Other Software > Developer's Corner
Discussion of CMS suggestions for the DC software directory
mouser:
Yes, let me give some thought and write up a little post reply later today about what I think are the key features it has to have. I think my concerns are almost entirely around making it easy to maintain and update the content.
Renegade:
Yes, let me give some thought and write up a little post reply later today about what I think are the key features it has to have. I think my concerns are almost entirely around making it easy to maintain and update the content.
-mouser (March 04, 2011, 10:08 AM)
--- End quote ---
That's why I suggested PAD. An extension would easily allow adding whatever content you want in addition to the basic specification, and it would automatically work in PADgen, which would give you an authoring tool immediately with zero work. On top of all that, publishing would simply be updating the PAD file. It doesn't get much easier.
app103:
I have talked this over with mouser in private and have decided to start by creating a real widget ready DC wordpress theme. Even if it doesn't get used for the software directory project, it will not go to waste, as it can be used for the member server WP blog project, and with a change of the banner graphic in it, to be used by any member that wants to use it for their own site on the member server.
After the theme is made, it would be trivial to snap together a software directory site with it and a few WP plugins. Then it's just a matter of chasing down all the devs and getting them to make PAD files for their projects....
But we can cross that bridge if/when we get to it.
If nothing else, we'll have a good WP theme, ready to use for whatever WP powered projects we may have in the future.
wraith808:
^ Sounds like a good compromise. Thanks for taking this on app!
mouser:
Ok so I promised to post my thoughts on the Software Repository idea. Here goes:
First a summary of what I think are problems with how we currently do list software on DC:
* There is a complete dichotomy between "main/official" DC software and things like coding snacks, which is often artificial. The "main/official" software listing page is here, and it has links to my software page and the Coding Snacks software page, and a few other people's pages who are prodigious releasers on DC. Coding Snacks are the other major kind of software created by DC members and they have their own page here, which is presented in a completely different way.
* The main reason for this dichotomy is based on the mechanism to maintain these lists; the main software page i edit by hand and ftp up to the server when it changes; the coding snacks are handled by a kind of in-house blog system that i wrote a while ago. A secondary reason is simply a matter of having some kind of organization that isn't overwhelming to users in terms of them distinguishing between bigger apps and smaller utilities that are more suited to experts.
* Both of these software listing mechanisms are a pain in the ass to manage, nearly impossible to search.
* They also are not amenable to making an automatic list of recent releases, providing an rss feed, etc. The home page list of recent releases is again manually edited (part of the reason i only update it for "major" releases).
So what do I think we would benefit most from:
* A unified systematic way of maintaining and presenting ALL software on DC (big apps, coding snacks, etc.)
* A system that let's select moderators have control over which authors can create new entries in the software repository, and then let mods and authors create and update and maintain their own entires, with little difficulty.
* Automatic creation of "recent update" lists/rss feeds.
* Ideally it would allow authors to both upload their new releases to be served from the site, or link to external releases.
* Well integrated into the look and feel of the site. However it's important to note that I think the site should move to a proper CMS -- so i'm not arguing for the software repository to tie into the CURRENT hand coded html / theme of the site.
* Multiple ways to present the software repository organization. Some people have stressed the desire to have software logically arranged as a hierarchy of categories (Utilities, Clipboard Tools, etc.); while i do not deny the value of this, i think it's important to realize that this approach is most useful for sites which are comprehensive software listing sites, like a freeware site that aims to include every free utility in a class. Then it makes sense that people will go to that site to BROWSE for the best such tool. But for us, i think MOST people will land on a page through a web search, and not because they have some interest in seeing all the clipboard utilities that DC members happen to have made. So, while i think such an organization would be useful (and more so the more apps our members release), i do think perhaps more importantly would be a way for mods to be able to also make collections of items arranged by author, or by event (NANY?) or by some editor's choice recommendations, etc. One of the things i see on many big software listing sites is that programs/projects get "lost" in the forest.. And i think we need to have some way of making some things easier to find, perhaps at the expense of some of the more esoteric, specialist, small utilities. Maybe.
* Something with an attractive image-centric layout for overview of programs (something like this).
* Support for screenshot galleries and videos.
Some concerns I have about a new system:
* I think one of the biggest unresolved issues on community sites like ours is the problem with redundant information. We have a forum where the hardcore dc members hang out most of the time, and where we prefer to talk about issues.
* The forum is ideal for ongoing discussions. But then for casual software users, they may benfit most from a simpler more restrictive comment system on a software repository page. And bugs might be better tracked on a dedicated bug tracking page, etc. Some pages like a FAQ may be best handled with a wiki like system.
* We tried this once, incorporating a serious bug tracking system, and using wiki system for some info. The serious problem here is the need for users to coordinate these redundant and incompatible ways of discussing things.
* My general feeling is that redundant information is the root of all maintenance evil, and needs to be avoided at all costs. That makes me hesitant to add any features or content to the software repository that would be duplicated independently by forum content. I want us to be wary of this when thinking about software repository features -- it may mean not using some common features (ability for users to leave comments, track bugs, etc.) -- or it may mean adopting a convention that we not do such things on the forum.
* I worry about over-complicating this and trying to make something too powerful and complicated; this site needs more simplicity and less complexity.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version