VB Like Social Groups

[SilverKnight]

Well, this has always been a downfall for Smf, not having social groups is a real setback for some, as it helps build social character of forums. Ive seen the social groups mod for smf, but i don't feel like paying alot of money for something which doesn't meet the standard that i need.

I propose an idea of a new section in "membergroups" but these can be created by many people using several different persmissions. General membergroups as it is don't cut it, as only admin permissions can setup membergroups and users cannot make social groups like "SMF Coders Group" or "Linkin Park Sucks!" Simple groups like that, which would be really successful, they are in VB, that's for sure.

Features it should have:
--Selectable "membergroup" permissions to say which groups can make "social groups" and also manage them.
--Group pages (Post comments, pictures, news, and calender updates)
--Group Settings, Invite Only, Private, Public and password.
--Group Ranks (Owner can set officers to help manage the social group, Owner can also leave, and give owner to someone else)

Essentially that's the core, images and the like can come later if need be. If someone could develop this, it would add alot of new features back to SMF, and help balance away from the commerical vb fanboys as well as bringing something new to the community we call Simple Machines Forums.

[Marcus Forsberg]

I've been thinking of writing a social groups mod actually, but I'll see if I have time to.

"Linkin Park Sucks!"

They don't

[SilverKnight]

I've been thinking of writing a social groups mod actually, but I'll see if I have time to.

"Linkin Park Sucks!"

They don't

Just an example, don't worry i like them too, or at least back in the day. Their new songs arn't that great since they joined up with Jay-z.

On Topic though, if you could work on one, please consider my suggestions, this mod is one of the more "simple" concepts out there, but id consider it one of the more important ones.

[Arantor]

Please see the guidelines in "How to request a mod".

[Liam.]

Linkin Park does NOT suck!
http://www.smfpacks.com/index.php?action=products;pid=1

[Marcus Forsberg]

http://www.smfpacks.com/index.php?action=products;pid=1

Seet this:

Ive seen the social groups mod for smf, but i don't feel like paying alot of money for something which doesn't meet the standard that i need.

[KensonPlays]

i would like this too, and it for free!! (Im saving my money for a laptop!)

[Arantor]

Well, that mod is about as close as you're going to get, isn't it?

Have to say that $25 is quite reasonable for what it does, and it seems to meet all your requirements.

* Arantor thinks it's quite reasonable and does get a little annoyed that it seems like everyone seems to feel they should have it all for free. A surprising amount of work goes into writing mods.

[Liam.]

* Arantor thinks it's quite reasonable and does get a little annoyed that it seems like everyone seems to feel they should have it all for free. A surprising amount of work goes into writing mods.

Same. Paid mods are paid, thats that. Wouldn't everyone like everything for free? Look, a gold plated car! I want that for free... It doesn't work like that.
The mod is a brilliant mod from what I have seen and as soon as I've paid for someone to code my theme, I'm gonna buy it.

[Arantor]

But given the response to my first thoughts on doing a paid mod, I won't be offering another, which is a shame as I have some awesome mod ideas, but I guess I'll just have to wait until I find the time to write them for free and find the time after that to support them.

[SilverKnight]

Well, that mod is about as close as you're going to get, isn't it?

Have to say that $25 is quite reasonable for what it does, and it seems to meet all your requirements. If a mod is really that "great" then id just donate some money to it to show my support.

Besides, im requesting "VB" like.. Which SMF Social Groups, isn't.

* Arantor thinks it's quite reasonable and does get a little annoyed that it seems like everyone seems to feel they should have it all for free. A surprising amount of work goes into writing mods.

So? It's actually 60 bucks.. because you have to pay for copyright removal crap. SMF is supposed to be free, and we need some kind of free independent mod. I mean look at all the download mods out there for SMF, some are better because of how they are layed out or their features, just because this "payed" version exists, doesn't mean it cannot be done better.

[Arantor]

The Social Groups mod is $25. What is wrong with leaving the copyright intact? You have to with SMF itself.

SMF itself is free. Doesn't mean that mod authors have to write for free, and to be honest that's why I'm not writing any large mods any more. I now stop writing mods when they go past a couple of hundred lines, because as much as I love coding, it's just not worth my time to burn it on something where the expectation is that I'll support it and maintain it forever without often even a thanks.

We don't "need" anything for free. We ask and hope. If someone wants to put in the hundreds of hours writing and testing... and asks for a little compensation, go for it.

If you want something a little different, and a little unique, expect to pay for it, simple as that. You might find this interesting - the tail end of the original discussion on the subject about my first, and now never, paid mod.

[SilverKnight]

Well, i don't believe in having to pay to use abit of code.. The most id agree with would be to able to use a basic version, and if you liked you you could spend alittle bit of cash to use a copyrightless advanced updated version.

Asking for people to pay for something right off the bat is really wrong, it's not what modding is about. Essentially, if you wanted to get payed for your works, put up a forum, and add Adsense or some kind of program. If your content is good, and you provide support, you could make a fair amount.

Not everything has to be about a profit, i like some of your mods Arantor and but it's the wrong way to go about it.

[Arantor]

So if you spend a month writing a mod, spending as much time on it as you would at a regular job, you want to be told that you're expected to give it away free?

No wonder hardly anyone bothers to write large, quality mods for SMF, when they're expected to give them away for nothing, and support them indefinitely. Given how much time they spend writing, then supporting, they must REALLY have to love it, or they find some other benefit.

In my case, it benefits me for my other projects to continue supporting SMF, which is ultimately why I do it.

Modding is about modifying it to work how you want, nothing more, nothing less. AdSense pays squat, by the way, even on a very active forum.

I was actually toying with the fanciful idea of writing a paid mod, actually, one that would take me 3+ months to write. Fortunately not everyone shares your idea that everything must be free so if I proceed with it, I will receive some compensation for my time, since there are only so many hours in the day.

I can't speak for NIBOGO, but for me personally, I already give enough of my time away. Is it unreasonable to want a little something in return for my time? The same argument applies to most other large mod authors - who do, you'll find, already give away mods as it is.

Since I have been here at SMF, I have made the grand total of $85 in mods for hire and custom support. Compared to my last job, for which I was actually underpaid, that works out at something like a full day's work total. I don't ask for any payment of any kind normally, I do what I do because I love doing it, so when I think about asking for money, in my case you know you'd get something special.

* Arantor decides to work on this paid mod, see how it goes, but unless it actually goes well, I won't be writing ANY more mods other than what's already in the mod queue, because quite frankly, I'm that fed up of the expectation that everything must be free. I've already done more here at SMF than I ever originally intended to.

tl:dr; If you want something big and special, you can hope someone will write it for you, or you pay for it, simple as that. Demanding it must be free just irritates those of us who would try and do something bigger than average.

[Liam.]

I see what you mean Arantor, you have so many of these conversations that you rightfully pour your heart out onto.

You shouldn't have to pay for a bit of code.

I laughed out loud at that. Microsoft make operating systems, and it started off with one. So Windows is just a bit of code, but it should be free? Wheras the richest man in the world is the one that started it. If you play your cards right, why not make back the tiny amount of money that you paid for it. If you're passionate about your website, you'll pay for it.
I'm 14, and I've invested ~£600 (~$900) into my website already, and I'm not one of those wonder kids that makes lots of money and throws it away, it's my own money that I could've used. My site isn't successful, but I still love doing it, it's great fun, and I don't care about the money.
Whats the difference between a bit of code, and, say... a Hoover?

[DoctorMalboro]

You could bought it by 3 or 4 persons and pass it trough

[chrishicks]

Arantor, I'd be willing to buy this mod from you. I have used quite a few of your mods on my forum already and they have never given me any issues at all. I don't see any problem with giving you some compensation for all the hard work you do in the fact that you help make my forum better with every mod you release.

[Garou]

You could bought it by 3 or 4 persons and pass it trough

Actually that can break the ToS on most paid mods. Generally you can only have one instance of something like that running per license paid for. Going against that is pretty much theft.

In general I too am against paid mods especially when they are addons for something that is free. Creating mods, themes, or just supporting the community where I can is my way of paying back SMF for the free software and those in the community that have given me support or provided me with great mods in the past. Its kinda like the pay it forward principle, someone helps you so you in turn help someone else.

Then again being somewhat of a coder myself I do understand why some would want compensation for something they put so much time, effort, and continued support into. It can easily become a full time job so why not get paid for it?

Even when someone does something for free, the demands by users for this or that and done yesterday can become quite annoying. Its not like we can just wave a little magic wand and poof it works perfectly. Its pushed some coders away leaving their code unsupported or prevents them from wanting to come up with more. Getting paid in some form might provide a little more motivation for some of these people to continue rather then just feeling like they are being taken advantage of.

[Arantor]

Arantor, I'd be willing to buy this mod from you. I have used quite a few of your mods on my forum already and they have never given me any issues at all. I don't see any problem with giving you some compensation for all the hard work you do in the fact that you help make my forum better with every mod you release.

I'm not actually writing this mod; but ultimately I feel very very strongly about it. I'm not doing any paid mods at the moment - SimpleDesk is taking all my time up.

Garou explains the other side of it very well too; some people may or may not have noticed that I've actually given the majority of my mods away...

[Xarcell]

I've been thinking of writing a social groups mod actually, but I'll see if I have time to.

"Linkin Park Sucks!"

They don't

Oh heck no...  Linkin Park Rulz dude!

No seriously, I pay for mod's all the time. I think mod developers should be paid for their time. Alot of mod authors stop developing because it becomes too much of a hassle when it's free. Aside from the time coding it, time is needed for support, bug fixing, and putting up with idiots who can't follow simple instructions.

I DO believe free products help it become better products, better than paid ones anyway. However, the developers need some kind of compensation. Otherwise they get burn out and stop development because they don't see the point in it anymore.

Money is a good motivator, if not the best one. Nothing says thank you better than a donation.