On Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:52:02 +0100 Marcel Partap <mpartap@gmx.net> wrote:
How could it be integrated with other modules, what could be factored out into 'frameworks' (/library modules) ? It happens naturally.
Very well. But there's a reason bioengineering is the latest hype: it is a lot FASTER and more DIRECTED than the evolutionary process.
Faster and more directed doesn't mean right. I think that evolution isn't rational... but at least it generally provide a lot of testing ;) We can try to be rational and let evolution do the "testing".
What I am saying it happens naturally as people realize that they are evolving their pet project into an API/Framework over time. At our university we are taught: the more brainwork you invest early on in the development process, the less headache you'll have to cope with.
If you invest it right and you're freeze in time. I'm not a strong fan of XP but still in its less X incarnation has its merits. The problem of low quality modules and duplication could be reduced to further info on module pages: activity, releases, downloads, related modules... These aren't perfect metrics but they can help without anyone playing God or just get into the way of developers making requirements.
You can't dictate what happens in contrib without stifling the innovation that this ecosystem has. Who's talking about dictating.. Everyone can code freely. But for code to enter the official repository, quality checks should apply. That doesn't stop innovation, does it? Look at the few commits to the cck/views branches for example. Why is that kind of responsible code committing not scalable to all other modules as well?
We can nudge people to work together but we can't force them to. Well not many people who score goals by hand have made successfull career in football. How comes? Might it be that whoever doesn't respect the rules will not be allowed to play?
I want to have *all* the functionality spread over slightly different modules with the same purpose, combined into one flexible solution. And i am quite sure i am not the only one. You are advocating the "one true way". Am not. What i am advocating is a process that makes problems that occured in the past less likely to happen.
But without letting people experiment Why is not letting experimental code into the repository stopping people from trying stuff out? Please explain that to me, i simply don't get that.
that one true way could be the one with less features, with a non-committed maintainer, could be buggy, ...etc. You don't know until you put it out there and let the ecosystem decide.
Who will decide the one true way? Committee? Hierarchy? No - the swarm, that is us. We all work together on finding the best way to lay the foundation for the respective functionality. Aren't we already doing that with core? Is it impossible to apply to non-core modules?
What we can do is let things evolve for a while and then naturally a winner or two will emerge from the fray. So please tell me, what is the winning change notification framework? Notifications, Subscriptions, Comment Notify, Notify, ...? Which is the best module to create sophisticated web questionnaires? Is it webforms? Advanced Poll? Decisions? Do you really want to have the same situation with D7? Not terribly user-friendly, is it?
As disconcerting this is to some, it is a sure way to have a proven solution for the problem space. Is not. It might be sufficient, but it surely isn't the optimum.
No. I am saying is that without seeing people contribute for some time you don't know before hand if they will turn to be a drive-by contributor of a so-so project, or the author of the next big hit. Why is applying quality checks before applying code to the official repository making it harder for people to code, experiment, innovate? How does having each submission routinely reviewed by the community stop anyone to contribute?
All that cannot be seen just from the first contribution adherence to coding standards. Whos talking about judging people by their first code? But what is a good reason for the first contribution of someone starting to learn drupal to be included in the official repository? Wouldn't it be much more helpful to receive comments and tips in the discussion thread for their patch?
Fair point, standards will arise across CMS's too Didn't even touch _that_ topic.
But within Drupal, I don't see we are the point where we have a central body . Well i didn't propose a central committee, but for the whole community to pick up quality checking and maintain the modules as a huge diverse team. Sounds implausible? Well who's stopping us from trying.
Later maybe? Perhaps. But not now. When you see a majority of the community cry for that, then it is time to re-evaluate. At the time people are crying it usually is a bit late.
rgds marcel.
-- Ivan Sergio Borgonovo http://www.webthatworks.it