XenForo Add-On Certification

[VinnyS]

Hi Brogan
OK I understand, however even I could install a code lol if anyone could fine a way to screw it up it would be me lolllllolol but in reality it would not be one persons decision to rate the add-on it would any be rated on if any error appears in certain instances like run File Health Checker, seeing if any error are showing in XenForo itself not how the code was written by the developer just to see if the add-on causes any outside error specifically with XenForo cores?? As far as the volunteers they would not be the ones making the judgment call on the software they would be their only to feed options to the XenForo Developer that would have the finial say in the rating?? Yes No?

Vinny

 

[Martok]

Hi Brogan
OK I understand, however even I could install a code lol if anyone could fine a way to screw it up it would be me lolllllolol but in reality it would not be one persons decision to rate the add-on it would any be rated on if any error appears in certain instances like run File Health Checker, seeing if any error are showing in XenForo itself not how the code was written by the developer just to see if the add-on causes any outside error specifically with XenForo cores?? As far as the volunteers they would not be the ones making the judgment call on the software they would be their only to feed options to the XenForo Developer that would have the finial say in the rating?? Yes No?

Vinny

It's enough of a job getting some users to post a 150 character rating for an add-on in the Resources section, let alone getting them to rate a resource as you're suggesting.

 

[VinnyS]

Hi Martok
I think their are enough of us that could do this would you? I have used I lot of different software packages in my time, such as vBulletin let me tell you I think XenForo blows them out of the water hands down!! The proof of that is do you know a site called Digital Point they SCRAPED vBulletin for XenForo, vBulletin's customer servers "well hope this does not get me kicked off here" vBulletin's customers server sucks they are so arrogant and even before they will talk to you better have a credit card handy!! Here you can not only get help from other users the developers themselves will help and for that I don't fore see my ever leaving XenForo. XenForo PLEASE don't change in business TODAY its Customer Service will make or break a company like a toothpick and so far you guys are top!!! Ya I think their are users that would gladly help in something like this......

Vinny

 

[Xon]

Quality code review sometimes can take more time than write the own code.

In my opinion it's only 1-5% of all third party add-ons with a good quality code .

That is amazingly optimistic IMO. Most addons haven't been around long enough have the silly niggling bugs slowly knocked out of them, nor does the Resource Manager really offer a proper framework for issue tracking (and I don't expect it to).

I know most of my addons are slapdash stuff which probably require extensive rewrites. But I've also pushed worse code into production that people pay real money to use.

 

[VinnyS]

Hi Xon
OK I am not a developer and yes it is up to the user to well heads up, however my though goes to users like me I know stuff well enough to be dangerous to me lol. Xon I guess the bottom line is money?? If you do write code and you do that does that hurt you reputation.. It only takes a bad review and I do read the reviews however I do take it with a grain of salt because you never know who wrote the review. But with a small panel that has nothing to do with the developer just a small question would you give a panel like that a copy of your code to put it though is paces then offer a un basis review of it before you release it??

Vinny

 

[Xon]

My addons are nearly all MIT Licensed or Unlicensed, and are available on https://github.com/Xon/

I'ld love if people offered feedback on the code quality of my addons.

At work, all code has to go through a code-review process and testing before being merged into release. Often the review takes longer than the coding itself and still encounters parts where we have to ignore fundamental issues or the scope just explodes and becomes "the world".

 

[VinnyS]

Hi Xon
Who knows Xon the world needs money to run and this conversation is NO reflection on your work or any ones work. However it would make lot of users and XenForo feel better and who know a bit less aggravation about bad or well mislead add-ons that cause troubles for the Admin just trying to run a board? As a users of XenForo I have run into odd problem interacting with other add-on's and even the core XenForo software. See to put in in prospective if you give someone a map and they don't know how to read the map or don't know were they are how can they fix the problem. Where a developer would know how to read the map and also know were they are a small problem like a minor glitch is nothing to them but could be devastating to a new user.

Vinny

 

[Ridemonkey]

If you're going to create some kind of certification, the only effective way to do that is through a consistent, trusted group of people. That basically eliminates the ability to do it through volunteers or to crowd source it. After all, if a user can't trust that one add-on has been reviewed to the same standard as another add-on, what good does it do to give them both the same certification?

What happens when someone says, "this is good - I give it my stamp of approval." Did they actually review the code? Do they know what they're looking for? What incentive do they have to do a good job? How do you find out if they're not doing a good job?

I'm not down on the idea - it'd be great to be able to identify high quality add-ons that are likely to function well and have fewer bugs. But it requires either a lot of oversight of volunteers, or paying qualified people and it seems like that time or money might be better spent on the product itself.

 

[Allan]

The review system (RM) is not perfect, a person may give a negative opinion without even trying addon.

 

[VinnyS]

Hi Allen
Well you may be correct. However if XenForo started a volunteer board comprised of a XenForo Delvoloper or Moderator that installed the add-on on thier board or have XenForo start a shadow XenForo site not open to the public and along with hmmm maybe 5 volunteer users could make a rating on the add-on and them release the findings on the add-on?? The way I am proposing is more controled finding then open it up to the public?? Any Thoughts?

Vinny

 

[Paul B]

The review system (RM) is not perfect, a person may give a negative opinion without even trying addon.

We delete those reviews when we are made aware of them.

 

[whynot]

Not to mention, all resources, including paid, would have to be hosted here.

They should be all hosted here or on XenForo.org, they would be semi-official.

 

[Paul B]

The RM doesn't support payment processing so paid add-ons can't be hosted here.

Even so, that wouldn't make them official, semi or otherwise.

 

[whynot]

The RM doesn't support payment processing so paid add-ons can't be hosted here.

Isn't it possible to implement it on XF.org?

 

[Paul B]

How would that help?

 

[whynot]

How would that help?

On my site:
I can develop and sell whatever I like.
Someone is complaining about my addon?(It's stolen, has a call-back, etc.)
Delete the post, thread.
Still complaining?
Ban, remove the user and the problem is solved.
Still complaining somewhere else?
Replace, remove the addon.

Selling on XF's site the solution would not be that simple.

 

[Paul B]

I still don't see what that has to do with your previous post suggesting xf.org.

If we can't do it on this site then we wouldn't be able to do it on any other site.

 

[whynot]

If we can't do it on this site then we wouldn't be able to do it on any other site.

It would be too much for this site but on another site I believe it would be possible to do it with the permission system.
Who can download? Whoever has the permission.
Free addon: anyone with an XF licence.
Paid: Permission from the developer.(Because he received the payment)

 

[Luke F]

I don't think it would be necessary to distribute paid addons from the RM for this to work.

A future version of XF could have the addon installation process and/or file health checker extended with a call home to an official database of file signatures of approved files (i.e. site sends file hashes relating to addon, XF.com server responds ok or not). This would be populated by addon authors sending in review copies to the XF team.

(I do still think the idea as a whole is a bit infeasible/unnecessary, but purely because of staff time needed, not implementation)

 

[Jim Boy]

I don't see how a review system could work. What happens if a review is given saying some code is good and then later on it breaks something? What happens when a developer realease an update, does everyone have to wait around while it is reviewed?

The best you can do is a reputation system for developers themselves, which sort of exists, but not in adequate way