| 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12035] |
Fri, 25 July 2003 13:30  |
Ilia
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Since 2.5.1 is getting near and from what I can see it should truly bring 2.5.X into the stable area I would like to discuss and hear opinions about features & additions to be implemented in 2.5.2.
The current ideas (may not be implemented) that I have are as follows:
1) Calendar
This has been requested by people almost since very beginning. I am still not sure about the implementation, so I hoping your suggestions will help in that regard. My current questions are the following:
- Who can access?
- Show birthdays or not?
- Allow forum calendar and personal calendar?
- Who can add events?
- Recurring events?
2) Topic merging, allowing moderators & admins to merge 2 or more topics together.
3) User access to groups, allowing users to request to join a group. Few questions regarding this feature.
- Do we allow users to see ALL groups?
- How do people tell which groups does what?
- Should users be able to see members of a particular group or just group leaders, or maybe no members?
- Is this really needed?
4) Events, allow the admin to script certain events, such as:
If post_count > 900 assign custom tag "abc"
If message_deleted > 100 ban author;
Things like that, I am not sure how that would work and if it is needed, however I would very much like to hear more feedback on the matter.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12086 is a reply to message #12077] |
Mon, 28 July 2003 12:58  |
Ilia
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The problem with triggers is that could be very performance non-friendly, which is the biggest problem with their implementation.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12131 is a reply to message #12035] |
Tue, 29 July 2003 21:36 |
ctbk
Messages: 142
Registered: April 2002
Location: Milan, Italy
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my 0.02 EUR:
(What follows comes from my experience with our community, and it is not inteded to be an absolute expression of values  )
1) calendars: way too much bloat.
To have just the birthday thing would a nice addition, but not a fundamental feature, in my opinion. I say NO to bloat.
2) Topic Merging could be useful, yep.
3) I see groups in a administrative way, not related with the "community", so this proposal sounds strange to me. I think users shouldn't care about groups, and the less they know about them, the better. (Less flames, less pleading requests, less fights between themselves, in a word: less noise).
4) Events sounds useful, even if I can't imagine a single present activity of mine who could be automated in such a way.
I don't know.
(Please, please, tell me that before 2.5.2 there will be the ultra-stable-bullet-proof 2.5.1 )
~
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:wq
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12133 is a reply to message #12131] |
Tue, 29 July 2003 21:46 |
Ilia
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2.5.1 is feature locked and should be out within a day or two. 2.5.2 will sport a few new features but like 2.5.1 will mostly be focused at solving bugs.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12149 is a reply to message #12035] |
Wed, 30 July 2003 00:26 |
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esm2002
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Location: Atlanta Georgia
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| prottoss wrote on Fri, 25 July 2003 09:30 |
1) Calendar
This has been requested by people almost since very beginning. I am still not sure about the implementation, so I hoping your suggestions will help in that regard. My current questions are the following:
- Who can access?
- Show birthdays or not?
- Allow forum calendar and personal calendar?
- Who can add events?
- Recurring events?
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I may have a slightly take on a Calendar. I think you need it to be competitive. The focus of FUDForum I think has been that speed drives the features. I think that for FUDForum to move from the realm of a niche forum to the upper tier of forum software, it needs to keep the speed aspect but add those things that allow it to compete with the vB's of the world.
Chrysler just about engineered itself out of the car business by favoring excessive quality over Chevrolet's stylish, but just good quality, cars.
Compare Invision Board and FUDForum. Which looks better? IPB. Which is better forum software. FUDForum. Which has more members? IPB ( 24,590 v 862 ). I'm sure there are other factors but...
So, a calendar? Hey, the one on IPB or even vB is just functional.
apenas mis dos centavos
Gene
"The older I get, the more I admire competence, just simple competence in any field from adultery to zoology."
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12150 is a reply to message #12149] |
Wed, 30 July 2003 00:37 |
Ilia
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These are just ideas some I may not even agree with but I am trying to get some input to see what people's interests are. Feedback IMO is an important part of development and I feel that before adding any features I am not certain about I need some user input.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12188 is a reply to message #12150] |
Wed, 30 July 2003 22:00 |
tgaastra
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Registered: June 2002
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1 -> Can't really see the use of this, at least in the applications we're using it for.
2 -> Yes, this is probably needed, especially if it could be combined with the rules language of 4, as a sort of archiving tool.
3 -> Not in its current form. Its too hard for the mapping of groups to forums discussions to be understood by the average user.
4 -> Yes, this might be nice. But it's a pretty hefty undertaking to do it "right". It might be easier to come up with a PHP plugin or a Perl module to modify the board, and a place to plug these scripts into (an "on action" type thing) but then again, that probably is a security nightmare waiting to happen...
My personal feature request probably would be some sort of meta-forum system. Something with the ability to move posts between forums running on seperate sites, synchronizing groups, sharing users, whatever. I could see that coming in handy sometimes.
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12193 is a reply to message #12188] |
Wed, 30 July 2003 22:53 |
Ilia
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XML output is what technically can allow you to import messages from 1 forum to another.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12414 is a reply to message #12035] |
Thu, 07 August 2003 03:20 |
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JamesS
Messages: 275
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Location: Atlanta, GA
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The only reason I go with the default layout in FUD is because of the way customizations are "broken" when upgrading. Even modified forum rules get changed during an upgrade. This issue is something I took into account when I fully redesigned my site. I wanted to be able to upgrade FUD easily yet I wanted to keep a cohesive theme to my site. So, I ran with FUD's scheme. To see what I mean visit http://ug.dyndns.org
That, and the lack of any sort of developer documentation, are my two issues with FUD. I really like the software and one day will force time into my schedule to fix the ikonboard converter so that I can "upgrade" the forum at http://www.dreamcast.info
Oh yeah, the best thing about FUD is the interaction between the developers and the user base. Generally if a bug report is submitted in a well formed manner and is reproducible they are fixed quickly. If suggestions are good and well described they usually get implemented at some point. And of course, threads like this one.
[Updated on: Thu, 07 August 2003 03:25] Report message to a moderator |
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion [message #12427 is a reply to message #12414] |
Thu, 07 August 2003 15:57 |
Ilia
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Let me explain how template upgrading works (and why), maybe it'll clarify the process for people and maybe even give someone an idea on how to design a better template upgrading scheme.
First of all, why do we need to modify templates?
If a template changes it is due to two reasons, new feature was added and in order for it to work new sections need to be added or old sections need to modified. The other reason is that there was a bug in the template and fixing it required some changes.
If these changes do not occur, the template may end up missing crucial sections resulting in theme compilation error or end up trying to not displaying new information or trying to display nonexistent variables.
How does the upgrade work?
First of all the upgrade script compares the md5 checksum of the new file to the old, if they are the same the file remains the same. No need to replace a file if it's identical. If the files do differ then the upgrade script checks the CVS id of the new file & the original. If they are the same it means that the user modified the template, BUT the template in the upgrade script is still the same as in the old version. In this case the user's template is left as is. ONLY when the cvs ids differ will the upgrade script replace the template.
I do try to make sure I don't touch forum.css.tmpl, header.tmpl & footer.tmpl which are the templates most people modify. Thus making sure that most people can upgrade their forums without having to reapply their template changes. However, if you've made more extensive modifications and the templates were modified I have no choice but to replace the affected templates.
FUDforum Core Developer
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| Re: 2.5.2 Feature Discussion:: Calendar? [message #13737 is a reply to message #13728] |
Sun, 26 October 2003 16:36 |
Ilia
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This feature has gotten very little support from people who have commented on the features. And I personally have very big difficulty rationalizing the need for a calendar in a forum application.
If you have new comments about why FUDforum should have a calendar by all means feel free to make them known.
FUDforum Core Developer
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. However, the templating system is flexible enough to allow people who's artistic sense is better then my own to customize their layout. Ideally we'd have a scillful graphics person donate some of their time and design a lickeable interface akin to the one of IB or PHPBB2, but till then...
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