AlexT | Dol v-7.0 Outstanding Issues which Need Immediate Attention

yes i posted this over on another thread, and realized i had posted in an incorrect area. so i am starting a new thread so excuse my situation on the other forum thread.

AlexT, Igor, or any other who can shed some light on how the search and match functions work on Dolphin it would be greatly appreciated. yes we have had some decent tutorials written, and they are all greatly appreciated, however, there are many functions and features of dolphin 7.0.5 that are still unexplained and still non-functional:

site search feature

profile matching and notifications

site store cart payment

site store cart members add products

polls track voting

privacy settings and admin privs when privacy is set

video embed source from dolphin

membership levels and payment module

articles and members being able to participate in article writings

many features that are now current source code hacks that should be administrative settings

image upload size limit

avatar profile image explained and separated

security feature (that has been abandoned through the entire 7.0. release

source code clean up and consolidation

order of precedence on module installations

complete removal of a member from the site

revisit the issue of when a module is removed (uninstalled) why it does not completely uninstall

language string search, the checkbox should really be replaced by a button

clean up of flash apps, where portions are left behind from Dolphin 6.x

video embed where continue button does not catch focus when url has been added

method for admin to add or remove functions from Action block

true moderation settings

update banner functionality so that it functions and has some logic

im sure that many additional items that i am not aware of could be added to this list. i know you guys are busy working on releasing 7.1, but can we step back and fix some of the things that are not completed or not function in the Dolphin 7.0 series?

guys, do you realize, that you have not completed one version release in about 3 years, not one. if Dolphin is going to be the leader in its industry, niche social networking / dating environment, at some point something needs to be done about goal setting, and following through with task completions.

yes Dolphin is a good foundation to build on, and yes it is open source, and yes, it can be an extremely dynamic environment, is it too much to ask that when you release a version, that that version be debugged, preferably by boonex staff or hired beta-testers, then released to the public for further testing, and those bugs be addressed before moving onto the next version or release? quit assuming everything is an enhancement.

if you release a version with a module, and that module does not function, a request to fix the non-functional core module should not be considered an enhancement.

one other thing, though many are now using auto-installers, i still wonder why there is a SKIP button on the install steps of Dolphin, why in the world would you permit any of the installation steps to be SKIPPED?

and can it be explained why the Dolphin 6.1.6 migration module is still part of Dolphin 7.0.5, when it is of absolutely no use?

not knocking the product, i am providing good clean constructive feedback on what could be a great product if there was some focus placed on its actual development.

Nice post Dosdawg - I fully agree with you. Personally I take D7 as a alpha developmentb stage - not usable for real live site so Im waiting and waiting and waiting so it get at least to beta or rc stage - but it going very slow and many very important functions (most of which ui named) are constantly overlooking or postponmed to next and next and next versions. SOmething have to change here and boonex should fix those staff immediately for real...

Thanks DosDawg!

Very good post.

I want to use myself as a great example. Originally from bush Alaska where Internet wasnt available. I then relocated to Lower 48 and decided that I wanted to have my own social site. So search after search I kept coming back to Boonex. It sounded so easy,something anyone could do! And with no computer experience I grabbed on to the first release of 7.0.0. (what was I thinking) And with the help of all you guys here I was able to get it going. I have a activve site with memebers comming and going, and that is great! But there was a lot of bugs. And now Everyone wants me to upgrade, but I am not cofident on doing so. I would paysomeone to do it I guess, but problem as you said, there is still bugs. So I will wait untill there are a fewer bugs and then I will have to get help. But this isnt a hobbie for me, just like the rest of us here, were all trying to make a dime, yet it is costing more and more. I think I am doing ok, because everyday I learn something new and am acomplishing something. But for all the rest of you guys that have a lot more Knowledge, I can see how frustrating this can be. With every new release is a new bug.

So I would say Boonex is great for people like me that are willing to take what ever is given to them and hope it gets better, but for the guys that use this script to build social sites for clients, This can be a challenge if it isn't working correctly.

I have 3 sites now and I want to thank boonex and you guys for that, But I am not the one that will make it big. I a small fish in the ocean, So I do hope that boonex gets it all figured out for the real professionals here, and not just for the newbies like me.

Derrick

i just wish they would read some of these more serious posts. whereas i have seen one individual cater to one of the members here who is having some issue with setting up their home server. sure if there is nothing else to do, by all means provide that level of assistance, but i do not see where server setup and configuration tutorials on a non-conforming server would warrant such dedicated assistance.

there are many issues that are written about on here daily, that go ignored and unanswered. this list is but a small one, and as you can see, its not being addressed. makes you wonder why.

oh and where is the documentation.

Absolutely agree.

Dolphin is marketed as:

You're limited only by your imagination - not by software.

When in reality, I've found the software to be very limiting. And part of the limit is from the learning curve (I'm glad to see that they've stopped mentioning both how easy Dolphin is for the novice and the documentation on the home sales-pitch page!) but I'd estimate a good 76% of the issues that I've had with the software have been recurring issues in the forums or other known issues (mostly carried over from past versions!). And while that makes it easier to find a fix, I do not understand the logic of having the same minor glitches and missing functionality for year  after year after year after year while assuming that it is *ok* to think that the "fix" is to let every new user dredge through the lousy search function (really? no sortable options even by date?) to find the answers. So a 1 line known code error isn't fixed in updated versions, we're just expected to find it and change it ourselves. For most issues.

If I'm sounding like I'm mad @ Dolphin, I'm not. I love the good things about the software, I'm actually enjoying climbing up the learning curve, (except for when the lack of documentation for the most basic things is severely lacking, then I hate it, but yanno. Such is life) and I can definitely see the potential in the software. And I don't think it is just because I've sunk over a grand into the "free" Dolphin!!

But I do question the business practices of just ignoring repeated complaints. My grandmother used to say, "If everyone is complaining about you, it's probably not them. It is you." I think that the powers that be should take into account that they're passing up on some invaluable marketing feedback when  posts like  this occur. People pay bunches o' money for people to test-run their products and get feedback, both positive and negative. Hopefully at some point they'll pay attention to it and focus on what the feedback is telling them and deal with it instead of running around patching leaks with bandaids.

Just my post-SXSW-night-on-the-town 2 cents worth!!

It's a good list - some of these have been issues for a very long time.  I am getting the feeling that Boonex sometimes ships product with some of the features and modules barely working at all.  I'm starting to suspect that with the profile matching - second one on your list.

Great post these issues really need to be looked at,  as we all have either had problems with these issues or have wondered  when on how can they be  resolved

Thumbs up DosDawg ;)

We're all waiting Mr Boonex ... (tap, tap, tap,)

Very nicely put... Boonex..."Can you hear me now?"

This isn't the first post I have seen like this. What suprises me though is that in any of them I have not seen boonex respond once. Do they even read these post? To me that is like a slap in the face. I mean if you are asked a question in person by someone and you just walk away and not respond time after time that would be considered very rudel

Here's one.

On the Admin page / Membership. You need to add a link to display 'Standard' members' (It's missing, still)

nice post DosDawg...

we are all waiting..

[EDIT] I gave points to you all.. this is an important issue

no boonex reply  as usual - why boonex never or very rarely reply to this stuff.... prolly this will never be fixed :-(

I've assigned myself A NEW TASK. Everyday, I'm going to log in here and BUMP this back to the top.

I think you will find a lot of help there SkyForum. I cant believe that they would let someting like the third item on the list go with now support or documentation about the fix or anything. Not everyone knows how to edit a database.

i think we should all send AlexT a PM on the message system, or we should all submit this to the support system, because it does in fact seem to be going ignored. im not trying to cause problems here, matter of fact, these issues are causing me and hundreds of others problems. Andrew, is there any chance you can get this looked into. we are all needing some assistance on these items.

i know you dont like negative comments and that is not what this is about. if a members posts an issue here on the forums, it ends up on page 5 in a short period of time, and sometimes you guys dont have the time to dig 5 pages deep to seek out posts that require resolution. this matter is of a serious nature, and needs the attention of your staff.

it has been stated by AndrewP that the store cart works, i cannot find one, no not one of the 100K + sites that should be operating, being that we are 100K + in members, not one of those sites including boonex.us have the cart working where members can add and sell products.

not only that andrew, but the search and match feature has never worked, never, and it has been written about 100's of times and ignored 100;s of times, is this something that is going to go unfixed?

Let's bump this issue up and BOONEX PLEASE LISTEN!!

I believe that some type of Boonex reply to the issues posted to this thread are important...so here's my bump!

re: "the search and match feature has never worked, never, and it has been written about 100's of times and ignored 100;s of times, is this something that is going to go unfixed?"

He's got that right.

Come on Boonex, reply to us. These issues will not go away by them selves. bumpty....bumpty....bumpty...

actually the fact that search/match feature isnt working correctly if at all is really quite ridiculous for a software which claims to be ideal for dating and community site as its in fact one of core features every dating software should have 100% working and advanced...

Regarding cart I think it should be  completely removed from installation until it get fixed and working as I really dont see any purposes why its in installation if that doesnt work !!! Now it just totally confuse all newbies here and other users who trying get it work because they dunno its simply non functional..

You mean to tell me that I have spent the last 3 days trying to figure out how to get the store cart to work and now I'm hearing it doesn't work. Man that ticks me off. Plus when I started using this I assumed that the search and match feature would work. Like it was said that Is the core to any social dating site which this script is supposed to be for. I payed 2 years hosting in advance and bought some of the mods for this?

helps to bump ;)

A very good post from DosDawg, I totally agree and some features from his list are really important!

Oh my no response yet. Seems this is getting lost again. Time to bump it up to show we still waiting.

i have actually sent AlexT a PM letting him know we would really appreciate some assistance on this thread. so its not like he doesnt know that it exists.

you are correct lightwolf, there is no response, thats because there is in fact no response, they dont have an answer. there is no documentation, the only documentation has been provided by users. the documentation is incomplete, and very much lacking in areas that are not used by every member every day.

but the list above is utilized by most members every day, and we cannot get an answer.

Scott: yeah unfortunately search/match function as well as cart is not working. More than that also voting is not working correctly but hope at least voting gonna be fioxed in 7.1 - so u are correct you wasted your time to make work functionalities which simply dont work..... The main think for me iss earch/match feature as I cant use D7 for any purpose if that not work correctly. Cart is also know old problem which is not fixed :-( The real tragedy is that seems like nobody from boonex gonna reply here ...thats really sad

Well I sent in a ticket about the store mod and it's been 22 hrs and no response. I mean at least tell me the truth or acknoledge the fact you are working on it or something. Just leave me hanging on a ticket? It's still open however. And ya that search/match function realy bums me out. I am a single dad who is on unemployment due to the economy. I could have gone with a couple other platforms that worked for a lot cheaper. Now I'm kind of stuck with it. Hope they get it fixed soon.

scott: well Im waiting that stuff to be fixed already over year (from time 7.0.0 release and uts still not fixed after more than year - I thin you should prepare for a long wait - at least several months - most probably another year

Well I for one am very disappointed in Boonex over this. Some news is better then none...yes? I guess some of our concerns do not matter, or they will use the excuse they busy trying to get D.7.1 out but that is NO excuse! bump....bump...bump Can you tell Boonex we not going away?

Yes, we know all these problems, and because of this we are going forward to 7.1 version, since most of these problems can not be fixed without some core code remakes. As the result almost no new features are added in 7.1 - the main focus is fixing the problems.

We will try hard to make 7.1 happen sooner. Reading and reacting on such posts is taking a lot of time and just causing more delays in developing new version.

As for critical bugs, we will fix it (like security holes) in 7.0.x to provide you with the stable version for this period.

We are talking about 7.1, remember? Not 8.0, not 9.0. It's an evolutionary iteration and most of your list items are core changes that we're working on in 7.1.

7.0.x iterations are only supposed to be released for critical bug and security fixes. You list is not that - it's a major set of system changes and you know very well that it's not a one day job.

Seriously, this entire hoopla is unnecessary - we're working on fixes, features and requests. We're naming versions according to the amount of changes planned for the next iterations. We're going through feedback and react accordingly. This is how it is and this is how it is going to be. All you did is put forward YOUR preferred list of NEW features and CORE changes and vividly described how BoonEx is screwing everyone up if this particular list is not implemented first hand and with your preferred version number.

Now, we've got your list, will keep it mind, will continue as planned.

Topic Closed.