Wordpress/Textpattern mention

ax · 2015-05-02 04:12:31

GugUser wrote #290346:

The months go by and I see little hope of a new version.

Isn’t Textpattern a mature product already, like the T_EX typesetting system? It’s version numbers are approaching π, currently being 3.14159265.And yet there is some development going on with LaTeX macros, as well as with Textpattern’s plugins, but the basic system is stable. I like using software that is stable and does what is supposed to do, and does it very well.

candyman · 2015-05-02 04:39:17

I understand GugUser’s fears.
They are the same of ProVUE Panorama’s users: a great and powerful database system, without the bells and whistles of FileMaker (Wordpress) practically depending on an unique developer.
On the other hand I’m still hopeful. Users are few but they love TXP. This make the difference, according to me.
The reason we are still there, waiting for the 4.6 release (that, from the outside it seems that it won’t be revolutionary) should mean something.
On the other hand some TXP gurus seem unreplaceable. What about some collection of plugins if their author should switch to another platform? I’ll bet than others developers would adopt his creatures : the GitHub adoption of the last years I think will save us.

In the past I’ve thought about switching to WP too: I would have many possibilities more (for examples many more plugins to try out) but after many years, TXP it’s seem to me like a family :)

On the other hand usually I don’t recommend Textpattern to people who are looking for a simple CMS (like a don’t recommend a coupé to people who are looking for a practical car). I think you must be sure to make an “unpopular” choice.

Last edited by candyman (2015-05-02 05:29:22)

jonathantxp · 2015-05-02 13:09:20

The TXP starter theme is really a marvel. It is great that this developer has devoted his time to make a very modern theme for Textpattern. Here is a list of plug-ins on GitHub (probably well-known already).

The other replies also make me worry a bit about Textpattern’s future. There is not really any other viable alternative to the Mighty WordPress. I looked at DotClear and Serendipity; both are quite resource-hungry, even though they have active communities. Only Textpattern seems to get it right. Google PageSpeed Insights always complains about WP sites having server delays, which is something to avoid and another good reason to use TXP.

But look at PunBB, which was in a similar situation some years ago. It was forked into FluxBB and although no drastic improvements have been made, it has since picked up pace again with the prospect of 2.0 and joining forces with Flarum.

Unfortunately, I have limited knowledge of programming, but aren’t there companies interested in Textpattern’s codebase? Furthermore, I think Textpattern should market its Textile integration/distraction-free writing environment more. OS X apps like Ulysses, IA Writer and ByWord have shown how successful textile-type formatting can be. Textpattern is more of a writer’s tool than Wordpress and if you get the hang of it, it is far more efficient.

Last edited by jonathantxp (2015-05-02 13:50:01)

philwareham · 2015-05-02 18:55:18

I just want to interject here and say I’m still interested in developing Textpattern. It’s true I have been very busy with my day job recently but it won’t always be like that.

If others want to get involved in development they are very welcome to fork and provide patches on GitHub. The more the merrier.

Bloke · 2015-05-02 20:01:46

Likewise, my newish PHP/MySQL day job is sucking the fun out of coding in the same language for fun in the evenings. But every so often I sit down and hash out yet another implementation of Unlimited Custom Fields. Currently on iteration #4, because the others either didn’t scale well or were too complicated. Trying to strike the right balance between core and plugin functionality is peskier than I’d hoped.

As Phil says, anyone willing to jump on board and help out in any way shape or form is more than willing to raise their digital paw. Github’s an open platform.

GugUser · 2015-05-02 20:36:09

Bloke wrote #290384:

Likewise, my newish PHP/MySQL day job is sucking the fun out of coding in the same language for fun in the evenings.

This is easily comprehensible.

bici · 2015-05-03 01:19:52

Bloke wrote #290384:

As Phil says, anyone willing to jump on board and help out in any way shape or form is more than willing to raise their digital paw. Github’s an open platform.

That may be one of the issues. It seems that there are few coders in this forum. … if any … that could pitch in.

There are plenty of new CMSes being developed by the truckload. And yet no developers have wanted to chip in and Extent and Develop Textpattern further. How do we get the knowledgable coders interested?

bici · 2015-05-03 01:24:37

jonathantxp wrote #290374:

The TXP starter theme is really a marvel. It is great that this developer has devoted his time to make a very modern theme for Textpattern.

p.s i have not been able to install the theme. i may be dumb but there is no easy read.me with some instructions.

jpdupont · 2015-05-03 08:26:15

First, for 10 years, every time I try to leave textpattern for a competitor, I come back.

As soon retired teacher, Textpattern was part of a perfect educational sense: HTML> CSS > Textpattern . All my students had dreamed as a static site could materialize in dynamic site with TXP. They easily understand the programming aspect of the Textpattern tags.

In the other (small) part of my life , I have a small business website creation . There, if my site designer work is easy with Textpattern (I think I can do pretty much what I want) , I have a hard time presenting my clients an outdated editing interface.

If a competitor offers a Wordpress offers and demoed the backoffice , I lost in advance …

To my sites operate today, they are based on about 10 essential plugins like abl_droploader, smd_thumbnail, smd_tags, smd_macro, adi_ * …

It makes me stressed out, because I do not know if it will work again tomorrow or after …

Thus, in two months, I would not be a teacher. I will keep and I will develop my small business of creating websites. For me, the educational aspect of Textpattern will be flew away, and if nothing is changing faster I don’t know if TXP will always be my first choice CMS :((

Dragondz · 2015-05-03 08:36:53

Hi

I red all the comments and want to add my 2 cents.

I run a webdesign agency and work only with Textpattern, a lot of website i make are business website and i find textpattern simple and easy to use even for end users, i only need 2 hours to explain how to add articles and images.

I dont see what features is needed in txp to make it better! i allways found workaround for the limitations of txp.

if something is missing then code it!

For the long term, open source project needs money to support the development and that s the challenge that txp must win: attract companies or group of companies to give money and create an organisation (even a little) that can handle the futur of txp.

Cheers and thanks to all dev for their hard work.

jpdupont · 2015-05-03 09:01:25

To answer Dragonz, I do not throw stones at developers whom I thank for the tremendous work done.

They must also live, earn money, take time.

But the reality is what it is:

Uncertainty about the product’s evolution
Plugins essential related to the goodwill of their creator
Back Office overtaken by competitors

A little easier to say “If something is missing, code it”. Not the right way to attract new users, I think.

Last edited by jpdupont (2015-05-03 09:04:30)

jonathantxp · 2015-05-03 10:47:51

bici wrote #290389:

p.s i have not been able to install the theme. i may be dumb but there is no easy read.me with some instructions.

Hi there, I actually also had some trouble. The developer is friendly and helped me on Twitter @txptalk. Perhaps you need to back-up your posts or database (MySQL) first. The next step is to install the arc_meta plug-in . Copy the (text) file contents of the plug-in and paste them in the field Admin > Plug-ins. Afterwards, activate the plug-in on the same page by clicking on “no” (so that it turns to Active? > yes). The other plug-in to import the theme did not work for me, but it appears not to be required.

The hard part is copying all the files from the GitHub zip (view them in OS X with TextWrangler or Notepad++ in Windows). You need to create an awful lot of forms (having the same name and correct type as given in the file names) in the menu Presentation > Forms. Also, you need to create a CSS (not named default but txp-starter-blog) in Styles and also just one page in Page. Apparently, this page template works for every type of page, even static ones (which you can activate by selecting Override form > textpattern-starter-page-default in the article sidebar).

Also, you may read the documentation on the official website (no installation instructions).

It seems TXPtalk is prepping another theme already (TXP flat)… Maybe this theme developer could be invaluable to the project?

sacripant · 2015-05-03 13:05:45

My first post (in french) in 2008 :
TXP, cms en fin de vie ?

Bloke, Philwareham,

I think TXP is used mainly by amateurs or Freelancers. And in this circle of users, the developers Php are becoming increasingly rare. But there are some Php developers in the community, perhaps It would be enough to call them in for help.

Some ideas:

1- A official call for contributions from the Textpattern blog.
2- Perhaps it would be interresting to sort the issues provided from the Millestone 4.6 and highlight those that do not require expert knowledge, to launch a call for contributions on it initially, to allow for new contributors to contribute softly. Build confidence.
3- Reduce the number of issues in ‘Millestone 4.6’ and move to ‘4.7’ for shorten the release of 4.6?

Last edited by sacripant (2015-05-03 13:06:17)

Dragondz · 2015-05-03 14:40:19

jpdupont wrote #290397:

To answer Dragonz, I do not throw stones at developers whom I thank for the tremendous work done.

They must also live, earn money, take time.

But the reality is what it is:

Uncertainty about the product’s evolution

Plugins essential related to the goodwill of their creator

Back Office overtaken by competitors

A little easier to say “If something is missing, code it”. Not the right way to attract new users, I think.

Hi JP

My post is not related to you directly, and for the sentence “if something is missing code it” is related to me and my manner to work with txp.

I am an average coder not good enough to call myself a dev, i mainly copy/past shunk of code found here and there to make things working, and like i said before i dont know what feature txp needs to be better then i cant give advice or direction where to go!

Cheers.

uli · 2015-05-03 16:11:04

sacripant wrote #290401:

official call for contributions from the Textpattern blog.

Brilliant idea :)

Although you devs invite coders quite often via the forum, blog invitations have an official complexion and won’t drown so easily as those from here.

Textpattern CMS

Textpattern CMS support forum

#16 2015-05-02 04:12:31

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

GugUser wrote #290346:

#17 2015-05-02 04:39:17

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#18 2015-05-02 13:09:20

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#19 2015-05-02 18:55:18

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#20 2015-05-02 20:01:46

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#21 2015-05-02 20:36:09

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

Bloke wrote #290384:

#22 2015-05-03 01:19:52

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

Bloke wrote #290384:

#23 2015-05-03 01:24:37

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

jonathantxp wrote #290374:

#24 2015-05-03 08:26:15

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#25 2015-05-03 08:36:53

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#26 2015-05-03 09:01:25

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#27 2015-05-03 10:47:51

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

bici wrote #290389:

#28 2015-05-03 13:05:45

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

#29 2015-05-03 14:40:19

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

jpdupont wrote #290397:

#30 2015-05-03 16:11:04

Re: Wordpress/Textpattern mention

sacripant wrote #290401:

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