Should we have a display theme for phones?

[Birna Rørslett]

Since our 'new' NG server and forum are up and running smoothly, I'm beginning to consider to install a theme better suited for mobile phones and tablets.

Such themes are commercially available thus including it -- hopefully - only means a short time off-line for the NG forum, while I install and test the theme. It will be user-selectable contingent upon it delivering the performance we need.

Any members care to chip in with their thoughts?

[Ian Watson]

Since people would probably use both a mobile phone and a computer to view NikonGear, would it be possible to make the selection something simple at the top of the main page?

[Bent Hjarbo]

Some web sides changes depending on the device used, so they will show the content slightly different on computers and phones.
I think that the default theme works well om my tablet (iPad)

[Birna Rørslett]

Since people would probably use both a mobile phone and a computer to view NikonGear, would it be possible to make the selection something simple at the top of the main page?

From my current understanding. the theme I'm looking into should change appearance according to the current device used.

[Bent Hjarbo]

From my current understanding. the theme I'm looking into should change appearance according to the current device used.

Yes

[ColinM]

I have used my Android tablet to read & view NG for many years without any problems.
Plus, Chrome offers me the chance to operate in either "normal" or "desktop" mode
(makes little difference on NG, but on some sites it can)

But if you offer us an option, I guess it provides the best of both worlds

[Ian Watson]

From my current understanding. the theme I'm looking into should change appearance according to the current device used.

Perfect!

[golunvolo]

I vote "don´t care" because I doesn´t affect me in anyway. I´m sure it takes some extra work ...

[Bruno Schroder]

If I’m posting from a laptop, I’m often reading on a phone, not the small form factor, and the current font size is quite small.
Would you have a template to show before moving on?

[Birna Rørslett]

The underlying theme which will be used on phones is already present, but not tested yet.

If the vendor's claims are correct the dual switching mode should be an easy package installation. However, to be on the safe side, I will have to take the site offline and make a full backup first. Thus I'm venting the idea first before making any further steps.

[Bruno Schroder]

How does the theme look like?

[Birna Rørslett]

As I said it's still untested. Quite certain to be "less cluttered" as befits the tiny phone screen estate.

[Akira]

Considering that NG is an image oriented forum (even though I would admit it is a nice space for casual chatting and serious discussions in the quasi-SNS style), the essential difference of between the UI for PCs and that for smartphones is the size of the screen.  So, I think that viewing the forum on tablets is practically the same as viewing on the computer screen.

Then, I would doubt if the addition of the dedicated UI for the phone would be all that worth adding potential maintenance work of the administrators?  That would make the transition of the server more complicated as well?

I do sometimes use phones to access NG, but that is only when I upload images shot with the phone, check out the new posts or make sure if my edit on the uncalibrated PC monitor is not drastically out of "standard".  The UI is tiny, of course, but the links and buttons can be pinched to zoom in.

[Ann]

My feeling is that having a separate Theme for cell phones and iPads would only be necessary if members are finding that images and text do not scale correctly on these devices.

(I don't know if that is actually the case.)

[Birna Rørslett]

I briefly tried the mobile theme and it works quite well. Text is much easier to read on the smartphone and navigating the site easier too -- sort of. However, images are shown as thumbnails and you have to click to make them large. Might be a setting I overlooked.

As I had not added the switching module I was "trapped" inside that theme and had to resort to some devious tricks to get back to 'normal'. Thus I remove the option to select this theme at present.