I think that the XOOPS core is of very high quality and even though I am using 2.0.9 beta am I quite satisfied with stability and speed.

I have been evaluating more than 50 different modules for my new site. The plans were to open it in the beginning of January..... but I am beginning to despair.

I must say that too many of those modules out there are not in the same class as XOOPS itself and I have spent to much time trying to find the right mix of them. What someone considers a Beta someone else is labeling as version 2... it is very annoying to find that you have to edit the db manually to get it rolling again after some odd module behavior. The most important module type, content management, is maybe also the most problematic. I have not yet found any of them that are up to the XOOPS standard.

Yes, I know I should do it myself instead of complaining..... and I might but that will take some time and I need a decent module for my new site now.

So I have a small suggestion
Why not introduce some kind of quality label if a module comply to XOOPS standards (db, variables, naming and so on) and behaves like expected. It should also be a label that certifies that debugging has reached a certain level.

Maybe we can put together a virtual team that goes through the most common modules rather rapidly so that we can have a list of recommended modules or something... If a new module occurs, it is up to the developers if they would like the labeling team to have a go at it to be able to ger the label.

I think that this will make it easier for newcomers, will eliminate some of the frustration and certainly give XOOPS an even better reputation.

Now.... flame me

regards/falke

Some kind of XOOPS module QA has been under discussion for a while. However you have to consider some things:

1. for a thorough QA label it would require quite some time to validate a module. So who has the time to do all this work?
2. who is going to set the criterias for a QA approved module?
3. what are the criterias?

probably more ...


Not saying this is not a good thing or undoable ...

SOme of the criteria can be set real easy. There are some issues to take into account tho:

- like bender states: who is going to do all this??? ????????
- what about updates in the environment: do all modules (at least those that have a stamp of approval) need to be re-labelled?
- complex environments need to be simulated, this requires a lot of hardware snd/or expensive software.

We have been thinking about this a lot, yes. But no-one wants to devote the time to make this work.

I suggest we set up a testing procedure, with smoketests for all users to use (to test the quality of a module), checklists, documentation etc. This way it'll be a community effort to make sure the quality is high, and not someone else's responsibility.

One problem tho: not many module will fit the criteria, so they need to be changed. Who is going to do all that work???

Clearly, this needs a LOT of work, with not many people wanting to devote a lot of time to it (it's commonly seen as a boring task anyways).

Herko

Herko that's a good suggestion.this is a fact that almost all official XOOPS modules ( in the package) are too old and no one use them because there is a newer version for all of them for example nowadays very few people use "sections" module.
we can open a new site test.xoops.org and create a new rank for people who test modules for example " XOOPS Testers ".
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and put a new link for that modules for example " Core Modules "

I don't see the point in creating a new subdomain for testing. Most issues arise from using modules in an environment different from the developer, (using a different language set, web server, web server OS, version of PHP, etc), causing one of the assumptions the developer(s) made to be wrong. So IMO it is better to have testers using a variety of environments, rather than 1 homogenous environment.

I agree with Ackbarr. What we need is for every developer to consider testing as an integral part of the development process (much like professional development projects do). This means that with every fase of a module's development, new features are tested according to some test 'script' (which is not code, but a list of actions that need to be performed under different environments, and the results reported to the lead developer or dev team). Much like Mozilla.org's smoketests.
This way, everyone can help out testing modules and reporting issues back to the developers. But the devs have to start doing this first.

And it doesn't end there. Developers need to know how to code the corect way. But that also means that they have to teach eachother. It's not just a matter of 'do it right', but learning to do it the right way. That requires a real team effort, and that is very difficult to organise in a virtual community such as XOOPS'. If this were a project where we'd have all developers in one building, all working on a daily basis on this project, then it would be easier (but still quite a challenge, trust me!). But we're all differently schooled, some are trained developers, others are advanced hobbyists, some ficus on features, others on speed, nobody likes to write documentation or put what they know into writing for the dev wiki.

I'm definately not fingerpointing or placing blame here. The developers are doing a massively good job and deserve ALL the credit for their fantastic work. Setting up a good quality programme is difficult and complex, but not unattainable. But in small steps, and most of all, it's not 'them' or 'they' that have to make this work, but 'you', all of you!

Herko

Herko, you are of course right, but really those point should go without saying.... and I do think that saying them and doing nothing else wont change a thing.

My suggestion was just a humble try to make something new. If you think it is to much work, then maybe we could set up something like:

Recommended by: (and then a couple of names who likes that module and thinks it is good enough)

I know that some names are a bit heavier than others.

Another idea would be to let some influential participants to Xoops, collect and name the modules they like and recommend.

To sum it up! I think it is not good enough as it is, and something should be done to help focus the development versus maybe fewer but more finished and stable modules.

Xoops is really worth it!

regards/falke

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Correct - but we need help with this. It's great to see ideas arise, but we need more people taking charge of the ideas instead of putting it on the shoulders of Herko and the few others involved with the organisation of such things (not saying you have done that, but it has been seen before)

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We have talked via PM, so you know this, but just for everyone to see, I do have something like that in mind - but could use some help with it. (anyone else interested in helping with this module testing, collecting and recommendation, please PM or email me)

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I could not agree more

Well, I am willing to help (after my ability), even though I am a newbie too Xoops.....
regards/falke

Module Repository already has rating and review system, but it seems very few people are using it. Respository is not regulary updated, there are outdated modules, not compatible with current version of XOOPS etc., so most of us download modules directly from Dev Forge or developers sites.

I think that's a good point to start from. Clean up time.