When an author posts a new resource/add-on, XenForo should ask for permission to use the code or make it open source if it becomes "abandoned"

[bzcomputers]

We have an ever increasing amount or resources/add-ons becoming abandoned, many of which contain useful options, it would be good for XenForo to have a way for authors to give them permission to the code in the event they "abandon" it.

You would need to decide what specifically entails an "abandoned" add/on but once that is set an author could just by the click of an option when adding a resource opt-in to: "If my code is "abandoned" ... I give XenForo permission to use the code or make it open source allowing another author to continue its' development."

 

[Deleted member 232995]

That's where the problem starts. When is an add-on abandoned? After 3 months? After 3 years? Maybe there are reasons that the developer doesn't react (illness), then he comes back after 2 years and he was expropriated... So I see this as very questionable.

Of course - if a developer can foresee that he will quit, then he could transfer it to an open source or other licence.

But I think finding a solution here per se is impossible. Therefore, deletion is the only sensible option. Because here the developer is given the possibility - to restore it later.

But everyone is free to programme (not copy) missing options and thus make themselves independent.
Very complicated and also legally difficult topic.

 

[Baby Community]

That's where the problem starts. When is an add-on abandoned? After 3 months? After 3 years? Maybe there are reasons that the developer doesn't react (illness), then he comes back after 2 years and he was expropriated... So I see this as very questionable.

Of course - if a developer can foresee that he will quit, then he could transfer it to an open source or other licence.

But I think finding a solution here per se is impossible. Therefore, deletion is the only sensible option. Because here the developer is given the possibility - to restore it later.

But everyone is free to programme (not copy) missing options and thus make themselves independent.
Very complicated and also legally difficult topic.

Can't delete mister. There are such vital add-ons that they absolutely must be. I am giving an example. xenporta or ozzmods spaminator now ozmods or xenporta makers said we are deleting this plugin and will not support it then what will my forum do?

 

[Baby Community]

That's where the problem starts. When is an add-on abandoned? After 3 months? After 3 years? Maybe there are reasons that the developer doesn't react (illness), then he comes back after 2 years and he was expropriated... So I see this as very questionable.

Of course - if a developer can foresee that he will quit, then he could transfer it to an open source or other licence.

But I think finding a solution here per se is impossible. Therefore, deletion is the only sensible option. Because here the developer is given the possibility - to restore it later.

But everyone is free to programme (not copy) missing options and thus make themselves independent.
Very complicated and also legally difficult topic.

In this case, it is ethical and logical for the add-on company or person who wants to withdraw instead of deleting the add-on to transfer that add-on to another add-on manufacturer, and the transferring company should take care of the people and companies that have the add-on license.

In addition, the company or person purchasing the Addon must charge a license renewal fee from previous licensed users of this addon.

 

[Nicolas FR]

XF should be so developed that we shouldn't need add-ons for essential things. I dream of the day when my forum has the same functionalities as today but without any add-ons. The problem would definitely be solved.

 

[Baby Community]

XF should be so developed that we shouldn't need add-ons for essential things. I dream of the day when my forum has the same functionalities as today but without any add-ons. The problem would definitely be solved.

Do you know any plug-in-free software in the world?

No matter how much xenforo develops, it has to be an add-on, no matter how much it wants to go into space like a space shuttle...

 

[Nicolas FR]

Do you know any plug-in-free software in the world?

Without essential plugin ? Yes.
Word or Excel for example... You don't need any essential plugin to use them.

You don't need any add-on to use XF but some add-on could be considered to essential and should be a part of the XF core.

 

[bzcomputers]

That's where the problem starts. When is an add-on abandoned? After 3 months? After 3 years? Maybe there are reasons that the developer doesn't react (illness), then he comes back after 2 years and he was expropriated... So I see this as very questionable.

It would be a totally optional "opt-in" by the author posting the resource on Xenforo.com, nothing mandatory, at least in my mind.

Maybe even allow the author the chance to opt-out at anytime until an add-on is actually deemed "abandoned". XenForo.com could send automatic warnings to them for a specified amount of time warning them they have opted in to relinquish their rights to the add-on to XenForo. In those warnings allow them the option to rescind their opt-in and allow them to opt-out, or also allow them the option to immediately transfer the rights of the resource to XenForo. The possibilities are endless and the community as a whole would benefit.

I know when I code a small feature/add-on for myself I could care less if someone reuses the code if they find it useful. I'm sure a lot of small add-on authors wouldn't hesitate to opt-in. Now an add-on that took you weeks to complete and months to enhance may be another story but those are definitely the minority of add-ons found on XenForo.com.

 

[Baby Community]

Temel eklenti olmadan? Evet.
Örneğin Word veya Excel... Bunları kullanmak için önemli bir eklentiye ihtiyacınız yok.

XF'yi kullanmak için herhangi bir eklentiye ihtiyacınız yoktur, ancak bazı eklentiler gerekli kabul edilebilir ve XF çekirdeğinin bir parçası olmalıdır.

By software I did not mean computer programs. I talked about website software as software. ipboard, vbulletin, wordpress, smf, mybb etc.

 

[Baby Community]

Without essential plugin ? Yes.
Word or Excel for example... You don't need any essential plugin to use them.

You don't need any add-on to use XF but some add-on could be considered to essential and should be a part of the XF core.

By software I did not mean computer programs. I talked about website software as software. ipboard, vbulletin, wordpress, smf, mybb etc.

 

[Paul B]

XF should be so developed that we shouldn't need add-ons for essential things.

I don't have any add-ons installed for my site so I don't consider any add-on to be essential.

What you consider essential, I consider pointless.

 

[Kirby]

I'm sure a lot of small add-on authors wouldn't hesitate to opt-in.

There already is an option to "Opt-in" for code reuse:
Select an Open Source license (ideally a permissive one like MIT) and be done.

That's what I usually do if I release Add-ons here.

 

[Nicolas FR]

I don't have any add-ons installed for my site so I don't consider any add-on to be essential.
What you consider essential, I consider pointless.

AMS Article seems to me essential, maybe if it was part of XF you or your members would use it.

But in the end you may be right basically because we are talking about forums and everything could be considered non-essential, after all is the pop-up when you hover over a member essential? Is the quote function essential? whereas we could copy/paste... Everything could be passed through the grinder of essentiality... Even the froala text editor, is it essential for us to converse ?

 

[Mendalla]

I would not call any of my add-ons essential. They are mostly "nice to haves" but we got along well without most of them. I even turned off Xenporta a while ago (it was useless since no one but me would put in any effort to maintain the portal) without any upset.

On the other hand, there's a raft of things that Xenforo does out of the box that I miss on other forum sites I am on that use other software. The fully-featured editor and reply-quote capabilities, for instance. Those are what I would call "essential".

So my feeling is that the things that I would consider essential for a forum site are largely there in Xenforo. Things like portals or AMS or integration with WordPress are only essential if you are doing more than just running discussion forums and that something more is going to vary depending on the nature of the site. That makes them well-suited to add-ons, allowing a forum owner to pick and choose which ones they need, rather than core where a lot of users will end up with a bunch of features they end up turning off even though they are still paying to maintain them.

 

[TPerry]

In this case, it is ethical and logical for the add-on company or person who wants to withdraw instead of deleting the add-on to transfer that add-on to another add-on manufacturer, and the transferring company should take care of the people and companies that have the add-on license.

That's a kind of socialistic way of viewing something... I don't really agree with "forcing" someone that no longer desires to continue supporting/enhancing their product to transfer it to someone else (even for renumeration).

No matter how much xenforo develops, it has to be an add-on, no matter how much it wants to go into space like a space shuttle...

There are several people running XF without ANY third party add-ons. Not everyone HAS to have them. I use several, and they are actually essential to my site as to what I want it to do, but I could get by with NO 3rd party add-ons if necessary... would be dull. But the ones that I use are by long time developers that have been "around the block" a few times and that I trust.

By software I did not mean computer programs. I talked about website software as software. ipboard, vbulletin, wordpress, smf, mybb etc.

Explain the difference please. Some are written in PHP, some are written is C++, others written in JAVA. They are ALL programs.. they just run under different environments and perform different functions. Even an add-on could be classified as a "program".

 

[Baby Community]

That's a kind of socialistic way of viewing something...

No, this is not a socialist way... The plugin owner should sell a plugin that he can't serve to another plugin manufacturer and the plugin manufacturer that will serve should keep this plugin... What a smart method.

 

[TPerry]

No, this is not a socialist way... The plugin owner should sell a plugin that he can't serve to another plugin manufacturer and the plugin manufacturer that will serve should keep this plugin... What a smart method.

no, a plugin owner owns that plug-in.. and has final say in it. Any idea otherwise is the "the desires of the masses outweigh the desire of the one". The ONLY time I see this being valid is in a matter of medicine/treatment that is of life and death... and add-ons are NOT to that level.
No different than saying "So and so farmer is letting his land lay fallow, we think he should allow the another farmer to come in and grow produce on it because it helps feed others". In other words, if you aren't willing to fork over the moola for my creation/property use... KMA, you have NO right to it.
Any time you force another to your will for the desires of others and against the desire of the owner/developer, it is socialistic.
I mean, come on now.. the very definition of socialism trends to what you support:

a political and economic theory of social organization which advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole

In other words... your "need" outweighs the owners desire... so the community "need" rules all. Care to elucidate on what philosophy that closest meets?