Re: [GT Dev Team] Gossamer Threads Development Survey
- What do you think of the XHTML+CSS design described in the announcement? Do you think this is a good or poor move, and do you have any suggestions, alternatives, or other ideas that we might consider?
- How important is backwards compatibility with older browsers to you? When we say compatibility, we are talking about extremely old browser versions - that is, Netscape 4 and IE 4 - which already are incapable of displaying much of what is on the internet successfully.
- Are you generally opposed to or in favour of using javascript to add functionality? Up to now, we've taken the policy of using javascript to augment existing capabilities or provide convenience features, with some notable exceptions such as the advanced editor in Gossamer Forum and Gossamer Mail. In the new versions however, we are planning some features that absolutely require javascript in order to work rather than to simply augment existing capabilities.
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Not having to support both javascript and non-javascript versions will free up time otherwise spent coding and maintaining both versions which will allow us to spend more of it working on new features for our programs. Additionally, it will keep the templates and the code cleaner without extra 'duplicate' code. - What suggestions do you have, if any, for the product manuals? Do you find the current format (PDF) useful, or would you consider that we make the manual available in another format, such as MS Word (.doc) or perhaps even broken down into multiple HTML pages?
- Have you had any problems with the installation of our products? How can we improve the installation process? Would an installation tutorial be useful?
- We're considering adding a "tutorials" section to the product pages of our website to cover various common tasks associated with administering our products comprising items such as installation (question 5), a Getting Started Guide (e.g. for Gossamer Forum, how to create a Category and Forum), making simple template modifications, etc. Do you feel this addition would be useful, and if so, are there any specific areas in addition to the above that you would like to see?
- Are there any specific weak spots in our programs currently that you would like to see addressed, with respect to how the overall programs work? We do not refer here to individual product feature requests for this question - but rather areas that affect all of our programs, such as installing, modifying templates, upgrading, etc.
- !!! Common API level above GT apps - currently there is no common application API between GT apps (I mean not the GT lib, but the application library, like Links, Comm, etc...).
- GT application cross-access integration - a new module (with an easy API) into GT module collection, to be able to cross-access all GT application tables, main config files, plugin config files, hooks, modules, plugins.
The Module could be named GT::Integrate or GT::Apps, with submodules, like GT::Integrate::LinksSQL, GT::Integrate::GForum, etc... - !!! Admin login separate script - Admin login should be moved to a separate script, which can be renamed for security reasons
- !!! Support multiple language in same template set!!! (without the need to open new template for each language)
- !!! Support to 1 common GT module directory for all apps
- !!! Support to 1 common template module directory for all GT apps
- !!! Support dynamic_preserve feature in all GT apps
- !!! Support for caching of output html feature (small timeframe and same input variable content)
- !!! URL generating - Support to make URL parameter names changeable. Currently URL parameter names are hardcoded in GT apps!!!
- !!! Template parsing of ConfigData.pm values! - Support to make possible to use a config variable within another config variable!!! Example: $CFG->{"server_URL"} = "http://www.site.com"; $CFG->{"db_cgi_url"} = "<%$CFG::server_URL%>/cgi-bin/Lsql";
- !!! Support LSQL a section based template system, with reusable, changeable sections, inheritable into subcategories. This means to inherit template elements, sections, local & global variables into subcategories - This would be excellent GT template feature improvement. Currently only one full template can be inherited and overrided in the subcategories (Category_Template). But if I want to change the design, I need to change all templates, depending which part of template is changed. I have to include even <head> or <html> tags redundantly, when these should be used once when design is done, then should be automatically reused where needed. Therefore the main category page should provide a skeleton (section) of the design, then subskeletons (subsections) recursively, which should be inherited to subcategories. I will open a new thread for this later, then will explain how this section based template system should work in LSQL.
- ! Support WAP/WML? - Support WAP/WML in all GT apps
- ! Support FastCGI - long waited feature, which would make possible additional crossOS permanent environment beside mod_perl. SpeedyCGI is not crossOS solution, available on Linux only.
- Support LSQL to have virtual category links to other category (shortcut) - So you can create an Electronics/Computers/Accessories category, which is "virtually linked" to Computers/Accessories. So opening page Electronics/Computers/Accessories will display same links like in Computers/Accessories, but with different template design if needed.
- Support LSQL to hide categories (+1 vote for idea of nt6)
- Support LSQL to set to exclude categories from link-submitting (+1 vote for idea of ManuGermany)
- Support to handle mail-bounce-handling (+1 vote for idea of ManuGermany)
- Support to have the GT plugin developers able to check if they are currently on admin interface, or on public user interface. There is MISSING a global variable, which is set if we are printing to admin interface or to public page.
- CPAN release of at least GT::Template module. CPAN release of full GT lib would be also a good idea, but since you may have some business interests not releasing publicly, I can just mention that this would be fine.
But think about, that this would greately advertise the www.gossamer-threads.com website and products...
And since the products are really fine, that would mean a lot more buyers. (+1 vote for idea of Chaz)
Yes, using CSS is a good idea, until there is NO CSS and HTML codes hardcoded into the GT app codes.
GT should only use CSS as long the NS4+ and IE4+ compatibility is maintained!!! It should be kept backward compatible, and readable with 4.x browsers.
Also be careful with using CSS in tables (+1 vote for worries of DogTags).
Very important to keep NS4.x, NS6.x , IE4.x, IE5.x, IE 6.x, Mozilla 1.x backward compatibility!
Backward compatibility should be done to degrade design correctly, and still to keep readable all the texts.
I see day by day such websites, which are working on IE, but when you look with your favourite browser, it is not viewable or doesn't display correctly. I don't want such problems, therefor my compatibility policy is to keep compatibility with 4.x browsers.
I never liked to have javascript in a feature, because when javascript was turned off, the service was unusable.
Imagine a link, button, menu, which is javascript based, and doesn't degrade correctly. It is a crap.
If javascript is degraded well, so is kept working even if javascript is turned off, then yes, I support to have javascript used.
My javascript policy is to use javascript for secondary features to add more interactivity for the service, and should degrade well, without destructing the design and readability.
You can not avoid to support both javascript and non-javascript versions, because to degrade correctly you need both!
PDF manuals are fine. But missing documentations should be created for developers guide, and modules POD. You know there are some modules, where there are a lot undocumented modules, like GT::SQL::Display::HTML , etc...
HTML format would be not bad, since a HTML site can be converted finely into a PDF file.
Additionally, a FAQ would be nice. (+1 vote for idea of Chaz)
I had no problems. But automatic upgrades, bugfixes would be really fine. Just press "Check version" to check if there are any updates. Then "Update selected package" will install the selected updates. Note: that install order of different update packages may be important.
Yes, tutorials section would be useful. That would make easier to start new GT users installing, customizing, improving GT applications.
Yes. There are some long waited features listed here:
Waiting GT staff comments!
Best regards,
Webmaster33
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