[TOWN HALL] Supporting the entire Member Base.
 

vBulletin.org has grown to support a large spectrum of members.

In order to fully support the wide spectrum of members here, vBulletin.org must adapt to make visiting the community a fun and resource extensive place for every member. This ?Town Hall? thread will allow every member to voice their opinions on this topic.

What new features will be beneficial for you? What would you like to see from the new Staff and Administration?

Your input will help tremendously. Please take your time in posting here, as this is a Town Hall thread, which means you can only voice your opinions once in the thread, and can not react on posts made by others.

For those who don't know what a Town Hall thread is:
1. You may post one reply to address the proposal. If I update the proposal or post within the thread, then the count starts over. No editing of posts is allowed, so make sure you fully address your argument.
2. You may not address other community members at this time. Keep it on topic and directed to the proposal.
3. Any multiple posts will be deleted.
4. You are to remain civil at all times.
5. There will be no deviation from these rules.

Thank you for participating. It is certainly appreciated.

Since all of us have to buy a license to play here in any of the code forums. All of the code forums should be open to all license holders.

If you don't have a license, no code forums. If you have a license, access to ALL code forums should be granted.

Jelsoft verifies our license when we register here. With the .org being tied to the .com by private license information, this service is a part of our fee. We should all have equal access.

The private coders forum membership terms are a farce. There are already members in there that are not coders, but instead people that posted code someone else wrote. This is not fair either.

Open it all up or cut the ties to the .com and have a club. As long as our licenses are tied to access here, we all deserve equal access accross the board.

Thank you

I think a proper hacks database and not the useless and IMO pretty counter-productive forum layout we have now would be a viable asset to the site.

Even wBB with wBBMods.com have such a database (though it's not half of what it could be).
Quite frankly, no matter what you add to the threads in order to get a database feel to it, the only thing that's going to cut it in my book is an actual database.
Much hype was generated for nothing.

I think it would be highly beneficial to have a database with a powerful Search feature and a bug tracker because this would help users to find hacks, and coders to manage their hacks.

Please make it the Coder Team's first priority to develop a Hacks Database worthy of the greatest forum software on the Intar Web.

Which issue is being addressed here? A Town Hall thread regarding the Private Coders Discussion was publically announced, but has never materialized. I think all of the issues about which people feel strongly have already been aired in the Site Feedback forum... so I'm not sure what the purpose of this thread is, other than for everyone to re-hash existing issues. No stance on any of the issues already brought forward is given, and no actions as a result of this thread have been outlined.

I would suggest that this thread, since it is basically toothless, be closed, and new Town Hall threads on the following issues be opened:

• Site Organization - Mod Database
• Paid Hacks
• Private "Coders" Discussion Forum
• Thread Moderation / Posting Policies

In each, the current administrative policy should be defined, poll options for possible changes be given, a time limit for each thread established, and some statement as to what actions will be taken with the poll results in each case.

While I have very strong feelings about how inappropriate, on so many levels, it is to have a Private Coders Discussion, I've already said all I have to say about it. In fact, I think there has been enough debate for the site administration to make a decision on that matter. It's high time to stop discussing these same issues, and start addressing them.

Its clearly apparent that finding a "modification" is not an easy process for a variety of reasons.

On the front end we need a page where users can drill down and find mods based on whatever criteria is relevent to them.

File Edits: yes/no
Template edits: yes/no
Files to upload: yes/no
DB changes: yes/no
VB Version: [#]
Drill down box to whether its an admin option, a front end feature enhancement or a full enhancement like a gallery or cms

Now that users can find the mods they want, how can we make the experience better?

* bug tracker for mods
* a "box" where users in the community can verify that a mod works with specific vb versions
* a "box" where users in the community can post a FAQ that links back to an answer.

Next up, we need a disclaimer when users are registering. Nothing to long or they wont read it but something that will get the basic point across that most mods are created by people for use on thier own site and contributed as a benefit to the community and that if they are looking for the next "myspace" or "utube" they may need to learn how to code themselves.

Onto other matters.

Service Requests -- alot of people complain that they never get filled... obviously thats because not everyone wants to commit the time for developing a super complex script for free which is understable. As a community however, we should be active and try to offer alternate solutions on how to accomplish the same thing or in the worst case, just say that this is a complicated hack and that they may want to learn how to code it themselves with some guidance from those of us with more coding experience. Its thier project though, they are running with it.

I think thats it for the moment.

The vB.org community has been a great source of inspiration and in so many instances has been a step ahead of ongoing development at vB.com. I hope it continues in this direction. For me it has served as the eyes and ears of what this software can potentially achieve.

I would like to see a greater collaboration between vB.com and the vB.org community, with hopes that this would expedite the transition of ideas into practical solutions and the implementation of these into the core product or as add-ons.

I 'd also like to see improvements in the methodology in which suggestions for features and functionalities are made, providing customers with an opportunity to take part in polls or surveys of possible inclusions so that we can can truly feel part of the ongoing development of this product.

I'd love to receive a periodical vB.com/.org newsletter, containing various news, community going ons, tips and tricks etc.

This would be very helpful for busy admins who often don't have time to visit vB.com/.org as frequently as they would want to, giving them an opportunity to take part in surveys without the need to be embroiled in debate etc etc etc.

This could also be developed as an add-on that I'm sure many vB customers would want to use at their site.

Well, that's all for now folks!

The current way to find hacks is horrendous.

This site needs a proper database for hacks. I've seen other sites develop one in a months time with one user working on it. Why can't a forum full of coders not have one after how many years?

I cannot find anything and frankly can't stand to browse the hacks right now. The previous way of seperation were better at least.

Hey,

I would like to add my input as someone who is developing various small programs for vBulletin. I guess I would be much more able to adhere to the rules in question if I was higher up in the hierarchy as a "coder" myself. So until that happens, I shall swear by ignorance. Until I release the programs in question, of course.

I think that the site has undergone too many changes to be stable as it is. Every other day, you see a member who now posts with a coloured/italicised username, and you are compelled to visit the Forum Leaders page before you can read the rest of the thread, just so you know where you actually stand.

I did, however, read the thread that was posted on vBulletin.com, in the Site Feedback area. The threadstarter there made some excellent points, one of which was getting some continuity here. I know that this would severely restrict the time that the people have in question to be able to run the official vBulletin resource (vb.com), but if they run the 'unofficial' one too (vb.org), there is some continuity and at least some stability. And as I have noticed with these members, Steve and Freddie, etc, they are older and wiser people and don't get into arguments and throw away their Staff spots on a whim. They're adult, mature and responsible people, and that's all you can ask for. I would ask that that suggestion is taken into account.

I just think that vb.com and vb.org should be more similar. I think that (criticise me for this if you will, I don't care) anyone who visits/joins here should pay a subscription fee (say, monthly or whatever) and they are free to download whatever hack they like. Some of said money then goes to heach HOTM winner, and we have the element of motivation that Revan talked about in another thread. I think that this site should be freely twinned with vb.com, then there won't be any kind of separation going on. We know that motivation is low, and many projects have stopped here due to the amount of coders who have left. That breeds inactivity, and won't be solved unless there's some kind of incentive for them to stay and be recognised.

Just my two cents.

I would like to see hacks easily divided into sections like "plugins/file edits/template edits" and "forum home enhacements, forum home enh, admincp, thread ehnhacements, etc."

Now, if I want a plugin so I can do something diferent to the SHOWTHREAD, and make no file edits nor template edits. I GO MAD, becaus there is now quick way for doing it.

I would also suggest the closing of the entire Hacks secction to GUESTS. Why you may ask? I run a privacy report group, and everyday I find illegal copies of vBulletin and hacks everywhere.
I see forums asking people to download this or that hack from vB and they post the URLs.
If guests couldnt enter vb.org (im not saying that vb.org should be 100% closed to guests, just the hacks sections), there wouldnt be so many illegal copies elsewhere. Its not the solution for nulled copies around the world, but they would be reduced because you excluse non-lincense-holders, access to vb resources.
One final statement about guests & hacks sections, I know that granting access is benefical for the publicity of vBulletin, but its a side effect too, a big breach in vB privacy security IMHO.

About the current staff I have no complaints so far, im not very involved with their actions so I can not make a comment.

What I would also like, is a better showoff of the new hacks in the Portal. Right now you see any hack there, even if you exclude 3.0 hacks from forum search. I also happen to run across skins, and for me, skins are no good for no use because I have my own designers for my forums. It would be great to open a few "Blocks" for diferent new hacks released, on the portal, or at least, be able to exclude those we dont want.

Finally and not less important, I really really dont like the release of hacks for vB BETAs. Its useless. OK, they are really usefull for some members who run beta boards. But most of the people i believe, cant use them, because like me, run big boards and cant take the risk to install/upgrade to a Beta release of vB on they live forums. What I would suggest when the final 3.6 is out, moving all those Beta 1, 2 and 3 hacks, to another category, because when 3.6 is out, its a pain trying to find some good hacks fro 3.6 final, but you only find them for 3.6 Beta 1 for example, and it doesnt work. And the coder doesnt support it anymore. If it was up to me, I would wait untile the final release of vb was released and then, open the 3.6 hacks secction.

This is it, thank you very much for letting us tell you (the staff) the changes we would like to see happening.

Sorry for my english, im Spaniard. Cya,
Jack

Heres my input. Jelsoft should get rid of all the staff here, and hire staff members to run the site. This site can't handle a voluntary staff, simple as that.