[wp-hackers] Developing 1.6

[Stefano]

Il Thu, 23 Jun 2005 15:04:01 +0100, Podz <podz at tamba2.org.uk> scrive:

>> If the new admin looks incoporate the wysiwyg stuff and an easy
>> managmente for upload images and files, with some interface
>> reoganization it's a price to pay to have new funtions,
>So long as every user knows exactly what is happening. Every version so 
>far hasn't really changed the admin. This is major surgery.

ANd it happesn in sw developement, infact my idea it's that new WP
should be tagged as 2.0 more than 1.something

>As things look from where I'm standing, 1.6 should have it's own new 
>Codex. 1.5 will be around for a long time yet and trying to have one 
>codex for both may well be confusing anyway.

Not so hard if pages referring to 1.5 will be renamed stating they
refer to 1.5 (ex. X Y Z page will become X Y Z 1.5 and the new X Y Z
will refer to new version, wjhen a page need updates to 1.6 the old
one will be copied to 1.5 one.

>> codex people to set up new pages about it ready to be realesed when
>> 1.6 will be launched.
>There is never enough time.

That's true but more tha mature the code will be less work will be
necessary to keep it updated if you think how it was few months ago
when moving from old wiki and how it's now...

>Yes we can avoid it - we tell people FIRST.
>I know about the people who post without searching - I've been answering 
>such posts for well over a year now.

This unfortunatly has no solution unless someone will be able to
upgrade the "idiot" user brain level to a not buggy one with automatic
search before asking function in theyr brain :)

>What I see is this:
>"We are really pleased to announce the release of WP 1.6
>This is the most efficiently coded and most secure version of WP so far."
>The word "secure" will be played on in an effort to make people upgrade 
>but there will be scant attention given to the impact those changes will 
>have.
>Remember - it may just be code here but for many if you do this without 
>due notice they will justifiably be angry. Sure there is an onus on them 
>but WP must do it's bit - it didn't with the upgrade instructions in the 
>1.5 file.

I can agree this, if substantial user interface will be changed the
announce will have to stress bout these changes, not just with a
textual announce but with pages clearly explaning what's new and
stating that upgrading to new 1.6 will change deep the database (as it
will) and that reverting back won't be possible. If you make this
clear, if codex is rady with basic pages help about the new interface
i think that is done in the right way and people can't complain they
diddn't know, they want go back but didn't make a backup etc.

Maybe upgrade procedure for 1.6 can include a backup of the database
before changing it and have a function to rollback it allowing "never
satisfied people" get back to 1.5 more easily.

>Fix what's broken already - and admin isn't broken.

Actually i can't see any big broken piece in 1.5.1.2... so you suggest
to stay on 1.5x till any little bits is refined and perfect and have
1.6 just a maintenance realease that optimize the code and nothing
else? omeone will come up saiyn: Hey why WP developement stopped, why
no new function why no new nice thing.. why i have to upgrade.. just
for a trimmed code?

Adding WYSIWYG for post and comment and and easy management for upload
images is not fix things broken is evolution, if the admin interface
will be fairly more usable (i mean usable not just make up) it's
evolution too. I repeet we can't satisfy 100% of users, the aim it's
to have the quota of unsatisfied people very very small. It's a
strategy i adopted in 20 years of works in the IT, and was the only
one that pay, thinks that the complaining people are just a little
percentage of the hundred thousands that downloaded WP, unfortunatly
happy people often dont' say a word about it and only complains get
attention.


-- 

Stefano Aglietti - StallonIt on IRCnet - ICQ#: 2078431
Email: steagl at people.it - steagl at despammed.com
BlogPage: http://www.40annibuttati.it/
PGP keys available on keyservers  (cripted & signed PGP mail welcome)