Official definitions of "hack" categories.

[Erwin]

vB.org have had discussions on how to define the "hacks" or modifications released here for several weeks.

We finally decided on the following:

1. Template modifications - the simplest of all modifications - only templates and/or phrases are required. All done using the AdminCP, not FTP access required. These do not require source code modification or file uploads.

2. Plugins - Any hacks that uses hooks (and may add templates and phrases) BUT do not require source code modification or file uploads. These are hacks that can be installed using the AdminCP with no FTP access required.

3. Extensions - Any hacks that uses PHP or other file uploads (and may use hooks templates and phrases) BUT do not require source code modification. These are hacks that require FTP access.

4. Code Modications - Any hacks that requires source code modification (and may also use hooks, templates and phrases, and require file uploads).

Categories 1 and 2 can be done using AdminCP only.

Categories 1, 2 and 3 can be done without any vB source code modification which means that upgrading is easier and official support at vBulletin.com can still be obtained.

Only category 4 requires source code editing. This will make vB upgrading a bit harder and official vBulletin.com support will not be available, but vBulletin.org support is still present.

We hope that this clarifies the definition of what type of hack a release is.

We have made forums for each of the above for the moment - when this site is upgraded to 3.5 we will use a different database-like frontend which means that hacks can fall under multiple categories and be sorted according to what you want it to be.

[Erwin]

Discussion moved here:
https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=92235