To hook or not to hook
 

.. that is the question. :)

Re-doing one of my hacks tonight, I find I can do it the standard way - with file edits - or - if I start duplicating blocks of already run code, and a few other messy tricks (like duplicating an already run query, and altering GPC variables) I can actually make it work with just hooks.

Now the question is - which is better - nice simple code that requires the end user to edit vb files, or messy, fudged, repeating code that simply requires the end user to upload a set of plugins.

An interesting problem ........

Depends.
Running duplicate queries is bad, duplcating code as well - but if it's only 2-3 lines of if () do smth. this shouldn't hurt

Maybe you should try to rethink the method of doing it if you need to hack?

For all my modifications, I am trying SO VERY HARD to not modify any files at all.

So far i've been successful :)

This is an important point!
Hacking the files is easy, but really thinking of the whole structure of the backend is more dofficult, but if one takes the time ... there are often possibilites which are not that obvious.

I'm not worried about the duplicate query, too many people seem to get hung up on how many queries things use. The extra select this will run is neither here nor there (milliseconds). I'm more interested in the general way coders are going to go - is it better to use hooks as much as possible to avoid file edits, better for the end user, easier to install/upgrade etc - but messy for the writer - or continue to hack the files and avoid messy tricks.

I think at the end of the day you have to ask yourself what is best for the server. If there is no big differnce between a hack and a hook in speed and load I'd make it a hook for the pubilc, but I would still probbly hack it in for my own board depending on what it is.

I think it completely comes down to if you're able to do what you want easily in a hook (or even not easily) as it is easier for most people to upgrade.

On my own forums, though, because I use version control, modifications and upgrades mix easily :)

Hopefully a query-modification system is also implemented as per Kirby's class/idea.

I will defenitely choose hook like I'm doing it now. easier to install, manage, upgrade that's how 3.5's supposed to offer