An open letter to responsible script guys at XBMC
#46
Ok I might as well add my 2 cents worth too then... Personally I have no problem with how the plugins are installed and I agree that it would be a very difficult and time consuming job to keep updating them when website structures change. The SVN Repo has improved a hell of a lot in the past few months and is working great, especially with the option of Update for currrently installed plugins. I have installed xbmc on xbox for many friends and family who have no idea how the more technical details work, if they can switch it on and can watch films/tv shows they are well happy and even they have no problem with using the SVN Repo Installer so it must be pretty user friendly. Ideally it would be nice to have a cross between the Installer Passion XBMC script (where it gives a description of the plugin and whether it's US only etc.) and SVN Repo Installer plugin. As soon as there is a known issue with a plugin the description could easily be changed to say something is currently broken and whether or not a fix is yet available. That would surely help out the end user - if they are experiencing problems they can just look at the SVN Repo plugin and it will tell them if there is a known issue with the plugin they're trying to use. One other addition I'd like to see in the SVN Repo is a "latest" folder or sort by date added to make it easier to find any new ones. Like I say I'm personally happy with the way it's all been going anyway but if the majority feel it necessary for a change maybe this could be the way?
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#47
whufclee Wrote:Ok I might as well add my 2 cents worth too then... Personally I have no problem with how the plugins are installed and I agree that it would be a very difficult and time consuming job to keep updating them when website structures change. The SVN Repo has improved a hell of a lot in the past few months and is working great, especially with the option of Update for currrently installed plugins. I have installed xbmc on xbox for many friends and family who have no idea how the more technical details work, if they can switch it on and can watch films/tv shows they are well happy and even they have no problem with using the SVN Repo Installer so it must be pretty user friendly. Ideally it would be nice to have a cross between the Installer Passion XBMC script (where it gives a description of the plugin and whether it's US only etc.) and SVN Repo Installer plugin. As soon as there is a known issue with a plugin the description could easily be changed to say something is currently broken and whether or not a fix is yet available. That would surely help out the end user - if they are experiencing problems they can just look at the SVN Repo plugin and it will tell them if there is a known issue with the plugin they're trying to use. One other addition I'd like to see in the SVN Repo is a "latest" folder or sort by date added to make it easier to find any new ones. Like I say I'm personally happy with the way it's all been going anyway but if the majority feel it necessary for a change maybe this could be the way?

1- svn(or other) repo with ratings and description for the install side.
rating could be a plugin/script feature, instead of an xbmc one (standard rate-me button/dialog) that would update the plugin's rating on the repo. I don't see why xbmc should be bothering with rating third-party plugins when the info really only matters to the plugin dev and his/hers potential user base.
2- Ability to remove plugins (working or broken) right from inside xbmc

What would need to be done in that case is defining the repo's API and publishing it to the plugin devs so can can make use of it.
Bang! you got yourself an ideal situation (breathe under water is possible with a special type of water Big Grin).
openSUSE 11.2 | SVN XBMC
I'm... dreaming... of a quiet... HTPC
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#48
Does anyone have a list of currently working plugins? I can setup a test repository to show what is possible.
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#49
I can create one for you out of the ones I've been using, when I get home tonight.

Regards,
pX
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#50
all these suggestions and ideas have not yet sunk into my mind, but there will be a solution for it in the end, right now we really want to focus on getting the installer out there. Smile
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#51
I apparently missed something important -- is there going to be an OFFICIAL XBMC installer then? Will it use the same repo as the svn repo installer?
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#52
yes there will be an official installer and it will use several svn repos
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#53
Is it based on the existing SVN Repo Installer (ie, will it be a python plugin itself?) or... Is this something more integrated?
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#54
it will be a python script (plugin are limited)
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An open letter to responsible script guys at XBMC0