I've downloaded many high sounding add-ons to find they're buggy as heck. What we really need is a good sticky thread at the top of one of these forums that describes the modules that are viable and work well.

I just removed another 1/2 dozen buggy add-ons. I'm not ragging on anyone. I do appreciate the fact that developers are putting their hard work into the mods they put up for free.

It is discouraging to install mods that are just not finished. Maybe, it's too much to ask for Open-SOurce, but I don't think it should be that way.

I think most of us would be glad to accept modules that are beta, if the developers definitely intend to finish their mods. I've just seen so much stuff go up beta...months ago and it's still beta.

Maybe the issue should be...Xoops admin removes any mod from download if it's beta more than 30 days, or something like that.

Buggy mods will just drive potential Xoopers away, like they did me a year ago. I can honestly say that there are better mods now than then, but many of the mods that were beta a year ago are still beta. That's stinkin' thinkin'

If you polled these forums you'll probably find that buggy mods are the cause of 75% of the postings on the boards. In fact, several of the buggy mods have been a huge part of the issues constantly discussed on these boards. Give us a break. I often think some of these developers are constantly on the boards dealing with issues on their beta mod issues just to get attention.

I constantly read threads where mod users have issues with a buggy mod, The mod's developer answer the threads and gives a fix or tweak. This is fine, but why doesn't the developer just put up a new file for download with the fix included. It is just nightmarish trying to finding all the threads with the tweaks and fixes scattered all over these boards for a buggy mod. It's just not a competent way to run a site, especially for a development package like Xoops.

I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes. We just need more consistent quality in the mods, and betas should be time framed and removed if they're not final within a reasonable time period. Also, if a module is consistently causing problems it should not be put up for download and discussions about the buggy mods should be on the individual developers own forums.

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If I remember correctly, the XOOPS team at large is building an entity to standardize modules, mainly ones that get posted here on the site. In other words they will have to pass a certain amount of critera to either be endorsed or accepted as usable within Xoops, otherwise it get placed in a different area of the downloads.

They would all be just as easily available, but I think the ones recommended or supported by the developers would be in a separated area, if this makes any sense. Kind of like a Quality Assurance team.

I can't remember where I saw this posted, but it was about 6 months ago and I can't remember the details.

Stewdio

Something like this has to be handled carefully. I do respect the efforts made by the Open-Source module builders. It is great having a community of people that have varying interests, which provide us all with a variety of mods.

Sure many of us see mods we really need on out sites and we download them. Often these downloaded mods are buggy or just unfinished. The documentation on most modules is poor to non-existent on many modules as well. Open-Source developers can sometimes be a little arrogant about docs. After-all the person using these Open-Source mods should just be grateful as heck they're putting the mod at all. That maybe be correct, but it's not in the spirit of Open-Source community.

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I agree, it would really be more benficial if some of) the creative makers of these mods placed a bit more time and care into the work they produce. I can easily appreciate how one can get eager to send it out into the community if it's unfinished, but at times its more damaging then good.

I learned very early on to avoid almost all the mods I see. If I start seeing things mentioned about this and that and about it abroad on the forums, then I place it in my "under consideration" pile for later examination. Most end up on the floor anyhow. Now I'm waiting for X2.1 or 2.2 before I add or use more modules, theres just too much fluff out there to sort through and I would rather be more productive working on my site instead of spending a day looking through mods that often times are uncomplete, lack a certain feature or english documentation. My main gripe is going to a foregn language site to not see an englis link, or having to constantly register on a site that I will never return to again.

I too do appreciate the hard work and hours that people put into their projects. Some names outshine the others and this is the way of Open Source at times I guess, especially in the CMS arena where fads and crazes seem to come and go.

I remember just 3 months ago, there wasn't a day that went by when a new theme got posted here on the forums. Now we have 2500+ themes floating around, but maybe only a good 20 or 30 really good ones that are in full use on a regular basis. The same will happen with the mods. Tons will be made and only few will be used.

I dunno, I'm just rambling on about nothing as I think while I type. Interesting topic to discuss though.

I do hope we get this QA part of XOOPS up and running soon.

The idea is to have some criteria for slapping a stamp on a module, saying that it complies with these criteria.

Among other things, there are the following criteria (IIRC):
No warnings or notices in php debug
Functions and classes documented
Using core functions where appropriate
Using SMARTY where appropriate

One very good thing about the XOOPS boards...

The XOOPS core developers are conspicuosly present on the boards.

Personally, I think they have been too agreeable to third party mod builders, because there are too many issues with the downloadable mods.

I'm not sure I have the answer, but I think a criteria for checking out mods would be in order. It might even be that we could have a thread for new mod discussion, a special download section for mods under consideration. This way everyone that had the time or wanted to could download new mods, and really give them a workover before acceptance of XOOPS mods selection group.

If such a thing was available, new mods could be turned inside out and the majority of issues and problems would be exposed and dealt with post-haste. Final versions of mods would go up quickly as a result, and everyone would be advantaged.

It is a huge nuisance to download a mod, and have issues. After posting on the boards and working with the mod for several days you find the same issues you are having...someone else had two months ago. LOL

I too, hesitatingly apply new mods to my sites. I apply some because I need the functionality right now.I frequently remove the troublesome mod after searching forum threads and posting several times for information and help.

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I just clicked Submit and it double posted, sorry.

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This is a reason for having for ratings and comments - if more people rate modules, and/or comment (hopefully accurate and useful comments) on them, then it would be easier for others to evaluate them better for download.

It would also be easier for us module developers to improve the modules with "proper" feedback.


Quote:

I think some developers put too much emphasis on adding new features too early, rather than getting one feature working properly before adding another.

I think evaluating modules would be difficult without some type of restrictive or carefully worded criteria. I long ago quit reading the comments, because they just don't provide adquate information. I've found it is better to just post on the boards and ask for feedback.

Most of do appreciate the mod builder's efforts, and we're reluctant to challenge the developers. I think the developer is wrong to post fixes on these forums and not change the module properly. In fact, if the developer made tweak and fix notations in comments under the respective download it would be a lot more help to users. Searching the forums is difficult, because the way people word their questions or style their subject line may not indicate anything about the actual thread contents.

Regardless, betas are betas and we all understand that a beta is an incomplete work. The beta mods should be categorized as such in the downloads.

BETA DOWNLOADS SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN CATEGORY UNDER DOWNLOADS

FINAL COMPLETE DOWNLOADS SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN CATEGORY UNDER DOWNLOADS

If a beta is beta too long it should be deleted from the downloads. There are entirely TOO MANY BETAS in the downloads, and they stay beta for too long...or worse, continually. Again, betas should only be allowed a specific period of time as beta.

I think ratings on FINAL COMPLETE MODSwould be extremely helpful, and probably some type of well worded questionaire which could be the method for creating a ratings. Most of us are aware of ratings and review mods. Maybe we need an XOOPS 1)reviews module with 2)ratings and 3)comments included on this site.

The XOOPS Core should definitely include some type of reviews process for evaluating all mods, and clearly communicate issues to expect, or fixes and tweaks peculiar to specific usage of mods.

MODS IS WHAT XOOPS IS ABOUT Something clearly needs to be done


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I just came from the downloads, and a lot of what we need is already in place. The ratings is not an adquate way to rank the download, since it is just a 1-10 choice.

The biggest help to us all would be to have BETA CATEGORY of downloads, and only final well commented and regarded add-on mods would be in the FINAL CATEGORY of downloads. The removal of BETA CATEGORY downloads after XX days would also encourage the developer of the mod to work more diligently at putting the mod up for FINAL CATEGORY.

Just scroll through the downloads and look at all the betas, and at how long they've been beta. A BETA CATEGORY download section would have meaning to all of us.