Where vB is going wrong

[amykhar]

Originally Posted by Gary Bolton

There is a flip side to this though. One could argue that if a hack is released as "un-supported" right from the start and then quite a few bugs are quickly found with no fixes coming forward from the author becuase he advertised from the start it's un-supported.

Why should that hack remain on the site? Should it not be removed as a problem hack with no support at all. To avoid members installing it and causing problems with there site, only to find there has been no help and support with that hack right from the very word go. And when they try and get help from others they get a door slammed in there face saying things like: "Read the title - It says Un-Supported".

I would have thought the main aim of vB.org is quality, not quantity.

From my point of view, while I understand that people have real lives out there that take up there time. If a person knows when he releases a hack he simply doesn't have the time to add at least "some support" to it. I think he should think twice about even releasing it until he can at least add some limited support to it. As 99 times out of 100. Bugs are found in most hacks sooner or later.

No. It shouldn't be removed. The code is there as starter-code for anybody to use on their own site. To improve it, change it, fix it. There's a wealth of info here - even in the buggiest code.

[jilly]

First of all - I really appreciate all the hard work and time that the hackers put into these great hacks!!

I also sometimes miss an answer, or a post I need, because either I searched on the wrong term, or it just didnt come up.

I'm very grateful for a 'here it is' response with a link to the post, or hack, or solution.

There's just no need for rudeness, esp. to new members who may not even know HOW to search a thread for what they are looking for. Just politely say "here" and give them the link..

And for anything other that they may do wrong, like IM or PM someone for support without knowing, just again let them kindly know about the protocol.

As for thanking the coders more, I would be happy to put a link down in my footer or at the bottom of my forumhome, thanking the coder for a hack - listing like

'Reported Post Creates New Thread hack created by Paul - Thank you!'

with a link to their site or something.
Maybe if this could become an extra voluntary practice for people who appreciate the free hacks, it will help the coders feel even more appreciated

If so, then the coders should put a little html snippet already coded with a suggested location for the really basic people to help them understand where to put it

[LBSources]

Originally Posted by nexialys

sometimes i wonder why the pm system is available for new members...

anyway... this is my rant!

There is another forum im a member of that do not allow PMs from new members.. they need atleast XX posts in order to use the feature.. sure after XX posts they will be allowed, but they need to achieve XX posts and if they try to post +++++ their way there they will be banned before then.. so its an attempt..

[Deimos]

There's quite a few rude people on this forum and for some reason, the mods let them get away with it
It does put people off from posting here, it sure as hell puts me off.
So I agree with you

[Cap'n Steve]

Originally Posted by nexialys

the problem i also that on vbulletin.com, when a client ask for a modification of the forum, he is redirected here right away...

Good point. I think a lot of people think Jelsoft directs them here to ask their questions and might not even know that there are hacks ready to be downloaded here.

I also think Jelsoft needs to actually hire a staff for this site. It'd be a pretty small investment but it'd do a world of good.

[Mark.B]

This thread I started has proved interesting.

However, I don't want it to detract from the wonderful work the hack coders do on here.

My site has both of the Arcades, Inferno Quiz and vBAdvanced, all of which are major additions that my community really couldn't do without. And then I've got numerous smaller hacks installed like thread of the day, latest stats, Hangman, vbstatistik, smilies in quickreply, blink on new PM, new reputation comments, users online today, rep click tracker, quickquote, quotehighlighted, custom online locations, etc etc etc too many to mention, all of which work brilliantly and all of which help make my site what it is.

So I do not want to detract in any way from the wonderful work of the coders on here, and that was never my intention.

[Andreas]

Originally Posted by jilly

There's just no need for rudeness, esp. to new members who may not even know HOW to search a thread for what they are looking for. Just politely say "here" and give them the link..

I don't want to sound arrogant, but:

Users who post questions are licensed Jelsoft customers. This means they are forum admins. At least I expect that a forum admin does know the basics of forum software - and searching is a basic function.
Also, I would think that total newbies don't come to vBulletin.org - they go to vBulletin.com.
Theoretically, only "advanced users" who need/want more than the standard functionality of vBulletin would come to vBulletin.org.

Originally Posted by Gary Bolton

If a person knows when he releases a hack he simply doesn't have the time to add at least "some support" to it. I think he should think twice about even releasing it until he can at least add some limited support to it.

That would mean no more Hacks from me, as I don't have much time to support them.
Though, I still release them - stating that there is absolutely no support.
Why do I do this?
Because I think that even if there are bugs and problems, it might be useful for others (use it as a base for their own stuff, fix it, etc.)
If you come across Hacks that say "No support", and you know you need support - I'd suggest to just keep away from those Hacks.

[Lea Verou]

Originally Posted by Andreas

I don't want to sound arrogant, but:

Users who post questions are licensed Jelsoft customers. This means they are forum admins. At least I expect that a forum admin does know the basics of forum software - and searching is a basic funtion.
Also, I would think that total newbies don't come to vBulletin.org - they go to vBulletin.com.
Theoretically, only "advanced users" who need/want more than the standard functionality of vBulletin would come to vBulletin.org.

EXACTLY!!!
It really gets on my nerves to see a forum admin that doesn't know how to upload a file or some basic HTML. How do they expect to succeed then??

in the last week, i refered 13 or 14 new users to the vbulletin.com/doc/ url because they were in need of support on how to edit templates, or give permissions on forums etc...

i think that vb.com is the place where all answers have to be given, and vb.org the place where advanced admins have access to all additions...

[Borgs8472]

Originally Posted by Mark.B

rep click tracker

I'm the guy who first made this request and someone made this for me!

I since paid to get it ported to vb 3.5, you have have it for $5

Demo:

www.wordforge.net in the usercp