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Why is the OBEX a problem? — Parallax Forums

Why is the OBEX a problem?

lardomlardom Posts: 1,659
edited 2012-08-06 12:31 in Propeller 1
I've read that the obex is tough to maintain. The reason I don't ask this in the thread about the GSL is because the conversation is discussed among 'gold standard' authors and I'm still a sophmore coder.
I have benefited a great deal from the code I've found in the obex. I submitted one object that appears to have helped some people. (I'm basing that on a YouTube comment where my real name was mentioned). I had two more objects that I was certain a few would find useful but now I'm thinking the only way for me to share them as a 'non-gold standard' author is to post them is in the forum.

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-08-04 09:18
    Larry,

    The forum is the default code repository for a lot of us, myself included. (I gave up on the OBEX long ago.) The difficulty with doing it that way, though, is that the code can get lost in the matrix, so to speak. Still, whatever Parallax comes up with will have to be at least as easy to use as posting in the forum, or else it won't get used.

    I suggested privately that perhaps the simplest thing to do would be to set up an OBEX in the forum, with subforums delineating the various categories. Everyone would be free to submit to an "entry ramp" subforum, with the committers being charged with elevating a submission's status to the correct category, once it met the strict standards of content, tags, and formatting required to facilitate effective searches. My thought was that it's a place where people go anyway, so it wouldn't require a separate login, and users could easily submit code, and comment on and make corrections the submissions of others. But apparently the forum software lacks sufficient structure for what Parallax is wanting to accomplish.

    Like you, I'm a little concerned that too much structure will turn off new users. Nonetheless, I'm glad to see the initiative being taken to overcome the current OBEX's deficiencies, and I think it deserves our support to give it a fair trial.

    -Phil
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,826
    edited 2012-08-04 10:06
    I still like OBEX. I look there first for things.

    You might find stuff on the forum, but then the copyright and license is murky.

    Haven't read all the other threads, but I imagine they are looking for somewhere to put C code...
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-08-04 10:40
    Rayman wrote: »
    Haven't read all the other threads, but I imagine they are looking for somewhere to put C code...

    Not at all. Read more.
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    edited 2012-08-04 10:48
    I think of the OBEX as a place to put code when you want people to find it:)
    Putting code on the forum is fine for ongoing conversations, but a sure to get it lost once the conversation has ended.
    Parallax is always looking for better ways to do things. From a user's perspective, the OBEX is hard to beat.
    But "user's" don't have to maintain it:) I worry about gatekeepers of any kind. And I think that the forum is not a very good repository.
    Whatever happens, it will be interesting, hotly debated, and fun!!!

    Rich
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2012-08-04 17:05
    Rayman wrote: »
    I still like OBEX. I look there first for things.

    You might find stuff on the forum, but then the copyright and license is murky.

    Haven't read all the other threads, but I imagine they are looking for somewhere to put C code...

    C Code used to live in the OBEX, but Parallax pulled it because of ICCV7 EOL. I thought that was a bad move, since I, and a few others, own ICCV7, would loose the code. Ken was nice enough to zip all in a file and post it here:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?135761-ICCV7-C-Code-Posted-Here-OBEX-changes-to-accommodate-GCC

    I notice there are still two or three C programs in the OBEX if you spend the 15 minutes to look for them

    Jim
  • Invent-O-DocInvent-O-Doc Posts: 768
    edited 2012-08-05 06:33
    I posted recently and learned why. The search functionality is very crippled.
  • BTXBTX Posts: 674
    edited 2012-08-05 16:07
    I don't understand why it's a problem to maitain it....I also found OBEX so usefull, and a easy way to look for some code for pchip there :)
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-08-05 17:49
    OK,

    I list some things making me MAD about the obex.

    so you search something, typing in the search-box. It searchs. So far so good.

    you sort the list by clicking some row-header. Your search is GONE.

    you type in again your search. and voila there it is. But the sorting is GONE.

    You try to show - lets say 50 entrys per page. It does. You SORT or SEARCH ... Back to 5 entrys per page

    It is NOT possible at all to Search and Sort at the same time. Or show more than 5 entrys per page and search or sort.

    why is that and why can't this be fixed?

    It makes finding things allmost impossible.

    Guys this are BASICS of any web-application. My customers would kill me if my Applications would work like that.

    Enjoy!

    Mike
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2012-08-05 18:03
    msrobots wrote: »
    Guys this are BASICS of any web-application. My customers would kill me if my Applications would work like that.
    The one person who designed the OBEX is no longer available to maintain it.

    This is why OBEX is a problem.
  • msrobotsmsrobots Posts: 3,709
    edited 2012-08-05 18:34
    Thank you @jazzed,

    this does explain the why. Looking at what the obex does (or is supposed to do) I think it would take me less than a month to build a web-application in C# to replace it. Since I do already run 60 hour weeks I do NOT offer to do this, but I wonder why this is not repaced already.

    I guess there are a couple people out here in these foras able to pull that off even faster then I am able to. And maybe not bound to the net-framework like I am.

    Unbelivable

    Mike
  • rjo__rjo__ Posts: 2,114
    edited 2012-08-06 06:59
    Mike...

    This sounds like a contest...
    I once lost a developer, who did mundane things, that were essential to my business. When he left, my business collapsed. After that, I decided that if I wanted something really important done, if I couldn't do it myself, I wouldn't do it.
    Not a good business model, either:)

    Rich
  • SRLMSRLM Posts: 5,045
    edited 2012-08-06 10:39
    I think the main problem with the Obex is the updating of objects: there is no facility for objects to receive bug fixes or new features. Then there's things like searching/organization, quality control, duplication of efforts, downloading, recommending of "best" objects, and so on.

    Hopefully the new Propsource will fix many of these problems.
  • PublisonPublison Posts: 12,366
    edited 2012-08-06 12:31
    As with the current forum search, it is better to use the Google search on the particular site, such as:

    GPS site:obex.parallax.com

    or

    GPS site:forums.parallax.com

    to search for GPS objects.

    Three letter search criteria does not work for a lot of Parallax searches.

    Jim
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