Almost Three Months Old

I was hesitant about posting this thread, but here goes......(my site is such a new site)

My forum will be three months old on February 17th 2008. This is my first experience using vBulletin as a site owner. I am using the default style with some changes I have learned how to make on my own. Considering the site is so young I think it is not half bad. Just went over 100 members and decent activity for the age of it. There is a Shout Box there that you can't see just under the NavBar


This site and vb.org has help me tremendously. Thanks all!!!

Constructive criticism is always welcomed.:) My goal is to have 10,000 members and 1mill page views a month. :)

http://www.teamstersonline.com

WOW now thats nice, where did you get that layout from? i been wanting one like that

You have done a nice job using the default style for your forum.
There are only 2 things that I don't like....

The stats box on top of the forum. To me that detracts from the forum, and makes members have to scroll that much more to get to the activity - the forums. And that's my opinion without even having to scroll past a shoutbox. That's even worse.
The header area. You have your header image, then a banner to the right of it. Which is all well and good. However, it's all shifted to the left, which is out of line with the forum, of course. If you have the header image aligned left, try changing it to align center, so that it's at least more in line with the left edge of the left side column.
There are 2 links in the footer of your forum that could be moved to either the footer strip, or the strip at the bottom of the What's Going On box. Of course, by footer strip, I'm referring to where we all have the Contact Us, Archive, Privacy Statement, etc. links. The links I'm referring to is the Who Links to My Website link - which I would change to say Who Links To Us - and the View My Stats - which I would change to say View Our Stats. These can easily be put in the footer strip, eliminating all that clutter in that area. Can you tell that I hate clutter? lol I use both places for extra links.
Other than these 3 points, keep up the good work! :)

WOW now thats nice, where did you get that layout from? i been wanting one like that
Thanks!!! :) It is the default vb style. I just made some changes over the few months. To tell you the truth I can't remember all I changed :confused: unless I dig up my notes (on paper)

pssssssttt... you added a left side column :D

You have done a nice job using the default style for your forum.
There are only 2 things that I don't like....

The stats box on top of the forum. To me that detracts from the forum, and makes members have to scroll that much more to get to the activity - the forums. And that's my opinion without even having to scroll past a shoutbox. That's even worse.
The header area. You have your header image, then a banner to the right of it. Which is all well and good. However, it's all shifted to the left, which is out of line with the forum, of course. If you have the header image aligned left, try changing it to align center, so that it's at least more in line with the left edge of the left side column.
There are 2 links in the footer of your forum that could be moved to either the footer strip, or the strip at the bottom of the What's Going On box. Of course, by footer strip, I'm referring to where we all have the Contact Us, Archive, Privacy Statement, etc. links. The links I'm referring to is the Who Links to My Website link - which I would change to say Who Links To Us - and the View My Stats - which I would change to say View Our Stats. These can easily be put in the footer strip, eliminating all that clutter in that area. Can you tell that I hate clutter? lol I use both places for extra links.
Other than these 3 points, keep up the good work! :)

I made the changes that you suggested. I will see how it goes with the stat box at the bottom. I used it all the time. I thought the members did, but who knows how they find new post. I did post a question about how they find new stuff to them and we will see if they even used it. I turned off the shout box since only a few did ever use it. I think I seen something like flash chat at vb.org I will look into.

The footer was getting a mess that I was not taking care of it. :D I cleaned it up...

The images at the top are now set to "center" I really want them even steven with each side , but I have tried that for a few weeks now and I just can't get it that way. At least with both of them set to center they are not hanging off each side.

Thanks for the suggestion I really appreciate it. :)

Teamster

pssssssttt... you added a left side column :D
ohh yeahh.... There is a right side that is turned off... :)

How do you put links in the footer strip?

Look at the header image now. It is even steven with the left side......:)

It looks alot better, however, on my monitor the banner on the right is hanging off the right side by about 2 px. Try aligning it left? Otherwise, leave it as is.

To place a link in that footer strip, go to your footer template, and find this code -


<div class="smallfont">
<strong>
<if condition="$show['contactus']"><a href="$vboptions[contactuslink]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[contact_us]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions['hometitle']"><a href="$vboptions[homeurl]">$vboptions[hometitle]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$show['admincplink']"><a href="$admincpdir/index.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[admin]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$show['modcplink']"><a href="$modcpdir/index.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[mod]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions['archiveenabled']"><a href="archive/index.php">$vbphrase[archive]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions[privacyurl]"><a href="$vboptions[privacyurl]">$vbphrase[privacy_statement]</a> -</if>
<a href="#top" onclick="self.scrollTo(0, 0); return false;">$vbphrase[top]</a> -
<if condition="!$show['guest']">
<!-- member logout -->
<a href="login.php?$session[sessionurl]do=logout&amp;logouthash=$bbuserinfo[logouthash]" onclick="return log_out('$vbphrase[sure_you_want_to_log_out]')"><phrase 1="$bbuserinfo[username]">$vbphrase[log_out_x]</phrase></a>
<!-- end member logout -->
</if>
</strong>
</div>


You can place a link anywhere in between these links. For instance, if you wanted to place the "Who's Linking To Us" link in there, this would be your link - <a href="http://www.wholinks2me.com">Who's Linking to Teamsters Online!</a>

SO, depending on where you want to place your code in the footer strip, it could look like this -

<div class="smallfont">
<strong>
<if condition="$show['contactus']"><a href="$vboptions[contactuslink]" rel="nofollow">$vbphrase[contact_us]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions['hometitle']"><a href="$vboptions[homeurl]">$vboptions[hometitle]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$show['admincplink']"><a href="$admincpdir/index.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[admin]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$show['modcplink']"><a href="$modcpdir/index.php$session[sessionurl_q]">$vbphrase[mod]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions['archiveenabled']"><a href="archive/index.php">$vbphrase[archive]</a> -</if>
<if condition="$vboptions[privacyurl]"><a href="$vboptions[privacyurl]">$vbphrase[privacy_statement]</a> -</if>
<a href="http://www.wholinks2me.com">Who's Linking to Teamsters Online!</a> - <a href="#top" onclick="self.scrollTo(0, 0); return false;">$vbphrase[top]</a> -
<if condition="!$show['guest']">
<!-- member logout -->
<a href="login.php?$session[sessionurl]do=logout&amp;logouthash=$bbuserinfo[logouthash]" onclick="return log_out('$vbphrase[sure_you_want_to_log_out]')"><phrase 1="$bbuserinfo[username]">$vbphrase[log_out_x]</phrase></a>
<!-- end member logout -->
</if>
</strong>
</div>

you have done really well to have a PR1 within such a short time

I wish i can get some help to get that setting on the forums, i hate the one i got now

what setting?

Thanks Peggy!! I will work on that this weekend.

Thanks Bobdebilder! Is PR1= Page Rank?

I wish i can get some help to get that setting on the forums, i hate the one i got now
Attached it the gradient image that I am using. Other that the custom forum status icons and my images in the header the rest was just edited in the style.

No throwing you off, but I have made changes that I just plain forgot about, One is the fonts. I made them stay the same color and made them stay bold all the time. They will still change color on mouse over. I also changed the back ground colors some in different areas of the page also......

Here is the button set I got at vbulletin.org
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=156262

and the side colums
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=141870

what setting?

on how he has his set

oh btw, i cant get into vb.org since i dont got my license number since one of my staff members hold it... fricking A!!!

other then that, Im stuck with the ugly default....

on how he has his set

oh btw, i cant get into vb.org since i dont got my license number since one of my staff members hold it... fricking A!!!

other then that, Im stuck with the ugly default....
You sure that you are the owner then? :D

If your staff member is the owner of the license, then he/she is the only one who can download stuff from vb.com and vb.org

yeah but i have the total board access account "meaning im the Root", he only has a created username with his site dev permissions, the site is mine, everything else will be mine in a month since i "caugh bank caugh" was being... obnoxious

I just havent gotten the License yet since im too lazy... to request for it

How are you going to get the license? IF it's an owned license, he has to wait 3 months after purchase to transfer it. If it's a leased license, he can't transfer it at all.

If he gets mad enough at you, all he has to do it change the domain on the license at vb.com, and they'll tell you to take it down.

ouch