After few days thinking... I think its quite make sense to combine AMS 3.0 with News 1.64. Since AMS originally fork from News 1.2, 70% of the code actually identical.

However, AMS already evolve so much to the different focus area... be a article management, with some big changes like spotlight, versioning, audience that may take a while before it could be fully integrated.

Here, I want to ask to everyone...

1) Should it combined, or let AMS evolve as it is and only adding features that needed/requested by article management user. So it will not bloat up with features that not needed.

if combined:

2) Use AMS as a based, and add in News code. Folder will be /modules/AMS, prefix will be ams_
3) Use News as a based, and add in AMS code. Folder will be /modules/news and prefix will be news_
4) Use News as a based, and add in AMS code. Folder will be /modules/ams_news and prefix will be amsnews_

As a developer, I'll like to choose (3) since news have a few features that AMS didn't have, but I'm not familiar with the coding yet, but I already familiar with AMS coding, so port it might be little bit easier. No renamed need, so I can truly focus on porting AMS features. However, it may clash with other News 1.64 continuation/development that pursue by XOOPS and ICMS core developer. (4) will need all prefix to be renamed (including function name) that will caused me to touch every single file and do tons of testing to make sure none of them broken. It also complicate the process merging the amsnews coding with other news continuation that i mention before (icms & XOOPS core) since diff will highlight all changes including function name.

I let XOOPS community to voice your opinion, and I'll consider it.

- NovaSmart XOOPS module development team

What would be the main benefit of integrating AMS and News, as you see it, i.e. what main features does the latest News version have that AMS doesn't?

I don't know the feature lists of both modules, nor how far the have evolved apart for their common source code.
If they are very much alike, then it makes sense to merge.
If they differ a lot, then they should not merge, but trying to define their audience and focus to serve their niche even better and that way growing further apart.
Even if the one has less features, then it could serving people who want a less complicated and easier to manage module (as eg NewBB/CBB versus NewBBex) .

Have you reached any conclusion NovaSmart?

Regardless, I look forward to AMS 3.0

I vote for the merge, AMS is so cool, News is great, so a merge will be excelent!!!

I use AMS for the news on my site, and News for the articles, dont ask why i do that!!!!



but is working...

Hi NovaSmart,
I know Trabis has done some work on News module visit Xuups.com

Hi NovaSmart

IMHO

If merging means stop the development of one, then I vote for NOT merge

But if you plan to create another mod (let´s say) News+ or AMS+ then go forward

In doing so we´ll have 3 excellent news/articles/blogs mod´s, instead of only one super


As a mini-wish list:

A super integrated spotlight with jquery(???) like the one we can find on http://www.maitsco.com

Look at MaitiscoPortal theme

I´d love to see that feature even on News or AMS
I think that feature is a must for a modern news module.

Regards

Hi all... thanks for your thought sharing. I still didn't decide yet, how to proceed. Mean while, I'll still waiting for more feedback. I'll put more weight to the people who know News and AMS, since they are the one who know both, but opinion people that familiar with News as valuable too.

If I choose to merge, I'll straight start as AMS(or AMSnews 4.0) and skip another major release;version 3.5 (cloneable), since I think we can wait cloneability for another major release (perhaps AMSnews 3.5).

If not, than I'll continue with AMS roadmap and add new features (popular) that requested by AMS user.

AMS 3.0 just around the corner. XOOPS and ICMS support already complete. Now, I'm busy with compatibility with XOOPS Cube, XOOPS 2.0 and XOOPS 2.2. After this 3 XOOPS version completely validated, then I'll release as full version. If you can't wait, you can always download from our SVN or visit our website to get the development version. Latest development version, AMS 3.00 Alpha 2 should be stable enough, but not recommended for production release yet.

Hi NovaSmart


Cloneable is a great feature but, please consider the (super) spotlight...

Any thoughts?


PS. i´ve seen that feature in "lots" of wordpress themes and it´s a great contribution to the presentation of a modern site.


Thanks in advance

Quote:
Unless they are very specialized and doing something totally different from each other, we should aim for one "super News" module. We have too many different modules that are too similar and create a total confusion among users, and a lot of problems for our support people.

In order to make XOOPS a success, we need to focus our limited resources on fewer modules, keep them simple, but make them "best in class".

So one merged module, with the best features from both, and potentially dropping some features that are not used, would be the best way to go.