Hello,
I've developed two XOOPS sites till now, one being
http://dune.servint.com, the other is
http://atomsworld.com.
I don't have a lot of XOOPS knowledge, my PHP is very limited and I don't know much about the script XOOPS uses (smarty?).
I am not a developer - I am a person who wants to run a website.
Module repository
XOOPS has a big module repository, and unfortunately it is a huge mess. A lot of downloads are not located on xoops.org, but on other sites. Some of the downloads that ARE located on xoops.org, are simpy outdated - other websites have a newer version. Other downloads lead to sites in foreign languages.
There are almost no demo modules. I'll describe the process of finding a module I need:
1. I think of what I need the module to be.
2. Go to xoops.org module repository.
3. Find the module by categories.
4. There are usually several modules that promise what I want. I need to download each of them (from other sites, sometimes in foreign language, sometimes with broken links) and install.
5. After I install the module, I need to understand how to use it. Not all modules have explanations, and a lot of them are not user friendly - missing options, bad links, etc.
6. Then I need to test the modules, compare, and choose the one I like.
As you see, the process is too long and complicated. I have a few suggestions for the repository:
1. All the modules should be located on xoops.org. Mirror could be allowed, but the main place to download the module should be xoops.org.
2. Create another installation of xoops, where the modules are already installed. This way one won't have to download the module, install it and then test it - he can do it immediately via a simple link, and see if this is indeed the module he wants.
3. If the abovementioned is impossible, a series of screenshots or more precise explanations of what the module can do should be available.
Themes library
The crucial part of any themes library is a screenshot. A lot of themes simply don't have a screenshot!
Suggestions:
1. Have screenshot with each theme. It should be a must when one uploads his theme.
2. On the same installation mentioned in part 2 (above), have all the themes installed. This way one can see at once what the theme will look like. This will also force the theme developers to create standard themes.
I am not criticizing. XOOPS is a wonderful tool, what it needs is a solid and easy accessible site.
