Is there a CMS planned?

[Shamil]

We're no going through this again. As of yet, there are no near plans for a CMS. All resources are, and should be, dedicated to XenForo, it's primary product.

 

[erich37]

As I added to my post I wrote it at the same time Mike wrote his - didn't you see that?



Yes we all know that. No one's criticising that.



If they're not even thinking about it then they should b e. Business isn''t like that. You can't just concen trate on one thing and refuse to look at other important issues. You can't just put out a basic product that doesn't have any of the usual things that go with it and expect people to buy it.
I run a business - my third successful one in 30 years - and I'd go bust sharpish if I treated my customers like that.
Customers will always want the next thing and if you want to keep them buying you either supply it or you let them know when you will. Otherwise they WILL NOT BUY.

There are a huge number of people interested in XF. But they already have communities to transfer and they need these services to do it. I outlined realistic options in business mode for M&K to plan on how to service the business demand they have. They can set a roadmap for doing it themselves, or for bridging or working in association with mods.

But to flatly say "your urgent concerns are of no interest to us so we're not even thinking about them" is business suicide. You're not helping them to imply they are being that silly.
Myself I have great respect for them so I'm certain they have a plan. After all it's a long time since they left their previous jobs so they#ve had preparation time, and the work on XF itself right now has got to be done in such a way as to allow for one decision path or another on these two issues: cms, gallery.



Then an awful lot of people will be deciding that when and if XF decides to do a cms or gallery or both, they'll let XF know if they're interested in being customers.

Not a problem for me as it happens. If I can get someone do do one mod for me I'm in. But I'm looking at this as an experienced business owner who admires and likes M&K's work and as an experienced business person who wants them to succeed.

M&K have stated many times what their plan is, you might need to read up on their posts.
If you can not live with their statements, then XF is probably not the software-product you are looking for.

 

[Floris]

1.0 will not get a CMS, if there's any news about a CMS their frontpage or their announcement forum will mention more about this.

Thanks everybody for your interest!

 

[Erik]

In before lock.

 

[Carlos]

In before lock.

Why are you predicting a lock for this thread? Everyone's debating back and forth, which is a lively energy we've got here!

 

[Erik]

Why are you predicting a lock for this thread? Everyone's debating back and forth, which is a lively energy we've got here!

Everything that needs to be said has pretty much been said. The developers are focusing on the core product right now and there's no timeframe for a CMS. There's really no point in re-iterating the same points. This thread has already gone on for 20 pages.

 

[Carlos]

Oh Okay.

 

[Shanj]

Very worrying. It's OK for me I can live without it but this lack of any interest in developing a cms is going to put a lot of buyers off.

If potential buyers feel - as they must now, based on the above - that there is no realistic prospect of a cms, then unless one appears very fast as a mod on the release of 1.0 anyone needing a cms is going to have to stay with or opt for something else than XF. That#s a LOT of potential XF market being lost.

 

[ManagerJosh]

I appreciate that and I doubt anyone would hold them to the date if they said roughly 6 to 12 months or 1 to 2 years, I'm not asking for specific dates, I'm looking for a broad idea of when its likely to be. The problem people were told a cms was coming kier was lead developer of vbulletin and it took years.

Remember however Kier did not have final say at the end of the say. While he was project manager, his duties most certainly did not include casting the vision for vBulletin, but only recommending aspects for the vision.

 

[erich37]

Very worrying. It's OK for me I can live without it but this lack of any interest in developing a cms is going to put a lot of buyers off.

I guess it is not lack of interest, but rather lack of time available and lack of professional coders available.

I am just being told there is another Forum-software out there offering a CMS-solution available immediately:

VB

 

[Shanj]

I guess it is not lack of interest, but rather lack of time available and lack of professional coders available.
However, I have heard of a great software-company offering a CMS-solution available immediately:
VB

In business terms lack of interest means lack of information supplied, and/or lack of clear commitment given to provide a service.

In business no matter how much you like and respect the guys, no matter how you like the product so far, if it doesn't cover what you need, you don't buy it.

There are also a lot of non-business type boards too of course. But what is the point of selling a forum on its own with no info on cfms and gallery options to come - it only means a clamour of need rising higher and higher causing unpleasant tension. We've seen that happen elsewhere and it's not pretty.

 

[erich37]

there is a business term called "Focus on your Core Competence".

Warren Buffett calls it "Circle of Competence".

 

[Erik]

*sigh*
They don't have a timeframe because they're not sure and they're focused on doing the forum well. I don't know what else there is to say. Anyone who needs a CMS should go with a different product. Otherwise you're just going to have to shut up and wait. (Sorry if this sounds harsh, but really I'm tired of seeing the same things said over and over again.)

 

[Booth]

Very worrying. It's OK for me I can live without it but this lack of any interest in developing a cms is going to put a lot of buyers off.

If potential buyers feel - as they must now, based on the above - that there is no realistic prospect of a cms, then unless one appears very fast as a mod on the release of 1.0 anyone needing a cms is going to have to stay with or opt for something else than XF. That#s a LOT of potential XF market being lost.

It's obvious that Kier wants to develop some kind of CMS if you read his comments and posts that he's liked on the site. However, I suspect they want to allow XF to at least get to Gold status. I'm not psychic but I'll bet there's already a ton of ideas from years of working at Jelsoft so XF will already have a headstart with a content management system.

That's what I'm thinking anyway, I bet it comes sooner rather than later especially as IPB and VB both have CMS options. I would imagine a portal system by a third party will appear soon after gold release as well.

Like the poster above has stated. Either use something else that's ready and able now, or wait till XF matures.

 

[Shanj]

Like the poster above has stated. Either use something else that's ready and able now, or wait till XF matures.

It's not that people don't understand the choice facing them. They do, all too well.
It's that XF itself will suffer. That's what worries me.

If XF doesn't put out a roadmap reassurance - at the very least whether a cms and gallery is top priority once the forum itself is stable, - then the large number of potential buyers who crucially need those thiongs will go elsewhere/ stay elsewhere making decisions based on that which use their available funds and design energy.

Customers have to have information on which to make decisions. Without it they'll choose away from XF.
Trust and hope is not enough. A few comments scattered here and there is not enough. Buyers should not have to hunt out scraps of comments here and there. This should be covered by a reassurance statement in the top level of this forum. It's that important to getting XF a market niche.

 

[Erik]

This should be covered by a reassurance statement in the top level of this forum. It's that important to getting XF a market niche.

Wait, you mean like this one?
http://xenforo.com/community/thread...wered.114/#post-2236

 

[Peggy]

Shanj, do not twist my words. I did not say that they didn't have a plan. I'm sure they do. But what they are focusing on, at this time (as I said before), is the here and now.
What do we have to do to solidify this platform and forum so that we can release it?

When it is released, then they can turn their main focus (while still working on the forum) to whatever it is that they have planned, whether it be a CMS or something else.

This is as it should be, and this is what I was saying above.

 

[Floris]

Even if they do, there's no saying at what point they're ready or capable to start work on it, or decide when to release it.

If you need the CMS, sorry. XenForo is currently not going to be coming with one, or have an ETA for you when development is expected to be finished on one, if they decide on one.

 

[Shanj]

Wait, you mean like this one?
http://xenforo.com/community/thread...wered.114/#post-2236

Erik thanks it's useful to have that much into the discussion.
But what's needed is more than that. What that says -

Q: Will it have a CMS, blog, gallery, etc?
A: Not initially. They are good candidates for expansions, but we need to make sure that we nail the core components and the forum first. That part needs to excel before it makes sense to expand.

Others keep on repeating the point that the core forum is the priority. That's absolutely clear to everyone so no point banging on repeating it.

What's missing is a clear undertaking that goes further than a cms and gallery being "good candidates for expansions."
Because they are not just good candiates, they're the lead candidates.

The XF community - which only exists as a potential not an actual community right now - needs to hear that this priority is on the roadmap. That cms and/ or gallery are the first priority after the forum itself is stable.
That much I think would reassure those who desperately need these essentials in order to become XF buyers rather than lost to XF.

 

[Forsaken]

They cannot provide a clear undertaking, because they are currently unsure on when they can undertake it.

They need to focus on the core platform for as long as is required, and once they are capable of adding extensions like have been requested, they will begin doing so. To me the 'Random Questions Answered' post is informative enough to show they have every intention of doing what needs to be done for extensions... in the future.

Pressuring them, and consistently creating thread after thread, post after post trying to get a solid answer, when they cannot currently offer one, just wastes time and probably irritates them.