XenForo 2.0 Discussion

[sbj]

No offence, but the last few releases are mostly bug fixes. I wouldn't call that "development". Sure, not only bug fixes but I hope you got the point.
I thought I read somewhere that the 1.4x is the last major release before the 2.0 but apparently I was not right. Ok, we'll see.

 

[imthebest]

That hasn't been confirmed one way or the other.

Development of the 1.x branch is still ongoing, as evidenced by the release yesterday.

Unless I'm wrong, I remember reading from the staff that 1.5 wasn't planned and that 2.0 is going go be the next major release.

So 1.5 is still possible? Not confirmed but also not denied?

 

[Mike]

I think the first message makes it pretty clear that 2.0 is the focus. Clearly things can change over time as more information becomes available or circumstances change, but 2.0 is still the focus.

 

[Sheratan]

No offence, but the last few releases are mostly bug fixes. I wouldn't call that "development". Sure, not only bug fixes but I hope you got the point.
I thought I read somewhere that the 1.4x is the last major release before the 2.0 but apparently I was not right. Ok, we'll see.

It's third point release, x.y.Z

We don't expect new feature in third point release. Third point is for bug fixes. Second point if for new feature. First point is for remake/new framework.

 

[JJJ]

I really fear, we could have a situation. like we've had with vB4 and vB5. Nice new ideas, but the versions were so much incompatible, that nearly nobody risked to upgrade. Then we would have many boards remaining at XF1.4x, but XF1 actually would be a dead end street... and just some brave people risk the step to XF2, but not enough, to encourage the 3rd party developers, to focus on XF2 and update their addons.

I understand, that sometimes, the core of a complex software should be re-factored. Still, what I wish most for XF2 are not "new features", but rather some kind of continuity, that lets most of the boards really risk the step to upgrade. Because, if many people upgrade, new features will follow anyway.

 

[rainmotorsports]

I really fear, we could have a situation. like we've had with vB4 and vB5. Nice new ideas, but the versions were so much incompatible, that nearly nobody risked to upgrade.

Not really the reason vBulletin 5, or vB in general has gone under. Had vB5 been even acceptable, or better yet dynamite people would have rather migrated with a brand they trust than to swap brands. Going from vB 4 to vB 5 is the same task as switching to XF or IPB. The product and the company were quite questionable however.

I understand, that sometimes, the core of a complex software should be re-factored. Still, what I wish most for XF2 are not "new features", but rather some kind of continuity, that lets most of the boards really risk the step to upgrade. Because, if many people upgrade, new features will follow anyway.

Its less about new features, as Brogan even said XF2 could come out missing features in 1.x. It has a lot to do with fixing the core product for the future. Which creates a rift in compatibility.

 

[Rob]

The user discouragement feature is a perfect example for bloat in XenForo. I hope it'll be removed soon.

Whilst I use it myself rarely, I do use it. Certain situations require it and other websites will use it more often than others.
I don't see why anyone would want the ability to deal with disruptive users removed from the core but that's just my opinion.

I really fear, we could have a situation. like we've had with vB4 and vB5. Nice new ideas, but the versions were so much incompatible, that nearly nobody risked to upgrade. ...

vB4 and how that was handled was as far as I understand the biggest contributory factor to why xenforo even exists. I highly doubt Mike and Kier would want to copy such a screwed up implementation of bad practice - they cant anyway because IB have patented that specific way of pissing customers off.

Have we been let down in any way so far? Let's keep the faith.... xF 2.0 will be an upgrade not a downgrade..... we all expect this and xenForo would not deliver anything less, why would it.

 

[The Geek]

Doubt it would be considered due to the fact you would need to install a php module and I am sure groundwork is already being laid on 2.0, but here goes anyway : A move from Zend to Phalcon would be seriously awesome. Phalcon is lightening fast and pretty beautiful to work with. The ability to then use Zephir opens up a whole range of opportunity for modifications.

It would be great to be more "data first" in the design to support mobile, web applications and integrations better. In a perfect world, UI request would be largely separated from a data request.

Be able to run via CLI to offload cron work.

Include an algorithm that sends free beer to each user each time they post.

 

[TickTackk]

+1 for Phalcon (phalcon dev ) but phalcon can not be installed on shared hosts which would be a issue.

 

[Chris D]

We're not using a specific framework in XF2.

 

[Rob]

OooOOoo Chris.... is that official confirmation that zend will be dropped? (perhaps thats already been said elsewhere and i missed it)

 

[Chris D]

We are not explicitly building on top of a particular framework. However, we are bringing in libraries to help with common tasks. This might be a component from Symfony and another one from Zend Framework and another from an unrelated project. It's mostly down to what we feel fits our needs.

 

[rainmotorsports]

OooOOoo Chris.... is that official confirmation that zend will be dropped? (perhaps thats already been said elsewhere and i missed it)

I was about to say this was pretty well laid out already but Chris to the rescue.

 

[Rob]

Ok, I clearly missed it but brilliant news - it's better not ro rely on entire frameworks unless they are home grown for the purpose

 

[reddy ink]

I fear the same. XF2 will be based on new framework similar what VB4 to VB5 did (and drove me to XF).

I really fear, we could have a situation. like we've had with vB4 and vB5. Nice new ideas, but the versions were so much incompatible, that nearly nobody risked to upgrade. Then we would have many boards remaining at XF1.4x, but XF1 actually would be a dead end street... and just some brave people risk the step to XF2, but not enough, to encourage the 3rd party developers, to focus on XF2 and update their addons.

I understand, that sometimes, the core of a complex software should be re-factored. Still, what I wish most for XF2 are not "new features", but rather some kind of continuity, that lets most of the boards really risk the step to upgrade. Because, if many people upgrade, new features will follow anyway.

 

[Kuma]

I fear the same. XF2 will be based on new framework similar what VB4 to VB5 did (and drove me to XF).

I have a significant amount of faith behind the xF team, and who is behind it. I do not believe you need to be worried, or at the very least, not like you would be under vBulletin.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I fear the same. XF2 will be based on new framework similar what VB4 to VB5 did (and drove me to XF).

XF has a great and vocal support staff like @Brogan, @Jake Bunce and @Slavik who will no doubt keep the good ship XenForo 2.0 clear of turbulent waters. MACK will be back with a quality XF 2.0

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

XF has clearly been a forward looking software from the start. I'm sure that the dev team, in the process of making changes and improvements, has come up with a long list of things that they really wish, looking back on things, that they could have done to make it even better. Once you are locked into a particular frame of mind, you're stuck with that and you have to do whatever you can with what you have in order to support the customer base you have. That means, to an extent, your hands are tied.

What I see the move to XF2.0 being is the untying of the hands. It sounds like there's not really a way that it cannot be fundamentally different in order to open up the doors to greater possibilities. But that's what you have to do if you want to move forward and bring a groundbreaking product to reality.

As for the fears, IMO, those are likely to be unfounded. I think that the XF team is well aware of the mistakes made by others, and the impact that those mistakes have had on their customer base. I think that is the last mistake that the XF team is going to make.

 

[CTXMedia]

The opposite is most likely though: modernisation of the underlying software structure (and a breakaway from specific framework dependency); decluttering of the add-on making processes; more developers coming onboard (as more people migrate to XF and the add-on making process is improved); and a continued increase in take-up of XF (and conversions to it from other platforms).

Bring it on!!!

 

[sami simo]

I fear the same. XF2 will be based on new framework similar what VB4 to VB5 did (and drove me to XF).

Framework is not responsible for vb disaster, its the commercial decision to sell an incomplete and buggy product.
as far as there is no businessmen here to tell developers when the next version should be released. the vBulletin scenario will never happens.