Why isnt there proper facebook integration?
Every other photo gallery has a simple button that allows you to share your pictures on facebook. Why doesnt zenphoto have this buildt in. Are you living in 2007???

Yes I know there is a plugin. But that plugin is based on a theme that I think looks like horse manure. Its also too complex to setup for basic users. Coppermine has this straight out of the box. No code needed at all.

Facebook integration is to important to ignore. Even if the developers are not on facebook themself.

You see guys and girls. Facebook is one of the best ways to promote yourself and your pictures. Its free.

Getting things made yourself isn't an option when it comes to facebook integration. Why is that you might ask. As it is now zenphoto is a small fish in a large pond. A small fish that has a potential to be larger and get more users from other gallery software. But the lack of facebook integration prevents that.

And if I go out there and pay someone to code a plugin that works. What happens when you update zenphoto? Do I not update it because it would mean the plugin would crash? Ignoring security issues and potentially getting hacked?

I won't get into any discussion about reasons why not to use Facebook (there are many). We are a project run by volunteers so we decide what we put our time into and maintainance thereof afterwards not to be forgotten! The day has only so many hours. There are several FB tools like rssgraffiti that lets you post automatically to fb via rss.

There are several plugins available that are not theme dependent at all. Again if something predefined provided for free doesn't fit your needs, do your own. Simple as that. After all this is a free project any one can contribute his third party solution. We gladly list all we get to know of.

Zenphoto is one of several dozens smaller CMS in the big pond where bigger ones like WP and others are as well. But I really doubt that missing Facebook integration is really the point here...

If you let someone code a plugin it may of course break if Zenphoto is updated as we really cannot take care of third party stuff or if Facebook decides to change things (they do a lot). So in any case it will need maintaince and someone willing to provide that. These things cause work, you know, and the FB api like all these is not "beginner's stuff".

Last note:
Feel free to critize but please be polite. Sentences loike "a theme that I think looks like horse manure" are not. You can do better than that, I am sure. Thanks.

Zenphoto without proper facebook integration out of the box.. Is just like a car without a steering wheel. And if I had the money to pay someone to code something for me.. Why would i use Zenphoto in the first place?

And dont talk to me about being polite.

Your attitude in this thread clearly says what you think about newbies.

http://www.zenphoto.org/support/topic.php?id=16195

[i]And if I had the money to pay someone to code something for me.. Why would i use Zenphoto in the first place?[/i]
Because you get a powerful tool with lots of features and for free?

I really don't see where I was unpolite on that topic. I tried to encourage him to contribute what he feels missing. A newbie may know better what is needed. That is how open source and free projects work. Sadly most people seem not willing to contribute at all. Contribution does mean more than providing one feature and then leave us with maintainance. Therefore we are very careful with making things official.

Well I spoke to a friend of mine who works with php. And he said that its pretty forward when it comes to the facebook api.

So he finds it amusing that your software is lacking such a basic thing. And he finds it even more amusing that your suggesting people pay for something that basic.

We didn't suggest to pay for anything or this feature specifically. But that is a way if you want something desperatly that is not there. There are surely lots of other things missing that someone considers "basic". Again, as volunteers we choose what we spend our time on. FB it is not.

I have never looked into the FB api closer, it may be easier but it will still cost my time. But if it is so straight forward why don't you just ask your friend to contribute a plugin? Then all would be happy. That's what open source is about.

If I can't code php.... I will have to pay to get it done...

He will not contribute to a plugin like that. Because it should be included in the main code. Otherwise it would most likely crash every time you update zenphoto. How many new versions this year so far? This would most likely lead to people ignoring security issues and not update it. He will not be a part of that.

And no open source is not someone paying for something then giving it away for free like you have suggested in the past.

[i]If I can't code php.... I will have to pay to get it done…[/i]
Yes, that's how the world works. You always have three choices:
1. Hope that someone does it for you for free
2. Do it yourself
3. Pay someone to do it for you

[i]Because it should be included in the main code. Otherwise it would most likely crash every time you update zenphoto. [/i]
Yes, and the point is? You have that with every free tool out there and even commercial ones.

[i]And no open source is not someone paying for something then giving it away for free like you have suggested in the past.[/i]
A plugin using naturally Zenphoto code is derivative. And since Zenphoto is GPL v2 licences it will inherit that licence. So anyone can give it away without asking no matter if someone paid for its creation in the first place or not (the right to give it away otherwise would be the choice of the creator but not if release under a free licence like GPL). Maybe read the licence text.

If you friend don't want to do that, ok, but that's exactly what open source and free licences are about. Paying for the service. But now think again about why we should fulfill your personal wishes and give away our free time for things we are not interested in. There are aparently dozens of things someone thinks is so important that it needs to be standard.

So lets just agree that we disagree.

You just don't get it do you..

When you and your friends decided to create a program. Your also committing yourself s. Your committing yourself to the various aspects of creating something..

And it also means that it doesn't matter that acrylian thinks facebook is overrated if the users of the software doesnt. Because if your answer to requests are I am not interested. Your saying to your "customers" I dont give a flying f..k about what you mean. This is my creation. That also means that if you had been creating a paid software with that attitude.. You would be bankrupt pretty fast.

It doesn't matter if you think facebook is a scam or not. Its to important for many people. For a freelance photographer its a great way to promote your pictures. That doesn't cost a thing. Everybody is on facebook. Everybody uses facebook. At least a billion people does according to wikipedia. How many wants zencart and paypal integration in zenphoto?

You see it doesn't matter how many times you say 12 plus 12 is 94. Its still going to be 24 no matter how loud you cry..
And it doesn't matter that you think facebook is not interesting.. One billion users says otherwise.

Well I'm not on Facebook as I would rather spend my time on my computer doing other things - such as learn PHP which zenphoto is helping me to do.
Not been spoon fed when wanting to make changes has helped me with this.
I also use my PC for designing and making PCB's for my other hobbies using an excellent open source program ki-cad.
If it wasnt for programes like that I could not afford my hobby as commerical programs cost in the thousands...

John

From my point of view, this is a good thing that social networks are not integrated in the engine zenphoto. It is always possible to add them according to their tastes and expectations.

You know, asking for things in a less aggressive and more constructive language you can get a lot.
I wrote a piece of code that would be fine for your needs, but in view of your attitude, I do not want to share with you.

Ps : Translate by google

Here is a little hint for you Laurent. Not everybody speaks english as their first language...

If you create a software and you make it available for others. You make certain commitments in order for people to take it seriously. One of those are security. Another one is being helpful, either in preparing some guides on how things work or in answering questions.

The most important one is listening to your users. The users doesnt give a damn, about what you think is fun. They don't care if you think facebook is good or bad. They don't care if you think Obama is a great or bad president. They care about the respons you hand out to their requests.

Facebook integration has been asked for several times in the past. And that should give you a hint that maybe you should rethink things.

You answer a newbie that asks for a beginners guide. That he/she should write one.

Well to be honest that's not a proper answer. That is equal to having someone who doesn't have a drives license. Writing a book about driving a F1 car. If you don't know how things work.. Then how can you tell others how to do things?

I am asking them why facebook that has one billion users are ignored.

But for every fanboy that replies. It just proves the points written on various forums about support and other stuff.

And I forgot to say this..

When you check out ratings for zenphoto.. Often people give it a bad rating because there is not a good beginners guide. And second no proper facebook integration..
If your happy with the 144 people using your software. That really doesn't mean a thing. But if your goal is to get as many people as possible using your software.. That's not the way to go..

If all these other programes are so good then use them and '#@~ off from here - this software is brought to us from 2 core people!!!

And because it is open source they do this as a hobby as such. This wont pay the mortgage!

I guess you are the type that register on forums and then when people ask questions (cos you are so thick to answer) reply with the "search google" as the answer

As for farsebook can't you add pictures on there...and then post every move you make...fool

Even if you do things as a hobby. You make certain commitments.

I run a business that involves different stores. And if I catch one of my workers, with an attitude like that. They are fired on the spot. If somebody asks for an item that we don't have. We will not just send them on out their way. We will look and see if we have something similar that they might be able to use. If not we will see if we can order it for them.

The same applies if your writing open source programs that others are able to use.

Even if things are free. YOU STILL HAVE "CUSTOMERS". They might not pay. But they will expect respect when asking about things.

Coppermine that has a GUI that looks rather bad and has very few of the features that zenphoto has. Has a much bigger audience and lots of more plugins and themes. Why is that.

The answer is attitude. Start listening to your users and more will come. And more will volunteer to help. Why should anyone make a simple facebook plugin when your saying its not important.

Have you ever asked the users if someone can help with facebook? And I don't mean a plugin that involves facebook user ids and stuff like that.

Let me make it clear that Zenphoto is primarily headed by two developers. Both of these developers are volunteers with real world lives and real world responsibilities. Therefore, it becomes necessary for the devs to pick and choose what they want to dedicate their time to. It is impossible (and unwise) to implement every single feature that every user could ever want (or even every feature that has ever been specifically asked for).

The general idea of open source software is that, if there is enough interest in the addition of a particular feature, someone will contribute it. The devs do not have any responsibility to you, especially with your attitude of "the devs better make this for me or else". Believe it or not, there are some extremely helpful and patient members of this community who probably would have helped you given better circumstances. When you treat others with respect, you will receive in kind.

As I see it, you have a few options.

1. Write this feature yourself, whether you have someone else do it for you or you learn to do it yourself. If your friend feels it is easy to write such functionality, ask him to write it. We welcome any contributions if you should feel so inclined as to share your solution with other users.

2. Open a ticket on the bugtracker. Note that the devs have no obligation to implement a particular feature request. They are implemented if someone finds the time and interest to do so. If you do decide on this route, I remind you to please keep all future discussion civil.

3. Find alternative software that will better suit your needs.

This thread has been to the bike shed and back, so I am going to close it. If you have any technical questions, feel free to open a new discussion and we will answer to the best of our ability, but arguing semantics with purposefully inflammatory speech is not conducive to anything. Any further posts of this nature will not be tolerated.