the version effect
 

do you think 3.1 is having the same effect on hacking as 3.0 had? do you feel like hacking had slowed down? and if you're a hacker have you slowed your productivity awaiting the release of 3.1 and it's OOP'y goodness?

where's 3.1 ? o.o

:ermm: coming :shrugs: :nervous:

I don't pay attention to the releases anymore. They were coming so frequently for a while that I decided to just ignore them until it was convenient for me to upgrade.

But, I think all the rapid-fire releases have made hack support more difficult because people have refused to upgrade and yet want to try to use hacks written for the latest version. It will only get worse when 3.1 comes out.

This is one reason that I am starting to support my hacks at a site of my own where I can have separate threads and keep things a bit more organized regarding versions, questions, etc.

Amy

For upgrading my site, new versions have virtually no effect on me as I extend the code through modular coding. I don't modify the PHP itself. Therefore, I can upgrade the moment a release is issued, and I do.

As for coding those modifications, the architecture of 3.1 is supposedly completely different, at least in certain areas, from that of 3.0, in which case many modifications will have to be rewritten.

It'll be interesting to see if templates are compatible with the new major release. For example I've replicated SEO urls (e.g f1-site-announcements.html and t2-some-thread.html) using purely template edits and a new .htaccess file and I've done this as I didn't want to mess around having to upgrade all the time. Hopefully the upgrade will be smooth to the new major release.

The templates damn well better be compatible. It took me months to redesign my site for vB3 and I certainly don't want to do it again just for a minor (as in major.minor.revision) release.

Doesn't really stop me infact I'm at the moment adding a pile of hacks. Just tend to mark them clearly. I guess it'll be a while before I upgrade when 3.1 comes out.

Theirs going to be a 3.1? Will their be any HUGE difference in the look and feel and will stuff still be the same in the admin panel like 3.0?? I don't really care for 3.1 and I prob wont upgrade, the only concern I have is that if its going to take a lot of getting use to when I design styles and add hacks for boards!

At one day the next major version will be available. Maybe version 3.1, 4.0 or even they reset numbers and start from 1 again. Nobody will know until it is released.

When it will be released? Could be next month (doubt that) or next year.

No use in specualting on this kinda things.

What we do know is that the internals of vB will have a major redesign.

I am not slowing down at all. I killed my site waiting for vB3, and I am not going to repeat that by killing my hacks waiting for 3.1. No point in it.

yea just wait if anything a month to convert most of your site to 3.1 before you kill a working 3.xxx waiting for it. i'll dl the new rls but wont install it live for a couple days so i can play with the new toys

I figure its no use trying to wait. I think that wherever possible, if you can code it so it works independantly for the most part it shouldn't be a problem to get it working with any updates even if it does need some tweaks later on to take advantage of anything new.

That is probably not really true Reeve. The next version (not talking about security updates) will probably be complete different and haks probably won't work anymore.

But it will take ages before everybody switch to a new major version.

It has been more or less confirmed that any vB 3.0.x hacks won't work on 3.x.0 without modification. Now, the extent of said modifications is still not known. I'm sure it won't be a 10 minute job, though.

any idea when 3.1.x gonna come out? It's surely a pain to update all the hacks if there's a major code change in new version.

noone knows (or they arnt allowed to say publically)

hopefully it will be a ten minute job, i know their rewriting stuff like the way $userinfo and $bbuerinfo work so i'm dreading that :(

Guys you can talk until next month about this, but you won't know until the next version is released. And don't count on any 10 minute jobs.

every hack I install I Keep in a folder now, cause of when I upgraded before I had forgotten what hacks I had installed, so now I just re add them all again :)

If "3.1" is so different that all hacks have to be re-done, then I think many people simply won't bother upgrading straight away (unless there is a really compelling reason). There is no point in dropping all your current custom features just for a few new bells & whistles.

Very well said :) I think the VB developers need to rethink this and maybe come up with a better solution that will still allow vb 3.0.X styles and hacks!

they are moving to a more hack friendly setup thats why they are developing another ver more oop(object oriented programming). which means its better for us hackers/coders/molesters of the source. i wont upgrade right away but will have it in use on my dev board the day it comes out

Yeah, I understand perfectly, but VB is somewhat becoming almost like Microsoft in a way lol. I personally think they should spend some time and do a lot of testing instead of just releasing version after version for minor upgrades and security breaches like Microsoft does all the time! VB 3 just came out, I say give that a few years, then do a major upgrade so they can have all that extra time developing and testing the new version!

they are doing that already why do you think we havent seen the next release yet. maybe someday they will make it so there are only security updates and it bloats upto 100megs of php so then it can be more like ms auto updating the software weather its needed or not.
but back on topic i wouldnt expect the next ver out till atleast the fall at earliest maybe even '06. so just because they said they are dev a new ver doesnt mean they will release it overnight or within the first couple years of vb3

I cant think of a better written bit of code than vB3.

Nothing is perfect - but they have done a kick ass job so far. Therefore I trust in what they will end up doing in the future.
I think its the next logical step for them to move forward. Better coupling of hacks with a unified framework will only make hacks easier to install, upgrade and maintain (along with upgrading vb itself). I cant see any negatives behind this.

Yes, I will hold off upgrading until I can safely port my hacks over - but I have a feeling it wont take too long.

You obviously haven't seen much code then heh ;)

I don't know if they are upgrading to 3.1, vb.com is currently down +_+

Seen enough to drive a man insane. Sure its not perfect - there isnt any software that is. However After countelss hourse shifting about hacking vb - I can honestly say its the cleanest lot of web software for the scope and scale it is that I have come across (and that says something). ;)

Not that it's bad, but I have seen better code. vB uses some hack techniques to get the job done (and the documentation is atrocious, although that's supposed to be vastly improved in 3.1), but then again, some of those techniques may be necessary to keep the code fast as opposed to clean.