Thread

dunno if this fits into Lounge 😊

I recently have surfed around many places that sell add-ons to EE. And yes, have found many useful add-ons as well, even bought few. But i fear that if i really put up a site with all those goodies, the control is lost and possible need of support also.

By this i mean basicly that then i might need to start running multiple sites/forums just to get support if something goes bad. And what about upgrading future EE installations - where an eart i might put me into?

Spending hours and days trying to find answers to possible errors that comes with using 3rd party add-ons. Sounds like a nightmare to me.

What about you - what do you think about my thoughts, are they silly?

Control is lost compared to what? Every single CMS out there has the segmentation you describe when it comes to community-derived add-ons. The alternative is to do everything in-house, but even then, you’ve got to weigh the possible benefits against the costs associated with losing a larger community to draw on for support purposes (to the extent necessary). Not to mention that eternal pain in the ass, time or the lack thereof.

That’s not to say you can’t proactively help yourself when it comes to future bug hunting. Documenting your projects extensively, including the appropriate links for any resources you use (plus their support docs + forums/getsatisfaction/etc.) is one way to help protect yourself in the future. It’s also mighty helpful if someone else ever picks up the project in the future.

Yeah, that doesnt come to my mind that i need to comment myself when it comes to 3rd party add-ons, that sounds more than good idea. Used to comment only what “i have made”, but if using multiple add-ons that will come handy, thanks to EEs own commenting that doesnt show in the source code when someone might look at what the site i have made, includes.

Good points overall. I just thought that the handy control of resources might be gone if need to run multiple support forums to hunt down something that prevents, for example, upgrading EE to newer version or similar.
I always want to keep the core up-to-date so therefore i was thinking that.

I do have several bought add-ons like User, Friends, Channel Images etc. but some of those/many of those are waiting for me in folders because of this fear of mine 😊

More thoughts on this.

Why many dev’s are using 3rd party support forums for supporting their commercial products? I dont see any good in this. At least when it comes to me, its not good thing for paying customers and not userf-friendly way to go.

To keep all simple as Solspace does, gives out more professional feeling and best of all - you need only one login details - to buy and to get support.

The unsaid part, so far, is that it would be a good thing for add-ons (or features…at least) which many or most people need to be eventually rolled into the stock EE. That is impossible when it comes to ALL the various possibilities, but very doable when it comes to the features which most might find usable.

What i do not like, is to first i had to create account to devot:ee - then i needed to create account to another site to get support. I know Devot:ee is good place to hunt down some add-ons i like and need, but makes me mad with jumping around just for a good module add-on.

Therefore i havent bought some add-ons because again - extra accounts needed and im trying to stay alive and live with few top dev’s that i can handle when and if i need support. I love Solspace, and im beginning to love DevDemon and Pixel&tonic;.

It might be a good thing to gather the other really good dev’s into a group - creating a site for them and giving support from one, simple forum in their own site.

Just my thoughts and money…