You recently posted about how new users of wsn links find the script complicated and cluttered.
Although I now find the script easy to use, the only reason I have not yet created an new templates for use by your users is simply theamount of features ect I have to build into the design. It takes forever to create a templete to accommodate so many options.
Have you thought about stripping back some of the features and options, and perhaps instead have a small library of modifications and plugins, that allow access to extra features for those who want them. It would not devalue your script as you could make it clear during the sales process the mods that are available, yet people could just choose what they want when they want it.
This would surely make your work updating the script easier as you could update the script and mods seperately as required.
I keep getting the feeling that at least older customers, and maybe newer ones, are unaware that there's a "simple" setup option which turns off a ton of features. I've been thinking people ignore "simple" because it's too simple, which is why I've changed it from simple/advanced in 5.0 to simple/recommended/kitchen sink in 5.1. At least if people fail to ever see the option they'll be getting "recommended" instead of having everything on.
Actually outright removing features and making them into plugins would be creating an extreme nightmare for myself. I'd be spending years dealing with irate customers who were depending on feature X that was moved to a plugin for their super-important money maker site.
It would not devalue your script
You've just explained that the idea here is to not have to support the templates for these features, so that greatly devalues the script if the templates don't support the features out of the box.
While hobbyists may not mind mods, most professionals want all the features they're depending on to be fully supported -- not unloved stepchildren held at arm's length where they may or may not get fixes or updates someday.
This would surely make your work updating the script easier as you could update the script and mods seperately as required.
Just the opposite. It's way, way harder to update a dozen separate mods and upload them all individually somewhere and somehow encourage people to update those mods on their sites and so on, compared to simply updating one unified script.
Anyhow, thanks for the suggestion but it's not a practical direction to go.
the only reason I have not yet created an new templates for use by your users is simply theamount of features ect I have to build into the design. It takes forever to create a templete to accommodate so many options.
I think you're going about it the wrong way. The idea in making a template set isn't to start from scratch and rebuild anything. The idea is to change the apparent superficial look while making as few actual changes as possible. Take a look at my "simplicity" and "aquatic" -- there are only two or three modified templates in those, so they only took a couple hours to make.
Can you give me a reason why you would want to modify any templates other than the wrapper, main index and link bit in a template set you're making for distribution? Of course on your own site you'll want to tweak things more because that's an entirely different scenario.
Sorry Paul, it wasnt a suggestion for my benefit, I just remember you saying that some of your new or potential customers were saying the script was hard to understnad at first, I thought my above suggestion may help, but obviously not one of my better ideas.
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Comments on Suggestion for the future of WSN links
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 27, 2006
Total Topics: 187
Total Comments: 465
Hi paul
You recently posted about how new users of wsn links find the script complicated and cluttered.
Although I now find the script easy to use, the only reason I have not yet created an new templates for use by your users is simply theamount of features ect I have to build into the design. It takes forever to create a templete to accommodate so many options.
Have you thought about stripping back some of the features and options, and perhaps instead have a small library of modifications and plugins, that allow access to extra features for those who want them. It would not devalue your script as you could make it clear during the sales process the mods that are available, yet people could just choose what they want when they want it.
This would surely make your work updating the script easier as you could update the script and mods seperately as required.
developer
Usergroup: Administrator
Joined: Dec 20, 2001
Location: Diamond Springs, California
Total Topics: 61
Total Comments: 7868
I keep getting the feeling that at least older customers, and maybe newer ones, are unaware that there's a "simple" setup option which turns off a ton of features. I've been thinking people ignore "simple" because it's too simple, which is why I've changed it from simple/advanced in 5.0 to simple/recommended/kitchen sink in 5.1. At least if people fail to ever see the option they'll be getting "recommended" instead of having everything on.
Actually outright removing features and making them into plugins would be creating an extreme nightmare for myself. I'd be spending years dealing with irate customers who were depending on feature X that was moved to a plugin for their super-important money maker site.
It would not devalue your script
You've just explained that the idea here is to not have to support the templates for these features, so that greatly devalues the script if the templates don't support the features out of the box.
While hobbyists may not mind mods, most professionals want all the features they're depending on to be fully supported -- not unloved stepchildren held at arm's length where they may or may not get fixes or updates someday.
This would surely make your work updating the script easier as you could update the script and mods seperately as required.
Just the opposite. It's way, way harder to update a dozen separate mods and upload them all individually somewhere and somehow encourage people to update those mods on their sites and so on, compared to simply updating one unified script.
Anyhow, thanks for the suggestion but it's not a practical direction to go.
the only reason I have not yet created an new templates for use by your users is simply theamount of features ect I have to build into the design. It takes forever to create a templete to accommodate so many options.
I think you're going about it the wrong way. The idea in making a template set isn't to start from scratch and rebuild anything. The idea is to change the apparent superficial look while making as few actual changes as possible. Take a look at my "simplicity" and "aquatic" -- there are only two or three modified templates in those, so they only took a couple hours to make.
Can you give me a reason why you would want to modify any templates other than the wrapper, main index and link bit in a template set you're making for distribution? Of course on your own site you'll want to tweak things more because that's an entirely different scenario.
Forum Regular
Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Nov 27, 2006
Total Topics: 187
Total Comments: 465
Sorry Paul, it wasnt a suggestion for my benefit, I just remember you saying that some of your new or potential customers were saying the script was hard to understnad at first, I thought my above suggestion may help, but obviously not one of my better ideas.