ATOM

[mingram]

ATOM is a new feature in phpBB 3.0.6 that allows you to use your favorite feed reader (e.g., Google Reader) to read the forum which makes it easier to read on smart phones. Looks like it needs to be enabled first.
http://www.phpbb.com/kb/article/faq-phpbb-atom-feeds/

There were some changes in phpBB version 3.0.7, but I can't tell what exactly those are.
http://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopi ... &t=2029415

[markc]

Yeah, I've been working on a tutorial / how-to for feeds from the CHGPA forums. One thing that's frustrating to me thus far is that browser-based solutions (eg, FireFox + Sage) don't seem to realize when a given topic (or reply within a topic) has been seen & read... If you connect again within a short timeframe, the same content that you previously read is delivered again. Which is pretty irritating! Been meaning to dive into this, will try to move it more to the front burner....

Matt, maybe you could experiment with a feed-enabled forum (eg, the phpBB forums), and let me know if Google Reader will properly display a handful of topics, and then (when checking in again several hours later), if only bonafide new content is delivered when you refresh the feed?

There's an alternative to the phpBB ATOM feed : A phpBB MOD called SmartFeed . If we can't get the phpBB feed to behave in a useful way, then that might make SmartFeed a bit more attractive.

MarkC

[mingram]

I added phpBB forum to my Google Reader account and it appears to remember what I've read a day later. Google is doing the tracking (you have to log in to your google account); the forum itself doesn't remember what you've read. Google Reader doesn't appear to give you a way to see topics - it just displays unread messages.

I like getting emails when a new message is posted and the link takes you right to it, which works well enough on a phone. And I like viewing the website and seeing exactly what hasn't been read. So adding the feed feature might not change my reading habits, but might be worth enabling anyways.

[markc]

Ok, guess I'll set up a throw-away Ggl account and experiment with their reader.... If it 'remembers' previously-delivered content, then enabling the feeds might be worthwhile, even if the browser-only solutions that I've looked at don't work (thus far) as well.

Do you have any opinions about ATOM vs RSS feeds Matt? The SmartFeed phpBB MOD offers both.

MarkC

[mingram]

Simple Reading:
I found there isn't much difference between ATOM and RSS. ATOM is just the open-source version developed by Google and looks to be preferred format. Smartfeed goes one step further by adding the ability to login/authenticate users so they can read private forums.

Mobile browsing:
I was looking for a mod or skin to make the forum accessible on any mobile device browser versus a platform specific app, but there's no offical mod and the existing mods have issues or are still in development.

Mobile Apps:
Provides full access - allowing you to post, access your inbox, etc.
Tapatalk - iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc. - http://www.tapatalk.com/
TouchBB - iPhone only - http://www.messageforums.net/iphoneforumreader.php

Email with message content - Inserts the content of a post or private messages into the notification e-mail. Can be enabled per user. Seems to be an established MOD, but installation is a little involved.
Prime Notify - http://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/mod/prime_notify/
Latest version http://www.absoluteanime.com/forum/mods ... nstall.xml

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An app would be cool, but a little overkill. I normally just want to read the latest messages. Emailed content would mean I don't have to click and link and go to a browser. The forum wouldn't know which topics I'm actively reading, so I wonder if messages would just stop being delivered or if all messages would appear. Might be worth trying, but requires installation. ATOM is built in and device agnostic.