[wp-forums] [closed] Creating a Google Gadget for a WP feed

[Christopher J. Hradil]

Well said. Technically, there should probably be some type of forum system
in place in the codex area in order to address the specific needs of those
seeking a more advanced level of discussion/topics, etc. than that of the
"typical" user/poster to the WP help forums. I've started a couple of
threads in the forums, all of which are pretty deep technical level issues,
I also posted those issues/questions to wp-trac and hackers lists. All of
them have gone unanswered (I'm not in any way complaining, just using myself
as an example of exactly what I think your point below is) because they're
issues which are simply too complex and too far beyond the scope of most
users/answerers on the forums. As I'm sure you've noticed, I lean towards
helping the folks who have more detailed or technically complex issues,
including allowing many of them to use my personal server and a "sandbox"
area I've set up there for development/testing, etc, most all of which is
well beyond the typical scope of the support forums. As a result of all of
the activity in the sandbox, a number of folks have contacted me asking why
WP doesn't have a "tech/programming" forum, and my answer has been simply "I
don't know". We've bounced around a couple of ideas concerning addressing
issues beyond the "support" scope, and a couple folks have suggested setting
up a forum in the sandbox, which I don't really want to do, a) because
that's my personal site, b, c, etc a bunch of other reasons. I'm working on
another project currently, and there may be a way to help some of these
folks out using that project as a mechanism. 

I'm fortunate (very), in that I have a great deal of flexibility time wise,
and I have some "extra" time to give to primarily wordpress and xoops, in
terms of support, development, etc. One issue I'm working with a user on
currently is a really off the wall wp mu issue/customization, again well
beyond the scope of "support", but the point is that there is a great deal
of folks who need more than the regular support forums can (or should)
provide. I don't know what the answer to any of this is, but the point is
that, I'm available as a resource to any wp/xoops user who needs help, and
I'll do whatever I can, or whatever it takes to help them out, time
permitting. I do have a number of paying clients (not wp or xoops related),
and as such, they deserve priority treatment.  I do however offer the same
level of service and full range of my expertise to all of the open source
communities I participate in, I treat each of these projects/situations as I
would any paying client, with the possible exception of the fact that I do
need to put a delay on some things because I need to get my bills paid,
otherwise I'd have no problem spending full time on "donating" all of my
time to things like WP. Podz, I know that you for one example spend an
enormous amount of time devoted to WP, and I don't think the typical
user/forum poster fully understands what that means. Personally, over the
years both as a consultant and as an employee of large corporations, I have
profited/gained so much from open source software and os projects, that at
this point in my life, I kind of feel that I owe more than I could ever
repay to communities like this, and so, I do as much as I can. 

In order to wrap up the issue, I'd just like to point out that the intent of
my original message to the list was not to criticize any particular
individual or the group as a whole, but rather bring up the point that while
some may have the opinion that folks like the original poster of this topic
and others looking for detailed technical help should go find a
programmer/consultant and pay them, my opinion differs, in that we should
develop a mechanism to address the more complex issues/users which are
beyond the scope of what the support forums were/are intended to address.
The fact at the moment is that there is no venue for those users to go post
a question or even ask someone what direction to look in to research/work on
their own.


best...chris


/**************************************
Christopher J. Hradil
chradil at comcast.net
http://www.hradil.us
973-809-4606
**************************************/


-----Original Message-----
From: wp-forums-bounces at lists.automattic.com
[mailto:wp-forums-bounces at lists.automattic.com] On Behalf Of Podz
Sent: Saturday, June 24, 2006 9:03 AM
To: wp-forums at lists.automattic.com
Subject: Re: [wp-forums] [closed] Creating a Google Gadget for a WP feed

Christopher J. Hradil wrote:
> OK, agreed, however, the fact is that that post is directly related to 
> WP, in that the "out of the box" WP feed doesn't work correctly with 
> google-gadgets. How is that veering from the core interest ?

For the forums, that is veering away. Issues like that belong on hackers, as
trac tickets / patches. I pointed the OP at that in my forum mreply.

 My core
> interest is in seeing that as many folks as possible adopt the WP 
> platform and view it as "best of breed", and part of that takes into 
> consideration, the strength and level of activity of the development 
> and support communities, which I view as second to none.
Ditto.

> ... but I don't feel like shutting folks down is a good way to promote 
> the community.

I do. Look at our core users. Not answerers, users. It is they to who we
answer. It is they who come and ask because they cannot find. I would expect
someone with a technical level question to be searching at that level and
posting at that level. The forums have never been for that and never will be
- pleas for coders to hang around and answer have been pretty much useless.
So a question such as that goes into a "No-one knows???" "But it's not WP"
"Yes it is!!!!" etc etc. Long painful death and in the meantime other posts
drop away.
I have nothing against the OP or the issue - but for me this is a WP _code_
issue, not a WP _use_ issue and I see the forums as being for the latter.

> and there
> are plenty of clear cases where folks ask completely unrelated 
> questions which often are and should be closed.
> 
Very probably - and for the same reasons.

I honestly do not see that thread being closed as different to the way the
forums have been run for the last two years.

P.
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