by pieterh
on 27 Sep 2009 21:32
On Thursday I launched the idea of a 'feature auction', to a generally positive reaction. Today we've completed a simple web application, the Roadmap Project, which lets you make 'pledges' to push certain aspects of Wikidot's ongoing development.
Obviously, this is more interesting to those using Wikidot for business and professional reasons. But even amateur users can lobby for specific aspects, if they feel those are really worthwhile.
I've pre-populated the Roadmap Project with existing data, which shows some of the areas we're working on, today, for paying users. Hopefully the transparency this adds will reassure those who fear that larger, paying clients might distort Wikidot's evolution.
The Roadmap Project is also interesting as an example of a real Wikidot application that collects and displays data. To write the entire application, from scratch (using the default template), took about eight hours. And that is for a pretty finished app, with nice CSS styling and a working user interface.
The About Page is quite important as it provides more information about how the roadmap project will work. I had started to write a longer comment when I went to that page and it answered several questions I had. I'm still not entirely sure at which point the level of pledges will trigger actual development work starting, and how that will be reported back to us, but that will hopefully become clear over time.
Rob
Rob Elliott - Strathpeffer, Scotland - Wikidot first line support & community admin team.
Strathview ~ Wikidot-based wikis, websites & intranets and online database development. For community groups, villages, charities, business and government.
wait, so if we do this, we actually have to pay for it, or its just a way to show its importance to us. never really got that.
I guess this explains what you asked for:
Piotr Gabryjeluk
visit my blog
Besides of all this roadmap idea - i have seen the new diagram - trick
where the important trick is the width:%%content{1}%%0px which takes the factor 10 of content{1} in px for the diagram box….and the USD are in factor 100 of content{1})
Good to know that this is soo easy to create !
Service is my success. My webtips:www.blender.org (Open source), Wikidot-Handbook.
Sie können fragen und mitwirken in der deutschsprachigen » User-Gemeinschaft für WikidotNutzer oder
im deutschen » Wikidot Handbuch ?
We use the same trick in the http://issuetracker-template.wikidot.com application to show high scores. It was Piotr, I think, who invented it.
Portfolio
Multiplying by 10 was invented long long ago ;-)
Piotr Gabryjeluk
visit my blog
Ah, but how about multiplying by, say, 4, using only CSS and no JavaScript? Free wiki to the person who figures it out.
Portfolio
Easy-peasy.
Renders 17x4 pixels long (replace 17 with %%content{whatever}%% and you're done):
Piotr Gabryjeluk
visit my blog
A new way to show ratings? =)
Just tested this and it works perfectly!
Shane Smith ★ Website: Wikidot Development & Programming. ★ STE Wikidot Editor: Windows. Mac. Linux. ★ Twitter. Google+.
Didn't know anything so sleek could be done — amazing work pieter + piotr ;)
I assume that all of those pledges already on there are actual pledges, not just put in to illustrate the idea?
With a $2500 pledge, looks like we'll be getting Data Forms pretty soon.
If only I had $100 $50 to pledge for private categories… I'm working on something that can't be completed without it. Creating a separate private wiki and iframing isn't a viable workaround either for this project.
Edit: Any chance of a design spec in the "design" category, for Data Forms? =)
Shane Smith ★ Website: Wikidot Development & Programming. ★ STE Wikidot Editor: Windows. Mac. Linux. ★ Twitter. Google+.
I'll make a design spec for forms, that's a great idea. The pledges are real though they were made before, and this seemed like a good way to document them. In fact we're making forms and other aspects for a project that wants to make a massive collection of information on art and antiques, contributed by experts around the world. More on that later, when it's working.
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I'm not whingeing, honest, but we now have the roadmap that augmented the weneeds that replaced the pro wishlist and the forum wishlist. What we still don't have is any indication of what is in progress, what is not yet started and what has stalled.
I am not asking for a delivery date or a firm commitment as to when aspects on the roadmap will be delivered. As an IS Project Manager I know that would be unfair and you wouldn't provide it. What I do want is some indication that something is happening, or is not happening as the case may be. At the moment all we have is a nicer-looking version of the weneeds and wishlists for new features with the added kick that we have a soft contract to pay for it. It's not yet a roadmap, just another form of wishlist.
Surely it cannot be too hard to have a traffic light system:
green: assessment and/or development is underway
amber: no assessment or development has started yet
red: assessment or development had started but has stopped for technical or other reasons.
I'm sorry to go on about this but for me it's quite important: there are people I need to given some sort of feedback to and at the moment that is very difficult, as after the pledge is made there is no transparency in the process. If assessment and development has not started on an aspect that is fine: we are adults and can take it. It would just be useful to know.
Rob
Rob Elliott - Strathpeffer, Scotland - Wikidot first line support & community admin team.
Strathview ~ Wikidot-based wikis, websites & intranets and online database development. For community groups, villages, charities, business and government.
Rob, it's a difficult one to answer.
I'll see if it's possible to publish the status of works in progress so you can at least see what is cooking. Your traffic light system looks good. However it will not change the fact that our development team is still too small and spends arbitrary amounts of time on operational work.
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