Something Constructive

[spence2]

Erwin, Xenon, et al.,

If we agree that:
1. One of the reasons for the popularity (sales) of vBulletin is this community: the hacks & add-ons.
2. The scripting changes from vB2 to vB3 are major & complex.
3. Hacks written for vB2 often require extensive modification to "port" to vB3.
4. Hackers deserve respect, credit, appreciation and protection from those who might attempt to falsely take credit for their work.
5. Emailing or PM'ing hackers for permission to "port" their code is haphazard, stymies or delays productive work and fails to inform the community.

Would it, therefore, be possible or advantageous to:

1. Publicly (via an announcement) advise owners of vB2 hacks that a time period has been established to declare their intentions to port their hacks from vB2 to vB3. Owners of vB2 hacks could then reply publicly in that thread to inform all of the community.
2. Once their intentions are announced, could those hacks be listed in a vB3 "Pre-Beta Forum". This would reveal to the entire community their intentions and advise others that they do not grant permission for their original work to be modified.
3. Given adequate notice, publicly, those who fail to respond would, of course, retain ownership of their vB2 hacks. Please note: "vB2 hacks", which is exactly what they are.
4. Those hacks, however, not "reserved" for porting in the apportioned time period by their owners would then be freed for singular or collaborative efforts to port them by the members of this community.
5. Any vB3 hack based in part on a vB2 hack MUST be designated as such by the submitter. All such submissions must give credit to the vB2 hacker by whatever phrase this forum chooses ("BASED ON ___", "PORTED FROM __", etc.). If not, the proposed hack will not be accepted.

I mean these suggestions to be constructive. Their purpose is to promote fairness to all members of this community, expedite and organize a more structured approach to the issue of permissions granted or denied.

Feedback is welcomed, of course, as I'm sure these ideas can be improved!
But, truly, Erwin (Xenon, et al) IMHO something similar should be enacted and SOON.