First impressions I was like, erm I prefer how it was .... but now I like it a lot.

My only thoughts are that when I first discovered NodeBB it was its usual category layout that gave me the WOW feeling, it looked completely different from every other forum software I'd seen before.

So using this new style make it look a lot like other types (is this a good thing?), though of course you've added far superior styling and little touches like the "posts quotes" in the right column, so although it is similar it is still way better than anything else

Hi,

am really keen to use Nodebb, it looks to me to be in a class of its own.

My only (constructive) criticism is that the documentation is aimed at users who are proficient with the languages and systems used to run the software. As a developer that is used to working with php/mysql; Node.js, Linux and Redis or MongoDB databases means absolutely nothing to me and probably a significant proportion of other users that are use php based forum software - this will most certainly be affecting your market reach, which has the potential to be massive if only there were docs to make it easy to install for everyone, including complete noobs like myself.

I did discover a dummies guide, but even this assumes knowledge that many users (including me ) will be unfamiliar with, and the regular install guide might as well have written in Martian, as it made no sense at all. My personal preference is to test software on a local PC based server, but I've not been able to locate such a guide.

My advice would be to create a guide that includes everything needed to install Nodebb, not assume any prior knowledge of any of the systems required for its installation, for example the dummies guide assumes that users want to install on paid hosting. I also found that I was unable to install putty on my PC, so I'm now not even able to use the paid for installation service you guys provide (which I was going to do, yes I am that keen to use it), i.e. what's the point if I cant access the server?

Amazing software, but too sharp a learning curve for me I'm afraid, if it was easier to install I'd convert in an instant

Lee

Hey guys,

sorry for yet another noobs question, but I'm struggling to login to admin, is a newly setup forum, I'm the only user and I'm logged in however when I visit /admin I receive the error message;

Access Denied
You seem to have stumbled upon a page that you do not have access to.

I was under the impression that the first user was granted automatic admin access.

Cheers, Lee

@Oroton said:

@a_5mith said:

What's difficult about copying a command 1 line at a time into ssh and pressing enter?

There is no one guide fits all. It's tough to account for server operating systems like Ubuntu and other distros.

I think you fail to understand what he's saying.

For someone new to this. especailly from the
"upload files via FTP,"
"create DB via MySql"
"go to url and press install buttom"
like phpbb, xenforo, vb, ipb, vanilla, mybb, Simple Machine. And more.

Comapred to the ease of that Nodebb is complicated.

They wont even not what command line is or Docker or SSH

Especially for windows users

The guides assume you know how git works or command line.

I know I for one 2 weeks ago. was in that situation.

Thanks Oroton, you said what I meant in a lot less words and a whole lot better

What makes a great Open Source project? Is it simply the software and the development team? No it's the users that make a project like Nodebb special. If I were here to troll, then that's fine I'd accept the negative comments about not being able to do this or that, but I'm here because I think Nodebb is amazing and I'd love nothing more than to use it for my community.

My point and that which Oroton helped to explain is that there's probably tens of thousands of users that love the look of Nodebb, but can't understand how to install it because they're used to using phpbb, xenforo, vb, ipb etc. and if you look at how popular php based forum software is (they dwarf Nodebb in their usage) you'd be a fool to discount them as potential users, which not having documentation aimed at them is doing.

Personally I think that's a big mistake and a very poor business decision.

Interested to note Andrew Rodrigues comment in the dummies guide;

"So I’ve been wanting to write a NodeBB setup guide for someone with pretty much no development experience at all – potentially somebody who’s never even seen a terminal in their life. I’m hoping it will reduce the barrier of entry for those wishing to try NodeBB out."

So there is intent by the development team to provide info for people like me.

However the dummies guide makes one very big assumption - "that those wishing to try NodeBB out " - want to pay to try it - yes I agree ten bucks isn't much, but still why pay when there's a chance that Nodebb wont work on your operating system?

Andrews dummies guide doesn't include any minimum requirements for installation, for example I might be wrong, but Nodebb can only be installed on newer versions of windows? When I visited the Putty site there were numerous versions to download the majority of which were X86 and only one X64? Which should be used? Basic info like this is essential for a dummies guide!

I assure you I'm not a noob in every respect, I'm a highly regarded developer in my own field, I also run a popular open source project , and have been an active developer for almost 25 years, so if I'm struggling with it, imagine how an average user will be feeling, especially one that has "never even seen a terminal in their life"

So yes there is intent by the development team, but I think they have underestimated how much knowledge is required to use Nodebb.

I'm not going to comment about this anymore, it is completely obvious to me that the documentation isn't aimed at a huge proportion of potential users and for this reason I won't be using it. While this in itself is no loss, remember I could potentially reflect the opinion of hundreds of thousands of users, the only difference is that I care enough bring this issue to the attention of the development team, what they do with this info is entirely up to them.

I also think it speaks volumes that none of the admins or developers have made a comment.

Still struggling to get the forums working, having recently advised my members to visit recent topics and then new topic, they're now reporting the "function.escape error as the topic title.

Still no joy getting the new topic buttons working on any pages, several members have reported this too.

am using dev-0.7. on digital ocean