Hey Bob,

Interesting read. Thanks for the post. While I understand that this software was custom developed, wasn't the rest of your software custom developed (Zoo, Widgetkit, etc). I mean, unless you don't own the actual rights and the coding for this was outsourced, I don't see why you wouldn't re-sell it. It's really incredible.

It would be great to have this as a ZOO app. It does not need to be exactly the same. This would be a great addition to ZOO and as far as I know ZOO hasn't got any new applications lately. It's the best idea so far for a ZOO app I think.

There is also EasyDiscuss by StackIdeas. I just implemented this into my Community site and it has alot of great features. If your any good at templating it allows for custom templates as well and it's cheap. Just $35 with linkback or $49 without the linkback. Any support tickets I have submitted I always get an answer within the day. I recommend them.

As a ZOO app or as a separate component, if you made it, why not sell it?

> Any support tickets I have submitted I always get an answer within the day. I recommend them.

Wow, thats what I am looking for. Kiss their feet as they are rare species almost extinct in our comercial world. I learned to highly value those rare companies which take responsiveness and support serious enough to ensure you allways get a response when you ask - if possible in a timely manner. Missing the same here guys...

I love the look and feel of this support application but I think that most people are overlooking that it often makes the questions disappear completely into nirvana for the simple reason that by default sorting they often do not have the time / oportunity to get percieved by the common forum user until they find some apropriate answer. Also - but this is common for almost all forum applications - there is no or little motivation for users to support others.

Voting is really wonderful feature but what will voting do if there is nobody ever seeing your question/problem as is (not allways but way too often) the case here. What really would rock would be some global forum graphical statistics (as in myProfile) but showing the rate of questions answered/answers accepted in relation to those with 0 answers... Ignoring questions is the worst case you can have from users point of view so the rate of answered questions to unanswered questions already says a lot about a forums capability to satisfy its users.

"Whatever you measure, improves" is a famous and very accurate quote from former HP president.
Most important aspect of any forum is
1. the responsiveness to the user need (getting any answer at all)
2. speed of answer (e.g.my hosting is counting the minutes for each ticket until it gets a response) and
3. satisfaction of user with answer.

Combined with any incentive like "free membership for the top x members responding in forum" would be a cheap and highly motivating solution to immediately improve both forum eficiency (cost/benefit) and effectiveness (support and satisfaction rate) at the same time. Everybody wins.

So if there is really a plan to make this forum another module for Joomla and you would like to make exceptional components (as we all love to have found here) , then implement this feature as I will bet all my bank account that it will make it a killer application....

Just my 5 cents worth.

If you like this answer, vote it up

Edit: Wow, wonder who gave me a -1 karma on this one. Thats interesting...

I have to agree, I'm very impressed with this new support system! I'd love to get my hands on it!

You can release it as BETA as you have done for ZOO and how to make apple and google for gmail and siri. This gives you a lot of feedback to resolve any problems

+1 "EasyDiscuss by StackIdeas"

Almost exactly like YooTheme's new forum. Check it out.

I found this posts looking for more information on what this new forum was and how to get it. I respect YooThemes position to test it completely and want to pass my vote for this awesome tool to be released someday;) I currently use EasyDiscuss but I don't see where it even comes close to comparing to this tool!

@ben.allan, I too kicked myself for buying RSTickets! You might want to give FreeStyle Support Portal a go. I have been using it in place of RSTickets and wish I would have found it sooner. It is fantastic but I warn you support is totally non-existent.

http://www.freestyle-joomla.com/fssdownloads/viewcategory/1

There is a nice component that I have tested and using now which gives this functionality and more additional options as well. It is Developed by Pedro from IMAQMA you can check the demo here

It is a good component, and the support is just great. I know he is adding more option because I am working with him on some of the features.

If you like what you have here, you will like what that component offer.

I totally understand YT position on not being able to release this app, as releasing an app is not just about saying here you go, it needs resources, planing, and above all a team looking after it, and maybe right now they are focusing on Zoo, WedgitKit and the Monthly templates. Believe me those guys are over stretched because it is not Just Joomla, it Joomla 1.5 and 1.7, and WordPress.

Also if you look at it from another angel, there is so much to do in these apps, so do not wish for something else, you might regret encouraging them to overload their operation as this definitely will impact their current operation.

From interacting with their products, I know that they have a motto, which is quality quality quality. You can see that everywhere in what they do, and that takes not just effort, rather going the extra mile and mile and mile.

This just what I think. and I think it is an opportunity for others to go ahead, develop an initiative and build on their tools if you can. I wished for many things that would be here, and realized that it could not be unless someone steps in and do make it happen. And since then, I embraced Zoo, its apps, and now I have been developing around it. Maybe soon we will launch our suite of tools that will complement the great work YT dose in Zoo. It won't be native Zoo, but it will support it in all possibilities.

I think it would be a great new addition to the Zoo Apps and would keep the Apps fresh. Please............

We have currently no plans to do so because we want to test it here first for some time with our site before making new steps...

ralharithi - There is a nice component that I have tested and using now which gives this functionality and more additional options as well. It is Developed by Pedro from IMAQMA you can check the demo here

Nice stuff!! We just forked out for RS Tickets and I've just started kicking myself!!

I guess I don't quite understand this 'voting' for a topic thing.. I mean, here's a ton of votes 'asking' that something be added to the system, and comments like, "We have no plans to... "
Why 'vote' then?... And why are 'new' items being developed that aren't to be released to 'paying customers' on that promise? I dunno..
Why not release it in 'beta' form.. everything else here is..
Why not generate a new app for the Zoo apps?

I can't even get anyone here (spending the money I've given them) to tell me what's in store for the apps..

The new support system was custom developed but is largely inspired by Stackoverflow (it is not for sale).
You can read more in today's blog post

Greetings,
Bob

Some of these recommendations look great but they all look like they are Joomla based. Any suggestions for WordPress plugins for this sort of thing ?

Many thanks!