phpbb3 - world of suck

[pfarber]

This forum is based on phpbb3 and some mods... and in its fabled 'open source' software that people rave about.

Well, I am really getting tired of open source software that allows modifications to its core features, but then turns around and updates the core software that the mods you installed even just ONE release ago no longer work. I have been working for 4 days to upgrade to phpbb3 3.0.12 in a way that doesn't break ever modification I have... and it simply not possible.

Its not like this is a super complex forum... its really pretty basic... but between the constant updates (that really don't do much in reality) and the modification writers that stop supporting the software they write after 6 months its really starting to piss me off.

Do I have the ability to dig in and fix the errors. Sure. This is a template driven forum with an SQL back end... not super complicated. But its the time to do it. It would be nice if the phpbb folks released two or three patches.. a critical security patch, a 'fixes broken things' patch and a 'minor shit that we fixed like spelling errors' patch. That way they patches are smaller and will be less prone to break mods.

If I come across a 'pay' board that I like I may switch.... I really only need like 2-3 functions that phpbb3 force me to use as add ons.