Re: Choosing a home node

[demerphq]

A while back I implemented a set of patches that have (unfortunately) caused some friction with the gods. Part of this set of patches was a solution to the very problem you are discussing. I called it "Titlebar Settings" and it was designed specifically to allow users to cause such special links to appear with the normal title bar links, and to allow them to modify the order, presentation, and styling of the links ina variety of easy to use ways. In addition users could provide arbitrary HTML to go up there as they liked.

Alas, the gods dont seem to want this feature for themselves and as such apparently won't be applying the patch. I was asked to dumb it down by removing various features. I have up until now declined.

So the fact of the matter is that code to provide the functionality you want is written and gathering digital dust as we speak. Were a god to be so inclined it would be a matter of a handful of clicks and we all could have full control over the links in the titlebar.

Personally my view is that its sad that the gods and the pmdevils appear to be following Fords motto: "you can have any colour you like so long as its the colour I like." Id rather them say "you can have any feature you can write so long as it doesn't impact the overall site experience."

[tye]

A while back I implemented a set of patches that have (unfortunately) caused some friction with the gods.

I don't know what friction you are talking about, unless you are talking about your own feelings. I made some suggestions for a better (IMHO) design which several people agreed with...

appear to be following Fords motto: "you can have any colour you like so long as its the colour I like."

Several people didn't like your patch and so now it is a policy to only apply patches "we like", eh? I didn't apply the patches primarily because I haven't had the time for such things. I bet I've got more of my own code that I've written and haven't applied than you have your own unapplied code.

I've certainly applied patches that I didn't like much. I've also regretted not pushing back harder in one such case, because now I can't fix a second problem until I undo the previous patch and redo it in the way I tried to explain several times.

You got lucky and got a few patches applied. That doesn't happen much for a lot of reasons still.

[demerphq]

Sometimes I wear my feelings on my shirt tye. I'll let my contributions stand for themselves as a way of judging whether my intentions are good or not.

I bet I've got more of my own code that I've written and haven't applied than you have your own unapplied code.

That could be an interesting bet. :-) Im accumulating patches on the test server rather quickly. But beside measuring how long a piece of string is, why not put it up on the test server so we can have a look and see how it goes? Even if you dont have the time to get it integrated fully, (a labour intensive job even with the test server I admit, something I am working on to improve,) maybe we do. For instance I notice refactoring opportunities almost every time I work on the test server, and I'd be astounded if you didnt know far more, so its likely that you have stuff we could put into play.

I can't fix a second problem until I undo the previous patch and redo it in the way I tried to explain several times

Well, I dont know if this is something I've done or not. I dont know what the problem you mean is. Id be happy to look into it.

You got lucky and got a few patches applied. That doesn't happen much for a lot of reasons still.

Yeah. I got lucky. You know, I think that touches on my frustration here. I didn't get lucky. Almost nobody on this site knows what I wrote, I derive modest benefits from my efforts. I don't use Selected Best Nodes, or to be honest any of their friends much. I do benefit from the Other Users being cached, and so forth, just as you benefit from your Super Search and caching, etc, (++) work. Neither of us benefit much from what we do. Except we get this warm fuzzy feeling that people are using and enjoying things that we liked to do and are proud of. Really its PM thats lucky that there are people like us who will do what we do.

cheers

[BUU]

Personally my view is that its sad that the gods and the pmdevils appear to be following Fords motto: "you can have any colour you like so long as its the colour I like." Id rather them say "you can have any feature you can write so long as it doesn't impact the overall site experience."

You know what would be cool? If, some how, this website would to subscribe to some set of philosophy, where anyone could just download the source code, and look at it, or learn from it or even write helpful patches for it. Perhaps you could give this philosophy a name, maybe free, or open something.

Oh well.