Flatten Main Screen?

[Gary Lewis]

You folks have been soooo helpful I'll ask for even more help.  Our main page, shown below, is messy.  This was a conversion from Nabble and the description info makes the page longer than it needs to be.  We need to keep the descriptions, but is there a way to prevent them from showing on the main page?  Just show when you click on them?

I've tried several things but haven't found the right switch yet.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim M]

This would require customization. There is no way to do a expand/collapse box currently with the description.

[Gary Lewis]

Ok, thanks Jim.  That explains why I couldn't find it.  

[Como]

@Gary Lewis

You might consider dropping the requirement for new members to post to a 'New Members Start Here' forum. We used to have a forum where new members must post an introduction - it causes unnecessary friction. So, unless you have special reasons for using it, in your shoes, I'd drop the forum (or, at least, make it optional). Either way, you will have removed the long forum description.

If you have that forum for screening purposes, I suggest that you have a post-count usergroup for zero posts, and the member automatically moves to another post-count group for 1+ posts. And, crucially, members with zero posts must have their post(s) approved. This will allow you to continue to screen new accounts, but not hem-in new members.

Since we changed from requiring members to post to an Introductions area, engagement from new members has shot up. Getting a new member to post at all is a big first step. They likely (or should) receive replies. They are then likely to reply in turn.

Anyway, FWIIW, that's my #1 recommendation.

You might also rationalize your forum names. For example:

Picture Gallery
A gallery of pictures of our beloved trucks

Might simply become (dropping the description):

Our Beloved Trucks Picture Gallery

Over the years (and I am still learning/practicing), I have found that, usually, less is more.

[Nathan Explosion]

18 hours ago, Gary Lewis said:

We need to keep the descriptions, but is there a way to prevent them from showing on the main page?

Add this to your theme's custom CSS:

li.cForumRow.ipsDataItem div.ipsType_richText {
	display:none;
}

 

[Gary Lewis]

@Como Thanks for the suggestions.

Regarding New Members Start Here, you may be right that people aren't willing to jump through the two hoops we've put up.  They have to create a signature during the joining process, and then they are dropped into the New Members Start Here forum where, as you pointed out, they are told they must create an introduction.  And we have it set up so they cannot do anything but create a post in NMSH, at which point they are automatically promoted and can post anywhere.

We did that with the idea that we are a community, not a pop-in-ask-a-question-and-be-gone forum.  We loan each other tools, give each other parts, and in some cases show up at their house to help finish a project.  If people don't want to be part of a community they probably won't jump through those hoops.

Having said that, as of yesterday's joining of InVision, we now know that over 1,000 of our 2,300+ members with not a single point.  😔  Those joined before the new process required creating a signature and posting an intro.  So if have half of our members having never posted, ....  We need to think about this.

As for getting replies, we ALWAYS reply to a new member's first post.  And quickly.  We just need to get them to post.

Again, thanks!  You've given us food for thought.

Edited September 19 by Gary Lewis

[Gary Lewis]

I guess I don't know my way around here, but apparently if I post again w/in a few minutes it combines my posts?  😶

Anyway, thanks, Nathan!  I'll ask that my guru add that to our theme.  

[Como]

11 minutes ago, Gary Lewis said:

I guess I don't know my way around here, but apparently if I post again w/in a few minutes it combines my posts?  😶

Anyway, thanks, Nathan!  I'll ask that my guru add that to our theme.  

Yeah. I don't like it, but I can understand why some sites (such as Invision) use it.