While this site may feel simple to end users, the reality is that even the most basic features take a long time to make and test them. Take replying to this blog, for example. The site has to do the following things:
Check that the form you've submitted is complete Check the IDs given are numeric Check that the IDs given are valid Check the post itself isn't too short or too long Check that the session is valid Check that the user isn't banned Check that the user has permission to post on the blog Check that the blog isn't locked Check that the user hasn't tripped the flood detection
Everything has to be checked and double checked. Tested and tested again. Handling errors has to be done gracefully. Dumping a list of PHP errors isn't too nice, and users get pissed if you lose their posts due to your coding error.
I hate to admit, that a few places on this site are a complete trainwreck of failure. They work, but only because of how few users there are here; and while I'd like to fix them, sitting coding PHP for hours on end to get even the most basic features out is a pain. Especially when TF2 and CS:S are sat there staring at me.
Those who have me on MSN might know I've been working on a little side project, which is either going to turn into VuTales v3 or an OSS sitem Maybe both. I've been looking at how I will convert the existing site to fit onto my new CMS. The reality is probably a shit ton of SQL to convert the database, and a few hours of downtime. But then we'll be no longer using a ugly mix of PHP and HTML. That's a whole new nightmare in of itself. The current site is a ugly mess in my opinion, but then I'm a perfectionist. Either way, I'll want to ditch the current look and templating will fix a lot of issues.
A few problems are because of the patched nature of the site. Currently achievements are awarded by a weekly script. Looping through hundreds(!) of users is a bad plan. They really need to be polled when a like is registered and not by a cron. But doing that is problematic because of how likes are stored in the [ttext=COUNT()]database[/ttext].
Other problems are user based, and while I hate to rant about users, here it is. Nobody responds to QoTW and nobody (except for Nass, I believe) notices when new ones don't get posted. Even changing the global notice to "QOTW IS UP!!111" doesn't have much of an effect. It's probably because while achievements were meant to be all shiny and nice, a good way to promote activity, the reality is that there aren't that many to win and nobody cares because of it.
If you don't have me on IM_PROTOCOL_NAME add me. Addresses on my ID.
28 Comments
I think you did a nice job and I thoroughly enjoy the site. That’s a plus.
As for the QOTW bit. I’ve been yearning to answer one but none so far have appealed to me. I’m new though so, eh. I’ve been checking and such and enjoy them. They’re a nice feature.
Regarding QoTW, I’ve written down many answers but, like Dustin, none of them are appealing to me.
Regarding awards, I’m gonna IM you ’bout another idea.
Justin…?
*Dustin, lul, sorry.
You’re like me man 😛 In the past 3 years, I have gone through 4 website different websites because everytime I added something in, I would get unhappy with how the backend of the site was working so I would have to revamp it all. And there wasn’t even much I could add and revamp, I can just imagine what you have with a website like this
i r teh sorry. i wanted to reply to the QOTW but i didn’t have the time to actually think of what i wanted to say and say it right with minimum mistakes in grammar and spelling.
ill try and participate no matter what the next one is D:
Exactly my problem. Although I would love to respond to the QoTW I don’t want to write some half-arsed attempt at a blog when I don’t have time to write a proper one. It’s been a while since my last good blog, you can guess how busy life is. =/
Aren’t you pissed when people say that, “oh, it’s such a simple program, a developer or w/e can build it in a day, why can’t you build one?”
I really think that programmers and those guys behind the screens are underappreciated, and that most people are douches (but we already knew that, right?).
As a programmer, I don’t really want to be that appreciated. Like, I program because I like it and it (usually) calms me down and makes me feel good when I see people using it. The farthest I ever go to getting “appreciation” is putting a little “© Blackboy0” somewhere.
Jaoco, you don’t happen to play L4D2 do you? o.o;
Anyways, I did the QoTW blog whenever possible, and I won the one before that last one and you never gave out the award thingy, so I just deleted the blog instead of bugging you.
Anyway, as for QoTWs, the newer questions were, like everyone else said, unappealing.
That said, good luck on v3. o_o;
I’m so proud I won the first QoTW 🙂
With like what, 2 likes? XD
I try to reply to as many QotW’s as possible, but I can’t think of responses for some of them. Like, invention? I dunno.
Well if you’re gonna add achievements can i have my oldie and stuck around achievement?
If you’re not adding achievements I don’t need them however
i just don’t want to be left behind when people start achievement whoring which i’ll probably attempt as well but wont get too far.
And I never realized how complicated simple actions like making a post could be, I have an even higher respect for you, you really know your stuff Vu
Yeah sorry I didn’t do any QotW’s lately.
2muchlife.
tl;dr version: Gj.
~
If you’re not adding achievements I don’t need them however
i just don’t want to be left behind when people start achievement whoring which i’ll probably attempt as well but wont get too far.
And I never realized how complicated simple actions like making a post could be, I have an even higher respect for you, you really know your stuff Vu
Haha, yeah, PHP is a pain, I mean, every coding language is, right? You get used to it, but my honest opinion is that web applications are harder to make and debug, not necessarily the methods to it, but because a website such as VuTales – you have to test it on multiple servers (a local one and a remote one), consider multiple browsers, etc, whereas an application running on a single platform, or a single coding language, ie. Java, is easier since you don’t have as many variables to consider. Granted, these applications will be weaker than the web based ones, but websites like this one… it’s just harder to do.
I suppose you can always use templates, but since VuT is more or less built from scratch, it’s fairly funky if you’re making most of the elements by yourself. Captain already had his infrastructure with his blog and stuff, he has experience, while this is more or less Vusys’ first few times with a major site. Needless to say, Captain f*cks up just as much as the next coder out there, and it’s a wonder how Vusys has been keeping everything under impeccable condition.
I would say this though, do not ditch this current model. It has become very easy to use, that top nav-bar is user-friendly, and every element of the site is user intuitive. The minor gripes of the site aren’t really that big of a deal anyway, and we get accustomed to it. However, if you do want to ditch this template completely, or renovate it enough so that the kludges are gone you can handle more requests later on, go for it, and perhaps then Captain won’t hold a grudge against you anymore, and you can attract and actually hold a larger userbase.
Please know that we are always supportive of you, and although at times it seems that you’re very much alone and the site residents are against you, you’re not. We realize how hard it is for you, especially since you’re still not out of that phase where you still game, :3 Tbh, it was the same with VuMS, and that’s why I stopped, it was way too time consuming, and that if you tweak a few variables, you p/o a portion of your userbase. And even with VuMS’ tiny one, it made me feel bad when someone had a disadvantage when I did something wrong. Plus, testing was a pain in the rear.
Anyway, I digress. I don’t have much else to say – but just as a small note, I believe many notice that the QoTWs aren’t there – it’s just that no one wants to bug you, because I always think you’re too busy or something.
Also, by telling VuTalers that the Vu in VuTales is pronounced as “View”, people call it “V-ew”-Tales now, because they Americano accents. I think it’s better if you described Vu as “vu” past infinitive of, I believe, to see, as opposed to “vous”, which is pronounced more as “voo”.
o.o
Anyways, I did the QoTW blog whenever possible, and I won the one before that last one and you never gave out the award thingy, so I just deleted the blog instead of bugging you.
Anyway, as for QoTWs, the newer questions were, like everyone else said, unappealing.
That said, good luck on v3. o_o;
Call me Jaoco one more time and I’ll happily headshot you a dozen times on L4D2.
I always thought it was “view”Tales and “view”sys.
It’s “VooTales” and “Voosys” to me.
o.o
He’s talking about French.
Voir = To see
The past infinitive of Voir is vu.
It’s pronounced with a w sound.
Just in case you didn’t know.
You probably did though. Everyone here speaks French for some reason.
I don’t do QOTWs because I have no idea what to write, not because I don’t want to enter. ;_;
Anyway… What can I say… I’m a total, and I mean, absolutely total IT noob, so here’s a pat on your back and a lollipop for all your awesome hard work.
And yes, you’re a perfectionist.
Joaco, I think I saw you in L4D2. :O
I always notice the QOTW. I just never really like the questions or I cant think of a good answer. I’d rather hold out on one that i can do well rather than half ass one i dont really enjoy.
I don’t play L4D2.
i love you vusys