Why does my customization (mod/theme) take so long to be reviewed?

Started by Joshua Dickerson, March 02, 2007, 02:16:59 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Hambil

Well, until you fix something, in someway, I've submitted my last mod to SMF. For all I know I'll get a mod rejected as a duplicate because I spent my time writing a mod that has already been in the queue for a month.

Your system is collapsing under it's own weight. You don't have to listen to me (or others in this thread) because reality will dictate change soon enough.

www.catnine.net/smf

karlbenson

^ yep,
I've got a list of mods I would like to make, but don't really want to start them in case one is already done.

Chris Curran

Quote from: SleePy on March 15, 2007, 03:42:59 PM
We do check up on them to ensure they got a pm sent. We have a whole team board dedicated to ensuring this and discussing the mod and making sure pm is sent and status of it.
I have looked over the past 2 pages of mods awaiting approval and all of them have had pms sent to the mod author and just waiting a response from them and most likely more on the next pages.

Uhh, no that's not happening (as I mention on page 1 of this thread). I've had a mod presented for approval since Feb 3 2007 and I've received no PM's regarding this mod submission (http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=655). This mod has been tested on various systems and operates as expected (e.g. Kindred has tested this mod). I'm at a loss to understand why this mod remains unapproved or at least a PM explaining why it's not being approved.

cheers,
Chris Curran

SleePy

Your mod is kinda Big (just looked at it). So it might take longer. Though I can't say why you have not go t a pm. I am not on the Customize Team only giving hands on the ones already being discussed ;) So I wouldn't know why. Hopefully a customizer can answer that clearly.
But as said the bigger they are they usually take longer due to the more coding that has to be looked at and checked. More things to test and such.
Jeremy D ~ Site Team / SMF Developer ~ GitHub Profile ~ Join us on IRC @ Libera.chat/#smf ~ Support the SMF Support team!

Chris Curran

Quote from: SleePy on March 25, 2007, 11:35:21 PM
Your mod is kinda Big (just looked at it). So it might take longer. Though I can't say why you have not go t a pm. I am not on the Customize Team only giving hands on the ones already being discussed ;) So I wouldn't know why. Hopefully a customizer can answer that clearly.
But as said the bigger they are they usually take longer due to the more coding that has to be looked at and checked. More things to test and such.

Yes, it's certainly a significant mod. However, the size of the mod, if it's done correctly, should not impact the ability of the mod approval team to install and test the mod. Further, I have a discussion thread that's more than a year old that covers this mod in detail, so I fail to understand why this process is taking so long. Either it installs and works, or it doesn't. In either case, I should have a PM (or two) from the mod team. I'd be happy to assist anyone in the approval of this mod, but I can't do anything with silence.

It's very frustrating to have to wade through the poorly documented mod process, the poorly documented coding guidelines, willy-nilly package name changes midstream (spaces in the id), the mix/match problems due to mixed LF/CR usage and plethora of other nit-pick issues only to sit and watch your mod sit for weeks on end, while numerous other mods are posted and approved in a matter of days... and no contact from anyone on any SMF team? Yet I am not allowed to contact anyone regarding the mod? (see last para of http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=117819.msg752782#msg752782). This rings of elitism and it doesn't taste good.... Something needs to change in this process - mod developers should be able to contact someone without fear of being put to the "back of the line".

cheers

KGIII

I can add that that the above comment sorta makes sense?

I put the simplest mod up (I then read the comments later though, oddly enough, I fixed it without actually having ever been contacted) and it took a LONG time to get approved. It did though and that is, I hope, my point. My next one I wrote according to spec pretty much and had a simple error that I was able to see where it had been kicked back prior to the PM and fixed it and, well, it was so simplistic that refusing it would have been as silly as my coding it. *sighs*

Anyhow...

I guess I have a point? The current system is slow and there are potential issues if other mods are installed. Can it be improved? Probably. I would say, "Give it time and keep giving feedback." If you think, for one minute, that people aren't reading this (and I mean people - as we are people) then that is mistaken. It is being read and it is being understood. ;) Improvements will happen... Give it time and do NOT stop giving feedback.

My PC Support Forum
Please ask in-thread before PMing
                   SMF Help
                   Visit My Blog

How can we improve the support process?:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=163533.0

SMF vs. Godzilla? Who do you think will win?

Dannii

I am actually now in favour of just letting everyone download them without being approved.
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."

Hambil

Another option would be to create an army of volunteers. Mods authors who have proven they understand the process by releasing quality well coded mods, who are willing to review other's mods. I'd do it when I could.

I also think you have to at least provide a list of mods in the queue. As the queue grows it would be nice to know what's waiting approval so we aren't duplicating efforts.

www.catnine.net/smf

KGIII

Quote from: eldʌkaː on March 26, 2007, 09:50:13 AM
I am actually now in favour of just letting everyone download them without being approved.

:P

I am not in favor of supporting them. ;)

My PC Support Forum
Please ask in-thread before PMing
                   SMF Help
                   Visit My Blog

How can we improve the support process?:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=163533.0

SMF vs. Godzilla? Who do you think will win?

Hambil

Quote from: KGIII on March 26, 2007, 10:35:23 AM
Quote from: eldʌkaː on March 26, 2007, 09:50:13 AM
I am actually now in favour of just letting everyone download them without being approved.

:P

I am not in favor of supporting them. ;)
Then don't. The mod author, and users of the mod can support it. We're SUPPOSED to be a community.

www.catnine.net/smf

Dannii

I think we should have some form of community QA program. Bring back ratings, but ensure support isn't put in them.
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."

KGIII

Hambil: I think that if I scrolled up through this there were people screaming about reality. I have been pretty calm about this and said very little. I will give you a bit of MY perspective?

I absolutely WISH that this was different AND that I could do all of this. I am limited, this is me. The reality is that there are countless questions that involve mods in the forum every day. There are so many that I can't keep up and I actually feel bad about telling people to "check the mod author's thread to ensure that you get the best help available."

Let us not step away from the idea here... The idea is to let people know why mods can take a while to get approved AND to offer good methods to improve it. I would LOVE it if things got placed into nice boxes and support and documentation and developers all saw only the important stuff, but this is reality... I think.

My PC Support Forum
Please ask in-thread before PMing
                   SMF Help
                   Visit My Blog

How can we improve the support process?:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=163533.0

SMF vs. Godzilla? Who do you think will win?

Hambil

It doesn't feel like reality. It feels like a group of people with set opinions who are unwilling to change those opinions in the face of reality. It feels like lipservice to change. Many good ideas have been put forth in this thread, and all have been met with a brick wall of near automated refusal.

From my prospective it sure feels like fantasy. Reality is that thing that is about to come crashing down around your head ;)

www.catnine.net/smf

Chris Curran

Quote from: Hambil on March 26, 2007, 01:31:02 PM
It doesn't feel like reality. It feels like a group of people with set opinions who are unwilling to change those opinions in the face of reality. It feels like lipservice to change. Many good ideas have been put forth in this thread, and all have been met with a brick wall of near automated refusal.

I certainly agree with that....  

Sarke

Me too.  It feels like we all just want to help but all we get is "No, go away, we can handle it" and then nothing happens.  In many cases we don't get any feedback on why the suggestions aren't worth using, or even if it's being considered or not. 

KGIII, why should we keep giving feedback?  Many times it's being ignored, so what's the point?

It sounds like whoever is in charge here is detached from the community, and is fixed on doing things their way.  It's bureaucracy if you ask me.


EDIT:  Yes, good job, just need to work on the community relations a bit. :P

My MODs          Please don't PM me for support, post in the appropriate topic.

Hambil

I just want to say, this is incredible software and a great community. I don't want to loose sight of that as we discuss this. Yes, I (and some others) have some issues with the status quo, but it doesn't mean we don't appreciate all the hard work done so far :)

www.catnine.net/smf

Rudolf

Dudes,
I gave up a long time ago.
Whatever you do do it for the people who use SMF, not for the people who make it. They don't need your work, and you certainly don't need their help.
So what if it takes two months for a mod to be approved? Big deal. If you really want to share your mods find alternative ways. You are mod creators, I bet you can figure out something.
I will update all my mods in the next few weeks. Thanks for your patience.

SVG-Collapse (you need an SVG compliant browser)

KGIII

Quote from: Sarke on March 26, 2007, 05:20:00 PM
KGIII, why should we keep giving feedback?

Because you feel it is important. Because you want to help. Because you have contributions to share. Because you are a part of the community. Etc... While I personally don't see much merit in the methods that have been proposed for fixing these situations I also see that there are legitimate issues that are being brought up.

I will add that Rudolf raised a good point - do what you do for the people.

Eldaka raised a good/interesting point - community based QA... The problem that I see is that there is a level of quality that has to be ensured prior to releases because, like it or not, the quality will reflect on the opinions of SMF and the level of satisfaction as well as increase the loads on support volunteers.

My PC Support Forum
Please ask in-thread before PMing
                   SMF Help
                   Visit My Blog

How can we improve the support process?:
http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=163533.0

SMF vs. Godzilla? Who do you think will win?

Sarke

Quote from: KGIII on March 26, 2007, 07:09:06 PM
Quote from: Sarke on March 26, 2007, 05:20:00 PM
KGIII, why should we keep giving feedback?

Because you feel it is important. Because you want to help. Because you have contributions to share. Because you are a part of the community. Etc...

But if it's being ignored, what's the point?

My MODs          Please don't PM me for support, post in the appropriate topic.

Joshua Dickerson

Come work with me at Promenade Group



Need help? See the wiki. Want to help SMF? See the wiki!

Did you know you can help develop SMF? See us on Github.

How have you bettered the world today?

Advertisement: