What features and functionalities should forum software have? Which are requirements and which are nice to have? How does this forum fare?

It seems to me that I can't.

Now I see I can!:)
Frans, what about a shortcut for quoting?

Frans, what about a shortcut for quoting?

Huh?

Well, I'm highlighting some text, then I need to scroll the page to reach the 'quote' button, right?

If you're quoting from a really long post, I suppose. I'll consider making something pop up in an unobtrusive place if/when I write my own quick quote, but I'm not sure how feasible that is precisely. A better idea might be to expose a Javascript function which could be activated through a bookmarklet.

Also I'd like to see the string who's online not only at the Index page. It seems redundant on topic pages, but on most others... I mean on such special pages as "new posts" and such.
And what about adding more "post moods"? A "Shocked" would be amazing!:D

It would?

In MyOpera when we opened a new thread, that original post was visually distinctive, & easy to spot. It also set in motion what would be in context for posters to easily follow as a basis for discussion.

Also, regardless of how many pages the thread had traversed, each page started with the original thread opening/starting post....as a guiding light so to speak ...... a place to remind us of the thread's intended focus.

In my travels to many other forums, this feature always set the MyOpera Forums apart from the rest as a positive & motivating factor.

That feature you can thank/blame me. One of the forums I was active in (CNET Builder, I believe) at the time the forums were redesigned had this feature, and I really liked it for all the reasons you stated. I still really like it, so +1 from me. It requires that the first post is visually distinct from the other posts, otherwise it can be confusing.

The post sometimes appeared alone on the last page.

The forums have a few page counting bugs, and there are a number of paging-related issues in every forum.

Speaking of which, paging in this forum is a blast from forum software past. Particularly the "« previous" and "next »" buttons that don't go to previous/next page, but to previous/next thread, a pretty useless (and confusing) function.

Speaking of which, paging in this forum is a blast from forum software past. Particularly the "« previous" and "next »" buttons that don't go to previous/next page, but to previous/next thread, a pretty useless (and confusing) function.

I'll remove those and I'll look into adding first post on every page.

ׂ

The page number code is more integrated in the core of the forum and less available in the theme than I'd like. I wrote a quick JS that provides the prev/next functionality for now instead. By quick I also mean it won't work in Opera <10 because that would complicate matters.

That feature you can thank/blame me. One of the forums I was active in (CNET Builder, I believe) at the time the forums were redesigned had this feature, and I really liked it for all the reasons you stated. I still really like it, so +1 from me. It requires that the first post is visually distinct from the other posts, otherwise it can be confusing.

An initial implementation is available as an option in Look and Layout.

I wrote a quick JS that provides the prev/next functionality for now instead.

Would you add a space between the "Previous" and the next number?
(Still desiring a 'quote shortcut'...)

In MyOpera when we opened a new thread, that original post was visually distinctive, & easy to spot. It also set in motion what would be in context for posters to easily follow as a basis for discussion.

Also, regardless of how many pages the thread had traversed, each page started with the original thread opening/starting post....as a guiding light so to speak ...... a place to remind us of the thread's intended focus.

An initial implementation is available as an option in Look and Layout.

Can't argue with perfection -- Well Done!!      

........... The Previous & Next works like a charm too!

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I desire that Jimbro shall recover his account.

I'd also like

• that the numbered list had an option to look like "1)",

and

• that among the editing tools we had a modest list of the most used/required punctuation (or(and) some other) symbols (Unicode?)

.
[/list]

(I see the list paraphernalia need some test driving, er?)

 
• that the numbered list had an option to look like "1)",

That's not part of the system: http://wiki.simplemachines.org/smf/List

What's wrong with this?
1) blabla
2) blabla

If you want the specific list display, use type=none

• 1) bla


• 2) bla

 
• that among the editing tools we had a modest list of the most used/required punctuation (or(and) some other) symbols (Unicode?)

I don't really understand the punctuation part of the question, but what kind of symbols are you talking about?

If you want the specific list display, use type=none

O'k.

I don't really understand the punctuation part of the question, but what kind of symbols are you talking about?

Some most (needed)common ones from here.

And what there about a quoting shortcut? I desire it much... 

And what about adding more "post moods"?

Is it difficult?
Sometimes I have a mood when replying. And a could also be loved by some

Why not use a bookmarklet like this? http://panmental.de/symbols/info.htm

And what there about a quoting shortcut? I desire it much...

Once quick quote is in place I can look into it.

Why not use a bookmarklet like this? http://panmental.de/symbols/info.htm

The mathematical symbols in the

toolbox are ok, in other tables the most ones look like sort of poops for me. In the main frame (text) most look like squares.

Once quick quote is in place I can look into it.

Are you going to dump your "experimental"?
I'd be obliged. (When you look into that;)

As of the "moods", it'd be nice to have some , "scared", and .

Are you going to dump your "experimental"?

No... in several use cases the My Opera Enhancements quick quote already significantly outperforms the other one without any effort on my end whatsoever. A few minor adjustments and it'll run many circles around it.