Hi there everyone!
As this is my first post, let me start by sayng that this image gallery is a kick ass script loaded with first class features. I take my hat off for the programmers who have spent an enormous amount of working hours to produce a top class gallery that is free for all us webmasters out there. It is truly great and all that, but...
How come such a great script i so hard to implement into an existing website??? Please don't come and say that it is easy, because it's not. I've spent my last five years as a professional webdesigner, and I know my way around the block, so please don't brush me off as a newbie not knowing shit about shit. I understand that skins are cool and all that, but if you really want to make this script state of the art, you will have to make it dead easy to implement into an existing website design. And after all the time spent on programming, why not spend just a little more time thinking about the people who are going to implement it into their website?
Thera were a few things that struck me once i got the script installed:
1. Ther was no way to include my own header and footer files. Instead of just adding the url to my header and footer, I had to hard code it into the templatefiles. And even so, the description of how to do this didn't work until I found a post in the forum where the user had removed a piece of the suggested code. So including header and footer files is a bitch, and yet there are so many asking about it in the forums, so there is obviously a need for a simple way to do this. How about two fields in the admin area? And once I got my header and footer to work, I find out that it applys for the admin area as well. Now that area usually requires a little more space (width) than the gallery itself, so a separate header/footer there would be nice. As it is now, it not only looks insane, it is practically impossible to work with.
2. All so called templates are located in one single file. Why? I understand it might be require less programming, but it is a bitch for the designer who has to deal with it. This is the first time I have encountered this, and I still don't get it. The use of separate template files is so much easier for the designer. Just the fact that they can be opened in a HTML-editor is reason enough for me.
I am not here to create a debate wether I am right or wrong in my critisism, and I don't expect replys like "it's free, so shut up". I want a creative open debate wether theese changes could somehow be implemented or not (I´d be more than happy to help in any way I can), and if this would make someone elses live easier than mine? Today, it's a great script for personal homepages, but to reach the professional ones, the gallery must be easier to edit from a graphic point of view.
I guess the bottom line is: Are you interested in making changes or should I take my nagging elsewhere?
If there is is a programmer out there who can actually help me implement theese changes or at least some of them, pleas post a reply. As of today i am forced to look at commercial alternatives, witch is a shame, not because I have to pay for it, but because this script could be just as good, if not better. I am a strong supporter of open source and would love to see this script kick some of the commercial actors off the market.
I'm looking forward to hearing your opinions in this matter.
Sincearly,
Tomas Dahlin
Attack.se