What can we do to make vBulletin.org a better place?

[Erwin]

What do you think should happen when vB3 is released? Should anyone be allowed to update another author's hack to vB3, or should permission be seeked first? What does everyone think?

[Xenon]

well, if a hack is just updated, you'll have to ask before posting it in the new vb3 forum.

but if you rewrite it, because of new filestructures of vb3 files
you can call it "yours"
but you should mention Idea by...

that's just my opinion, we haven't talked about that intern now..

[sparky2]

I would appreciate it if we could adopt a convention where hacks are ALWAYS made available as straight code...

...and the "hand-holding installer version" would be the "optional" version.

[g-force2k2]

i really couldn't agree with Logician anymore in his previous post (the last one on page 4) he brings up all valid points... and i know this happens as well... no offense to any hacker... but i make sure that i put in my copyrights so someone doesn't release the same thing just slightly altered... theres been instances of a power hack release (what like six times?) and i definately think there should be a division btw small hacks and larger hacks...

Another point as for the hack releases from vb2 - vb3 i believe that to get permission to release someone else hack (even though modified for vb3 code) should get the permission of the author(s) of that hack before doing so. If they don't respond in a certain amount of time then allow them... but im sure that many hackers have their signature hacks that they don't want to have someone else just simply import over to vb3... goes on the same line as just 'intergration' of a hack...

vb3 may be popular at its release... but exactly how many ppl will turn directly to the beta release to use as a stabilized forum? im sure the 2.2.X series will be around for some time... just some of my other points...

btw nice job on the support addition to hack releases... regards...

g-force2k2

[Erwin]

Originally posted by g-force2k2
Another point as for the hack releases from vb2 - vb3 i believe that to get permission to release someone else hack (even though modified for vb3 code) should get the permission of the author(s) of that hack before doing so. If they don't respond in a certain amount of time then allow them... but im sure that many hackers have their signature hacks that they don't want to have someone else just simply import over to vb3... goes on the same line as just 'intergration' of a hack...

I agree with that protocol too. The good news is that most of my hacks are external files, which should work with vB3 (I think) already barring some crazy new way of checking usergroup permissions in global.php.

[Dan Flynn]

I also agree! I feel that the time and hard work that goes into some of these incredible hacks you guys come up should be respected and not taken for granted for some wannabee or even just some lazy hacker.

I see who's real and who's not and they respect each other and note credit were credit should be noted. I feel fortunate to benefit from the hackers hard work.

Thanks

[Logician]

i believe that to get permission to release someone else hack (even though modified for vb3 code) should get the permission of the author(s) of that hack before doing so.

I agree with that protocol either..

If they don't respond in a certain amount of time then allow them...

Well.. Please also consider the number of hacks some Authors have. I guess I have 25 and Firefly was more than 50 when I last checked.. Can you consider the work and time we should commit for importing the hacks to vb3? So instead of the term "certain amount of time", I would rather "if hack author didnt respond at all or explicitly allowed him to do so".

[Neo]

I also think that there should be something that is obvious for new users so that if they come here and start threads asking why they cant download anything... they will already know instead of having 5-10 new threads a week about it...

[leah_zero]

Howdy folks, great ideas in this thread you've got going here, it's an enjoyable read. I would like to add my two cents as a long-time vB user and hack enthusiast (that is, I love to add hacks to my forum, but couldn't write them myself to save the world)...

The thing that puts me off the most about vB.org is something that's already been mentioned: the fairly ubiquitous absence of peer review on hacks. I have often come here searching for a particular sort of hack, found several versions by different authors, read entirely through their support threads...and ended up leaving empty-handed, because beyond the author's initial posts and some patches to the hack, the only feedback I could find was people saying "Doesn't work" or "Great hack." Praise is great, it seems to be one of the few rewards of the difficult task of making hacks, but when praise is doled out too liberally and unaccompanied by constructive criticism, or when criticism is the generic "Doesn't work" sort, both become meaningless. I often find myself reduced to searching for a hack author's own forum and, if I can find it, registering a throwaway account just to see if a hack he/she has released actually works as promised. It's clutter for their database, clutter for my inbox and memory, and altogether too much trouble to go through to test out every hack that looks promising. It's quite disappointing to dig up some wonderful-looking hack, only to find no feedback on it but "It doesn't work" or "It works for me." What does that actually tell anyone?

Here's what I think. Hack authors put blood, sweat and tears into their creations. As hack users, we owe it to them to give something back: constructive criticism and feedback. I've decided that from now on (and retroactively, if I can find some specific old hacks), for every hack I install, I'm going to comment in its support thread whether or not it works for me after a reasonable effort at installation, what version of vB I'm using it on, any problems I ran into with installation or usage, and so on. Whenever I upgrade to a new version of vB, or just periodically, I intend to comment in those threads on whether or not the hack still works, and just to let the author know that I still appreciate the extra functionality they've let me add to my forum.

I don't think this is something you could specifically code into vB.org, but rather an attitude I hope to see espoused by vB.org members in the future. What simpler way to separate the wheat from the chaff in hack releases than genuine user feedback? vB.org already has features in place to record whether or not you've installed a hack...why not check back in every few weeks or months and show some support (or voice your concerns) on the hacks that make this great forum software even better?

I hope I've not offended anyone. In the end, I will no doubt continue to derive usefulness from vB.org no matter what you do (besides go offline, that is), but I did feel moved to throw in my opinion on the state of things around here.

Thanks for reading.

Humbly,
Leah

[Erwin]

Originally posted by leah_zero
I've decided that from now on (and retroactively, if I can find some specific old hacks), for every hack I install, I'm going to comment in its support thread whether or not it works for me after a reasonable effort at installation, what version of vB I'm using it on, any problems I ran into with installation or usage, and so on. Whenever I upgrade to a new version of vB, or just periodically, I intend to comment in those threads on whether or not the hack still works, and just to let the author know that I still appreciate the extra functionality they've let me add to my forum.

That is a fantastic attitude, one which I try to adopt too, when I find the time.