Maintenance release requested

I think I need to clarify: JoomlaJoe and myself are very gratefull for real help in moving forward quicker.

We are very thankful to all persons which have done contributions of code and of plugins for CB.

The 1.0 stable code in development is very near of the RC2 code, so any code submission on bug fixes in RC2 for 1.0 stable has always been and will always be warmly welcome.

All fix proposals from 3PDs and those on bug-tracker have already been integrated, with thanks.

We had a few proposals for coding help in the last months, some of them very much publicized in this forum, and we also proposed to those persons a few independant tasks / plugins / side components badly needed to be developed as a first start, before adding more complex coordination on the core-code, but unfortunately the majority of them haven't been completed yet.

I also started the "development requests forum" on JoomlaPolis, and posted a first call for coding help here 6 weeks back , but for this quite simple and not-very-time consuming task, with the howto documented in the API documentation and running example in the SB/JB plugin, we didn't get a single reply "I will do it" or any code submission. And that task is really not that difficult or time-consuming, and that feature has been requested several times by users.

Once 1.0 stable is out, we will restructure the core code in such a way that it becomes more modular (the design is there, but we refrained from such large changes for Q&A reasons), and allows not only more developers to work on it, but also for 3PDs to add/change almost any functionality with plugins.

Over a year back, and long before having access to CB cvs, I have submitted many changes to MamboJoe by simply emailing him the corrected/enhanced files or the component installer. This had two benefits: the code got a second pair of eyes on it (we still always cross-read our changes since then as a good Q&A practice) and we didn't break the CVS version

We use powerful folder merging tools in the core CB team (e.g. WinMerge and svn diffs), so merging changes from different versions and from contributors is no big deal, as long as the code quality is good and the implementation complete and tested.

For now, Just simply email me your tested code fixes based on RC2, or post them into the bug-tracker.

Simply bring in the good code and plugins... In case of doubt, ask for insertion points, or even better submit your design for review/feedback/discussion before starting coding. In the example thread above, you can post your design as reply, so that you can get feedback from the community, not only from us.

Please stop saying "we offered to help and couldn't help" . Just do it, e.g. reply to that thread above, deliver, and we will post more tasks from our long list into there. Open Source Development is about simply doing it and submitting the contributed code to the maintainers for review and integration.

Largest projects like Linux run that way. Joomla itself runs that way... I submited about three dozen code contributions to Mambo and then to Joomla, and almost all are now part of Joomla! Didn't need cvs access for that, didn't need official developer or 3PD status, just used the bug and feature trackers and forums, rarely email, for that purpose.

To make this long story short (sorry i don't have the time to make it shorter):

1. "Don't talk, just do it and submit it !", like others do it greatly with plugins

2. Earn your status by doing and contributing, don't ask or hope for it by simply talking.

And now, back to coding :woohoo:

Beat, one of the things that would be helpful to me would be for the bug fixes that are found in the bug tracker to be posted with the tracker item. It's frustrating to go there, see the problem I have been having, get all excited that it is "fixed in next release", but then realize that the solution isn't actually posted.

or if nothing else then at least a link to a forum post where the fix can be found.

Understand...That's why i insert the code of the high-priority and simple fixes as coment on the tracker item itself so you can use them as well. Larger fixes can't be commented-in.

"1.0 stable testteam build 1" will hit testteam servers these next days, and as member of testteam, you will get it.

As it's only bugfixes, the test/fix cycles should be pretty fast, so all non-testteam members should not wait to long until its ready for release.

Once 1.0 released, status of those fixed bugs will move from "fixed in next release" to "closed".

After 1.0 stable release, we will contact active developers to do it better for CB 1.1.

thanks for the clarification, Beat. I'll keep an eye out for the testteam release and work a bit harder this time around at being a more active tester.

We understand the DO IT and QUIT TALKING additude, but do want to disclose this!

We started coding or at least trying to code a plugin/component that is needed, but my developer was asking too many questions because he doesnt know the code in and out.

As a developer yourself BEAT did you learn by diving in and writing a plugin/component. I dont think so. You admit that you learned and contributed by doing bug fixes and the like.

When it comes to "Just look at the bug tracker and send in changes" well tell me how you know if its been done already or not? Since most changes in open source projects are done when people have the extra time? How do we know our time isnt being wasted working on a bug that someone else may have posted or is already working on themselves.

Just these simple questions can mean dollars to our company and im sure yours. You say "YOU DONT GET IT YOU EARN IT" well there are some of us that agree with that too, but with our current standings in the Open Source world we believe our wanting to help and asking for certain types of access that helps us help you guys is something that could be looked at on an independant case by case.

I wont go into all the projects we have but I can tell you our main developer runs/codes one of the top projects on sourceforge.

We like this product, we use this product, and want to know that our work that is done and will be done is not "Just someone learning". Everything we do costs us money one way or the other. Time is our money since we are a service company. Any extra time we put into projects no matter what our intentions needs to be spent wisely.

We're not trying to say anything negative so please do read in to this anything other than this.

We know how many people say one thing and do another. We are saying we want to help but we work in a more structured way that offers us the ability to maintain our schedules. We want to help, just want to know how to ensure our time is not going to waste or going in circles.

Hi Anytime!

I understand your concern and I truely believe your want to help. However, I disagree with the learning process comment you made. I have been learning the CB API by working on my own plugin. Its the only way. Wish I could have an expert developer sit down with me and tutor me - but I cant!
The best way for an experienced developer to learn a new development environment is to take someones code and read it, understand it and start making changes to it. Granted the effort might have no real value to the community in the begining and is of value only for learning - but thats the price you have to pay - think of it as paying your dues.
Again, dont read anything negative in these comments - just being opened. I really wish we were all rich and could focus on these nice opensource projects but unfortunately we cant.