MyBB Community Forums

(2013-01-06, 04:19 PM)Frank.Barry Wrote: [ -> ]I'll test all plugin submissions, not a problem. If theres a list for volunteers for this put me on the list.

I can say, with certainty, that after you test about 20 plugins, you'll stop testing other plugins regularly. In the end, you may just stop testing at all and then leaving that list of volunteers.

Plus, I cannot imagine anyone testing version 1.0 of plugin X, then 1.1 and one week later 1.2.
It's a tedious process, people may do the first 5 without any problems but then they start to realize that there are other things much funnier to do..and stop doing it.

(2013-01-06, 04:26 PM)Pirata Nervo Wrote: [ -> ]

(2013-01-06, 04:19 PM)Frank.Barry Wrote: [ -> ]I'll test all plugin submissions, not a problem. If theres a list for volunteers for this put me on the list.

I can say, with certainty, that after you test about 20 plugins, you'll stop testing other plugins regularly. In the end, you may just stop testing at all and then leaving that list of volunteers.

Plus, I cannot imagine anyone testing version 1.0 of plugin X, then 1.1 and one week later 1.2.
It's a tedious process, people may do the first 5 without any problems but then they start to realize that there are other things much funnier to do..and stop doing it.

I suppose your right but a better support system for each plugin would be nice.

Yes that's totally right. In the Mods site I've created there is an info message shown on the project page in case the project hasn't received updates for a certain period of time. At least it warns people that it may no longer be under development and may not be supported by the developer anymore.

We cannot make sure the developer actually supports the plugin after some time, there's nothing we can do and we're not going to remove the plugin from the database just because it's not supported, I mean, each person has different skills and they may or may not need support. In case it's vulnerable, we'll immediately remove it of course.

(2013-01-06, 04:04 PM)Alex Smith Wrote: [ -> ]Then I say fine pay the bill to have someone work full time to check every plugin as it comes through the door and test it. You make it sound like MyBB is a paid software has some sort of obligation to people. They already provide one of the best forum solutions for free why should they be expected to make sure the plugins for it are perfect? They didn't make them they just provide easy access to them.

You are missing the point, in the free software genre, MyBB's biggest competitor is phpBB3, which is also free.

When using a phpBB3 MOD you can be sure that it works, most of the problems people report are from poor installation, something MyBB avoids with it's plugin system. However the system has it's flaws, how can MyBB be sure that it wont be used as a Virus host, validating would eliminate that and other potential problems.

Plus having standards gives the end user confidence in the product.

As for third party sites, most of those only have the same plugins available on here, any additional one they have have to be paid for, removing the "free" element from MyBB.

Free validation may just encourage more Plugin developers to bring their plugins here first.

---

(2013-01-06, 04:26 PM)Pirata Nervo Wrote: [ -> ]

(2013-01-06, 04:19 PM)Frank.Barry Wrote: [ -> ]I'll test all plugin submissions, not a problem. If theres a list for volunteers for this put me on the list.

I can say, with certainty, that after you test about 20 plugins, you'll stop testing other plugins regularly. In the end, you may just stop testing at all and then leaving that list of volunteers.

Plus, I cannot imagine anyone testing version 1.0 of plugin X, then 1.1 and one week later 1.2.
It's a tedious process, people may do the first 5 without any problems but then they start to realize that there are other things much funnier to do..and stop doing it.

It's easy to find 1000 reasons why it wont work, but all are overcome by the reason that validation is an improvement of service to your customers, and therefore increases the prestige of MyBB, why do you think phpBB3 is the most popular, it's not because they ignore the customer, it's because they listen to them.

On the point of upgrades, would it really take that long, how many plugins are released per week or month ? 9 or 10, it's not that many in real terms, ok there may be some work involved in validating all the existing ones, but once the backlog is cleared.

On the subject of authors deserting the site, then the disclaimer is the option,if the Author is not seen on the site for a reasonable period, the plugin thread is locked, and statement saying further support isn't being offered posted, if the author wants that to be removed, then he has to contact admin.

Getting a team like this together would mean that developers would have more time to develop, speeding up the whole process.

---

(2013-01-06, 04:28 PM)Frank.Barry Wrote: [ -> ]

(2013-01-06, 04:26 PM)Pirata Nervo Wrote: [ -> ]

(2013-01-06, 04:19 PM)Frank.Barry Wrote: [ -> ]I'll test all plugin submissions, not a problem. If theres a list for volunteers for this put me on the list.

I can say, with certainty, that after you test about 20 plugins, you'll stop testing other plugins regularly. In the end, you may just stop testing at all and then leaving that list of volunteers.

Plus, I cannot imagine anyone testing version 1.0 of plugin X, then 1.1 and one week later 1.2.
It's a tedious process, people may do the first 5 without any problems but then they start to realize that there are other things much funnier to do..and stop doing it.

I suppose your right but a better support system for each plugin would be nice.

I still maintain that it would be better if each plugin had it's own thread, it would stop the problem of having to trawl through so many posts to see if the problem you have, has already been solved.

There are quick checks already for security issues. And as I said if you want to apply to do that no one is stopping you. My largest point is a lot of people want this but aren't willing or are unable to do it themselves. So until you find the man power it's not going to change.

So let's say we have a team of validators and one of them screws up. They marked a plugin as "OK" when in fact it "could be used as a Virus host" (quoting you here). What should Management do now? I suppose the user that screwed up should be demoted from the "validators" team and a public apologize should be made from Management.

I think you're forgetting that there is no guarantee that the team of validators will actually validate anything properly. There's no guarantee that they even have the proper skills to do it.

If we were a private company with paid employees, yes we could hire specialized people to do that kind of job. But in this case we'd probably be looking for people that could actually be part of support team, SQA or development (they need to have these skills in order to be able to validate anything properly). And we'd be sending them to a validating team?

We don't have the manpower to enjoy such thing.

(2013-01-06, 04:51 PM)Pirata Nervo Wrote: [ -> ]So let's say we have a team of validators and one of them screws up. They marked a plugin as "OK" when in fact it "could be used as a Virus host" (quoting you here). What should Management do now? I suppose the user that screwed up should be demoted from the "validators" team and a public apologize should be made from Management.

I think you're forgetting that there is no guarantee that the team of validators will actually validate anything properly. There's no guarantee that they even have the proper skills to do it.

If we were a private company with paid employees, yes we could hire specialized people to do that kind of job. But in this case we'd probably be looking for people that could actually be part of support team, SQA or development (they need to have these skills in order to be able to validate anything properly). And we'd be sending them to a validating team?

We don't have the manpower to enjoy such thing.

I agree that manpower, and qualified manpower is a problem, but is that really stopping each plugin having it's own thread to make sorting problems out easier ?

If the plugin author wants to create a thread, they can. I don't see why they should be forced. I don't have a thread for at least 1 of my plugins and I don't see why it needs one.

(2013-01-06, 05:13 PM)euantor Wrote: [ -> ]If the plugin author wants to create a thread, they can. I don't see why they should be forced. I don't have a thread for at least 1 of my plugins and I don't see why it needs one.

Let me give you an example then :

I have a problem with a Plugin A, now in your world, I have to trawl through all the posts in the plugin support forum, to see if that problem has arisen before, after about 30secs, I give up and create a new thread, this means someone has to read the thread, and 1 provide an answer, or 2 at least point to a similar thread that the problem has been solved in, which requires time on the board

Now you have a site where Plugin A, has it's own thread, I read through that one thread of maybe 50 - 100 posts, find my problem, discover it's been solved, and use that solution, saving me and the support people a lot of time.

Until you have to solve a problem, you wont appreciate the problems the system you are using creates, each plugin having it's own thread is what is known in industry as "User Friendly"


My own issue has been sat in the support thread since 10:47 UK time last night, 66 views no replies, that suggests to me that your system isn't working, and if it's not working it needs fixing.

Another issue reported today

http://community.mybb.com/thread-132294.html

Nathan replied by posting this link saying one thread was enough ;

http://community.mybb.com/thread-132285.html

The issue isn't solved in the thread he linked to, thats not support.

So because your question wasn't answered for free in less than 24 hours there is a problem? And, there is not guarantee of support even if there was a specific thread for the plugin.