Stick With One Style

Written by: Paul Omer

Skin Chooser, a very common and popular feature for many forums. If you are a phpBB user, it will require a modification. For the vBulletin users, it comes standard. Many find this to be a great and valuable feature, but I have my complaints and concerns, so before you go and make 10 different styles for your forum, let's stop to consider some of the things that come along with it.

More options is better, right?
In most cases, yes, but in this case, it reflects more of your member's attitude. It may not be such a good idea to give your user's the option to actually change the look of your forum. Your forum should have that special look, that no one wants to change. If your users are going around changing the style all the time, then it may mean that none of them look all that nice. There are those obviously that just like to change things up a bit, maybe too much actually. Remember that you can't please everyone, but you should try and make that one killer style that everyone likes. I am also not saying that slight alterations to the look, or added appearances for special occasions is a bad thing. A lot of times people will put up a different set of smilies for some special occasion, which is all well and good, but way different than changing the entire color scheme or style of your forum. Sometimes giving your community every little thing they want can come back to bite you in the butt. This is one of them. It's your forum, keep it that way. If they don't like it for what it is, then you don't want that member any way.

Your community should want normality.
Users will come to see your community's look and color scheme as it's overall personality, and this connection is important. It will help people become more attached to it. A community who wants to be able to change styles all the time don't REALLY like the main point of the forum now do they? A community who is critical of any changes made is a good thing. It's a sign that they truly respect and care for how things are done. I have been a part of some forums that had a community that always wanted something changed. Usually, the members did not stay around very long. While other forums had members that were so critical, any little change made was practically reviewed by each member. May seem a bit over done, but these are the kinds of communities that hold together for years.

How multiple styles affect mod installation.
This is over looked sometimes, but a no brainer when you think about it. For most modifications, you would have to alter each individual style in order for them all to be up to date. This can multiply your work load to the point where you dread installing even a single mod, and it is definitely more important to have some nice mods, then the ability to simply change around the style.

If your community is going to stick around, they're going to have to be the kind of people to grow attached to your forum, and that includes the look. Kids who want to constantly change the style all the time, won't stick around even if you have 137 to choose from, so don't waste your time trying to please them in that regard. Unless of course this is a school related forum, or a forum that simply deals with kids often. Still, do your best to stick with one style. One great style, is better than endless mediocre ones.