Brilliant suggestions Cedric from one of our best developers!
Just another idea, but which should be considered after: it would be nice that a tiny "debug/project manager" be added to the XenForo RM. By "debug manager", I mean a system that allows users to report bugs with some prefixes (
for example). This would allow to use the addon discussion only to directly request or introduce new features, to help members to use the addon, etc. I don't find it very convenient to mix everything inside the same "thread", especially when there are several bugs to deal with.
This is somewhat along the lines of my FAQ proposal i.e. to structure and separate different kinds of liaison with the addon users.
However it will need to address what is known as the "presenting motive" by the client. That is a client will very often (mostly?) NOT think of their reason for making contact in the same structured way a developer does. This is why you get vague messages like "It doesn't work" where you have to tease out what they have done/ not done, and what kind of result/ error they are getting. To the user it just doesn't work but this could be compatibility with other addons or cosmetic tweaking; or it could be a bug. They often can't tell. Their presenting motive is wrongness and the relationship often has to start from there, rather than "please report a bug HERE or ask for help in how to use HERE.
So the user needs a triage help grid to help you and them to ID the issue.
I suggest some standard questions as a list under a Help tab - keeping it as short and simple as poss. and fitting them to the addon e.g.
Please use these questions to help me understand what is not working for you.
Have you uploaded the files to your site successfully Y/N
Have you run the xml file in the addon section of your admincp Y/N
Does XYZ appear in the admincp on XXXXX page? Y/N
If you are getting an error when a user tries to do X please copy it in next:
Can you give any other info about what is going on?
The FAQ idea is a great one. Surely more diplomatic than my idea to force users to read addon presentation before asking a question
I'm already ready to write this sentence : "Read the FAQ. Thank you."
Thank you kindly sir. Perhaps you could prepare stock responses like
"See the FAQ 3 on Installation - also see halfway down the Description page on XF or the txt file you'll find with the download. Thank you."
"See the FAQ 1 on Configuration. Thank you."
The more specific the direction given the less room there is for a return pestering asking "Which FAQ please?"
You could prepare each stock response same time you give the answer to a question which adds to your FAQ.
I think "See" is a little gentler. It says "you may not know the answer is here so I'm being helpful and telling you." "Read" is more commanding, and carries a nuance of "You haven't bothered to read the ruddy FAQ you twit!" We may feel this but expressing it doesn't often aid harmony with what can also be a genuinely inexperienced or nervous user.
Now, to speak of something else than the RM, it would also be nice if developers could have access to XenForo beta versions or official released a few days before the public release. It would allow them to check and try to adapt their addons before the official release.
Superb idea and this might also help Kier and Mike by providing a ready made pilot study of well informed users for feedback and last minute tweaks over say 3 days or a week.
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I'd imagine it wouldn't take long for that to happen.
