Hack Installs / Working - Suggestion

[VirtualBurn]

Just had a thought about a nice hack that could be added to this board.

When a hack is released for vB that we would like to try, we all click install and try the hack.

If it's a new hack then usually there are a few issues along the way. Usually these get ironed out with a few request for help with information about the issue.

But sometimes the support is non-existent and the thread just fills up with post after post of issues after issues.

Other times there is good support, but due to ongoing problems and incompatibilty issues the posts build up and up.

Now it's nice to see how many installs a hack has had, but without mooching through all the posts you really have no real idea whether the hack is either of the above.

My suggestion is that aswell as clicking 'Install' to download the hack you have a choice to click a 'Working' button after install.

Obviously not all people are going to revisit the hack and click 'Working' but if you visit a thread and there are:

100 Install clicks
10 Working clicks
and 20 pages of issues

then you know there is a chance of getting it working but you are obviously going to have some things to iron out.

On the other hand, if you visit a hack that has:

30 Install clicks
25 Working clicks
and 30 posts of thankyou's / issues

You have a good idea that the hack is working fine.

The reason I suggest this, is that at the moment you have to filter through all the posts of a hack just to see whether it's viable or original issues have been sorted.

Then (for example) if a Hack reaches 100 installs with 60%+ Working clicks, it gets moved into a sub forum of that thread for tested / working hacks.

e.g.

>3.5.x Plugins
|..> Working hacks
| |..> hack 1
| |..> hack 2
| |..> etc...
|..> New hack 1
|..> New hack 2
|..> etc...

This would enable a user to almost guarantee a hack to work without having to scan posts and hunt through pages and pages of fixes to get it to work.

Also.. one final note, Coders who post hacks and fail to support them over a period of time (especialy if there are lots of issues) should be penalized in some way, or at the least the hack should be removed.

To leave a hack available to download and be installed with known issues after pages and pages of calls for support is not in the best interests of the members or vBulletin customers.

cheers.

~Vb

~keep up the good work - all of you ;]

[Paul M]

The idea is nice in principle, but tbh, I think few people would go back to the thread to click it. After all, you can rate a hack now, but how many do ?

[VirtualBurn]

what you say is true, but..

Rating a hack is not the same as Marking it as working.

I could install a hack that works fine.. but still think afterall that it's useless or not what I need. I wouldn't rate it very highly, but it would still be a working hack.

Maybe an extra would be that after clicking install for a hack you are sent a pm containing 2 links:

This hack worked for me
This hack didn't work

I rarely Rate a hack or any post to be honest as 5 levels is nothing to mark anything by especially hacks as there is so much difference in them, also the rating bears no wheight on how usefull it was for one person against another.

but 2 things they all have in common is whether they work or not.

~Vb

[Gio~Logist]

If the hack isn't working, wouldn't it just be posted in BETA mode?

[Paul M]

Originally Posted by gio~logist

If the hack isn't working, wouldn't it just be posted in BETA mode?

For that matter why would it be posted at all ?

The fact is that hacks are not generally posted as beta - they are posted as working, but then issues/bugs are found, often because of the different user situations encounted.

[VirtualBurn]

Originally Posted by Paul M

The fact is that hacks are not generally posted as beta - they are posted as working, but then issues/bugs are found, often because of the different user situations encounted.

Exactly why this hack would benefit users.

Not all hacks have an effect on boards with existing hacks.

~The Working link could list (when clicked for the second time)all users who clicked working and there board version & current hacks they have installed.

This information is accessable already so wouldn't be a big deal to include in the hack.

This would also give even more information to base your decision on and also cut down the amount of issue people have when they blindly install a hack.

I'm sure with a few other suggestions the hack could develop into a great information tool.

[Snake]

That's not a bad suggestion after all.

[VirtualBurn]

Well the majority of the board is about Hacks and making things easier to install or fix issues.. the more I think about it, the more I think it would be great. Not just for the Coder to get a good reputation but for the end user.

I don't think Coders get as much credit as they deserve.. maybe this could lead onto something, Quarterly Coding awards.. little rossette under the Avatar.

for example:



Would you like one?