Vb 4 compatibility pledge

[Carnage]

I think it'd be helpful to have a tick box (like the supported, template changes etc box) for mods + skins for authors to tick if they have the intention of upgrading the mod for compatibility with vbulletin 4.

While you are at it, it may also be helpful for the single select box for compatible versions be changed to a multiple select box so that a mod/skin that is compatible with vb 3.6,7 and 8 can be marked as such.

[Andreas]

Yep, multiple compatible versions are much needed :-)

[Floris]

I don't quite understand what you guys want.

You can set a product to have dependencies.
And author uploads it to vborg as v4 mod ..

If a user has a 3.x mod that works on 3.x but not 4.x
a new version just for 4.x can be released.

This offers the end user the choice between downloading 3.x or 4.x

Maybe i just dont understand what you are asking for.

[Andreas]

Take this Add-on as an Example of the problem (there are dozens of such cases):
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=100435
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=144730
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=206169
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=184573

This is the exact same code - released 4 times as it is not possible to set multiple compatible versions and the release section is divided into major version categories.

This is a waste of resources for both users and developers as they have to keep track of issues in multiple threads, post updates in multiple threads, etc.

[Floris]

Yes, one could just release the ONE zip for the latest version and include the text: works with 3.6-4.0; that's what I do. And I discontinue the old thread.

I am not going to re-release the same thing 5 times, that's just stupid and useless.

A compatibility list will indeed be a fair attempt to narrow these release down.

That said, I rather see addons being released INSIDE the release and appear as new post below the first post as special addon post. This way a post could list the translations, another post the addons .. Without having to jump through hoops.

But I'm going off topic.

[Andreas]

Yes, one could just release the ONE zip for the latest version and include the text: works with 3.6-4.0; that's what I do. And I discontinue the old thread.
That doesn't wrok too well:

If you keep it in the category for the minimum version users will keep asking if it does also work with the latest vBulletin versions - and if you keep in in the category of the latest version people will keep asking if it does also work with older vBulletin versions.

Hence why I think it would be useful to have the possiblity to set multiple compatible versions.
(That's how it is done at vBulletin-Germany.org; we've got only one category for releases).

[Carnage]

This was really two suggestions :p

The first was just to add a tick box that authors could use /NOW/ before vb4 is released to show that they intend to release a version of the mod for vb4. That way if people are installing now they'll know if the mod will be avaliable for vb4 or not.

[Paul M]

The first was just to add a tick box that authors could use /NOW/ before vb4 is released to show that they intend to release a version of the mod for vb4.
Very few poeple would be able to commit to such a thing until they see the vb4 code, and even then they may not be able (I have no idea which of mine I might upgrade, and ive had vb4 for over a month). It would also be seen a bad thing when people tick that option, and then dont actually release a vb4 version.

Hence why I think it would be useful to have the possiblity to set multiple compatible versions.
I agree, it would be better, but the fact is the current system is deeply embedded and many other features actually rely on the current system of multiple forums, so they would all need updating as well. It would also need to be expandable for new versions (as well as what to do with all the old mods). Its not just a case of a adding a few tick boxes and job done. :)

[Carnage]

Very few poeple would be able to commit to such a thing until they see the vb4 code, and even then they may not be able (I have no idea which of mine I might upgrade, and ive had vb4 for over a month). It would also be seen a bad thing when people tick that option, and then dont actually release a vb4 version.


The idea came from drupal.org a good number of coders on there have pledged to provide DAY 0 compatibility for their mod with drupal 7. This is obviously easier for them to achieve as the beta code will be avaliable publically. However having a pledge to release a vb 4 version AT SOME POINT (maybe within 6 months of vb4's release) would be doable.

I can say for certain that I will be releasing vb4 versions of at least two of my mods as I run and use them activly on my forums. They may even be a day 0 release if i'm included in beta testing or have nothing better to do on the day of vb4's release.

[Floris]

As a user who maintains many many forums, I am certainly not interested in the "intentions" of an author. Yes, it's nice to know he or she will continue to work on their releases here, but that being said. When I get here I want to go and find a mod, and download it and use it. The history or it's unknown future at that point is not relevant. We just want to run the forum.

And I also wouldn't want to install code from an author who 'guesses' their product will work with vB4, I want facts, not false promises. Maybe the addon becomes obsolete, maybe the author can't figure out how to do it for version 4. etc. We would have been waiting for all that time, for nothing. I rather just see if a mod says: works with: 3.5-3.8, 4.0. After v4 has been released.

Of course, that said, I am all for a system actually where there is just 1 release, perhaps with mulitple attachments (one for say exception 3.5 or 4.0) but have that one release in the header of the product say: works with 3.5.3 to 3.8.4, and 4.0.

A wordpress like solution is much needed for vBulletin to be honest.
i want to go in, search through resources, install them with a click after reading up on them, have a one click upgrade button, and get notification of it being outdated (just finished some code that lets you check for outdated actually.. but anyway). I would also like to see one of my 3.5 products that i never upgraded or finished to become part of vBulletin.org's official addon (yes, i want vborg official addons for developers hehe) that allows a one click "build product.zip" that grabs the .xml, images, and product files and zips it up (i will write this out later).

Anyway, I hope version 4 allows vborg to upgrade to v4, and introduce dramatic changes to their community, so they're on top of their game again and the resource site that lets users work on stuff as a team (see wayne's thread) and get consistency in the products, and have addons and translations and such be part of the product, rather then their individual releases, etc.

I know, time, resources, and all that .. the staff here works for free (to my knowledge) so how dare we ask for them to put all that time in it - but .. we can still wish :) right? :)

[Dismounted]

I know, time, resources, and all that .. the staff here works for free (to my knowledge) so how dare we ask for them to put all that time in it - but .. we can still wish :) right? :)
Most of the staff (all?) have actually offered to put time and effort into creating a better vB.org for all. However, we're still waiting on vBulletin 4 and its style/API to stabilise before starting any major work.

[Floris]

Dismounted, I know, that's what I said :p

I said I would write it out .. here it is: https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=225025

[JamesC70]

That doesn't wrok too well:

If you keep it in the category for the minimum version users will keep asking if it does also work with the latest vBulletin versions - and if you keep in in the category of the latest version people will keep asking if it does also work with older vBulletin versions.

Hence why I think it would be useful to have the possiblity to set multiple compatible versions.
(That's how it is done at vBulletin-Germany.org; we've got only one category for releases).

How about a break at 4.0 -- add-ons for 3.x series and prior are left untouched, and a new add-on management backend for 4.0 and higher? If vb.org upgrades to vB 4, then the vb.org backend would have to be rewritten anyway. So for the sake of simplicity, think of this idea as two seperate forums under vbulletin.org -- the existing one for 3.x, and a vB4 installation to support vB4 mods.

A new backend for 4.0 series mods could then take into account multiple versions, and maybe allow implemention of some of the ideas Floris and others have proposed in Hatchery.

This way the vb.org mod team doesn't have to reclassify 3.x series mods, or combine several identical 3.x series releases into one "final" release (which, btw, would break bookmarks unless the moderators left a bunch of forwarding links).

[TheLastSuperman]

I'm keeping my mouth shut about wanting stuff here on the org unless someone prods me with a stick, not meaning that to sound bad what I mean is I know you admins and moderators here are dying to try new functions here.. probably been brainstorming for months now so I'm honestly wanting to be surprised with it... don't even hint at it just switch the style one day :D

Mike