intransigent PCP or the superior MPS?

[spaniel]

So many have been left pulling their hair out with PCP, its labyrinth system turns even the most click-fetish hungry off, and its creator seems to have abandoned it.

So to open this brand new forum, i'd like to discuss an alternative that is already slowly being coded to work with IM by some outside coders.


Meet the ferrari of php profiling: [url=http]MyProfileSpace (MPS)[/url]

Those using it already say it's much easier to work with than PCP (it's already been integrated with Smartor's Photo Album) and has huge potential for further development - it's creator hasn't given up on it yet and is going as quickly as he can to re-code it for phpbb3.

I don't want to talk about the pros and cons of MPS as any coder will tell you cons are there to be overcome, and defeatist talk gets noone nowhere. What I want to focus on is ways it and phpbb2 or 3 could be integrated with IM Portal, and find out if there are any coders up for a challenge.

I dont want to play down the disadvantages either. MPS is still in beta and it wouldn't be possible to code it into something like IM141, but there are those coding it to work with IM Portal so the rest as they say can be coded from there.

I'd show you examples that'd blow your socks off but need to ok that with the owners.

Also IntegraMod is being recoded for phpbb3 anyway so what about MPS as an alternative, e.g. IM3 + PCP and IM3 + MPS ?

[DjPorkchop]

As per our Pm, MPS can be integrated into PCP, but it is still in beta. As a matter of fact, it has been in Beta for atleast a year and a half that I can vouch for. I just dont know if it is worth the effort to try and integrate it yet as a RC version could pop out at any time. AND to add to the mix, Jadestone is completely recoding MPS for phpBB2. I have been wanting to upgrade my website for a good long time now and have not done so for this very reason.

A complete recode coming out after PCP integration would mean that someone has wasted a whole bunch of time for absolutely no reason what so ever. And the recode is right around the corner. THe only thing left he is working on I believe is the Bulletin system.

The best bet with using the MPS mod is run a IM Portal website. It does not have all the bells and whistles that Integramod has, but is none the less a great way to go for MPS mod. Myself and Teelk came to this agreement long ago, that once and only once MPS became RC he would gladly take on the task. And personally, I cant say as I blame him either. PCP integration is not an easy thing to do. I Integrated the reputation mod a few days ago and it literally took me hours on end just to halfway get it right.

I am however for my own personal pleasure, exploring a MPS integration, but Im really badly trying to hold off for the recode to get done. And as far as I know, I'm the MPS expert around here as no Integramod users can use it, and very few IM Portal users use it at all. And I believe the reason is, it is Beta. If I come up with anything I will gladly share any information I can get my hands on.

[spaniel]

That's good news it can be coded into PCP as there are some good sides to PCP (like the Labyrinth is an annoying film but if you're a David Bowie fan...)

MPS has such huge potential tho - i'm suprised no rich millionaire hasn't seen it and employed Jadestone to finish it off.

Oh but if i win the lottery... <img>

[Helter]

mps is not a replacement for PCP mps is simply another, more elaborate public profile, with the ability to allow users to set up thier profile to look like a webpage. The current public version will probably never be RC as the developer is already working on a phpbb3 version.
The current release is also very buggy and difficult to add to themes other than subsilver. It can be done, Ive already made 4 templates for it before I finally got frustrated by the bugs

[spaniel]

roll on phpbb3 ) ... IM with MPS could do for social networking what phpbb did for forums and wordpress did for blogging.

[Helter]

im sure it will be available as a mod, but i doubt it will be included in IM for a few reasons. First, it would make it very difficult for users to add any UCP mods. Second, 141 suffers from the bloat of many unused mods which leads to high memory requirements. One of the main goals of IM3 is speed and light server requirements, followed by a very wide range of use. Meaning it can be used as a base for any type of community.
I also expect the phpbb3 version to be in development for over a year, going by the history of the phpbb2 version

[DjPorkchop]

Well, as far as the bugs go, he has done a good job getting rid of most of them and with a lot of help from users. Me personally, I have debugged a bunch of stuff for it as well. And as stated, it is merely in Beta stage. Jeremy is working as a programmer at a new job and has been very busy. I do believe if I am not mistaken, that he has stopped work on phpBB3 to get out the recode for phpBB2. I have saw the code and so far it is VERY superior to what he originally had done.

As far as Integrating it in as a Integrated Mod in Integramod, I think that is really a mod that is best to a per user basis. I am integrating it in my little thing Im putting together, but that is me. Its not a release as in a MAJOR thing for integramod or anything. It is for personal pleasure of putting such a large project together merely to see if I can pull it off or not.

In my opinion, MPS is WAY not ready for release with any RC package such as Integramod. And as Helterskelter has pointed out, it is VERY difficult to integrate with other themes. It took me hours to figure out the trick just to get Integra2 theme to work on mine.

I have allready talked to Jeremy and he has no plans at all to ever integrate it with PCP. Teelk, now thats a different story. But as I said before many times allready, he will only attempt it IF MPS ever comes out of Beta. And right now Teelk is on a personal adventure of what ever it is. So I wouldnt hold my breath waiting.

After I get all my other projects done, I am going to take a stab at it, but that is months away. And I most likely will not even attempt it until Jeremy gets a complete recode done for phpBB2.

[richiebgood]

so the best option for the minute is you really wanted mps is to use it along side by side with PCP?

Keep PCP for private user used i.e. topics and pm's


Then use MPS for their public profiling?

[DjPorkchop]

In the version I am working on, as I said, it wont be nothing but a REAL fancy IM Portal, meaning it will not contain PCP what so ever.

THe PCP integration is a different story. I just want to know if I can do it or not. Nothing more, nothing less. AND so many people have asked me to install MPS Mod over the last couple of years, thus making it possible for me to just do 1 install and be done. If they want any other theme besides subSilver, it is all up to them unless they feel like donating dearly to me.

Nothing is meant to replace anything at all. PCP ads a bit of a professional look and feel to a Profile, although it is loaded down with stuff that is just redundant as pointed out once before. For example, We have a pic on public tab and another separate photo tab as well. No need for it, thus the redundancy I spoke of comes into play. MPS Mod, looses the professional look. Allthough it is an option to use it or not in the ACP, I jsut dont think that most people who use this CMS for business, would have the need for a Social Networking .script at all. If PCP is done away with, what then for them? Loads of people just lost something that every single person who uses Integramod uses, for something that most likely would never be used. THEN you get stuck with plain jane phpBB looking profiles. It's give and take and in the case of a RC version with MPS mod, that would be more giving then taking. and most likely in our time will never reach RC. I sure would love it, but Im not holding my breath. And when he releases the phpBB3 version, Im not upgrading either. I dont like phpBB3.

I am done with MPS Mod here. My Idea was a simple one and I fear it has got taken way out of context. Like I said, it is so I dont have to do 15 or 20 separate installs a year. It was never meant as a take over PCP deal at all. Personally, I have a love hate relationship with PCP. I love to hate it.

Now after my version is complete, I will have a install so I can visit a persons site, upload and click install and be done and out of there. 15 minutes max verses weeks.

Allthough I wont discuss it here anymore, I will be posting updates on my website. I am strictly going to use this PCP forum as a means of communication with the community who is using PCP and wants to know how or what to do. Kind of a "Tips & Tricks" Thats what it was meant for to begin with I do believe so thats exactly how I am going to use it.

I do have a mod I have integrated and will be posting back here tonight with a "How To" post. Check back. <img>

[spaniel]

(PCP) is loaded down with stuff that is just redundant as pointed out once before. For example, we have a pic on public tab and another separate photo tab as well. No need for it, thus the redundancy I spoke of comes into play.

i've hacked away at it and got rid of all the baggage including the Avatar and profile pic. I let the Photo Album set the Avatar and hold all the pix. What was the Avatar tab is now a page with a link to personal galleries and the usergroups (cos there's a Usergroup box in the profile and a Usergroup tab, but no way to join them in PCP and users who've never seen it before find that a little "weird" - that's the word they used).

I also put in a text box and changed the phone number boxes to website boxes, as people often have several profiles and their own website, but certainly don't want to publicise their home telephone number on the open net.

I rearranged it so that things were organised according to type which makes it easier to read.

I reorganised the Labyrinth at the backend for all the input (altho i'm still reorganising it) and renamed many of the tabs to describe more accurately what was in them, and now it's much easier and more logical for users to use (before they were almost completely lost).

When i finish the backend of it and copy it over to a new test version, i'll show u some images of it.

No other part of IM141 has taken up so much of my time (more than a month). I'm extremely grateful tho for the PCP section in Admin cos that has made life a lot easier.

There are still things i can't get to work tho or can't figure out how to do, e.g. creating new tabs - not as easy as it seems.

I jsut dont think that most people who use this CMS for business, would have the need for a Social Networking .script at all. If PCP is done away with, what then for them?

I disagree - i'm not sure of many businesses opting to use PCP in the first place, and secondly, many businesses are falling over themselves to surf on the myspace/youtube/facebook wave... so methinks they'd jump at the chance of having something of that ilk, rather than the dated and cumbersome Labyrinth that is PCP.

The rule of thumb in business is that if the customer/client has to think about it, it means it's costing you time which is costing you money.

Hands up who has to think about using PCP before you can use it?


Is it not possible to code PCP into being something of a MPS system? It seems to like having existing fields changed, how about recoding it so that it has the flexibility of, say, IM portal blocks?

[DjPorkchop]

Register at my website and try to use MPS properly. <img> I know how to use it but most find it difficult and too bulky

[salmercker]

ok it took me a couple days to figure out exactly how to do it BUT I did have MPS installed with integramod awhile ago. my server crashed tho and i lost everything thanks to the fact that i dont back anything up lol.

I will take a stab at reinstalling it again. ALSO, getting it to work with other themes seemed easy to me. on the board i had it installed on not only did i get it to work with all 9 of my themes but i changed the look of it around cause i didnt like how some of it laid out.

on the note of adding MPS with or instead of PCP I'm all for it! I love MPS. I had grabbed it because i was going to start a all adult version of myspace and that fit perfectly! then i found out there already was a adultspace.com lol

[DjPorkchop]

I can most certainly agree that MPS is fun to mess with and can ad to many a websites integrity and overall use for users, but to "Replace" PCP.......I cant go for that one at all. Remove PCP all together, that I can agree with <img> I think MPS is best left up to the user to decide if they wanted to use or not. To add it to a forum as a default install would be overkill in my opinion. And besides, like I said before, 2 years later and it is still nothing more then a Beta release.

BUT I would love to see it in action with PCP. Im not saying it can't be done. Anything is possible, but I have personally never saw it done before and I have been using MPS mod since version 1.0j or something like that.