Reworking Tips and Tricks forum section

[Fred]

Hi there !

The 5.20 LTS is almost out (no more changes are expected after 5.20 beta 11) and will be here for 2 years, with regular bug fix support. The forums is an invaluable source code repository for all newcomers and expert alilke. It's more than 10 years since the first tip, and PureBasic has evolved a lot: most Tips and Tricks doesn't work anymore out of the box for PB 5.20. It's often easy to adapt the code to have it working on new versions, but we think it would be even better if the code would be adapted for 5.20. There is more than 3000 topics, so we can't do it alone, may be some of you want to join us to do the refactoring ?

It could work like that:

- We give you the right to edit the topic content
- There will be an hidden forum section to synchronize the work between contributing users
- After editing to have a 5.20 compliant code, put a small note at top in green: "Updated for 5.20+" or "Updated for 5.20+. Note: the built-in command xxxx() now provide this functionnality".

This doesn't have to be done immediately, you can work on one post every week or even less, the goal is to have an update section in about one year.

What do you think ? Does it worth it ?

Fred

[grabiller]

Hi Fred,

Perhaps having a "Tips & Tricks" section per LTS version would do.

So everyone would be free to move (duplicate) their old topics to the new forum granted they have been updated to work with the LST version in question.

Then after one year or more, the old "Tips & Trick" section could be deleted.

Just a thought.

Cheers,
Guy.

[ts-soft]

This is a good idea and I'd like to help!

[luis]

I don't think it's worth to systematically update all the old code.
Sometimes old tips don't work not only because some new version broke compatibility but because new commands/libraries permit to take a different approach and the old tips is forgotten for a reason.
If a new user does not find working code for what is looking for can always ask in the forum and there is always people willing to help with NEW code or fixing the old one.
Same thing could be required for purearea then. Lots of code there. Often not updated.
I would say to take a darwinian approach (fix what is in demand) and don't spend energy in a never-ending job.

You asked it

[Josh]

I think it's a good idea. Although I probably won't work systematically to update old codes, there are many codes I'm testing and have to update getting a running example for me. Of course, I would update the forum's code in this case too.

Would be a great help, especially for newbies.

[Little John]

Perhaps having a "Tips & Tricks" section per LTS version would do.

So everyone would be free to move (duplicate) their old topics to the new forum granted they have been updated to work with the LST version in question.

This sounds reasonable to me, I think it could be a good first step.
And if after some time only a few people have updated their own contributions to the new LTS version, then the community can still do so with combined efforts, as per Fred's original suggestion.

[User_Russian]

I believe that we should not fix all the code, located on the forum.
You can create an archive of the source code for PB 5.20 (CodeArchiv), as was done for version 4.00.

[BorisTheOld]

What do you think ? Does it worth it ?

Sounds to me like an unnecessary make-work project. You haven't done this in the past, so why do it now? PB has changed greatly over the years. What was written on the forums 10 years ago may or may not be relevent today, but the information still exists for those who wish to read it. Other programming languages I work with don't re-write history, and they don't have separate forums for each new release.

PB forums already have the Linux/Windows/Mac structure which doesn't work very well. Information is scattered throughout the forums and is not always where one expects it to be. Adding release related forums will just make the forums even more confusing.

The simplest approach is not to create new forums, but to ask that people prefix their posts with an OS and version reference at the beginning of the subject, such as: [L86,5.20] or [W64,4.xx]. Or if it's a generic or cross-platform post, something like: [5.20].

Leave it up to forum members to decide if they wish to update old postings, and let them create a new posting, in the existing forums, with the appropriate subject prefix.

[Little John]

There are two classical nonsense "arguments".

One is: "You have done this in the past, so keep doing it now."

The other is:

You haven't done this in the past, so why do it now?

[sec]

it's great, i want join this project!

[LuCiFeR[SD]]

[Removed]

[Shield]

It doesn't make sense to me. IMHO it's a huge waste of time to convert
all the outdated source codes, most of them won't be used anyway, really.

I think it's enough to move all the codes into a "legacy" section with a short
notice on the version and that if needed, codes can be converted on demand.
I'm sure a lot of people here would be willing to help when needed.

It might also be a cool idea to update the Code Archive into an online version
where interesting sources can be stored and accessed by everyone.
Maybe in some kind of Wiki style?

[Josh]

I believe that we should not fix all the code, located on the forum.

What's the problem? In case only 10% of the tips & tricks are fixed, it's better then 0%

[PB]

> it's a huge waste of time to convert all the outdated source codes

Who's time is wasted, exactly? Nobody's forcing you personally to do it.
All you need to do is keep visiting here like normal and you'll see all the
older code suddenly working with 5.20, due to other people with time
on their hands doing the work out of the goodness of their heart.

I think it's a great idea!

[LuCiFeR[SD]]

[Removed]