I get some some perverse enjoyment from bug fixing. I think it’s because I’m able to be very productive in a very short space of time. There’s few things as rewarding as knocking off a few dozen bug reports before lunch. For the most part the bugs we get reported are relatively minor and trivial which allows me to whip through them.
So far, the IPB 2.1 alpha release has gone very well. I’m surprised by the low number of reported bugs but this is tempered with the fact that it was only released to our customers, and only installable by those customers who had the free time, will and zend optimizer installed. Even still, I’m pleased with how well its gone.
It’s unusual for us to release an alpha. I wanted to make this release because of all the new toys IPB 2.1 brings and early testing of the client side scripting will save us a major headache later on. I could have labelled it a "beta" but, unlike some project managers, I prefer to wait until the feature set is all but complete.
I really don’t think it’ll be long before we hit the first "proper" beta release. The few bugs reported so far combined with the few sections left to complete should see a release within the next few weeks and I don’t anticipate a very long beta testing phase.
All in all, IPB 2.1 is shaping up to be a great release and I’m interested to see what the modification community make of the new back-end code and components system.
{ 37 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s nice to hear that everything is going well and that 2.1 will be with us in the ‘near’ future.
Although I don’t code anything on the scale you do, I also quite enjoy bug fixing, it’s sort of frustating yet has a weird satisfaction.
Indeed. It’s fine until you hit that bug that refuses to be fixed… You end up tearing your entire script apart to find the source. I know you’ve had days like that before
Anyway, it is good to hear that 2.1 will be with us soon. Unfortunately my host does not want to install ze(nd) optimiser, so I can’t play with the alpha on my site. Something about it (ze optimiser) being unreliable… I posted on it in our “unofficial 2.1alpha support topic”
Aaaanyway…. Good to hear.
You definitely have been knocking off bugs left and right Matt, since the alpha release, great job!
I hope the beta period is as short as possible, I’m very much looking forward to IPB 2.1 final.
Matt,
Will you be releasing documentation on all skin changes made so that we can easily update our skins ourselves?
[Quote]All in all, IPB 2.1 is shaping up to be a great release and I’m interested to see what the modification community make of the new back-end code and components system.[/Quote]
I guess this will also depend on the detailedness of the documentation you’ll provide.
Well, if the community didn’t make use of the old modules system, why should they use a components system this time around?
Is this one more worthwhile than the modules?
I guess the really nice new ‘toys’ made people really want to test it. They aren’t only functional but great to play with, as with everything really new though.
Quote
Is this one more worthwhile than the modules?
Well, if the community didn’t make use of the old modules system, why should they use a components system this time around?
Hi,
As a developer, I can proudly say that module systems can be as simple or as complicated as the developer that developed it.
I have created a few module systems and it seems that each time I re write the old one, the new one becomes better, being able to access more resources and the code is more crisp and realiable. Since Matt has rewritten his module system, the end user/developer can then clearly understand the module system better. It seems that Matt has used the same type of Module system in his projects. With the release of 2.1, Matt has re written his code with Developers in mind. This way, documentation can easily be created as well as communication between different developers.
Lets think of it this way, the only way other developers knew how to use his module system was if he told them how it worked. Now that he has re written this code, and kept other devlopers in mind, you can clearly see how his source code works, as well as add some yourself. Im also pretty sure with the new Kernal, it has enabled some new features in the Module System and you can probably access more resources with it.
All in all, developers rewrite things. Each re write has a clearer view of directness. Each time the developer re writes something, they write the new code with the new knowledge that they have gained since the last time they wrote the code.
This module system is probably better.
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I find that this release of IPB seems to be feature rich and well organized. It has been long awaited and it seems like its going to be one of the best releases of IPB since 1.3.
If I had more money, I would have bought IPB a long time ago, its just some people stay broke!
I am especially fond of the new methods of Login. This will definatly enable a new way to integrate other applications with IPB.
Matt would it be possible to have documentation of IPB coding stuff like I read $ibforums is now $this->ipsclass I would like more documentation and many other developers too to upgrade modifications
Thanks.
Documentation will be written during the early beta testing stages.
We’ll aim to have all documentation complete in time for the ‘final’ release.
Good to hear that not too many bugs so far. I know just the kind of feeling you get when fixing a bug, and indeed it is very satisfying
The Alpha4 have many bugs.
Ajax seems not support non-western language. the template system do not work well in IE and FireFox.
Matt,
Honestly, you really do not have any maturity, “Unlike some project managers I know”. You do not have the maturity to respect your competitors. You act like a child (IE: vB STOLE INVISION FEATURES!!) and really need to grow up. I see you as a talented developer and flaming your competitor is highly unprofessional.
Well thats the beauty of posting your OPINIONS on non-company-affiliated blog. Matt can be as childish as he likes, it will never be unproffesional because the views and opinions expressed here are his, and his alone. They don’t reflect the views of the company as a whole.
From doing my own little forms of programming/scripting, I know that feeling of satisfaction too. From using new ideas, the completion, tweaking the little bugs to be fixed.. Also those rare times when you program the entire thing and … whoa, only a few bugs (instead of a lot).
Aside from that, I’m eagerly awaiting the beta release or perhaps even an A5 release (v2.1A5) so that the bugs fixed so far can be tested again while working towards the beta.
Is there any unofficial word on when a beta release may be released (and a ‘hopeful’ forecast for the final)? I know that it could (and might) take longer than expected, but at least I’d know the earliest to expect it. (please?)
Matt,
Looking good. I’m really looking forward to 2.1 and even more to Invision Dynamic (from what I’ve seen).
As for the ongoing discussion on looking over competitors stuff… I’m an engineer. It is a fact of life that companies look at their competitors and either offer the same solution their way or find another method of doing it. Walk through the GM engineering center sometime. They had a Ford Mustang in there and a Toyota or two that they were tearing apart to see what made them tick. My company does the same things with electronics… see how the competitor does something and do it ourselves with our twist.
In the end, it doesn’t matter who did it first, what matters is who does it best. IPB has been doing that in my opinion.
Matt,
…
thanks for your private blogging
C_P,
and your comments have the “maturity”…
Dear, dear, me.
You post a tongue-in-cheek comment and it gets picked up, dusted down and used as evidence against you.
Relax…
Let’s just say I’m extremely impressed by the way you go through those bugs…
Yes, there haven’t been many bugs in or IPB 2.1: Technology Preview Release
So as far as it goes now we soon have an beta in or hands ;D
Great work Matt, you realy did it this time 2.1 rocks…
I have to agree with Matt on the amount of bugs – considering what we could have possibly have had, there are quite a shortage of bugs
Can’t wait for the beta – but then again, don’t want to unleash it on my members without having maybe a new site design or something…
But, Matt, you have to promise me that the release will be before my license expires
Mireno, I’m with you.. Be nice to get me grubby hands on v2.1 final before the license is up.
From what I have seen and toyed with on v2.1, it may actually put a few other forum packages into their final stages of life.
*cough.phpbb.cough*
As far as ‘who had something first’ or not, yeah, a company that has something first is going to boast about being first, and that another company took it’s idea. That’s part of life and it’s a way of building the image. After all, if one is always coming up with great ideas, then where do you want to look for the new ideas? (Not the others who take and use those same ideas, that’s for sure).
Likewise, in some ways it doesn’t matter, because what’s the point of boasting the new ideas if others do it better?
I’ve admired your work Matt, you not only improve on others ideas, but when you come up with a new one, it’s rarely ever copied correctly and even less often improved upon.
So anyway, Matt, any ‘hints’ for the soonest that the beta release *might* be out?
Next week.
how many beta realses will you have. and (?) will 3.0.0 be more of a skinng system change
Next week!
Anyone can post being batt, so how do we know that post about next week is true, maybe we just have to wait.
That’ll be “Matt”. A Batt is something different.
Only you would know if it was you who posted it.
Work is coming along on 2.1 much quicker than we could ever have anticipated so customers can expect a “BETA” release pretty shortly indeed
argh!
Nice to hear Matt, your working hard to day, you haven’t been on IPB today ;D
let’s just hope that was the real matt. Maybe you should make this blog more ‘privte pulic’ like dean’s shoutbox for 2.0.x only people with that registred name (like dlf) can use it to shout in the shoutbox. Maybe you should make it happen here. But your name would be like “matt of IPB”.
Nukeman: I find it scary that you’ve been on IPS allday watching to see if hes online.
Or he just looked at Matt’s profile and seen his Last Active status.
Quiet you.
I’m soo 1337 it’s embarrasing
Hurrah Matt is online now!
He was released after someone kidnapped him :ph34r:
Wow Matt, this is getting a lot of comment and Trackback spamming lately. And half of it isn’t even coming from me!