Mobile Forum Access Now Open To Everyone!

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by tal

So I hope the now public available mobile forums will not result in a decline of subscribtions.

I think there will be some decline, but the sponsorship of the mobile forums from Microsoft will help offset that. I also want to continue to improve the subscriber benefits so people will want to keep subscribing. ;-)

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by tal

So I hope the now public available mobile forums will not result in a decline of subscribtions.

I think there will be some decline, but the sponsorship of the mobile forums from Microsoft will help offset that. I also want to continue to improve the subscriber benefits so people will want to keep subscribing. ;-)

[frankenbike]

I can get the mobile index, but I can't seem to get the mobile forums. When I click the forums on the mobile page, I still get the PC formatted version. I do have my web browser set with the IE6 hack so most other PC based web sites open (more or less properly).

Any direct url that I can use for the mobile forums, since the clever self detection of my device as a mobile doesn't appear to work?

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by frankenbike

I can get the mobile index, but I can't seem to get the mobile forums. When I click the forums on the mobile page, I still get the PC formatted version. I do have my web browser set with the IE6 hack so most other PC based web sites open (more or less properly). Any direct url that I can use for the mobile forums, since the clever self detection of my device as a mobile doesn't appear to work?

I'm afraid you're out of luck - running a hacked browser will give you a broken experience because we've optimized for mobile devices. You're asking for a mobile-formatted forum experience on a device you've hacked to be a desktop browser, which just isn't possible.

[surur]

Jason, you've answered everyone else's question accept mine.

As a subscriber, can I get rid of the advertising in the mobile forum?

Surur

[ctmagnus]

Um... tabletpcthoughts.com?

Not that I'm anxious or anything...

[frankenbike]

Originally Posted by Jason Dunn

I'm afraid you're out of luck - running a hacked browser will give you a broken experience because we've optimized for mobile devices. You're asking for a mobile-formatted forum experience on a device you've hacked to be a desktop browser, which just isn't possible.

Thanks for the reply.

I appreciate the efforts of PPCT. However, you're mistaken about it not being possible. Aximsite's mobile forum works just fine. I don't know it's the IE6 hack that's causing the problem, not knowing how your system detects whether it's being accessed by a mobile device or not. But it does not affect the ability of some non-PPCT forums like Aximsite to self-detect the device.

As for one way to make it possible, you could make it so if you click on "forums" from http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/mobile/index.php, it would only take you to the mobile formatted forums, no matter what device you're using (even a desktop PC).

Just a thought.

[Ed Hansberry]

Originally Posted by frankenbike

I appreciate the efforts of PPCT. However, you're mistaken about it not being possible. Aximsite's mobile forum works just fine. I don't know it's the IE6 hack that's causing the problem, not knowing how your system detects whether it's being accessed by a mobile device or not. But it does not affect the ability of some non-PPCT forums like Aximsite to self-detect the device.

I think he is sniffing the agent string. You've change it to masquerade as a desktop PC, so you are given the desktop feed, which is, IMHO, the right way to do it. Separate URLs and {shudder} asinine .mob domains for mobile devices are a hack. The server should intelligently look at what is accessing it and offer up appropriately formatted content.

Is AximSite sniffing or using a separate URL?

[Jason Dunn]

Originally Posted by frankenbike

I appreciate the efforts of PPCT. However, you're mistaken about it not being possible...As for one way to make it possible, you could make it so if you click on "forums" from http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/mobile/index.php, it would only take you to the mobile formatted forums, no matter what device you're using (even a desktop PC).

Sorry, I should have clarified: it's not possible given the way we've approached the design. To me, content and form must be separate on the Web. Content is the words, form is the HTML wrapped around it. You then present the same content to all clients, desktop and mobile, but you change the form to suit the device. You look at the device that's asking for the content, and you present it to them in a form that works. Nothing is hard-coded, everything is fluid. That's the way the Web should be. No hard coded sites, no .mob domains, etc.

What you're trying to do is get the best of both worlds - view Web sites designed for a desktop browser, yet you're still expecting mobile sites to work. And as much as I like to make everyone happy, we can't help you in this case because we don't take the "hard code road". Sorry.

[dazz]

Jason,

BIG thanks for making the mobile forums available to all. I have been enjoying for the last few days and love it! I had been going to the forums anyway on my PPC and have been putting up with the format, so this mobile version is MUCH better! I have been trying to do the same on my site but it would take more of a rewrite than I am prepared to do. :wink:

We all really appreciate all the work you and the rest of the team put into PPCT. Keep it up! 8)

[frankenbike]

Well, as I said, somehow Aximsite is doing it. I didn't change any agent or anything, I just used the RegKing registry hack to emulate IE6. That's a pretty standard hack to give mobile users access to a hell of a lot more content than is formatted for mobile devices at this time.

It sounds like you're taking the position of the purist. That mobile devices shouldn't be used the way desktop PCs are used. But sometimes, when you're travelling or mobile, the PPC is the only device you have to fulfill all your electronic resource and computing needs.

From your point of view, the way I have my device set up is the problem. From my point of view, your system is not working and is malfunctioning. If I can get to the mobile intro page, which is formatted correctly, I should also be able to get to the mobile forums. You are telling me that I'm wrong philosophically, and that I have no need to see all the content that is not specifically formatted for mobile devices. I find this perspective a little perplexing: shouldn't we be doing whatever is necessary to make our devices as useful and flexible as possible? Should we deny ourselves access to pages which will specifically not load because they claim we need IE5 or greater, when our browsers are capable of loading those pages?

It's bad enough that we are expected to pay for a browser that is Java and or Flash enabled. I won't at this time. But please don't take the position that I should be locked out of the rest of the HTML world just so I can use the mobile formatted PPCT. Assuming that it's the RegKing IE6 registry hack that is causing the problem (I'm not entirely convinced it is, but I'm not changing my registry just to test it out).

I'm not demanding that you change your policies or your site. You do a lot of work to make this site a valuable resource, and I appreciate that. But I am saying that I'm probably not the only one who is experiencing this problem, and if I'm not alone, it might be worth providing some alternative means of accessing the mobile forums besides your automatic detection...which is obviously imperfect and is using a scheme that is too easily fooled into coming to the wrong conclusion.