don't allow hacks that are not using the phrasing system...
 

...the title says it all.

The devs worked hard to get the new language feature in vB3 and it should be used. Think of all the users who are running a german board or a french board. They need to translate the hacks although you have the possibility to make it vB3 compatible.

At the moment I don't think that can be done except giving a general rule to use the phrase system.

Otherwise each hack posted would have to be moderated first...

I doubt that vB.org will go that far, they're scared of taking any measures for vB3 hacking, no matter how necessary and sensible.

However, a group of people are creating a system for Quality Assurance of vB3-Hacks, which will require hackers to use the Phrases system.

It's good practice, though. Using the Phrases system will prevent the french communities from stealing your hack just so that they can translate it. This way, they can simply make a French language mini-pack for your Hack and leave the real hack code / files on vb.org, safely protected against vb-pirates.

The phrase system is a good thing, but I dont think it should be required, sometimes hackers release hacks with un-finished templates, I know ive been guilty of not using phrases on my own test board a few times.

I agree that it is good practice. However, for RAD, it is not helpful. For example, I'm trying to develop vBMS as rapidly as possible while still keeping a level of quality, and it would double my coding efforts to incorporate phrases this late in the game.

We can't force anyone to use phrases. If people don't want their hacks to be translatable then that's to their own discretion. I don't see why we should prevent a perfectly good hack from being released because it doesn't fit a minor criteria :)

With my HTL I've been using phrases from the very start of development for each hack, all the time, and it's caused me little to no additional effort at all, really. It's just a tad bit of planning before you start.

But yeah, phrasing something that's already made takes a lot of time.


@ mist: nope, vB.org can't. It's one of the reasons why I find that vb.org is deteriorating greatly in value :(

I do believe that phrases should be used on all submissions; however, this doesn't mean that it should be enforced.

If you want to use phrases than hack the file to fit your needs.

What I really hate is vb3 hacks using vb2 coding style. :(

I agree. I shudder to think about it, but I just know we'll see 95% hacks for vB3 that are little more than vB2-hacks that do no more than work under vB3. No vB3-coding style, no vB3-approach, no vB3-quality, just vB2 in a vB3-compatibility coat. :(

If you want to use phrases for a hack, or tidy and optimize the code, feel free to do so for your own site. Most of the hackers, myself included, have day jobs too, and do not have so much time to make the code nice and tidy for something they are doing for free. You cannot compare free hacks released by amateurs to vB3 code released by professional software developers who get paid for it. :)

my self i can just add phrases by hand but id rather not make the ppl who need to install them in do it.


it the phrases are already in the DB i will more than use them, however if there not i probally wont be going out of my way to change it

I can if I'm doing it. :p

Of course, that doesn't mean I'm expecting everyone else to do it, too, but it does give me the priviledge to at least express my hope in such, and my disappointment when people don't. :)

I agree with Erwin.

It would be nice if everbody cares to use the system but we can not force with a rule. People who runs a board with only one language and want to share a hack with the community should not be forced to rewrite his hack in a way that he will never interested in.

But I believe we can give a HOW-TO document say in hacking hints forum to show people convert such hacks into a phrased versions so people with multi-language boards can convert them theirselves. I think this will help it. :)

Logician, I agree ... thank you for volunteering. :D

I have to agree with that statement.
It's not as good as it used to be pre-vb3
IMO, I think there should be a separate vb2 board with all the vb2 hacks etc, and a separate vb3 board for all the vb3 stuff.

you can start one yourself, but i don't expect Jelsoft would give you the license system, and i don't think they would agree with a seperate vb2 hacking board as well.

also you have to think of when vb3 gold is out, vb2 won't be supported very long then, so it will dissapear soon, from here as well..

Your prayers may just be answered soon, though :)

doesn't matter if vb2 is supported or not. I bet 99.9% of the owners here don't have a supported license cause they have hacked their board. That's why they are here, to hack, and once u hack, u are no longer supported.
If you guys get rid of vb2 section alltogether, it will be a very sad day for lots of ppl.

Kura - keep me posted.

Will do :)

As for the vB2-issue... I think that the Vast majority of the people who still have vB2 and come here is just waiting for their major hacks to be ported over to vB3 so that they don't have to take those away from their members by upgrading to vB3.

Once the most popular hacks are ported over, I think very few people will remain to care about vB2.

As i alread said in the past, on vb.org we will allow vb2 as long as the forums stay active.

once we notice that there is nearly noone posting there anymore, they will be gone, so it's in users' hands

thx

I agree with filburt1, Erwin, Mist and so on.

Although it is good practise to use phrases, hackers should not be forced to do so.
Why are hacks being made? Because the ppl makeing them wanted to have some special feature, etc. But mainly this is just fun, isn't it?.

So if you're forced to use phrases (which might lead to longer development time) this is getting more like "work" then fun ...

For what it's worth, I usually make a first release that does not contain phrases, but then go back later and phrase them. It is too much work to jump into the phrase system everytime I want to change or add a word, although eventaully I'll add them. My shoutbox hack followed this and so will any major hacks I release.