[theflow]

Originally posted by wluke
You are mentioning at least 13 different sticky threads which would have to be locked and maintained by the moderators. To allow the general membership to post in them would result in the same problem you profess to be trying to fix. ... Then these threads will really provide no useful information. The only true way to provide the hierarchy you want would be to provide 13 new forums and require the moderators to again, test, review and study each hack that is released to the public and make sure that it is categorized properly.

I can tell I'm ticking you off and I don't mean to, honestly. This is more what I suggest: Not 13 sticky threads (or forums) but just one sticky thread -- wherein the first post of that thread contains the list of Topic classifications (whichever ones the veterans here agree are decent classifications), with each Topic linking to a subsequent post within the very same thread.

Please just look at this example:
http://www.theflow.com/forums/showth...=&threadid=293

Edited to add: Example of a sticky thread formatted for Topic based groupings:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showt...threadid=26522

For this contemplated vB sticky thread, each of the subsequent posts following the initial linked TABLE OF CONTENTS -- let's just take example post # 4 (perhaps "USER STATUS, DISPLAYS, PRIVILEGES") -- would contain the thread names and links for all the solutions related to that classification.

The idea would be to do one initial grueling attempt at classifying the vast bulk of released hacks, then pasting them into this one sticky thread. Yes, this requires a good amount of effort, but I would help, and I think lots of people would help.

After this first-pass Sticky thread were created, thereafter, when new hacks were released, maybe I'm very mistaken, but I don't think it would be so hard to edit the sticky thread -- let's say post #6 or whatever -- and add that new item into the body of the message.

If there were any real support behind this idea -- and I'd love to see it at least given a fighting chance -- then the Topic Classifcation # itself could become a part of a hacker's release, included in the subject line, as part of the release protocol. That would make it very easy for a Mod to make such edits easily to the Sticky thread. (I don't think this is too pollyana to be deemed impractical or absurd, and if someone didn't include the number, so what; the majority probably would.)

The result would be a growing topical index of solutions that would be pretty easy to skim & read by new users seeking answers to questions possibly already solved.

I agree that my suggestion isn't perfect either; and yes, I agree that there are certain hacks that are cross-overs. I also don't expect that such a list would be a "guarantee" that the classification of any hack release was accurate. I'm not even suggesting that my first-pass thinking on the categories is any good. What I'm ultimately suggesting is that an attempt -- even a very imperfect one -- to classify common requests and solutions, and to place those results in 1 editable superthread (like my example above) would offer a great service to users that I believe would (a) improve ability to find ready-made solutions and (b) would relieve some of the repetitive stress put upon Mods like you.

How much support is the staff supposed to provide for un-supported code modifications?

I hear that and respect it. Again, I don't think users here are looking for guarantees that all their problems will get solved -- even me, and yes, I admit I am trying to push the boundaries of what vB can do for me. I think that "caveat emptor" is the prevailing rule. We all understand that hacks are provided as a courtesy by those who write them, and that they are to be used at one's own risk. The only support I'm pleading for here is for a bunch of veterans to come together and make an initial pass at classifying the great hacks that already exist into some decent categories -- then create this one new resource. Then beyond that it's a fairly simple maintenance issue.

And you know what, if it all breaks down and proves to be a disaster and doesn't provide any further service to users, then okay, I'll pay you 5 hours @ $40/hr for your efforts in helping me try this. Maybe that's not enough money, but I'm seriously willing to pay you to help me help everyone else here. Please consider all of this in positive light.

We all want the same thing: Happy users who exploit the great vB software, and happy Mods who have less work, not more work.