Suggestion for PI Devs

BetterRed · 09-26-2020, 07:22 PM

Current practice for many plugins is to upload beta's to MR and attach them to thread response posts, with luck the beta attachments are deleted when a new beta is issued or a new version is added to the first post - but often they're not.

Can I suggest betas be uploaded into a 'fixed' location in a cloud storage service, and a link to it be posted, then when the new version of the PI is released the developer can delete their last beta from their storage.

Note: this is not to reduce MR storage, but to avoid having multiple beta versions sprinkled though plugin threads because they haven't been deleted.

BR

DiapDealer · 09-26-2020, 09:02 PM

That assumes all plugin devs have cloud storage they're willing to give others access to. If it was to reduce MR storage, I might understand. Since it isn't, I think plugin devs should be free to do whatever works best for their own workflow and their user base.

What's worse: various betas sprinkled throughout a thread, or links to various betas sprinkled throughout a thread? Or broken links to betas sprinkled around? Any way you slice it, devs would still need to remember to edit posts and delete something where betas are concerned, no?

BetterRed · 09-27-2020, 04:48 AM

The thread title says "Suggestion", that's all it is; No expectations; no names, no pack-drill

I envisaged dev would upload beta to cloud, subsequent betas would replace…… Once its released they delete the last beta from the cloud. Any links to the beta would issue a 'file not found/404/whatever' message.

I worry that users will download buggy betas because they weren't deleted - it's happened a couple of times - over the years

BR

capink · 09-27-2020, 05:16 AM

Uploading to cloud services does not tell you how many times it has been downloaded, and whether enough people tested it to warrant a release.

BetterRed · 09-27-2020, 05:24 AM

Then use a file locker like Media Fire, or an FTP server and look at the logs

Do plugin devs really make beta->release decisions based on number of downloads?

BR

JimmXinu · 09-27-2020, 09:52 AM

Yes, actually. If nobody, or very few people have tried a test version my confidence in it is less than if it's been downloaded a dozen times without anyone complaining.

Although I agree with you in principle--one place for test versions is more organized and convenient. However, I, personally, am not interested in using a separate cloud storage for it.

I copied using the second post of the thread for test version (from DaltonST, I think) when I renamed FFDL to FFF; which works very well, but requires some prior planning. (Or luck. As I recall, it was just chance that I had also made that second post.)

I know mods can move posts between threads, can a mod insert a post owned by the OP up as the second post for this purpose?

DiapDealer · 09-27-2020, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

Yes, actually. If nobody, or very few people have tried a test version my confidence in it is less than if it's been downloaded a dozen times without anyone complaining.

Same here. I want to see in one location (comments, download counts, etc...) what I'm dealing with. I prefer a one-stop shop wherever possible. But then, I'm also ocd about trying to cleanup incorporated/abandoned beta attachments in my threads, so there's that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmXinu

I know mods can move posts between threads, can a mod insert a post owned by the OP up as the second post for this purpose?

Unfortunately, that's not currently possible (that I know of). There's been many times that would come in handy, though!

eschwartz · 09-27-2020, 05:50 PM

Xenforo style threadmarks could have been handy here.

But mobileread's software simply orders all posts in a thread by date, and lets you move posts between threads where they promptly get inserted in date order. You'd have to find an innocent post elsewhere within *just* the right range of time to be mugged, brainwashed, and given plastic surgery to look and think like it belongs in the thread at post #2.

Personally I find betas interesting, mostly because most plugin devs don't use github or other version control, so often the best you can do for version history is to line up betas and old versions lying around in forgotten config directories.

BeckyEbook · 09-27-2020, 06:05 PM

I have someone else's "innocent" post and its author @bravox's consent to take over #2 of my thread. I would love to see the beta versions of the "LubimyCzytac" plugin. Is it possible to change the author of the post from the user 244251 to 280405?

Thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=282922

eschwartz · 09-27-2020, 06:10 PM

Anything is possible if your name is Alexander and you obtain an admin shell prompt for the database...

I suggest it's a better idea to delete that post, though, then post #3 which is yours again, will be #2.

BeckyEbook · 09-27-2020, 06:12 PM

Removal is a good idea.
Then in post #3 (and later #2) I can put both beta versions for LubimyCzytac and the METAmover plugin.

BetterRed · 09-27-2020, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeckyEbook

Removal is a good idea.
Then in post #3 (and later #2) I can put both beta versions for LubimyCzytac and the METAmover plugin.

Done

BR

09-26-2020, 07:22 PM	#1
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,598 Karma: 29709834 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Suggestion for PI Devs Current practice for many plugins is to upload beta's to MR and attach them to thread response posts, with luck the beta attachments are deleted when a new beta is issued or a new version is added to the first post - but often they're not. Can I suggest betas be uploaded into a 'fixed' location in a cloud storage service, and a link to it be posted, then when the new version of the PI is released the developer can delete their last beta from their storage. Note: this is not to reduce MR storage, but to avoid having multiple beta versions sprinkled though plugin threads because they haven't been deleted. BR

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09-26-2020, 09:02 PM	#2
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 28,334 Karma: 203719142 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	That assumes all plugin devs have cloud storage they're willing to give others access to. If it was to reduce MR storage, I might understand. Since it isn't, I think plugin devs should be free to do whatever works best for their own workflow and their user base. What's worse: various betas sprinkled throughout a thread, or links to various betas sprinkled throughout a thread? Or broken links to betas sprinkled around? Any way you slice it, devs would still need to remember to edit posts and delete something where betas are concerned, no?

09-27-2020, 04:48 AM	#3
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,598 Karma: 29709834 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	The thread title says "Suggestion", that's all it is; No expectations; no names, no pack-drill I envisaged dev would upload beta to cloud, subsequent betas would replace…… Once its released they delete the last beta from the cloud. Any links to the beta would issue a 'file not found/404/whatever' message. I worry that users will download buggy betas because they weren't deleted - it's happened a couple of times - over the years BR

09-27-2020, 05:16 AM	#4
capink Wizard Posts: 1,185 Karma: 1988646 Join Date: Aug 2015 Device: Kindle	Uploading to cloud services does not tell you how many times it has been downloaded, and whether enough people tested it to warrant a release.

09-27-2020, 05:24 AM	#5
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,598 Karma: 29709834 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Then use a file locker like Media Fire, or an FTP server and look at the logs Do plugin devs really make beta->release decisions based on number of downloads? BR

09-27-2020, 09:52 AM	#6
JimmXinu Plugin Developer Posts: 6,812 Karma: 4604429 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Midwest USA Device: Kindle Paperwhite(10th)	Yes, actually. If nobody, or very few people have tried a test version my confidence in it is less than if it's been downloaded a dozen times without anyone complaining. Although I agree with you in principle--one place for test versions is more organized and convenient. However, I, personally, am not interested in using a separate cloud storage for it. I copied using the second post of the thread for test version (from DaltonST, I think) when I renamed FFDL to FFF; which works very well, but requires some prior planning. (Or luck. As I recall, it was just chance that I had also made that second post.) I know mods can move posts between threads, can a mod insert a post owned by the OP up as the second post for this purpose?

09-27-2020, 05:50 PM	#8
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Xenforo style threadmarks could have been handy here. But mobileread's software simply orders all posts in a thread by date, and lets you move posts between threads where they promptly get inserted in date order. You'd have to find an innocent post elsewhere within just the right range of time to be mugged, brainwashed, and given plastic surgery to look and think like it belongs in the thread at post #2. Personally I find betas interesting, mostly because most plugin devs don't use github or other version control, so often the best you can do for version history is to line up betas and old versions lying around in forgotten config directories.

09-27-2020, 06:05 PM	#9
BeckyEbook Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2416112 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Poland Device: Various	I have someone else's "innocent" post and its author @bravox's consent to take over #2 of my thread. I would love to see the beta versions of the "LubimyCzytac" plugin. Is it possible to change the author of the post from the user 244251 to 280405? Thread: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=282922

09-27-2020, 06:10 PM	#10
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,421 Karma: 85400180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	Anything is possible if your name is Alexander and you obtain an admin shell prompt for the database... I suggest it's a better idea to delete that post, though, then post #3 which is yours again, will be #2.

09-27-2020, 06:12 PM	#11
BeckyEbook Guru Posts: 808 Karma: 2416112 Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Poland Device: Various	Removal is a good idea. Then in post #3 (and later #2) I can put both beta versions for LubimyCzytac and the METAmover plugin.

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