So I'm what you like better Horzonial or Classic Postbit.
I happen to like both. Something are better with Horizontal and some are things are nicer in classic.
Personal choice - horizontal postbit. Most of my users prefer the classic layout though.
From a forum "management" perspective I think it depends on the amount of content per post. If on average you have very long posts then horizontal is better as that way you don't get the long empty column from the postbit. If posts are shorter then a classic postbit helps with spacing the page.
If I have a setting allowing superlong usernames AND allow classic postbit I always change the postbit template for username to preline rather nowrap to stop layouts getting broken and fix the sigline so it is forced to the bottom.
I prefer classic. With achievements, group badges, user titles and custom profile fields horizontal starts to look pretty bad imo.
(2012-08-03, 01:36 PM)Eric J. Wrote: [ -> ]I prefer classic. With achievements, group badges, user titles and custom profile fields horizontal starts to look pretty bad imo.
I can agree with that - I am currently considering ripping all that grapefruit out of the postbit and instead linking to profiles. I have spent a lot of time on those profiles, so I am thinking of ways to get the profile pages more visits - but that is another topic
Classic by a long long way.
Classic. I don't understand the purpose of the modern postbit at all, and I actually think modern is a misnomer.
Classic is better for two reasons:
- Having a very wide reading area is actually not good for readability. By constraining the reading area to a smaller horizontal space, the classic postbit allows a user to read while minimizing eye movement.
- Placing the author information in between posts means that the user must stop and reassess their reading position between every post. By having it to the side, users can subconsciously recognize the user via their avatar through their peripheral vision and read without being interrupted.
(2012-08-03, 03:23 PM)brad-t Wrote: [ -> ]- Placing the author information in between posts means that the user must stop and reassess their reading position between every post. By having it to the side, users can subconsciously recognize the user via their avatar through their peripheral vision and read without being interrupted.
For some reason this never happen to me, I never get distracted just because there is user information between posts.
I do like the horizontal view, but actually use the classic one because of what Eric J. mentioned.
I like the horizontal personally.
(2012-08-03, 03:23 PM)brad-t Wrote: [ -> ]Classic is better for two reasons:- Having a very wide reading area is actually not good for readability. By constraining the reading area to a smaller horizontal space, the classic postbit allows a user to read while minimizing eye movement.
- Placing the author information in between posts means that the user must stop and reassess their reading position between every post. By having it to the side, users can subconsciously recognize the user via their avatar through their peripheral vision and read without being interrupted.
On the first point I agree - IF the board is set at wide container width. In my opinion, anything over 1400 px just starts to have too much whitespace whatever the postbit setting.Time for responsive templating....
On the second, yes, agreed, IF I have a horizontal postbit I have it at minimum, with a very narrow bar between posts and minimal extras in author info.
Definitely Classic. Horizontal post layout is distracting sometimes when people put flashy signatures. The classic layout means all the user info is bundled to the side and the reading experience is maintained.