Make MPI a standard for all skins and plugins! (1 Viewer)

Dadeo

Docs Group Manager
  • Premium Supporter
  • November 26, 2006
    5,340
    3,321
    Himalayas, India
    Home Country
    Canada Canada
    I may get hate mail for suggesting this, but what about making MPI a standard for all plugins and skins? In going through the forums I find many problems that have resulted from improper installation of skins or plugins. Sometimes it is really hard to tell which you should install first! MPI could check to see if the current skin supports the plugin being installed and only overwrite older files.

    I realize this is not so relevant for experienced MP users, but I think with the dawn of MP 1.0 we need to simplify installation and configuration of MP. Not to mention Documentation!

    I don't want to hamper development, it is one of the greatest parts of MP. But as MP gets more and more new users I think Plugins and Skins should remain beta and not appear in the repository (or on the Home Page) until there is an MPI file to install them. Also, they should not be 'released' until the WIKI has been updated, and there should be a link to the relevant Wiki page in the MPI file.

    Ok, you can have a go at me now! If you feel this is contrary to Open Source development, let me know.

    If this is not the right place in the forum to suggest this, feel free to move this post!:)
     

    Paranoid Delusion

    Moderation Manager
  • Premium Supporter
  • June 13, 2005
    13,062
    2,978
    Cheshire
    Home Country
    United Kingdom United Kingdom
    This is being discussed at the moment, this involves a more upto date version of the MPI tool which may not be a problem, dukus is looking at this and thanks goes to him.

    The issue arises that the website needs updating to be able to take full advantage of the change and despite numerous offers of help to do this, nothing has happened :(

    It would be lovely to browse MPI downloads from the MP GUI and download\install them from there :)
     

    Dadeo

    Docs Group Manager
  • Premium Supporter
  • November 26, 2006
    5,340
    3,321
    Himalayas, India
    Home Country
    Canada Canada
    That's good news, thanks! What a great idea to browse and install from within the MP GUI!

    IMHO the development has outstripped the supporting systems, which is fine cuz now we have a very good stable robust product. But it's time to catch up! The main part of MP has come a long way and is mostly well documented, but all the plugins and skins.... OMG! And it is only going to get better (or worse!) What about the idea of having teams, i.e. a Plugin Developer, Skin developer and Wiki expert work together? Although everyone is very collaborative, it doesn't seem that formalized!

    I want to add that it was fantastic to see a guide for new users iincluded in MP 1.0 install! Kudos to whoever did that! Keep up the good work!
     

    mattsk88

    Community Skin Designer
    March 27, 2008
    363
    216
    The MPI isn't really flexible enough in my opinion. I agree that setup is hard and one of my main goals as part of the Streamed MP dev group is to make installation easier. Our installer currently installs the skin and other main plugins (TV Series & Moving Pictures) as well as giving some extra skin choices. It would be good if most skins/plugins also took this approach.
     

    Dadeo

    Docs Group Manager
  • Premium Supporter
  • November 26, 2006
    5,340
    3,321
    Himalayas, India
    Home Country
    Canada Canada
    I'm trying to look at it from a new user's point of view and I think there are going to be a lot of new users in the next year (MP has reached that point) and may not be as expert as most current MP users are! So, different installers for each plugin/skin, documentation on different sites with different standards is a users nightmare. Personally, I'd love it if you guys could work to improve MPI or work with it's developers to create a replacement based on the installer you have done. As PD said they are looking at improving it right now.

    Is your Skin released? I couldn't find it in the repository or anything on the Wiki? Just on your Google Code Page (where it looks fantastic BTW!)
     

    mattsk88

    Community Skin Designer
    March 27, 2008
    363
    216
    I'm trying to look at it from a new user's point of view and I think there are going to be a lot of new users in the next year (MP has reached that point) and may not be as expert as most current MP users are! So, different installers for each plugin/skin, documentation on different sites with different standards is a users nightmare. Personally, I'd love it if you guys could work to improve MPI or work with it's developers to create a replacement based on the installer you have done. As PD said they are looking at improving it right now.

    Is your Skin released? I couldn't find it in the repository or anything on the Wiki? Just on your Google Code Page (where it looks fantastic BTW!)

    Yes the skin has been released, we havent added it to the repository just yet as we wanted to make it a little more stable. Next release will be added to the repository:)
     

    tamvegas

    MP Donator
  • Premium Supporter
  • June 20, 2008
    174
    34
    Las Vegas, NV
    Home Country
    United States of America United States of America
    First off I'm glad you're still working on Streamed MP! I have version 3.270 and am completely pleased. A couple minor tweaks I'd like but I'll put them in the appropriate forum. I tried the video background a day ago and love that look! Thanks.

    On the plugins MPI, I completely agree. It will help a lot. And if I may make a small suggestion? In the installer, could there be a date or version compatibility filter so that when you download the list of available plugins only those compaitble with 1.0 and later are listed? I like to use the installer when I can yet am always nervous about whether it has checked for the current release or not.

    Or if it already does this, maybe a line on the screen letting you know which versions these plugins are compatible with.

    Maybe keep a separate download area for non MPI plugins too. They'll be available and we can review what people are working on yet it may encourage more developers to put it into an MPI package.

    And thanks for all the great work!:D
     

    Dadeo

    Docs Group Manager
  • Premium Supporter
  • November 26, 2006
    5,340
    3,321
    Himalayas, India
    Home Country
    Canada Canada
    Mattsk88 I checked it out, even on my 4:3 screen it looks pretty good! (I read somewhere someone thought it would be a mess on 4:3 but it isn't! Are you ever thinking of a 4:3 version? I'll try fiddling to see if I can make it readable.

    Your install package is definitely, and definitively fantastic! It sets a whole new standard for skin installation! (as your whole skin does!) Now can we get that for the plugins too!

    I hope when you are done, you can set a new standard for documentation as well! I don't want much eh? Just like most MP Users!

    Three cheers to you guys, and Happy New Year!
     

    zebons

    Portal Pro
    January 2, 2006
    1,484
    114
    What happen to my submitted mpi file ?

    I have submited tje latest version of MyFilms (v4.8.0) as an mpi file in the mpi installer section here last sunday and I don't see it in the download section ...

    What's happen ? Can somebody valid my file to post iy in the download section ?
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Top Bottom