Phpdig Development

[alivin70]

Hi Charter
how is the Phpdig development organised at the moment?
Do we have a CVS server so we can work togheter on the same code?
There are many mod submissions in the forum including the ones I sent.
Did you plan to import all of them in the next release of Phpdig?

[Charter]

Hi. PhpDig 1.8.0 is in revision for a new release. Once released, not sure when, then maybe some sort of file system can be set so everyone can draw from the same file base. While I cannot guarantee that all submissions will get incorporated, those that generate interest and work across platforms have the best chance.

[alivin70]

Originally posted by Charter
Hi. PhpDig 1.8.0 is in revision for a new release. Once released, not sure when, then maybe some sort of file system can be set so everyone can draw from the same file base. While I cannot guarantee that all submissions will get incorporated, those that generate interest and work across platforms have the best chance.
More people works on Phpdig more it improves.
We must increase our efforts to realize a better collaboration.

Due to lack of CVS the only thing we can do at the moment is to send modified files to you (posting on the forum).

I think you should quickly pack a beta release so we can test and improve it. After 2 or 3 betas we can obtain a stable release with all recent mods appeared in the forum.

If you need explanations, corrections or other about my mods, please ask me or Jygius, we are very happy to collaborate.

[synnalagma]

Hi,

With the release of PHP5 and for a more understable code it would be great to transform PHPDig into class based code. I realize that's too much work for a single person, I've started to do a small part that already work (but not sharable actually). I think that the only way to do some thing like this would be to have a CVS and a Mailing list with two branch developpment and stable. It could be a great thing for a 2.0 release.

I feel like there are some people ready and happy :) to contribute to this project so it would be possible to do it. Maybe just for a developpment branch and see how it goes ? If it don't work (but I'm quite sure it would), just drop it.

I would be happy to contribute in this way.

[alivin70]

Originally posted by synnalagma
Hi,
[.....]
not sharable actually). I think that the only way to do some thing like this would be to have a CVS and a Mailing list with two branch developpment and stable. It could be a great thing for a 2.0 release.

I feel like there are some people ready and happy :) to contribute to this project so it would be possible to do it. Maybe just for a developpment branch and see how it goes ? If it don't work (but I'm quite sure it would), just drop it.

I would be happy to contribute in this way.
Long time ago I've created a project on Sourceforge called Phpdig (http://sourceforge.net/projects/phpdig/)
It allows CVS, Mailing lists, Bugtrack and so on.

Unfortunately the old mantainer of Phpdig doesn't like SF.
You can try to convince the new one
;)

[synnalagma]

There's a lot of system just like SF including http://savannah.gnu.org/ http://www.gna.org That are closer to the FSF than SF (it's the only problem I can see with SF). There are many other system if you look around.

This shouldn't be a problem (or I really don't understand why)

[alivin70]

Originally posted by synnalagma
There's a lot of system just like SF including http://savannah.gnu.org/ http://www.gna.org That are closer to the FSF than SF (it's the only problem I can see with SF). There are many other system if you look around.

This shouldn't be a problem (or I really don't understand why)
I don't understand either.
There is some not well specified "license" problem......

[konare]

When the first developer had time constraints, he offered the development to somebody else. Here Charter comes around the corner.

One of the particular demands of the first owner was that the project would never move to Sourceforge. Charter agreed with the demand, so that is a reason you will probably not see this on Sourceforge.

[alivin70]

Originally posted by konare
When the first developer had time constraints, he offered the development to somebody else. Here Charter comes around the corner.
I'm very happy about the work Charter is doing.
I think he could work less and development go faster with a CVS


One of the particular demands of the first owner was that the project would never move to Sourceforge. Charter agreed with the demand, so that is a reason you will probably not see this on Sourceforge.
I know that very well (unfortunately I discovered that after opening the project on SF) but I don't know exactly why.
SF has some policy that the original autor doesn't like. Well, wich one?

Furthermore SF gives the best quality of service for Open Source projects.

Anyway I don't want to force to use SF, as you can see, activity percentile of the project is 0%, but I'm spending more time than needed to re-import our changes into the "official" releases.

One possible solution is a fork, but I really don't like that.

[synnalagma]

Originally posted by alivin70
I don't understand either.
There is some not well specified "license" problem......

I know this licence problem, that's why I proposed to use Savanna or Gna! that haven't this problems since there are very close to the Free Software Fundation.

So this shouldn't be a problem to move to one of this site. They offer services very similar to the one delivered by SourceForge. You can also use GNU/Arch if you prefer (substitution of CVS).

I can also ask my LUG (Linux User Group) for this kind of service (they offer CVS, mailing list, web hosting, ssh... for Free Software projects). I'm quite sure, they'll accept and there won't be any licence problem.

[Charter]

One of my requests is that PhpDig never be placed on any 3rd party server for development. This way it keeps the license GNU/GPL, nothing more and nothing less, and PhpDig then does not need to follow any 3rd party user agreement or guidelines.

Furthermore, should anyone go against my requests and set up PhpDig on a 3rd party server, I will not provide support for two code bases, and users will undoubtedly seek support on this site for code changes made elsewhere and visa versa.

Code development can take less time than offering support on this site. Right now there is just one other person (thanks VJ) who routinely takes the time to help with support questions, so if anyone else really wants to help PhpDig, then answer more questions.

Personally, I do not see how the lack of a file system limits the ability to work together on the code, and I have yet to see a compelling enough reason to prioritize the development of a file system on this site.

[vinyl-junkie]

Originally posted by Charter
Code development can take less time than offering support on this site. Right now there is just one other person (thanks VJ) who routinely takes the time to help with support questions, so if anyone else really wants to help PhpDig, then answer more questions. You're quite welcome. :)

So does this mean that if we recruit more members to help answer support questions, that would give you the time you needed to rewrite phpdig as object oriented code? :D

Seriously, I think there is a lot of interest in having an object oriented phpdig, and there are several of us that would be willing to pitch in on such a project if you wanted to give it some consideration.

Whatever happens though, I feel that there should not be a fork off the original code. It just seems too much like stealing someone else's work, plus as you say, it would open up the expectation (for some people anyway) that you would offer support for two different versions, and I don't think that's right.

[alivin70]

Originally posted by Charter
One of my requests is that PhpDig never be placed on any 3rd party server for development. This way it keeps the license GNU/GPL, nothing more and nothing less, and PhpDig then does not need to follow any 3rd party user agreement or guidelines.
....
Is not possible to change the license of Phpdig because Antoine (the original author and the only one that can change the license) explicitly said that Phpdig must remain GNU/GPL.

Anyway I think you don't need to do that, you are doing a very nice job togheter with the whole Phdig community.

I push for a CVS because I think it can strongly improve development. There are lot of patches around, I have many other new features that are not in the new release. I change things and correct bug continuously. Only something similar to a CVS can let us work togheter on the same code.

I'm wasting time to follow new releases to avoid forking the code. And I spend some time to reply people asking support for my "unofficial" patches.

I really like Phpdig community, that's why I insist asking for a CVS (or something similar).

Otherwise I could send you weekly updates of the whole code. But I think it's too much work for you ;)

Let me know which way you think is the best to collaborate.

[Charter]

What I mean is that, if PhpDig is placed on a 3rd party server, then PhpDig becomes subject to those 3rd party rules regardless, and then what if the 3rd party decides to change the rules, and so on. With PhpDig here on this site, it is GNU/GPL, nothing more and nothing less.

The latest version is 1.8.3 and the two small tweaks posted in this (http://www.phpdig.net/showthread.php?threadid=1082) thread have been applied for new downloads. With regard to the latest release, if you find a patch on this site that wasn't applied, correct a bug, or make a mod, then please post it. Of course, you can update your thread too.

[synnalagma]

Originally posted by Charter
Personally, I do not see how the lack of a file system limits the ability to work together on the code, and I have yet to see a compelling enough reason to prioritize the development of a file system on this site.

Actually, code submission are only for some sort of plugins or small things here and there. A more collaborative environnement permit collaboration to code some big things that won't appear like this. It will also permit a better code just because many person working together have more great ideas than one person. That's what bring Free Software's success.

I just have proposed to optimize the search part of PHPDig just because it was not that much work. But in order to improve indexing code, it's too much work just for one person if you don't know if it will be accepted or not. This work is needed since, in my point of view, PHPDig must also be a framework allowing a better interaction with an existing website written in PHP (like CMS, and so on).

Allowing collaborative work is allowing big projects on the code, and allowing some unexpected great ideas.

I don't understand what kind of thing you feel you could loose with such a collaborative environement ? Or maybe that's something else ?

I don't like fork idea because I understand all the work you did (including code and support).
Sorry for my english.

[Charter]

Oh I cannot give a time frame, but if you give me time, I'll get to adding some sort of file list on this site.

[synnalagma]

That's a great news !