Evolution of Scripts

[Ned Storm]

What do you think about this idea?

Many scripts start out with a developer writing code to solve a simple problem. So they code it and if it becomes popular, they make it more user friendly with a nice admin area. Then we have a nice, simple, light-weight script that the original users really like.

Then to take it further, the developer may turn it into an open source project where other enthusiastic coders help improve and add to the code. So it balloons into a feature-laden monster of an application, mega-bytes in size and continually evolving. For example, the text input box becomes a WYSIWYG editor.

What I would like to see happen more is the original, simple version is retained but optimized over time to remove all bugs, tidy the code and fully document it. So there is a final version of the software with the odd update to improve the core code.

Then other features could be added by means of plugins that are optionally installed by users.

The core software application would be minimalist in that it does everything needed to perform it's function but all extras are optional via plugins.

Some possible benefits to this approach are:

• A more stable, bug-free and secure application is produced
• The plugin API could be designed to prevent security risks
• The popularity of the application may grow faster since it is based on a stable, finalized release and future enhancements are based on plugins