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[4.0] A more modular CHV

SirMoo

💖 Chevereto Fan
With the growth of Chevereto and the constant request and debate over the usefulness of features, I fear that CHV will struggle to meet the one sizes fits all approach. Features that sound good to other users seems beyond pointless to me when it comes to my usage cases of the site. Furthermore, software and database bloat is likely to occur because of this.

To avoid and prevent features that are likely to be useless to the end users, I'd love to see a more modular system. One that mimics the plug-n-play addon system of Wordpress would provide the most benefits, in my opinion over the overly feature packed concept of putting everything into the raw program.

Comments and Pay-to-Use systems to me, would be pointless and unneeded. A solution to this would be these type of plugins, while developed by Rodolfo (or who ever) be released as 'addons' to the main system and simply placed in a /addons/ folder and an installer run for database changes. I feel this is one of the critical features that sets WP apart from other programs and that Chevereto could benefit from by not having everything directly in the core code.

A modular system will allow and encourage more customization and sharing of modifications by users. I cite WP as an example because I've hated having to use systems of companies like IP.B where mods are located in a maze of public/private folders. Simplicity in modification will make Chevereto even more stronger.

Now I completely understand what a task this make be and am not expecting a massive change to the code base over night. As I understand G\ Library is being set up to accommodate a system of hooks in the program so, theoretically you're already putting in place the bones for this to happen.

Long term goals would allow for people to develop more storage and payment options as well as cacheing and other systems outside of the core using libraries. As well as having an independent non-theme based admin and less reliance on the main theme design.

Please do let me know what you think and the theoretical issues forseen with this.
 
There are several things being missed in your analysis, which I did like four or maybe five years ago already (when I changed Chevereto from GPL to commercial license). You are right in use WordPress as an example because it proves that code doesn't need to be perfect, it just needs "do the job" and that external factors affects a lot the whole thing.

If you check Google Trends, people search 16 times more "blog script" than "image hosting script" and just to put it in perspective, people is twice more into "e-commerce script" vs "image hosting script". Basically, the interest over time for what Chevereto does is not that big for third-party developers. This is crucial, because more interest means more installs and more installs means more people willing to pay for customizations or addons. Based on this, Chevereto is half-way there.

In the sense of allowing the freedom to modify the system it has complete sense to add a modular system, but in a sustainable business it doesn't fit. It needs to basically scratch all the current code to be just the "same" for 95% people. Also, G\ hooks are totally different and works at route/handler level so it modifies on demand what you need so it is not plugin-and-play or something that allows you to change how every particular function works.

I'm confident that my modules should be perfect for Chevereto but besides the code change, I've to make sure that everyone else also do a good job I have to set rules, put standars, etc. That is a lot of job and you may think that I don't want to do this system because I'm a lazy dumbass, but actually I do what I see it fits and I evolve my systems in a way that development costs are lower than the income so I can keep the wheel running. I will start experimenting with plugins (sort of) in Quickty so it is not forbidden or just discarded, is just being crafted at my pace. I won't jump in get 10 developers and get this out ASAP, I don't work in that way and I think that I'm good at keeping the project very live and active without charging a lot for it and so on.

In both Chevereto/Quickty my idea is to allow end user customization/sharing so it starts empowering the end of the chain so when it gets traction we can properly enjoy a modular system because I will have a larger user base. Current Chevereto user base is growing steady, but several events needs to take place to get to the next level.

It is just not the time, hope it makes sense.

Cheers.
 
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It took some time, but this will be implemented in v4.0
 
I was about to create an RFC for having plugin system. But it looks same and just the terms are different.
 
I was about to create an RFC for having plugin system. But it looks same and just the terms are different.
I think a plugin system / modular Chevereto would be great. This would mean people could, and may want, to develop plugins and sell them like IPB, XenForo, etc. If Rodolfo creates some, it can earn additional revenue for the development of Chevereto and allows us to pick and choose what we want.
 
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