finding working solutions depend very much on responses (= support) from community.

I understand "political" background of this change and accept it but, I do not understand why it happens in such a critical time frame. For myself I decided to watch SVN only in forseeable future for not having spare time being wastable in forum.

Good bye and good luck!

This is the second time in a row I've come to joomla.org to solve a problem to just have to walk away empty handed. First time was last week when I needed to download an upgrade from 1.0.7 and nothing was there.

Jeez... well, yeah... I can understand why a regular customer like you would be pissed! But, at least (judging by your PostCount), you exercised some restraint that first time and didn't bother moaning about it. Although, I'd be somewhat concerned that my "Developers" hadn't picked up on the fact that I was 7 major revisions behind the pack. Mebbe they got shares in Drupal
Oh, and whilst I agree that:

the success of a OS-CMS depends on it's community and the help they can provide

I think you'll also find that the "success" of any specific forum post in a long-running thread (such as this one), depends on you actually reading the posts before your own contribution.
But I gotta agree on one thing, I s'pose:

That's pretty tiresome... Now I have to do quite some extra work...

Yeah. Bummer. All that extra clicking.
John Mc
Oh... one more thing... Why isn't the "Search" fixed yet? Back in half-an-hour to ask again. >:D

I'm sure the Joomla team have very good reasons and hopeful intentions for the switch from SMF, but my personal experience has been a disastrous one.

With a forum of this size the single most important function without question is the ability to accurately search and find information. This has unfortunately not been handled very well during this switch leaving a situation where a hit-and-miss approach is all that's left.

This renders this forum from a vibrant and vital source of information crucial to the ongoing development of the Joomla project to a total shambles that bears more resemblance to a gang hut than a serious operation.

I have encountered dozens of search results that either direct me to non-existent pages or simply return me to the main page again, and I can see I'm not alone in this. I believe we will continue to see many many messages posted from people who encounter a poor search facility in the weeks ahead which can lead me to only one conclusion.

No matter how much time was spent planning this switch it was obviously not enough.
There can be no dispute on this when so much of the forum has become difficult to find where previously it was easy.

In simple terms, it used to work fine - now it doesn't !

I said months ago there was another agenda at work here. I have been proved correct.
However, this would not have mattered if the forum worked properly - but it does not.

I simply cannot understand why this has been allowed to happen.

It seems as if the object has been to get away from SMF rather than provide a better forum for all Joomla users and that is a shabby state of affairs. Poor marks to the planners of this manouvre.

Instead of spending time composing long complaints about the forum switch, why not be a part of this vibrant community by giving back - and help by answering questions where people are asking for assistance? There are lots of unanswered posts that are just itching for answers from community members.

The choice is yours to make things better or just complain about how things can be done better, or could have been done better.

When you reach perfection in your life I expect a "how to" be absolutely perfect in everything and anything you do tutorial for the benefit of the entire community, so we can meet your perfection expectations.

You've made some good valid points, but equally you have completely missed the point MMMedia .

The previous forum worked fine - this one does not.
This one should have been tested thoroughly before making the switch.

Yes there are many unanswered posts, but unfortunately searching them out is proving difficult while the search facility is not working correctly.

Looking at the bigger picture it is dangerous when we are witnessing so-called improvements being made that are not fully tested/functional because this same attitude and action will creep into other areas of Joomla development and then we enter a vicious circle of upgrades/changes not working and the forum being unable to cope as a support medium because answers to problems solved cannot be found.

I don't wish to criticise anyone, but I'm keen that the problems associated with this forum change are recognised, rectified, and the lessons learned.

I'll say it again. I believe there are deeper issues involved and a hidden agenda is being played out before our very eyes.

The previous forum worked fine - this one does not.

The previous forum was upgraded, tested, refined, and tested daily for several years. Hence the reason it worked fine. Why can you not even give this a few days?

I'll say it again. I believe there are deeper issues involved and a hidden agenda is being played out before our very eyes.

Sounds like Aliens to me. Or maybe a Government Conspiracy trying to take over all open source products.

Surprised by the migration from smf to phpbb3. Which forum is better technically, smf or phpbb3? I found phpbb3 slower on this site. someone here mentioned political reasons for the change. i just hope joomla, which is one of the top CMSs, is not a political body.
joejackson, i agree with you. i want to see good reasons for the change. almost everyone wants change, but we want to change something better. since we are working with open sources, we need to be open about everything. ordinary users of this forum like us only want to work with the best products (i am not saying phpbb3 is not the best, I just do not know). it would be better if joomla experts could focus on improving joomla 1.0.14/1.0.14/1.5.1 performance. Currently joomla is still at the slow end.