Kerbal Stuff, an open-source Space Port replacement

[SirCmpwn]

the needed data:

KerbiceGroup

Rover'N'Others set 1 (mod 78 according to its URL)

I don't think it was off-screen but don't look for it too.

Why don't adding it ? Picking a pic from already uploaded set save some bandwidth, storage and time.

Ah, but it doesn't save any of my time I'm better off working on other things.

I see what was wrong with your header image. It's a known issue that's on the TODO list.

[rynak]

It's nice to see an alternative to curse, but as it is now, to me as a player, it isn't really anymore useful yet:

- Apparently uses all kinds of recent HTML or CSS standards stuff, which makes page layout and design break in places.

- Doesn't offer a search function. On the upside, this means we won't waste our time with a search that doesn't work, and right away ask blekko or google (so in a way, it's superior to all those sites with a search-func, that couldn't find its own nose, if its life depended on it)

- The layout for listing mods is..... umm....no one designed this for listing mods, correct? This has to be stock of whatever webapp you're using?

- On the upside, the download-pages of mods are working just fine. So right now, it basically is a well working download mirror, to which other sites can link.

Anyways, those are the three immediate concerns i can think of: a plaintext search that actually works, plus categories. List pages that work and are easy to navigate. Alert by email? Who the heck cares, when the most basic stuff is still missing. Forget web 2.0 or 3.0 crap.... just make sure that web 1.0 features are in place (that's an issue i have with many websites nowadays: All kinds of fluff toys, but the most basic things no longer work or are unavailable.

[SirCmpwn]

Quote

- Apparently uses all kinds of recent HTML or CSS standards stuff, which makes page layout and design break in places.

What places? Which browser are you using? Also, a redesign is coming soon.

Quote

- Doesn't offer a search function. On the upside, this means we won't waste our time with a search that doesn't work, and right away ask blekko or google (so in a way, it's superior to all those sites with a search-func, that couldn't find its own nose, if its life depended on it)

Except for the part where it does have a search? [Moderator removed defunct website link]

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- The layout for listing mods is..... umm....no one designed this for listing mods, correct? This has to be stock of whatever webapp you're using?

Kerbal Stuff is built from scratch. If you paid attention to the rest of the thread (or even just the original post), you'd know that the browse page is scheduled for improvements.

Quote

Anyways, those are the three immediate concerns i can think of: a plaintext search that actually works, plus categories. List pages that work and are easy to navigate. Alert by email? Who the heck cares, when the most basic stuff is still missing. Forget web 2.0 or 3.0 crap.... just make sure that web 1.0 features are in place (that's an issue i have with many websites nowadays: All kinds of fluff toys, but the most basic things no longer work or are unavailable.

Maybe you should read the ....ing todo list in the original post before you go running your mouth. It's a beta for a reason, you know.

Edited August 28, 2022 by James Kerman
link removed

[Justin Kerbice]

rynak is right for the last item IMHO, a cute box which doesn't work is not as good as a crappy box which works .

Regarding your TODO list, error checking should be 1st, as the web is probably the least reliable thing ever made on Earth and a good thing to keep in mind when creating CGIs is "everyting could fail" !

[SirCmpwn]

rynak is right for the last item IMHO, a cute box which doesn't work is not as good as a crappy box which works .

Regarding your TODO list, error checking should be 1st, as the web is probably the least reliable thing ever made on Earth and a good thing to keep in mind when creating CGIs is "everyting could fail" !

The TODO list is unordered. And there is error checking - the user just isn't told about it in a friendly way.

[Ippo]

I absolutely disagree: email alerts are by far the single most useful feature of the whole site, at least in my opinion.

Remember that most people search for new mods on the forum, and then go to the hosting site for the download only.

[rynak]

What places? Which browser are you using? Also, a redesign is coming soon.

Every page except of the DL page has more or less glitches. Just try it with older browsers.

Except for the part where it does have a search? http://beta.kerbalstuff.com/search?query=ferram

ROFLMAO - thats awesome: It does have search functionality - the user just cannot see it. What could be the problem? >.>

Kerbal Stuff is built from scratch. If you paid attention to the rest of the thread (or even just the original post), you'd know that the browse page is scheduled for improvements.

I did read the first post. That it is built from scratch, explains none of the issues i mentioned, because the site does already have technically much more difficult features, than the ones i mentioned. Of course, that is unless the site is NOT built from scratch, and you're using existing software?

"It's a beta, lalalala - you can't say anything! It's free - i'm not responsible for anything, and you must love me" (rynak: He didn't say that, but i just got the n-th deja vu)

Riiight.

I absolutely disagree: email alerts are by far the single most useful feature of the whole site, at least in my opinion.

Remember that most people search for new mods on the forum, and then go to the hosting site for the download only.

E-Mail alerts are a more useful feature than a plaintext search field that works. Mkay. People are currently not using the site for X, because it cannot do X, so that makes it okay. Mkay!

-snip-

Edited July 28, 2014 by KasperVld

[SirCmpwn]

Just in case anyone was wondering, here's some info about the browsers people use to connect to Kerbal Stuff:

• Chrome 36: 37%
  
• Chrome 35: 19%
  
• Firefox 30: 20%
  
• Firefox 31: 3%
  

Of the remainder, nearly everyone is only one or two versions behind. Thanks for using an up-to-date browser, everyone, it makes my life a lot easier!

I also want to say "thanks" to those found the huge search box on the home page useful. I know it can be difficult to make out the 14,000 pixels of space on the top of the home page I've given it, but thank you for perservering.

Thanks again for sticking with Kerbal Stuff during beta, and I'm sorry I can't build all the features at once. I will strive to be more superhuman during upcoming development.

[Ippo]

Excuse me, i must leave before i suffer permanent brain damage.

I think you are a little too late for that, if you can't find the search box that is located exactly at the top of the main page:

Also, really: older browsers? Your fault. Period. By the way, what's up with all this hate?

[Virtualgenius]

SirCmpwn please keep going this is the only real alternative to Curse please ignore all the Haters, I hate Curse (filthy site it is, worst reputation on the internet) and I love Kerbalstuff every mod I use I ask the author to host here, the email notifications would be the best feature you implemented i got a notification from the site that said FASA was ok for 0.242 before I knew 0.242 had come out how cool is that.

[KasperVld]

(...)

Please refrain from such cynical posts and help the author move his project forward instead. It's rude.

[cpast]

By "browse all results for several pages", do you mean browsing multiple pages of search results when they're there? If not, that could go on the list (I would assume that that's what it means, except you then say in parentheses "(and thus view all mods on the site)").

[AlphaAsh]

I like Kerbal Stuff. It's coming along nicely. It's for the community, made and run by the community. I'll be putting my other mods up there shortly. Curse is an industrial mess I refuse to use.

[Ippo]

You know Sir, I was thinking that it would be nice to have some very very basic metrics about the site. Maybe in the about page you could just put a couple of numbers, like the number of users, mods and authors?

[SirCmpwn]

You know Sir, I was thinking that it would be nice to have some very very basic metrics about the site. Maybe in the about page you could just put a couple of numbers, like the number of users, mods and authors?

There are 453 users and 65 mods. Of those users, 40 of them are mod authors. In total, Kerbal Stuff has seen 20,175 unique visitors who have accumulated 111,650 pageviews together. Roughly 4,000 people visit the site each day.

I don't feel like making a page with this info but feel free to ask for it any time.

By "browse all results for several pages", do you mean browsing multiple pages of search results when they're there? If not, that could go on the list (I would assume that that's what it means, except you then say in parentheses "(and thus view all mods on the site)").

Yes, that's something I intend to do.

[Ippo]

... Has it changed yet?

[SirCmpwn]

... Has it changed yet?

There have been another 200ish pageviews, no new users, and no new mods.

[Master Tao]

... Has it changed yet?

You asked a few hours too late. I signed up earlier today.

It's great so far, and everything I've been looking for is already on the TODO list. Might add a link to the TODO list from the main page so new visitors have more of an idea of the plans.

[TheAlmightyOS]

Ok, so I found the forum page.

Like I said in my email, I want to actively help out on this project. What do you need? What can I do?

[SirCmpwn]

Ok, so I found the forum page.

Like I said in my email, I want to actively help out on this project. What do you need? What can I do?

You could start by bringing the rest of the thread (who was not, of course, copied on the email) into the loop about your intentions.

As for how you can actually help, I suggest sitting tight until the redesign is in place.

[TheAlmightyOS]

You could start by bringing the rest of the thread (who was not, of course, copied on the email) into the loop about your intentions.

As for how you can actually help, I suggest sitting tight until the redesign is in place.

Ah. Of course. This is the email I sent to SirCmpwn:

First, I want you to read something:

http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/88733-Where-you-want-Mods-hosted

Maybe the modders don't see it but there is a huge flaw in the modding community when users are having a hard time finding mods and have to resort to summery threads like this one here: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/55401

I have come to the conclusions that 1) Modders and Mod users alike hate Curse and 2) Most Modders, even if they do not post to Kerbal Stuff, look upon it favorably.

I want to fix this modding community. And Kerbal Stuff is my best chance. You got an awesome start on it. Great design and features - for the modders. Needs some work for landing page and end user experience. The mods need categorized (I know there are only a few mods but think about scale-ability) and more information about the mod could not hurt in the list (example: latest version compatible with)

I am not a coder. I can look at code, figure out what it does, copy and modify, but as far as writing my own I am a novice. My primary skill is testing UI for end users and support of said UI. It is literally my job as LV4 technical support at [REMOVED] (email me at [REMOVED] to verify if you like) to find trouble areas in web application UI's and suggest fixes. I think I could bring you some perspective that will REALLY push KS into being the primary repo.

Give it some thought. I look forward to helping out.

Now, after I sent that email he pointed me to this thread and sent links to his redesign, which addresses many of the issues I had with the original.

But I just can't sit on my hands while he does all the work. He is building us a mod repo, so let's drum it up! Advertise! Think up some perks for modders to switch to KS!

[AlphaAsh]

I do agree that a priority should be categories. Just not tags, please. Being able to have a mod in multiple categories would be cool. It can be tempting for modders to put a mod in less-than-appropriate categories for coverage though, so a limit would be wise. Three perhaps, with one as the primary and the other two secondary. This does mean the categories have to be carefully thought out with as little redundancy as possible. Erm, so good luck on that if you go this way I didn't volunteer. Ahem.

[TheAlmightyOS]

Being able to have a mod in multiple categories would be cool. It can be tempting for modders to put a mod in less-than-appropriate categories for coverage though, so a limit would be wise. Three perhaps, with one as the primary and the other two secondary. This does mean the categories have to be carefully thought out with as little redundancy as possible.

I respectfully disagree. While I can see the difficulty of choosing a category for a mod that could potentially fit in separate categories, it is my opinion that the mod author will need to choose one or the other. Here is my reasoning: Many mods are "Packs", or large groups of parts with each part possibly fitting into a different category. KWRocketry, for instance, is grouped into four categories in Curse (Parts Pack, Sub-Assembly, Structural & Aerodynamic and Command & Control). Just from having that particular mod I know it could also be added to Propulsion too. So, what is going to happen when the user starts browsing the different categories? They are going to see the same mods at the top. To increase the exposure of the other mods in those categories we need to limit mods to a single category. However, categories still need to be thought out carefully.

And yes, Tags are a terrible idea.

[SirCmpwn]

Remember that Kerbal Stuff is a curated repository. I have no qualms about re-categorizing mods, and I have deleted a couple of crappy "mods" that have already been uploaded. I have appointed other admins who are encouraged to do the same. Users who abuse the system will have their efforts undone and will be given a stern talking to, perhaps followed up with more drastic action.

[TheAlmightyOS]

Remember that Kerbal Stuff is a curated repository. I have no qualms about re-categorizing mods, and I have deleted a couple of crappy "mods" that have already been uploaded. I have appointed other admins who are encouraged to do the same. Users who abuse the system will have their efforts undone and will be given a stern talking to, perhaps followed up with more drastic action.

Ah, yes that will help stem such abuses. However, some basic guidelines for such issues should be in place. Using the example of the KWRocketry again I do not believe it was an attempt to abuse the system but rather place the mod in the categories it fit. And it legitimately fit into several. What kind of guidelines would the mods use to determine where a part would go and, if using multiple categories, are you concerned about the more popular mods "stealing the spotlight" from others in those categories?