Suggestions for optimal Modification Management

[The Geek]

A lot of great positive suggestions started coming out of the great coder debates of '06 but they are getting buried faster than the great avalanche of '83.

Therefore I am taking the liberty of starting a clean thread for the discussion of the modification database ONLY. It is my hope that the other suggestions may follow a similar vein (starting a fresh, dedicated thread), that we can leave debate over how un-l33t we f33l at the door and that every household will have vBulletin on the kitchen table.

end preamble.

Development

Harness some of the coders here to create the system. To do this project right, it will take ages for 1 person to do. Furthermore you wont get a fraction of the features implemented that coders and users want which will result in people whinging about it.
Sure there are security concerns - however a team working together can check one another's code and the whole thing doesn't have to go live until it gets an OK by vb staff

Filter system.

The current flow at .org is confusing. Modifications are grouped into a few odd categories (plug ins, extensions, etc...). I see the thought behind the concept - however users want to be able to group based on functionality, not on whether they need ftp access (remember that vB needs ftp access so at some point they had to use it!).
It makes sense to be able to filter a search (or just a regular listing) of modifications that meet a particular criteria. Some suggestions off the top of my head are:

• Requires vB file changes
• Requires vB template changes
• Contains additional files
• Contains additional templates
• Known to work with vB version x
• Has more than x Installs
• Adds functionality in x Areas (sounds odd, but kind of how the categories were group before: forumdisplay changes, user profile stuff, showthread stuff, etc...)

There are loads more, and certainly you wouldn't need them all, however it could prove VERY useful to coders AND users.

Track downloads

As an author, you should automatically track that which users downloaded, the version they downloaded and the date it was downloaded.
Sure, many may download just to tinker or to check out some of the code, however they still downloaded it! Furthermore it could make it easier to determine problems for users (The problem is that you are using version xyz. Try the latest files). This would get around the 'install' dilemma.
Allow users to 'uninstall' - however make a mandatory field that requires them to state the reason: 'I just wanted to check it out', 'I had problems with it', 'it dint do wot I thought', 'The geek is a butt wad', etc...).
That would allow users to browse reasons why people choose not to use it anymore (maybe even allowing the coder to comment just in case 'the guy thought it sucked because he didn't even freaking upload it!).
Sure, you're going to get into tripe debates - but overall it would be a useful system for people to see if modifications are hot and if not, why not? (look - I'm just freaking suggesting it!!!)

Mini Bug tracker

I really do not feel that this would be overly difficult to implement, however it would clean things up dramatically. Allow people that have downloaded the modification to post in a bug tracker associated to that release.
This gives coders a one stop place to find, control and track bugs and the users a one stop place to see what issues are outstanding.
Leave discussion forums for troubleshooting and general discussion.

Feature request box

Have a 'suggest a feature' box where users can submit a suggestion for implementation and allow the coder to respond. It can be difficult to track down all feature requests in a thread for implementation. Feature requests are a plus for the coder and the user. Feature requests also help users identify what features are lacking in a release (maybe one they are looking for!)
OK, a feature request box may be lame. I just came up with it and thought there could be some merit in it.

The coder/designer/project smilie system.

Allow users that downloaded (and hadn't uninstalled the system) to give the coder/project on its merits (kind of like a positive only rep system):

• Functionality
• Ease of use
• Features
• Support

Let the user give them a smilie if they feel it warrants it. For instance, the functionality was good so they get a smiley face there, but support was only mediocre so they get nothing there. No rating, no frowny smiles, only big grins (i.e. this project has over 50 functionality smilies). It could be a cool incentive system. Then again, I could have had too much crack with my Cheerios this morning. Regardless, look at some kind of a rating system.

I've bantered on long enough for the first post and I know there are a lot of other great ideas floating about so I'll jump off my suggestion box and give another geezer a minute or two while I work out my writing cramp.