Add-on XenReviews [CrowdFund]

[The Sandman]

At least when the pressure was put on for XenPorta2, it became a reality...

It was when the pressure Jaxel was getting from this site was relieved a bit by conducting the XP2 Beta releases and discussions elsewhere that it became a reality. No one can stand being in a pressure cooker for very long.

Can I at least get the courtesy of being talked to in a nice manner?

Of course you can.

 

[Sheldon]

Assuming you use the loosest possible definition of "focusing". I used that thread to brainstorm and most of the features were ones that I've already done as custom development for people or were about to before XenForo 1.5 (Mass Conversations). Most of those basic features were already done. After typing that thread, maybe an hour of attention was given to it. Of that hour, most of it was yesterday when I thought of the batch update add/remove tags feature. We can pretend that equates to having most of my attention though.


I just recently became a part of development for this add-on again. A long long long time ago, I was removed from the project and nearly everyone liked it. Now Jeff has higher priorities and it's back on me and I'm doing the best I can to adapt to having it back in my schedule and on my plate. Last night I prepared a functional beta build that I've been trying to get to everyone, I'll be posting it by lunch time (as I have a day job).


That'd be incredibly illogical. Sure, XenGrid may be a highly complicated add-on and shouldn't have been but it's also extremely high quality. Also, (some of) it's features were necessary for XenReviews.


XenPorta2 could have been (and was) developed in a couple of weeks. XenReviews has over 100,000 lines of code. Compressed it is 1.4 MB. The two things aren't very comparable.

Since being back in charge of this add-on, I have acknowledged and responded to every single post. I've also been pretty transparent with you guys. I respond quickly, I answer your questions, I address your concerns, and I'm pretty straight forward with you guys. Can I at least get the courtesy of being talked to in a nice manner?

There was nothing about my post meant in a "bad manner". I'm sorry you took it that way.

I'm just needing a Review system is all, I've been waiting for this one to become usable. (It is in a way, but still seems lacking ).

Add far as the other addon, it just seemed as your focus had shifted, seeing as how it was the now recently updated.

Again, nothing meant by the post, I just never imaged this would be going on two years before release.

 

[Daniel Hood]

There was nothing about my post meant in a "bad manner". I'm sorry you took it that way.

No big deal, we're cool.

I'm just needing a Review system is all, I've been waiting for this one to become usable. (It is in a way, but still seems lacking ).

Well, I just posted the beta 6 build, you're welcome to test it. It's likely not perfect and I don't recommend running it in a live environment, however you are welcome to. Report bugs as normal.

Again, nothing meant by the post, I just never imaged this would be going on two years before release.

To be honest, neither did I. I'd like to not hound on that though and try moving past it. I'm doing what I can and we'll get there.

 

[eberkund]

@Sheldon, I didn't know you were a part of this :O Are you a member on XR?

 

[eberkund]

Also @Daniel Hood, you're doing a great job so far and I think most of us really appreciate your prompt communication. Probably any harsh responses you have been getting since you joined are just residual frustration people have been having because of past delays.

 

[Alpha1]

You should scrap that XenGrid, it's taken AGES from the core development of XenReviews, and in the end, has screwed everyone who has invested and purchased this add-on.

XenGrid is 99% done and includes review page layouts and the dozens of review related widgets that we requested from the start. Without those review widgets XenReviews does not really work. It would not make any sense to scrap xengrid now. Your request seems an instinctive reaction rather than rational evaluation of the current situation.

 

[eberkund]

XenGrid is 99% done and includes review page layouts and the dozens of review related widgets that we requested from the start. Without those review widgets XenReviews does not really work. It would not make any sense to scrap xengrid now. Your request seems an instinctive reaction rather than rational evaluation of the current situation.

I was never really in favor in the grid and I always advocated for WidgetFramework integration instead. But at this point it would make absolutely no sense to scrap it and it would probably take longer to rewrite the thing to work without the grid than to finish what is missing.

 

[Sheldon]

@Sheldon, I didn't know you were a part of this :O Are you a member on XR?

Yes. I have a license.

 

[snoopy5]

Hi,

I have not read all 22 pages here. The first posting started in October 2013, we have now September 2015. Is there anywhere an overview what the curent status quo is, what the core features are and when to expect a final version to use on a production site?

I am still using ReviewPost of Photopost and need asap an alternative. They increased the renewal prices by over 200% (89.-$ now), so it does not make sense to spend the money there before switching.

I need a reliable import script for my Reviewpost installation so nothing gets lost. And I need all the basic feature of Reviewpost in that new script. Currently I use the Reviewpost integration addon version 1.0 of Photopost itself to share the same userdatabase and same layout etc. But it will be ony a queston of time, when that addon does not work anymore.

Any hints where I can get these information?

Thanks

 

[cdub]

Check out xenreviews.com

But I don't think there's going to be any importers any time soon...

 

[HWS]

There is Beta 6 out currently. Licenses can be purchased at www.xenreviews.com

However, this product has still a long way to go. It was designed ways to complicate (involves 4 different add-ons to be installed) and the main developer left the project because he did no see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Daniel Hood took over with no ETA for a release.

 

[snoopy5]

that is sad....

Funding started in 2012 as far as I remember....

Is there any kind of alternative out there except showcase?

 

[popr]

There is Beta 6 out currently. Licenses can be purchased at www.xenreviews.com

However, this product has still a long way to go

What makes you say it has a long way to go? Is it buggy or just not feature complete? Been waiting on this as a long time potential customer.

 

[Daniel Hood]

On topic of the initial question. Importers will be created but they are not in the very near future.

There is Beta 6 out currently. Licenses can be purchased at www.xenreviews.com

I'm not currently selling more licenses until I get a more stable version released, as I already feel bad for the current license holders. If you're really wanting a license, @BamaStangGuy is trying to sell a few.

the main developer left the project because he did no see a light at the end of the tunnel.

This isn't entirely accurate; @Jeff Berry has had major advancements in his career and was having a hard time finding any time to continue development. Has more to do with his work life than where the project was at.

What makes you say it has a long way to go? Is it buggy or just not feature complete? Been waiting on this as a long time potential customer.

Combination of both at the moment.

Is there any kind of alternative out there except showcase?

Showcase by @Bob is a reasonable alternative, as is the Resource Manager depending on how you use it and customize it. If you cannot wait for XenReviews, Showcase is a great route to go.

 

[snoopy5]

Importers will be created but they are not in the very near future.

I would highly recommend to offer from the very first day a Reviepost importer. There are many Reviewpost users who are looking since ages for something more in line with Xenforo. As long as you do not offer an importer, these poeple will not buy anything, maybe even not moving to xenforo because of this. Or they just decide for another inferior Review addon just because there is an importer available for that addon.

 

[popr]

Showcase by @Bob is a reasonable alternative, as is the Resource Manager depending on how you use it and customize it. If you cannot wait for XenReviews, Showcase is a great route to go.

Are there any directions of discussions that show how we could use the Resource Manager as a review system? I have the RM and am not really using it for anything at the moment.

 

[Alpha1]

XFRM has very basic reviews functionality. You can see how it's used here to review resources. You can simply make each resource an item and use the reviews functions. Showcase is much better as a solution, though Showcase is not intended to be a full blown reviews system.

XenReviews is very promising, a lot of development has already been done, many nice things are already in there, but the project is missing a developer who can spend a lot of time on it. In its current state its not yet usable.
It's weird considering how far the project has come and how many people are willing to pay good money for it. So much potential. Yet, it remains to be seen if it gets there.

 

[kontrabass]

Is there any kind of alternative out there except showcase?

Don't dismiss showcase too quick . We're finding it quite powerful. Reviewpost importer is a dream, but any import would be lossy (is that the right word? We have so many custom fields,searchable product fields, star rating fields etc in showcase that aren't in the review post database. You'll probably be in the same boat with xen reviews. Currently on number 80 of 4,300 of a copy/paste "import". Lol

 

[0ptima]

Don't dismiss showcase too quick . We're finding it quite powerful. Reviewpost importer is a dream, but any import would be lossy (is that the right word? We have so many custom fields,searchable product fields, star rating fields etc in showcase that aren't in the review post database. You'll probably be in the same boat with xen reviews. Currently on number 80 of 4,300 of a copy/paste "import". Lol

You could probably adapt this importer for your needs
VB Pro Garage -> Showcase Importer

 

[SelfSufficientMe]

Many of us have committed significant funds and a lot of time to XenReviews there's an obvious need for a dedicated and good reviews addon for Xenforo because everyman and his dog keeps asking for one... I have to admit it's hard to say if XR will ever get up despite efforts to revive it by Daniel there just doesn't seem to be the development time available for one person - we'll see hey.