Wedge

*shrug* Someone asked for it, so now it's done.

I have no objections to it being core if someone wants to do the work necessary to integrate it with what we have, handle limits and so on. It's just not something I've been too concerned about; the core has something better than what SMF had, and it is more usable (even if it has one side bug) but this would make it awesome. I just don't have the brain power to implement it myself right now.

I too am often amazed by the level and quality of free software, but one of the things that bothers me about free software is how so many problems get solved over and over again.

My favourite example is GIMP vs GNOME/KDE/Unity/XFCE. On the one hand we have GIMP. A strong, long established, but oft derided bitmap manipulation program. On the other hand, we have multiple different solutions at trying to solve how to make a usable desktop on Linux. Now, if a fraction of the effort that went into reinventing the wheel of GNOME/KDE/Unity/XFCE went into a GIMP competitor (or even core GIMP development), it wouldn't be seen as this half-baked PS wannabe (even though it really isn't)

That's half the problem with free software: people make what they want to make, not necessarily what is needed or desired, but what they want to make. In consequence, we see scenarios like we have with SMF: we have two ad management mods (one of which dates from 2006, and isn't even that heavily changed since then) and half a dozen portals - as compared to (AFAIK) no tournament mod, or half the calendar expansions people have requested, just as a random example.

This is where the paid market really exists: whereas the free market will only support what people are prepared to spend time building, the paid market will support people who don't *want* to write a given product but will do so to sell it if the demand is there.

I don't *want* to write an ad manager, but I know I feel a certain responsibility to do, because the demand most assuredly is there for one.

This is essentially it. I can tell you exactly how every part of the groups system works under the hood. And you'd be convinced I understood it. (You would be right, heh) But I doubt I could explain it sufficiently well to explain it to other people.

For example, as I mentioned, it's possible to screw up the post count groups such that a user could actually become an admin. I can tell you not only what circumstances cause this, I can tell you why those circumstances cause it. But if I were to do so, you'd look at me like I was some kind of loon.

But I do have to wonder whether that level of complexity is really necessary.

I don't think Nao or I are really keen on 'donations'. I know I'm not that keen on the idea, I'd much rather keep it as a true transaction, you pay for something, you get something. That way there's no 'but I donated so I should be entitled to...' drama, including the SMF Charter members debates over paid betas etc.

I keep hoping that the logo isn't going to change so that I can properly look into getting t-shirts and other branded merch that we can offer to sell, but every time I sit down and go looking for folks to trade with, a newer, better logo comes along!

It does also, sort of, raise the question whether some kind of store plugin is also on this list any time soon, and while I'll do one at some point[1] it probably won't be any time soon, though it would certainly make a paid mod site probably a bit easier to manage than using paid subs to do it >_>

This is why I like the idea of paid mods, but in the $5 to $10 bracket for a one-off licence. You get the mod, the author gets the cash, and there's no illusion over what you are or are not entitled to.

1.	And prettier, more rugged and generally better than that other pile of crap that a certain SOMEONE was selling.

Oh, all of these are inevitable at some time (even the treasury). Even if I were a betting man, I would not lay a bet on whether or not I'll be writing at least one variation on the ideas of each, since I have a very strong interest in making sure Wedge as a platform has the facilities to really make it worthwhile to move to.

It's more a case of which I look at next, and in some ways I'm glad to see that ad management isn't yet enjoying a run-away lead since while it needs doing, it's far less interesting than a tournament system... :whistle:

Mind you, a basic ad management system is probably a quicker job than a tournament system anyway.[1]

I should point out, also, that I'm strongly considering making all the main candidates here (shoutbox, ad system, tournament system and bookie system) being paid. Not because I want to profiteer, but simply because it will cut back my support hassle that will come with all of them. That said, the ad one in particular should really be paid, regardless of anything else, simply because if you're planning to make money on a Wedge-based site, I don't see why you shouldn't put some money in yourself, or build it yourself.[2]

Also added treasury as an option, if people want to change their votes...

1.	Even if I just make it feature-comparable with Ad Management for SMF, it'll probably only take a couple of days, but settling for that is not in my to do list, because it isn't what I would call polished. It's functional, nothing more.
2.	Note, in all the cases I'm talking about, I'm looking at no more than $10 for a *lifetime* subscription. It's not about making money. It is about limiting support and I know I'll be putting at least some of that back towards hosting in the end, too. It is no accident that Wedge supports lifetime subscriptions as a core feature.

I know that feeling. I've forgotten a good many ideas that way.