Hi All!
I have not forgotten this request. A couple weeks have passed and the poll has been run, and the participation was pretty small -- out of 1829 total members, only 217 viewed the topic, only 22 voted at all, and of those, only 5 expressed an intense interest in having Tapatalk or a similar mobile-enhancement mod added to the Forum.
Ideally, even if it benefited access and use for just a single person, I'd be inclined to add it, but there are some other issues on the Forum administration side that make me want to hold off for just a bit and see if things improve in the next version of Tapatalk.
For one thing, each add-on has the potential to decrease the Forum's security and stability. I've spent the last couple weeks researching things pretty carefully from the admin side, and it appears many of Tapatalk's problems are in the past; each new version is more stable and more secure. While Tapatalk's support and responsiveness has not been stellar in the past, they're improving on that end as well.
One of the problems is that some interim versions of Tapatalk can still effectively hamper or break Forum access until corrected versions can be issued. Meanwhile, the problems can affect usability at the Forum end of things, necessitating removal and reinstallation of Tapatalk with every update.
There are some usability issues as well.
One present issue is that if later-generation iPhone users wish to decline Tapatalk, they have to do so manually each time unless they're familiar with their phone's settings, and many aren't. This has resulted in complaints and increased workloads for Admins who find themselves becoming unwitting tech-supporters for Tapatalk/Apple to ensure Forum access. I've already written a settings guide I could employ if I installed Tapatalk, but at this point, I'd like to wait and see what the next generation of Tapatalk brings in terms of smoothing some remaining issues with Forums powered by SMF. Already, v.2.x has shown a vast improvement, and it appears that further improvements by mid-summer will make for smoother play between Tapatalk and SMF.
The problems aren't so much with the App end as they are with the Forum mod itself and issues surrounding the administration of it.
So, at present, I'm going to defer installation, but keep a close and continued eye on developments and I will advise as things progress. This isn't a "no", just a "not quite yet", so those hoping for Tapatalk should watch this space for further developments. I'll keep abreast of things, invite you to do so and share as well, and we'll revisit the request in about four months and see what's happening. Of course, any alternative apps/mods are welcome for consideration as well, so if you hear of a likely candidate, please share.
Best,
Dan. (...who thinks it is a good idea, with a few remaining kinks to work out before adoption here)
