This is not primarily thought as a place for users to report problems with apps, instead use the report problem feature visible on each app page. It's a place for moderators to ask for help and tell other moderators what they've done as to eliminate the risk of double work.
Missing in action, help find it
Been there done that
- System Files/Drivers/Network - checked for broken links 20040324
- System Files/Drivers/Input Device - checked for broken links 20040324
- System Files/Drivers/Removable Storage - checked for broken links 20040324
- System Files/Drivers/Printer - checked for broken links 20040325
- System Files/Drivers/Audio - checked for broken links 20040325
Suggestions to other moderators
- First not a suggestion, more a statement how I mod, if I cannot find an altiernative/correct url for a download I tend to just simple hit the broken url button. Maybe us mods need a list of "bad link" rateings
- As long as we don't have any special "bad link" rating page I tend to delete hopeless link entries and list them as missing in action above. I think that's a good idea if you have the time for it as it solves the situation faster hopefully.
Mod 2 Mod./.Admin questions
- Where to draw the line with dupes? There is a patcher for NIC ids of the eepro100 that pacthes with desired id and several that patches with predefined ids. Removal of the special ones?
- Should Intuos be removed. No working links and seems to be supported by Wacom USB-driver
- The current OpenTracker and other Tracker clones are all currently in Bebits/Utilities/System maybe it needs either a sub cateorgy to hold all modificatiosn to the destbar and tracker or at least some neat place to put the differnt language file for locale tracker.
How I like to mod
Mathew Black a.k.a. Luton Hatter
I tend to refrain from removing apps, and if I find an app which does not have a valid download location I just hit the report bad link page rather then deleting anything.
One thing I will add now is that users, please don't forget that you can add aditional download locations and replrot bad links withour hitting the new report a problem link.
The whole multiple apps doing the same jobs thing. Personally I feel that multiple apps that carry out similar functions are a good thing, however dvelopers should try to justify why there app is worthy I think enhancement (althrough these days you should maybe contact first the developer of the app you are enhanceing so you can add your enhance ment to their page) is a valid reason for multiple apps as it learning e.g. people writing there own implementation of apps just to learn whic his fine althrough I could prmote the use of the sample code category. New versions/bug fixes when old developer/maintainer has fallen off the face of the earth (but again please try to contact the previous devs first), differnt implementations of the same app for incompatible versions of BeOS, rememeber kids try to keep one app per bebits entry and each bebits entry can contain versions for multiple verions and platforms for BeOS apps.
In summary I hope we end up with one entry per application (but multiple instances of that same function) with differnt verions of an app on the same page as the previous verions and new implementations clearly stateing the reasons for the implementation existance e.g. I wanted to learn, added feature x,y,z etc.
With the moderation powers app pages can be haned to new developers etc. so use us rather than recrating a new entry but as the old dev rather than using us :)
Some Observations
Hey guys, this is Sean from BeBits. We've had a few developers emailing us wondering where their apps went. After some poking around, it seems they were made invisible because they happened to have been dupes or something like that. For instance, two or three people might port some particular app and all but one are turned invisible for the sake of clarity. If the links are broken and no new sources can be found then that's ok as far as I'm concerned. However, just because there may be more than one entry for the same thing does not mean that one or more of them should be made invisible. I understand the desire to simplify things, but we also must respect the work of the developers who spent time porting an application--even if it is a duplicate. After all, there may be some subtle changes to each developer's version of a port that could be useful for differing purposes depending on the goal the developer was trying to achieve while porting the tool. If you have a preference for a particular port over the others, then perhaps a talkback comment could be made and a vote placed so that users can make a more informed decision without having their choices limited.
Additionally, there has been some effort to hide applications that have download links which relay through bezip (for example) instead of going direct to a file. I don't particularly like it when developers relay like that, so I can't say I'm entirely against it. However, if you have the time and the will, it'd be better to get the links to the files from bezip (or wherever the download links actually go) and then change the BeBits download links to point direct to the files or add additional direct download links instead of eliminating the entry entirely.
We (Greg and myself) and everyone in the BeBits community greatly appreciates your efforts on this. So don't take anything I've said as discouragement, but rather as input from our community for us to learn from. :-) This is a new process so there's bound to be some learning for all of us. Besides, that's what makes it fun! No one is angry or upset, just a few developers were concerned they had done something wrong. So keep in mind that when you moderate listings, you're affecting not only those who use BeBits to get their new software, but also those who use BeBits to pitch their new software. It's a delicate balance and eventually we'll figure out how to maintain it. :-) Good job everyone! You are all actually doing an amazing job!
Multiple Ports
The reason for hiding some ports and leaving others visible is justified in some cases as there is a lot of new BeOS users that haven't gathered enough knowledge about different _bugs_ of different (abandoned) ports (for example gcc) and it might turn then against BeOS if they get bad first impression.
For the rest (non-buggy) releases there might be (one) solution that has been mentioned in several places. Make "collection" page for apps with same major and minor version number but different build number/tag (in *nix worlds port/patch authors initials are in build number/tag). Then moderators/developers can post comments for the "collection" to guide new users how to pick most suitable version. I know some users already know which "build" is best for them, but we need to think all experience levels equally. Of course, if the developer(s)/publisher(s) is/are still active member(s), he/she/they can try to fix the bugs (incompatibilities) before judging the final resolution.
- Monni -
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