Bugs and development improvements(WAS: What do you want to see in TP?)

[CloverCreek]

Those 9000 plus members were built from years of work with SMF and TP (0.9.. Upgrading to the latest Beta caused more problems then it solved so it wasn't as if we woke one day with the thought of "let's screw up the site and install something unfamiliar to us". Again, the point here is to create a piece of software that is functional and can come off being BETA. Coming off beta doesn't freeze the software - to me, it makes the software more appealing in that it's stable. There is nothing to stop that software to be added to or modified in future versions. I'm not a Tech, nor is the site a gaming site. It's a site created for average users pursuing a hobby. If you want a suggestion for the future of TP I would strongly suggest someone that has some knowledge of software development cycles, usability and user experience.

In closing, I'm not going to post anymore. I get the sense in reading back through this that you want people that are going to be in agreement with you or you don't wish to hear it. We were one of the first forum based groups of our kind and many have followed our lead. To come here and attempt to offer some input on issues we have and be given the attitude I was is nonsense. You're wrong about the reference to other software. While I have no clue if they used TP as a base for their overall product and even if they did, their creativeness is what drew me to them as was their ability to seek out input from their users and provide adequate support for their product minus the attitude. Feedback should always include both positive and negative. I loved TP while we used it until this latest issue and in no way shape or form meant any disrespect to Bloc - He does an awesome job, however, I don't think that he's best served by some that choose to speak for him. The value of feedback isn't always a pat on the back, but the fact that it can help identify issues that if addressed correctly will help improve the product - good luck Bloc.

[Renegd98]

I echo what you said Xarcell.  

No one is forcing any of the users to use ßeta software on their sites. They choose to do it on their own, why? Because they want the latest software with the most features. This bit about not fixing bugs is nonsense. They have no idea how many bugs are fixed.. the Bugs database is full of examples of bugs fixed. And I totally agree with the use of beta software on a site with 9000 plus users and then blame TP when you were the one who put the software there, not TP, shame, shame.

[Renegd98]

No we want ideas for future features of TP, not people coming here using this thread to complain about things they clearly have no idea about.

You say you come here to offer up issues. Why have you not come here before and requested support on the issues? I see your a new user so you must not have come here in the past for any support. To just jump in here and start complaining in a thread not started for that reason is called "hi-jacking" a thread.

[ZarPrime]

OK, enough.

Again, this topic was not placed here to ask for complaints to be posted about how we handle problems posted by users of TinyPortal, the simple question is "What do you want to see in TP?"  In other words, what features does TP not have that you would like to see.  That's it.  The internet is an ever changing entity and has changed over the years, even in the last year since your last post before these 3, and our goal is to keep TP up to date and able to work the way it should work now and into the future.

If you have a specific issue about something that isn't working in TP the way you think it should be working, then that issue should be posted in the Support board so that it can be addressed properly.  Issues that prove to be a genuine bug are posted to the Bugtracker where they are looked at and fixed by Bloc on a timely basis and as he finds the time to fix them.  Any bugs found are fixed for the next version and if a quick fix is available (that doesn't involve the change of multiple files) then Bloc often posts the fix for the current version so that users of the current version can make the fix themselves if they choose to do so.

By occasionally checking the bugtracker, the user can be apprised of the status of all bugs.  This system works well.  With over 45,000 members here, Bugfixes cannot and will never be fixed for individual users and their issues.  They will always be fixed for the next release.  A quick check of the bugtracker right now would show you that every bug that has been reported in beta 3 up to including the date of March 16th has been fixed for the next beta.

If you are directed to SMF to get your problem solved then it's because the issue you have is not a problem caused by TP but because of the way SMF handles something.  Just because they directed you back here, that doesn't mean it was a TP issue.

I will echo the words of Ichbin.  Tell us what features you want to see in TP in the future.  Don't tell us about the bad taste in your mouth from something that happened in the past.  That does nothing to help us plan for the future.

Clovercreek, if you want to continue to bash those of us here who try to help people, then that is your prerogative.  Start another topic.  I looked at every post you have ever made on this forum, and the only issue I could find involved trying to find a way to keep some of your members from seeing your Forum using a particular theme, obviously an SMF issue.

From here on, keep this topic on the subject, new features you want to see in TinyPortal.  If you don't have a feature request for a future version of TP, then don't post here.

'Nuff Said,
ZarPrime

[CloverCreek]

"What do you want to see in TP?"  You can't build anything solid without a stable foundation - Building 101. I would start there and I believe that stays on topic, hasn't bashed any poor soul here and has told me that my searching elsewhere and even buying the product was not only time well spent but money well spent. Good luck guys.

[bloc]

G6, I re-openend this.

Yes, its something TP has to improve on, and yes, of course its better to have a STABLE release than adding more features to it. And thats also the aim of v1.0, to be stable.

Xarcell explained it rather well I feel, sometimes its the need to improve a way something is coded, that can introduce new bugs. As TP evolved, so have I lol. This is not something I do for a living, so it tends to end last in the queue, as you all know, RL takes the lead. But I like it so much and there are many members that do too, to just let it go its own way. So things do take time, sometimes they do not, but its always with the eye to improve it.

Ok, more specific: Rockas and clovercreek(I realize she/he has deleted their account, but trust they will read this a s guest maybe) I really like to hear what bugs are vital to be fixed - so I can adress that for beta 4 which btw, isn't far away. Its been delayed due to my involvement with SMF and generally being a bit under the weather lately, but its still very much ready. So more bugfixing is just good to get in before release.

[Inny]

Maybe you should change the way the updates are coming.

What i mean is to have faster updates, distinguish which bugs are high priority and which are low. A sum of high priority updates and release new (beta) version.

E.G. With Beta3 we had the bug with the editor, at least for me it kept me for using beta3 and rolled back to beta2, as soon as Bloc released a new editor i installed Beta3 again. Maybe instead of just release the editor release a new Beta 3 Build XYX or even name it Beta 4.

In either way i dont mind, i think the only serious problem i had the last 2 years with TP was the editor in Beta 3. Rest came with patience.

I really like the fact that the developers are constantly around helping and not somewhere in the background.

Keep the good work up guys and gals 

[Bec]

Regardless of what anyone thinks or says, I think everyone on here does an awesome job and its good that you don't promise things by a certain date and I for one appreciate that you all work hard to get tp to work properly for us and offer great support for it as well. I have been to other sites none of which I will mention but they are offer shocking support and nothing but snide comments. I love this website and I love TP. Keep up the great work!!

[G6Cad]

@ Inny

Release of several packages will only lead to a lot more confusions for our members, atleast since TP V1 first got released, Bloc have removed and added things so we cant bearly keep up in the team as is.

The "slow" progress in our releases are just because of the big changes that has been made between v1 to beta3, and also because Bloc develop TP V2 along side since beta2 were released so we can ( and have started to Alpha test TP V2 ).

We have discussed this with in the team several times, and always came to the same conclusion that *better a slow process that we all can keep up with" then smaller update packages that only lead to confusion for our members AND us that has to support them.

As it is now, we allready support TP V098, TP V1. TP V1 beta2 and TP V1 beta3, and the changes between these version are HUGE and very hard for us to keep track on.

If we were a company, then offcourse we had to rethink all this, hire more knowlage people to handle the support, the doc writing, the modules updates, the theme updates etc, but as you all know, we are more or less only a slight more then a handfull to keep up with everything on tinyportal, that includes everything about tp.

We keep looking constantly for members that are very helpful, have the knowlage, but also that can be a family member to the rest of the team ( we are family more or less as we treat one and other like that )

So if you sum all of this up, you will see that even if we do this on our free time, for no money what so ever, we have done a LOT more for the community, our members, free themes, free software, and also all the support given, with VERY little to work with regarding time and staff.

We started small, we took small steps, and we will continue to take things small and easy, thats what we do the best, we listen to members and for that, we ask you to have patiense with how things take time to reach regarding everything.

If any one whats to be docwriters, contact any of us in the team and we will discuss it in the team board, if any one wants to translate files, feel free to contact us and we talk about it, if anyone whats to update themes we have, feel free to contact us.
We are open for all that want to help out where they can  :up:

[Inny]

I had that in mind G6 when i added my comment about the releases, even if installation of TP is fairly straight forward (uninstall and install new version) with some versions and/or people becomes a problem because of the other mods used.

Im overall very satisfied and pleased with TP and you people, hope you dont get my latest posts in an offensive way.