ocPortal version NEXT (9?) discussion

Damn, the pound strengthened against the dollar. I knew I should have bought credit yesterday. It's not a huge difference but is a reminder to try to strike when your local currency has strength against the pound.

Bob

Still trying to drum up support for commuity sponsorship of the following features:

0000063: Multi-categorisation - ocPortal feature tracker - I continue to believe that this will be a major benefit to both site owners and their visitors. This is the complementary feature to the already sponsored 0000309: Allow dynamic user filtering of catalog and gallery display - ocPortal feature tracker and, with the grid layout feature already coded 0000301: Provide a grid layout option for main_cc_embed - ocPortal feature tracker, would complete what I call the "presentation pack". It would be great to see these all rolled out together as part of that presentation pack so please consider sponsoring feature item 63.

Chris has identified in CSS cleanup as an important issue for future releases (0000301: Provide a grid layout option for main_cc_embed - ocPortal feature tracker):

Chris Graham wrote said

It is worth discussing other usability ideas here. The other three I have in mind:
Use more CSS3, hence simpler templates and CSS, no need for corner images on boxes, etc
Tidy up CSS, merge styles, generally simplify
Faster performance (if things run faster, it's easier to move around the system and learn it, and generally less frustration; less friction = greater usability)
(I realise some of this CSS stuff is already sponsored !)

The standard box elimination is already fully-sponsored (0000292: Scrap standard boxes - ocPortal feature tracker). That leaves the the following items (some partially-sponsored) to help get to more manageable CSS code:
0000058: Remove panel_width option - ocPortal feature tracker - Partially sponsored
0000366: Drop legacy support - ocPortal feature tracker - Partially sponsored
0000423: Performance improvements: frontend technologies - ocPortal feature tracker - Partial sponsorship pledged when others have pledged one-third (30) credits

These are all important items that will continue to move ocPortal forward making maintenance easier and providing a more solid foundation on which to build. If possible, please join me in co-sponsoring these features.

Bob

With the front-end part of feature item 366 (0000366: Drop legacy support - ocPortal feature tracker) fully-sponsored and completed by Chris, the list is narrowing.

Item 292 (0000292: Scrap standard boxes - ocPortal feature tracker) is also fully-sponsored and Chris looks to be including it as a part of the larger CSS makeover. We will all benefit from this.

I think that the next item that ties into these CSS changes and deserves our attention is feature item 58 (0000058: Remove panel_width option - ocPortal feature tracker) which will see side panels fully-defined in CSS. I have sponsored 6 of the needed 18 support credits; it would be great if we could get this fully-sponsored over the next week so that it is included with the rest of the CSS makeover. Sponsor just a credit or 2, or whatever you can afford, as Chris works to build a better and more maintainable ocPortal.

Please consider sponsoring item 58: 0000058: Remove panel_width option - ocPortal feature tracker

Bob

Well, seems we got a lucky break as Chris discounted item 58 (0000058: Remove panel_width option - ocPortal feature tracker)  because he was reworking the default theme.

I do hope that people are not engaging in too much "magical thinking" that if they just wait, Chris will eventually go ahead and do it anyway.

Just as any developer must, Chris needs to look at what investments he needs to make to keep his product competitive. But, as is often pointed out, ocPortal already leads the pack in many areas. I am hoping that at least some of this is being driven by development projects but, if not, Chris has been making sweeping changes (check the Resolved issues, not to mention the the partial solutions mentioned amongst the Recently modified issues) that will only make ocPortal a better product at his expense and as his investment in ocPortal.

My eyes are clearly focused back on the multi-categorization feature: 0000063: Multi-categorisation - ocPortal feature tracker . I can assure you that this is not going to happen as a result of magical thinking – it's going to need to be sponsored. I've provided half the credits needed for this and think it is an important improvement. I think that fans of issue 263 (0000263: Purchase to Download - attach downloadable files that must be purchased before downloading - ocPortal feature tracker) which is partially completed will find this to be a fairly essential need to running their sites efficiently.

I prioritized the CSS changes ahead of this and made my sponsorships to contribute in a small way to what Chris is developing for everyone. I hope some will find it possible to make a small contribution to the multi-categorization feature. A single credit costs less than US$10 and puts us one credit closer to the goal.

Please consider joining me in sponsoring multi-categoriation: 0000063: Multi-categorisation - ocPortal feature tracker

Bob

In case people have not recently looked at the issues tracker (In Mantis, not the front-end) or the unstable branch of ocPortal in github, Chris has really been hard at work crafting the next version of ocPortal. v8 brought many new features, but it appears that v9 will lay a foundation from which Chris can extend teh capabilities of ocPortal for years to come while at the same time simplifying the code (especially the CSS) to make it easier for us to maintain our sites.

If you have a favorite project in the tracker that you feel would benefit v9, please consider sponsoring it at least in part. Let's make sure that Chris has the time (which means money) to make v9 the best release of ocPortal ever.

Bob

Hey BobS (or anybody else paying attention to the aforementioned Mantis/unstable version) would it be possible to give just a little more insight into the type of stuff you're seeing in there?

Hi John-

There are a sundry of fixes for various things but probably the most exciting thing is Chris has been streamlining and rationalizing the CSS which should make theming ocPortal easier in the future. There are some issues which you can see at the tracker: My View - ocPortal feature tracker

Hope that helps.

Bob