Possible to make Suspended Users see the forums?

[iBr]

I have an appeal system on my forums but apparently when a person gets suspended they can't view the forums.

It would be really nice if there was a 'Suspended' usergroup that suspended users were demoted to so they could view certain forums.

Also, I haven't tested but do members get demoted to the 'Banned' usergroup when they are banned or do they just permanently get suspended?

[bfarber]

"Suspended" is a temporary ban. Instead of suspending the user, you could instead move them to another user group that had the restrictions you wish (can only access certain forums).

As for banning, there are many different methods of banning in IPB. You can move the users to a Banned user group, mark the user "Banned" from the ACP (which won't change their group, but will prevent accessing the board), ban the email, username or IP address in the ban filters, or suspend the user, for example. It depends on what method you use. If you move the user to the banned group, they cannot access the board. If you mark the user as banned from the edit member page in the ACP, their group will not change, but they still won't be able to access the board.

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='15 July 2009 - 09:43 PM' timestamp='1247690636' post='1826767']
"Suspended" is a temporary ban. Instead of suspending the user, you could instead move them to another user group that had the restrictions you wish (can only access certain forums).

As for banning, there are many different methods of banning in IPB. You can move the users to a Banned user group, mark the user "Banned" from the ACP (which won't change their group, but will prevent accessing the board), ban the email, username or IP address in the ban filters, or suspend the user, for example. It depends on what method you use. If you move the user to the banned group, they cannot access the board. If you mark the user as banned from the edit member page in the ACP, their group will not change, but they still won't be able to access the board.


The problem with moving them to the 'banned' group is that you have to manually move them back to their original group again, right?
Also, from my knowledge, moderators will not be able to move people to the 'banned' group.

It just makes it confusing since there are different ways of doing it and such.
Even the warning system is unclear to me at the moment.

I just think it would be much easier if there was a new system added where there's a center that lists all warning and also allows you to appeal them and such. Maybe similar to the vBulletin 'infraction' system but with an option to appeal.

When a user is banned without changing their group, will other users be able to tell they are banned?

[bfarber]

[quote name='iBr' date='15 July 2009 - 04:54 PM' timestamp='1247691240' post='1826777']
The problem with moving them to the 'banned' group is that you have to manually move them back to their original group again, right?
Also, from my knowledge, moderators will not be able to move people to the 'banned' group.

It just makes it confusing since there are different ways of doing it and such.
Even the warning system is unclear to me at the moment.

I just think it would be much easier if there was a new system added where there's a center that lists all warning and also allows you to appeal them and such. Maybe similar to the vBulletin 'infraction' system but with an option to appeal.

When a user is banned without changing their group, will other users be able to tell they are banned?


While I'd like to add a way for users who were banned but have warnings to be able to view them/acknowledge them, I don't think an entirely new system is needed for such a feature. There are different ways of doing things because different people like to do things different ways.

For instance, for your last question, no - no one would be able to tell the user is banned. Which is exactly what some people wanted - ban a user without having to move them into a special banned users group. :)

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='15 July 2009 - 09:59 PM' timestamp='1247691583' post='1826785']
While I'd like to add a way for users who were banned but have warnings to be able to view them/acknowledge them, I don't think an entirely new system is needed for such a feature. There are different ways of doing things because different people like to do things different ways.

For instance, for your last question, no - no one would be able to tell the user is banned. Which is exactly what some people wanted - ban a user without having to move them into a special banned users group. :)


It would still be nice if there are settings for this, such as having the option to automatically move the user to a 'banned' usergroup instead of having to manually do this.

[Guest]

[quote name='iBr' date='15 July 2009 - 02:04 PM' timestamp='1247691875' post='1826790']
It would still be nice if there are settings for this, such as having the option to automatically move the user to a 'banned' usergroup instead of having to manually do this.

You can check a box from the "Ban user" panel to move them into the Banned group when you ban them.

[iBr]

[quote name='Gärrett' date='15 July 2009 - 10:17 PM' timestamp='1247692672' post='1826797']
You can check a box from the "Ban user" panel to move them into the Banned group when you ban them.


I know but can moderators also do this?
Can you move them to the Banned user group for X amount of time?

Those are the features I'm asking for, or at least the option to do so.

[bfarber]

See, allowing moderators to ban a member is a slippery slope I'm sure many admins aren't comfortable with. We've traditionally felt that actions that actually alter a member account are best left to the admin control panel, which a moderator can't access.

Of course each admin has their own wishes/way of running things. Personally I think it's best to leave banning to the admins myself.

[TrixieTang]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 12:49 AM' timestamp='1247701742' post='1826856']
See, allowing moderators to ban a member is a slippery slope I'm sure many admins aren't comfortable with. We've traditionally felt that actions that actually alter a member account are best left to the admin control panel, which a moderator can't access.

Of course each admin has their own wishes/way of running things. Personally I think it's best to leave banning to the admins myself.


And there a lot of us who trust our moderators enough to let them ban and don't think that it's a "slippery slope" if it's done right, but we aren't exactly given many options, are we? Our mods can suspend members, but they can't change groups, guess how much of an effect that can have if you have components/applications that have user group based permissions, or if you want to set up an appeals forum for banned members.

I think you should let the admin decide how banning will be done on their board, keep the current way for those who want it, and for those who want their mods to be able to change user's groups add options so they can. That way your customers can run their forum the way they want rather than the way you seem to think that most of us want to run our boards.

I'm sorry, but those so-called banning system improvements in 3.0 were hardly improvements, and vB is still ahead of IPB when it comes to their banning system. I really hope that you make some real improvements to the banning system in 3.1, because 3.0 didn't improve much at all.

Really, all that's needed is simple, make it so the admin can choose to let mods ban, let admins set "banned groups" and users can be put there when banned by mods/admins and moved back to their old groups when unbanned. It's a little improvement but it's one that's desperately needed. Why is it needed? It's needed because some admins want to let their mods ban, some admins don't want to have to go to the ACP just to ban, some admins want to be able to choose the restrictions put on banned members, some admins have other applications/components and need an easy way to control their banned members permissions in, and the list goes on and on.

[Guest]

With the new group ACP restrictions, you can set it up so your moderator groups can use the ban functions in the ACP :)

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 12:49 AM' timestamp='1247701742' post='1826856']
See, allowing moderators to ban a member is a slippery slope I'm sure many admins aren't comfortable with. We've traditionally felt that actions that actually alter a member account are best left to the admin control panel, which a moderator can't access.

Of course each admin has their own wishes/way of running things. Personally I think it's best to leave banning to the admins myself.


Moderators can still ban via warnings if you allow them too.
I'm simply asking for them to have the ability to move them to the 'Banned' usergroup.

[quote name='Kotonoha' date='16 July 2009 - 01:35 AM' timestamp='1247704505' post='1826868']
And there a lot of us who trust our moderators enough to let them ban and don't think that it's a "slippery slope" if it's done right, but we aren't exactly given many options, are we? Our mods can suspend members, but they can't change groups, guess how much of an effect that can have if you have components/applications that have user group based permissions, or if you want to set up an appeals forum for banned members.

I think you should let the admin decide how banning will be done on their board, keep the current way for those who want it, and for those who want their mods to be able to change user's groups add options so they can. That way your customers can run their forum the way they want rather than the way you seem to think that most of us want to run our boards.

I'm sorry, but those so-called banning system improvements in 3.0 were hardly improvements, and vB is still ahead of IPB when it comes to their banning system. I really hope that you make some real improvements to the banning system in 3.1, because 3.0 didn't improve much at all.

Really, all that's needed is simple, make it so the admin can choose to let mods ban, let admins set "banned groups" and users can be put there when banned by mods/admins and moved back to their old groups when unbanned. It's a little improvement but it's one that's desperately needed. Why is it needed? It's needed because some admins want to let their mods ban, some admins don't want to have to go to the ACP just to ban, some admins want to be able to choose the restrictions put on banned members, some admins have other applications/components and need an easy way to control their banned members permissions in, and the list goes on and on.


Thanks for your understanding and support.

[bfarber]

[quote name='Kotonoha' date='15 July 2009 - 08:35 PM' timestamp='1247704505' post='1826868']
//- Cut out for brevity


Whoa, what's with the hostility. I assume you missed what I read so I'll restate it.



Please take note of the keyword in the sentence above. ;)

Personally I think it's best to leave banning to the admins myself.

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 02:09 AM' timestamp='1247706560' post='1826885']
Whoa, what's with the hostility. I assume you missed what I read so I'll restate it.



Please take note of the keyword in the sentence above. ;)


Can't you guys do anything about it though?
I'm starting to regret purchasing IPB over vB.

[tranceandy]

[quote name='Gärrett' date='16 July 2009 - 01:36 AM' timestamp='1247704596' post='1826869']
With the new group ACP restrictions, you can set it up so your moderator groups can use the ban functions in the ACP



[quote name='iBr' date='16 July 2009 - 02:15 AM' timestamp='1247706922' post='1826888']
Can't you guys do anything about it though?
I'm starting to regret purchasing IPB over vB.


See post above (quoted for your reference) :)

[bfarber]

You're regretting your purchase because you can't allow moderators to ban members? :huh:

I guess everyone has their important features.... :)

Unfortunately I cannot say when or if this feature will be added. I can tell you it won't be in 3.0.1. Beyond that, I have no idea I'm afraid. Features are generally added in major point releases (e.g. 3.1.0), of which we just made one. It would probably be a little while before the next major feature release is out there, since we're still working on clearing out bugs from 3.0.0.

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 02:18 AM' timestamp='1247707093' post='1826890']
You're regretting your purchase because you can't allow moderators to ban members? :huh:

I guess everyone has their important features.... :)

Unfortunately I cannot say when or if this feature will be added. I can tell you it won't be in 3.0.1. Beyond that, I have no idea I'm afraid. Features are generally added in major point releases (e.g. 3.1.0), of which we just made one. It would probably be a little while before the next major feature release is out there, since we're still working on clearing out bugs from 3.0.0.


I'm regretting my purchase because there are several features that are critical to my forums that were available on vBulletin but apparently not on IPB.

This includes multiple rank images (which I sort of fixed with custom profile fields), the ban system, and avatar limitations per usergroup. I do however like some features of IPB that vBulletin doesn't have, such as a much better admin control panel.

[TrixieTang]

[quote name='Gärrett' date='16 July 2009 - 01:36 AM' timestamp='1247704596' post='1826869']
With the new group ACP restrictions, you can set it up so your moderator groups can use the ban functions in the ACP :)


Doesn't that allow mods to move them to pretty much any group? And it requires you to give your mods the ACP password if you have one.

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 02:09 AM' timestamp='1247706560' post='1826885']
Whoa, what's with the hostility. I assume you missed what I read so I'll restate it.



Please take note of the keyword in the sentence above. ;)


I was directing that at IPS as a whole, not just at you, I mean apparently it's not just you who thinks that since there still isn't a way for mods to ban members and have them put into a banned group.

Really, I like IPB a lot more than vB... but the banning system is one of the biggest issues I have with IPB so naturally I'm a total b**** about it. :P

I just hope that there's a way to do this in 3.1, because with some of the plans I have I really need a way to do this, and I think if this were added it would make a lot of your customers who are former vB users happy, I mean it's what they're used to, so it's how they'd likely want and expect the banning system to work.

[quote name='iBr' date='16 July 2009 - 02:30 AM' timestamp='1247707839' post='1826893']
This includes multiple rank images (which I sort of fixed with custom profile fields)


I think there's already a mod for 3.0 that does that, you should check on IPS Resources.

[bfarber]

[quote name='Kotonoha' date='15 July 2009 - 09:43 PM' timestamp='1247708592' post='1826900']
I just hope that there's a way to do this in 3.1, because with some of the plans I have I really need a way to do this, and I think if this were added it would make a lot of your customers who are former vB users happy, I mean it's what they're used to, so it's how they'd likely want and expect the banning system to work.


Well, this brings up an "interesting" point though (not to go too far off topic).

I'm sure there are plenty of features in vB that aren't in IPB (and vice-versa). Would you say this is the single most important one that converting users want? Say we had time to add one feature in IPB3.1 ... would this be the feature you'd request?

[iBr]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 02:46 AM' timestamp='1247708768' post='1826902']
Well, this brings up an "interesting" point though (not to go too far off topic).

I'm sure there are plenty of features in vB that aren't in IPB (and vice-versa). Would you say this is the single most important one that converting users want? Say we had time to add one feature in IPB3.1 ... would this be the feature you'd request?


I just think you would gain many customers if you filled the gaps. If IPB had everything vB had plus more, customers would have no reason to use vB instead. When I told my friends that I purchased an IPB license they were all disappointed because they claim vBulletin is much simpler and has some good features that IPB doesn't have, plus a lot of add-ons. Also, to your question, yes. 'Infractions' are a big part of vBulletin and many big communities use vB instead of IPB because of them. When I bought IPB I thought the warning system was improved, but it's practically the same as it was before.

Actually, the single most important feature that converting users would probably want is the layout.
A lot of people like the horizontal poster information better than the vertical.

[TrixieTang]

[quote name='bfarber' date='16 July 2009 - 02:46 AM' timestamp='1247708768' post='1826902']
Well, this brings up an "interesting" point though (not to go too far off topic).

I'm sure there are plenty of features in vB that aren't in IPB (and vice-versa). Would you say this is the single most important one that converting users want? Say we had time to add one feature in IPB3.1 ... would this be the feature you'd request?


I can't speak for everyone, but if I personally had to choose then this would definitely be my choice.

The rest of the features vB offers that IPB doesn't are for the most part minor things, avatar limits by usergroup, multiple group icons, and other things that would probably be better off as mods anyways.

The only other thing I can really think of that might be something that most people would want, well, that would be the permission system, vB offers a lot more per forum permissions than IPB. But personally I think they offer more per forum permissions than most people really have a need for, so I think that's more bloat than anything.

[iBr]

[quote name='Kotonoha' date='23 July 2009 - 09:07 AM' timestamp='1248336429' post='1831386']
I can't speak for everyone, but if I personally had to choose then this would definitely be my choice.

The rest of the features vB offers that IPB doesn't are for the most part minor things, avatar limits by usergroup, multiple group icons, and other things that would probably be better off as mods anyways.

The only other thing I can really think of that might be something that most people would want, well, that would be the permission system, vB offers a lot more per forum permissions than IPB. But personally I think they offer more per forum permissions than most people really have a need for, so I think that's more bloat than anything.


vBulletin really gets annoying to use because they have way too many permissions and such.