What would you like to see?

Discuss the development of future releases of phpBB (phpBB 3.x minor releases) and MODing/Coding related questions.
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igorw
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What would you like to see?

Postby igorw » 30 Jun 2008, 22:46

There is a feature tracker. Will you find it? :P

No, the real question i'd like to ask in this topic is: what would you like to see in phpBB 3.2? What feature (or component) do you think is missing in 3.0?

Let me start with a thing i'd like to see is an easier way for modders to utilise cron.php. It should be easier for them to add "automatic" actions. And in addition/conjunction/expansion to/with/of this, the upcoming events system. 8-)

Oh, and [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhpBB#Future_development]this[/url] may be of interest.

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby LiamMac » 01 Jul 2008, 01:00

One thing I experienced with vBulletin is the huge automation, which I believe is what you are talking about here.

The ability to set a task with parameters like time or event, possibly linked to a calendar which links in with birthdays and event/milstones like 1,000 users achieved on this date viewable on the calendar.

I would love to see a dedicated portal system fully integrated into the phpBB3 system with news posts from the forum such is found in most portals at the moment.

I would also like to see a CMS based system for page generation. This could leave the door open for Mod Authors to make a page script which could be effectively loaded into a CMS created page for those who have no great coding knowledge but would like to have a separate page for simple text or maybe more complicated functions.

These are three tall orders but if you had all three, it would effectively make phpBB3 not just the ultimate forum software, but the ultimate community site management system on the web.

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby blazes816 » 01 Jul 2008, 01:22

phpBB isn't supposed to be a site management application. Developing those things as MODs would be epic, but as for core forum features, no way. I'm really not a fan of a lot of the phpBB3 features. Their phpBB2 philosophy was way better. But unfortunately it didn't sell the pancakes. Now if there was a good hooks/module/plugin system, they could totally pull off the minimalisticness.
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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Ganon_Master » 01 Jul 2008, 07:09

IMHO what phpBB should do to get more people to download it, would be "one click systems". I'm not a fan of those, but it's what has made SMF so popular. What the people at phpBBdotCom should do to ensure the well being of their project, has to do more with the MOD Team then with the Dev Team; Is an end user really going to care about what MODX is? The majority of the forum owners these days don't even know how php works, or how to edit their files. SMF almost comes with a MODs manager by default. And that's why it's becoming so popular.

The phpBB Dev and MOD Teams should work together and implement a solid MODs Manager into phpBB3.1 out of the box. Would make our lives a lot better too.

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Derky » 01 Jul 2008, 09:03

I would like to see RSS by default in it. :)
• Demo •

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby statm » 01 Jul 2008, 12:39

To my knowledge, RSS is already planned.. According to the phpBB Weekly podcast. I forget what episode..

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Semi_Deus » 01 Jul 2008, 12:57


Keep an eye on us, were back in business..

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby igorw » 01 Jul 2008, 15:07

I linked to that wikipedia article in the first post. :P

I with what has been said about the phpBB 2.0 philosophy vs the one of 3.0. While i find very many features of phpBB 3.0 really awesome, some are a bit of a bloat. For example the "friends system". Despite that it's not more than a list in the UCP (yes, foes goes a bit further than that), it's not something everybody will need. Of course, you can disable it, but then again, this is in the core package.

phpBB 3.1 should - as already mentioned - make it easier to add something to it, without being dependent on changing files. In 3.0 this is already pretty good at some places, you see many modular kind of structures. But with 3.1 it would be great if you could either simply toss out the "friends" module and not have to worry about it anymore - or perhaps even have it not included in the core package. The core would be bare bones, and you add the modules you want to.

Another example of such a feature are private messages. Dave Rathbun for example likes to remove the PM feature from his phpBB2 (-based) boards. Wouldn't it be great to be able to simply delete one file (and perhaps a template and a language file) and have the PM system fully removed. :D

A very interesting post on this topic that inspired me can be found [url=http://area51.phpbb.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29453]here[/url].

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby blazes816 » 01 Jul 2008, 15:52

You can disable PMs from that ACP. I know that the files are still there though. I'm trying to remove PMs from a 3.0.1 board right now, and that's the easiest solution.

But I know what you were saying.
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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Semi_Deus » 01 Jul 2008, 17:42


Keep an eye on us, were back in business..

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Prince of phpBB » 01 Jul 2008, 19:07


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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby Winky » 01 Jul 2008, 19:23

I think the only reason why there is MODX that applications could read/write from/in?

Anyway that RSS feature is a good thing for 3.1.x :)

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby LiamMac » 02 Jul 2008, 00:46

Actually, a Mods Manager would be great.

The concept of have features like PM etc as file dependent and the removal of such will remove the feature with no adverse affects on the overall functionality of the rest of the board would ideal. A good reference for this in use is wordpress. Upload the script php file, or in some cases for the larger plugins a folder with multiple files inside, this then registers in the plugins manager. Here you can enable or disable the component, if the file gets removed, the function is simply automatically disabled.

The editing of files for a Mod is the one this I never liked about phpBB3. phpBB3's main rivals are already on their way or in vBulletins case, have already removed the need for crude file edits and structure wide file uploads.

This discussion is really great! :P

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby mtotheikle » 02 Jul 2008, 03:17

This is a great discussion, great thoughts from everyone. It's great to see what people think, and I personally love the phpBB3 module system as you can easily add your own control panel or what ever you wish. It will also be nice to see how phpBB3 deals with events, RSS feeds and all the other new features that the have planned. Evil<3, that post that you found about only needing files if you want something included is a great idea and could help greatly with reducing the size of you sites directory and all the files included in any given file, why include a file that will no be used.

The MOD Manager is also a great idea, but I think it could be a great hazard for lots of sites. Many admins now days don't need to know any php, html, or any code really unless they want to customize their site a little, however lots of people can find MOD's that will do what they need. However not all MODs are safe and since many admins don't get what a good/safe MOD looks like compared to a bad/insecure MOD, they can enable their site to get easily hacked. Many MOD's now are going to an automated system for the DB, permissions, and other simple tasks, but people still need to edit the files to get the full features of most MOD's. I have herd of many people never using an automated system to install MOD's on a live site because they enjoy looking at the source, well maybe not enjoy looking at the code but want to keep their site secure, code to see how the modder has coded the MOD. I am like this as well and have thought about installing many MOD's, but then when I start looking though the files, the code has major issues with simple things such as how they get information from the user and what they do with that infomation from checking it for valid data to escaping it where necessary in SQL queries.

If a automated MOD installer is included in the core package, many board's would become open to hackers unless Admins look though the files before install a MOD, but if the point is to have the MOD installed automatically, why waste time looking though the MOD? I know I would never install a MOD before looking at source code, however again many admins won't bother to look at any code, and if they have to install a MOD they really want with somewhat of a long install they may decide not to and it seems to me some of the MODs that have a longer install have more security holes since there are more file edits and ways to mess up source code. I know that is not true for all large MOD's but some MOD's are weak in security and if people don't look at the MOD to much before installing, issues can arise and phpBB could be blamed for security holes unless the security hole is pin-pointed to a specific MOD which may be hard in certain cases to find which MOD has the security hole if a user has installed many MOD's since an automatic MOD installer would allow admins to install MOD's easier.

Just my thoughts and I realize MOD's in the MD are validated by phpBB MOD team members and I'm sure those MOD's may be safe to use with an automatic system, but MOD's in development that someone may want may not be secure. Does anyone know how SMF or VB deals with what MOD's are used in a automatic MOD installer?

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Re: What would you like to see?

Postby igorw » 02 Jul 2008, 10:14

Mike (xhotshotx),

that is indeed a very good point as well. I must say, i used to be just like that. Back in the phpBB2 times when i first started i messed my board up quite a few times by installing a ton of MODs using easymod. Outdated mods, unfinished mods, insecure mods... that's how i got into it. :)

I am very picky about installing MODs, i check every single edit and usually end up changing a ton of it around. Most stuff i prefere to write myself (yea i'm that picky :roll:). Security is a very important thing, and by including a system for automatically installing MODs it makes it easier to install MODs. This has a good side: It's much easier to install MODs, no more need to edit a million of files, you now have a program to do it for you. The downside however: less experienced people are able to install MODs, and it's hard to give them support. They install beta MODs in production enviroment and whatnot.

So this means that the system needs to be made more dummy proof. And that's the part where it gets easier for the end-user (admin) and a pain for the developer. The best example would be vista. While there's some neat stuff in the OS, it makes life a pain for those who know what they're doing. Because you have less power over your OS. "Are you sure you want to move this file? Really? Really really?". My point: making the system dummy proof will take not only the modders but also the admins further away from the code.

Of course, you cannot ignore security issues and the trick is to make an application secure while giving the coder enough freedom. I think phpBB 3.0 does a pretty damn good job at that. With things like request_var() and $db->sql_escape() it lets the user use what he needs. And i also believe the MOD team does a good job at making sure the MODs in the database are safe.

I think the best way to make mods secure in general is: to educate. People should know how security vurnabilities work in order to prevent them. Too bad they've started criminalising publication of software security hacking "guides" in germany, by making it illegal they just help those who know how to do it.


A bit offtopic and strange post, i know :P

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