I, too, have been using XOOPS for almost a year now for sites for self-reliant customers and non-profits. There is so much I've received from this community, and I'm looking for ways to contribute back.
The XOOPS core is actually a very elegant system. I've worked integrating various web technologies since 1993. When I recently leaped into the CMS arena due to market forces, I delved into a number of CMSes from a technical standpoint to better understand their strengths and weaknesses, because I realized I really could only commit to one. XOOPS has a strong technology foundation, community, and support, and it seems to be more flexible than any of the others I played with almost two years ago. With the profiles capability in 2.2.x, it removed a major deficiency (albeit maybe created some incompatibility with previous modules), and the earlier tokens mechanism brought some security especially with easier integration to other systems.
I recognize a few issues and ask a few questions...
* Maybe I missed the major complaints, but I'm also just installing the first v2.2 install as a test site to play with it (yet looked at it some during the 2.1.x phase). I understand a number of modules are running into problems working correctly on the system due to major core re-writing and re-structuring to accomodate the profiles that EVERYONE was asking for. Is there something else I'm missing?
* Are the XOOPS.original core developers incredibly proprietary over this (if so, then I missed it)? I.e., why can't the
XOOPS Cube people provide some development on this project in a way that addresses what they feel is missing and is their contribution to the community? Personally, I'm looking for ways to contribute to the project and have done so through some documentation in the DevWiki during my first module project. I had assumed that this project was by it's very nature a community project. A number of people in our make-a-quick-buck society would have rather just figured out how to make a buck off it in a proprietary manner and not share this hard work with others (with very little to no compensation for it).
* How could we who are running into these problems with these modules now have better supported the XOOPS.orig authors who were doing the rewrites? I must admit that I didn't spend time testing the RC versions on my current sites. That's why you don't hear any complaints from me. I've been busy trying to make a living with various projects and implementing XOOPS sites for non-profits (so far) in between. I'm sure that the XOOPS.orig devs are, too (in between spending likely copious amounts of time making our lives easier by developing the XOOPS system). Maybe we need a longer time to try it during the RC stages? Would more of us try it if the RC testing stage was longer or would we continue to wait for the "official, stable" release?
* I guess if I were looking to improve a specific focus area of XOOPS, I'd first contact the developers and discuss this with them. I'd assume that happened here? If so, what was the discussion like? I can't believe that they didn't want the help. Or did the work otherwise interfere with the plan? Is the planning for future XOOPS done in a community way? How is that handled? However, I also know that in volunteer-driven organizations that significant amount of the decision making goes to those actively involved in doing the work. It sounds like they have worked hard to incorporate what they can. Have they also worked to incorporate more developers in the project?
Every time I bring a powerful interactive website to a non-profit that is helping our society in ways innumerable, I thank the developers of this CMS. I hope to be able to donate to them in the future when I use it in a commercial site.
I certainly don't have any ill feelings towards the
XOOPS Cube developers. It's generally a free world, with people free to do what they want. Thus, they have every right. I do wonder, though, a lot about why we can't work together towards the same goals. If anyone can clue me/us in to the reasons we can't that would answer a lot of questions from the community standpoint.
And work will continue in the community that each member feels provides the most value to them and the larger community. It would likely be better for all of us if we were to figure out ways to contribute to this single effort rather than divide our energies since generally we all need the same things.
Working together, we can create change and make a difference.
Peace,