Future Direction Of Features

[Xarcell]

I wanted to voice my opinion about something here after helping with TP for over 4 years.

I haven't seen DP do this, but I wanted to voice my opinion to see that it hopefully never does. Please don't add things to DP like downloads, articles, or gallery as part of the core.

I've always thought that things like this should be keep separate to keep the software from becoming bloated and to complicated to maintain. It would be better to create for example a downloads that installed into SMF separately, but is DP friendly.

With TP we kinda got carried away in the beginning and wanted to add all these features then it became too much to update and keep track of later on in development.

I personally think DP should just have a long list of default modules, a few panels, and extensive page options. In the long run I think it would be easier to maintain while keeping it more stable.

Like I said, I'm not saying DP is going this route, I'm just saying I hope it never does. I believe I saw someone mention about a Blog being made that will install on SMF and is DP friendly. Good. This also gives user's the flexibility to use what they want, and not be stuck with something they don't want.

EDIT: I was just reading about some ideas people where putting out for "Dream Pages". I personally don't think  that Dream Pages should be an article management system. With TP, it was a nightmare and really slowed overall development.

Dream Pages should be just that, pages that support php, html, bbc, imported, or external. That's it.

If articles are needed, I would much rather see a "Dream Articles" mod that installs through SMF separately, but is DP friendly.

[live627]

We wish to keep our portal software as bloat-free as possible. Thus, your post kinda sums up the current development phase. About Dream Pages, they are very similar to SP's Portal Pages if you are familiar with it.

Articles, downloads, and what-not, should be separate IMO.

[hadesflames]

That is why we have the custom modules feature, so that you can install other modules and what not. The Portal itself will be pretty basic in modules.

[Hoodie]

Definitely something that I never liked about TP..  I admit, it was a very powerful portal but had a ton of extra stuff that was unnecessary and there were already other mods that did it, and did it better I might say..

I'm really glad that DP is keeping these as modules and not part of the core code..  Will make supporting it and developing DP much easier in the long run..

[live627]

Yeah...

Back in '08 I was on an SMF 1.1. and TP 0.9.8 site and used the download section of tp... I hated it. One typo seen after submit (broken link, etc) and  off goes a PM to the admin asking for the item's deletion.