Poll: How important is Community Builder to your website?

[geeffland]

This is a poll to see how many SMF users use CB and how important it is to your website.  I keep seeing posts on these forums indicating that "MOST USERS" don't use or don't think CB integration is important.  Please cast your vote, positive or negative.

Thanks,
Greg

[Aravot]

Don't use it

[HoTmetal]

Don't use it. I have it, jsut never installed it. I had RC1 on a test server, haven't even had time to play with the newest RC. Anyone have links to their site using it??

[Orstio]

There are currently over 130,000 downloads of SMF 1.0.5 and SMF 1.1 RC1 combined.

My bridge, and Joomlahacks bridge combined downloads are at ~20,000 for current versions.

Logically, that means that only 8.7% of all SMF users actually use Joomla and/or Mambo.  As it has been stated before, (but the point seems to go right over some heads), SMF is not a Joomla component.  It is a stand alone product.  Most SMF users do not use Joomla, nor any CMS at all, actually.  So, it's pretty safe to say that most SMF users don't use CB, because most SMF users don't use Joomla.

CB 1.0 RC2 downloads are, at the time of this posting, at 1385.  So, at the absolute most, CB users make up only ~1% of all SMF users, and a maximum of 6.9% of all SMF bridge users (That would be if every single CB user also used SMF, which is also completely unrealistic).

A forum poll like this is not an indication of anything, really, as votes can be spoofed (No purple fingers here!), the number of downloads is a far more accurate measure of just how many people are using a product than a poll ever will be, and regardless, I think I made my point clear:  I am not creating a CB extension for the type of people who whine and complain and bicker about it not being created.

So, you can vote all you want.  It says absolutely nothing.

I think you should follow the example of Gregorius and Aravot, who are actually taking pro-active steps to get something done.

[geeffland]

Orstio,

I had not really seen you involved in this type of discussion.  It might be nice if you read all of my posts before insulting me like that.  I am not whining about nobody working on this component I am whining about all of the strong negative comments that people receive when they ask about this!!  It does not take much time to see this negative attitude... just do a search on this forum for community builder and you will see many... many negative posts about this subject...

My main gripes are:
1) Why the **** is SMF so negative about CB?
2) Why doesn't SMF just reply to some, even just one, of the many unanswered questions about CB Plugin integration?
3) A simple No we are not working on it would suffice.

Most of us understand priorities and how this one feature might not be a high priority but the attitude I am sensing for this subject is downright insulting.

Of the forums I have tried out for my site I do like the search part of SMF better than most.  If it wasn't for all of this negative attitude and lack of time on my own side I would code the plugin.

At this point I don't think I would want to pitch in for the plugin gregarious is proposing IF it was coded by someone at SMF

Can someone answer why you are so degrading to the posters on this forum?  What ever happened to customer service?  I know this is free product.  And for that I don't expect immediate answers... but what ever happened to being polite

As for the poll, I think most people would understand that it is not scienctifically significant but it could help put a finger on the ballpark of people that are interested in a CB Plugin for SMF...

Yes we understand that SMF is not a Joomla Component.  I don't think anybody ever said it was.

Seriously why does this topic always turn so negative?

[Elmacik]

geeffland,
I think you are new at simplemachines.org
They have been replying people kindly "no"
But they are still asking and asking and asking. Worse yet, they accuse DEVs not creating this thingy.
We should always remember; its a free product. Besides, all everyone here is volunteer.

[geeffland]

Elmacik,

Yes I am relatively new to the SMF formus.  Probably about 3 months.  All it would have taken was a nice reply like yours.  I don't think that is it SMFs responsibility to create a CB plugin or any other plugin.  I think it is just funny how people ask a simple question and all of a sudden they are whining about it... I thought the purpose of a forum was so that people could ask questions and get answers.

One Suggestion for SMF. If this is a repeatadly asked question that is starting to be annoying maybe the best step would be to create a forum or sub-forum for that so that everyone would easily see the answer... that seems better than insulting anyone else who asks in my opinion.  My issue was I did a search and found 30% saying it currently worked, 10 % saying someone was working on one, and 60% from SMF moderators saying to go fly a kite.

Well I have typed enough on this forum over the last few days.  Thanks for you kind response.

[Prasad007]

Don't know what it is
cud sum1 giv me sum details? thank you! 

[chadness]

My main gripes are:
1) Why the **** is SMF so negative about CB?

This is the question that is frustrating everyone.  I would think, since you had searched and found the old posts, you would have seen the answer, but I'll answer it again.  SMF is not negative about it.  The only one even remotely related to SMF who has responded is Orstio, and his only relation is that he was an end user who shared his bridgeing work, and the SMF dev team has asked him to write bridges for other CMS's as well.  The SMF team does not regularly read this part of the forum, as it is about 3rd party development that none of them, AFAIK, use.  Like most things for SMF or other projects that are similar, they concern themselves with the core functionality, and leave 3rd party development like that to 3rd party developers (though they have always been helpful in answering questions related to that development).  There just hasn't been a 3rd party developer yet with the desire and ability to step up and work on this.

2) Why doesn't SMF just reply to some, even just one, of the many unanswered questions about CB Plugin integration?

I kind of answered that above.  But, really, there haven't been unanswered questions that I've seen, and I read most of these posts.  I haven't seen a single question along the lines of, "I'm working on integrating these two, and I'm getting stuck here, could someone point me in the right direction?"  The only questions I've seen are, "Is this being work on?" and, "Why aren't you writing this for me?"

3) A simple No we are not working on it would suffice.

That's the answer Orstio gave repeatedly before he gave up - this is not something he has the time nor the inclination to work on.

Can someone answer why you are so degrading to the posters on this forum?  What ever happened to customer service?  I know this is free product.  And for that I don't expect immediate answers... but what ever happened to being polite

People are getting frustrated because they feel like they are being attacked for not dropping everything and working on CB integration.  I know you don't really mean that, but I think that's how people are feeling about the whole situation.  Your adding a post just trying to gain support (or measure it) for CB integration isn't really productive towards a solution, it's just another post along the lines of, "A lot of people want this, someone should work on it."  The simple answer is, "Please go ahead and do it."  The SMF developement team doesn't work on projects like this, and they shouldn't - they should focus on SMF development.  So, please don't get mad at them, especially since they aren't involved with any of these discussions.

Seriously why does this topic always turn so negative?

I hear you.    Hopefully I've answered your questions and shed some light on this for you a little.

[geeffland]

Prasad007,

Community Builder (CB)is a component for Joomla a CMS (content managment system)... more info about it can be found at http://www.joomla.org  I have been using it for the last few months.  Someone at work pointed it out to me as I was trying to ressurect a HOA site.  Very impressed with it... to save space here I would recommend a quick jaunt over there to see their demo and specs

CB is a nice addon that allows you to do things like make a community (similar to SMF, phpBB, etc.).  It also allows you to easily alter the registration process making it as easy or complex as desire... again bunch of features these are just my top 2... more info at http://www.joomlapolis.com/ [nofollow] or http://www.mambojoe.com [nofollow] (this is their older site and I would imagine it will go away before too long)

Hope this helps!

Chadness,

Thanks for the great explanation.  From this side it looks like the moderators are SMF (don't know for sure if all of them are though).

Was not trying to attack anyone was just trying to figure out
1) If anyone was working on one (SMF or not)
2) If Yes to #1 then what was the status (weeks, months, years, need help, etc.)

The posting of this poll was intended to be two-fold.
1) Educate myself on how important this was to others... I know from the search that I probably saw a half dozen or more... assume more hiding in the forums as well
2) If it is important to others to hopefully it would help spread the word.

Gotta go pick up the kids,  Thanks again for the answers...  Who could we talk to about putting up an announcement or sticky about some of the things discussed in the and othee CB posts (i.e. not in SMF schedule, others welcome to code, etc...) maybe this would cut down on the questions and irritation

Thanks,
Greg

[Prasad007]

Prasad007,

Community Builder (CB)is a component for Joomla a CMS (content managment system)... more info about it can be found at http://www.joomla.org  I have been using it for the last few months.  Someone at work pointed it out to me as I was trying to ressurect a HOA site.  Very impressed with it... to save space here I would recommend a quick jaunt over there to see their demo and specs

CB is a nice addon that allows you to do things like make a community (similar to SMF, phpBB, etc.).  It also allows you to easily alter the registration process making it as easy or complex as desire... again bunch of features these are just my top 2... more info at http://www.joomlapolis.com/ or http://www.mambojoe.com (this is their older site and I would imagine it will go away before too long)

Hope this helps!

Chadness,

Thanks for the great explanation.  From this side it looks like the moderators are SMF (don't know for sure if all of them are though).

Was not trying to attack anyone was just trying to figure out
1) If anyone was working on one (SMF or not)
2) If Yes to #1 then what was the status (weeks, months, years, need help, etc.)

The posting of this poll was intended to be two-fold.
1) Educate myself on how important this was to others... I know from the search that I probably saw a half dozen or more... assume more hiding in the forums as well
2) If it is important to others to hopefully it would help spread the word.

Gotta go pick up the kids,  Thanks again for the answers...  Who could we talk to about putting up an announcement or sticky about some of the things discussed in the and othee CB posts (i.e. not in SMF schedule, others welcome to code, etc...) maybe this would cut down on the questions and irritation

Thanks,
Greg

oh okay cool!
Thanks so much for the info geeffland

[boogiedown]

its funny to see this drama on here. I used to use yabb, yabbse, and smf as stand alones. Now im into cms mambo now joomla.
Community builder is a componant in joomla cms. I would love to see them all integraded. right now most Joomla / Mambo users are using Simpleboard or Joomlaboard because it works with Community Builder. But for those that dont use community builder, a majority use SMF wrapped into Mambo or Joomla.

Here are some sites you can see that use Joomla/Mambo and CommunityBuilder:

www.nocniagenti.com


Itegration with SMF would be great so all iuser data would be centolized with the CB componant.

Think of Community Builer as an advance profile for all mediums.

Joomla
Community Builder

[Dannii]

SMF is not a community though. SMF is a forum. If you wish to convert it to a community that is compatible with this CB thing go ahead, but I would much prefer the SMF developers to developer SMF as the forum it is.

[TheSaint]

I use SMF and CB on several sites. The better the intergration of the two units, the easier it makes the lives of the many users who have deployed both. Thanks for any consideration you can make in this matter.

[boogiedown]

it appears that joomlahacks.com has a bridge compatible with CB rc1 and maybe rc2

[chadness]

boogiedown, I'm not positive, but I think that just registers the person in to the CB table, which Orstio's bridge also does.  I may be wrong, though.

[ptvideo]

Joomlahacks bridge enables (d'ont know if works on RC2) the use of the CB login module, wish I think, is what the Joomla/SMF/CB users need. In this way it's easy to create a register form, to collect as many info was you wish to a new user at a site. Show the collected info to members, it's easy too!

[oojacoboo]

just for the record, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THIS!  Can I pay the developers?