The reasons are legion.
vBulletin is doing one "simple" thing, which can almost be emulated in Links SQL with just a bit of effort (several people have make interesting hacks to that effect).
When Links was _just_ a links program, it was simpler. But, people wanted a content management system, a links system, a classifieds system, etc.... Heck, I'm using it for a postcards greetings site, and have a image/graphics stock-photo agency sort of system in the works.
Links SQL 1.x was an attempt to allow the flat file system to grow and expand by using the power of SQL to overcome the limitations of flat-file locking and resource usage.
Links SQL 2.x is something far beyond that. THere are modules and parts that allow an almost infinite expansion (of course, someone has to write that, but the capability is there!) within the same set of rules. It's sort of like an early version of an IDE (vbasic, turbo C++, etc) where everything is inside the environment, and you link to pieces via an interface.
If you really want to see what a complicated perl project is, without the organization and planning of something like Links, check out "minivend" which is now "Interchange" and which was just bought by RedHat for incorporation into their release.
Interchange looks good on the surface, but I've been following it for 2 years, and going beyond that is a nasty process. It's not organized, logical, or easy to modify or maintain. It's getting there, but it's following the same "growing pains" as Links, but Links has much better planning, implementation, and a much broader future! Heck, Links _can_ be a minivend/ecommerce package, but can they be a "links" ?? :)
With power comes a learning curve.
The installation is trivially simple now, upgrades and modifications via the plugins are trivial, and all you need to do is learn how to use the templates to really make changes. This separates the interface from the underlying implementation completely.
Small price to pay :)
With the next release that hopefully will clear up the use of "loops", most discussion can concentrate on how to develop the templates and "globals" to do what you need, without hacking into the code at all.
Virtually no other program out there can claim that! None!
PUGDOGŪ Enterprises, Inc.
FAQ:http://LinkSQL.com/FAQ
Forum:http://LinkSQL.com/forum
vBulletin is doing one "simple" thing, which can almost be emulated in Links SQL with just a bit of effort (several people have make interesting hacks to that effect).
When Links was _just_ a links program, it was simpler. But, people wanted a content management system, a links system, a classifieds system, etc.... Heck, I'm using it for a postcards greetings site, and have a image/graphics stock-photo agency sort of system in the works.
Links SQL 1.x was an attempt to allow the flat file system to grow and expand by using the power of SQL to overcome the limitations of flat-file locking and resource usage.
Links SQL 2.x is something far beyond that. THere are modules and parts that allow an almost infinite expansion (of course, someone has to write that, but the capability is there!) within the same set of rules. It's sort of like an early version of an IDE (vbasic, turbo C++, etc) where everything is inside the environment, and you link to pieces via an interface.
If you really want to see what a complicated perl project is, without the organization and planning of something like Links, check out "minivend" which is now "Interchange" and which was just bought by RedHat for incorporation into their release.
Interchange looks good on the surface, but I've been following it for 2 years, and going beyond that is a nasty process. It's not organized, logical, or easy to modify or maintain. It's getting there, but it's following the same "growing pains" as Links, but Links has much better planning, implementation, and a much broader future! Heck, Links _can_ be a minivend/ecommerce package, but can they be a "links" ?? :)
With power comes a learning curve.
The installation is trivially simple now, upgrades and modifications via the plugins are trivial, and all you need to do is learn how to use the templates to really make changes. This separates the interface from the underlying implementation completely.
Small price to pay :)
With the next release that hopefully will clear up the use of "loops", most discussion can concentrate on how to develop the templates and "globals" to do what you need, without hacking into the code at all.
Virtually no other program out there can claim that! None!
PUGDOGŪ Enterprises, Inc.
FAQ:http://LinkSQL.com/FAQ
Forum:http://LinkSQL.com/forum
