How can we make the Developer Network better?

[Ernie H.]

Hey Ning Developers --

As you guys have probably figured out, the Ning Developer Network could use a little bit of restructuring, and we're looking for your help.

We're actively looking for suggestions on how to improve the Ning Developer Network so it's the most useful for you, the developer. (This applies to developers working on their own sites as well as developers building 3rd party plug-ins or widgets.) In particular, we're also looking for "must-have" topics in the Documentation section, API Reference suggestions and other needed features that will make this site as useful for you guys as possible. If you have any pain points, don't hesitate to let us know as well.

We'll be taking all of your feedback and if all goes well, you'll see some changes in a couple of weeks!

Thanks,
- Ernie

[Hari Karam Singh]

Hi Ernie,

The thing that worries me most as a developer is needing to do manual merges of new code with my network code. Some more documentation about the XML config files in the various folders (e.g. xn_private) would be very handy. For instance, I noticed some widget IDs changed in the last upgrade I did, and I didn't know whether changing them would wipe out my data for that widget...

Also, even though I totally understand the reasons why, it unnerves me that I can't backup my users data before I upgrade and restore in case something goes wrong (last time I wiped out my users' profile questions).

Maybe there could be an Extreme Emergencies Only forum category where we developers could be assured of swift support from the Ning staff in case something hits the fan...

More documentation about the XG classes and methods would be helpful.

While I love the simplicity behind the Ning Content Store, I find the Ning network code to be rather complex at times, especially when it comes to things like caching. Some more documentation about some of the methodologies used would help us in our own widget development...

Hope that helps...

[Ernie H.]

Thanks everyone for the great notes thus far. Keep them coming!

[Zarzing (Dustin)]

I think you should add more hacks to the documentation tab

[Bob Leano]

My suggestions:

(a) Start with the big picture. Lets show, in "business terms", the value of being able to program the nIng platform brings to the user. Today, the developer is also the biz guy, so it is important to make sure the intentions, the possibilities of such an effort. Create a crystal clear message.

(b) Create some real-world use cases/user stories. As a Ning Network User, I already made my network, so I am familiar with the de-facto features: forums, blogs, photos, events. Great. As I use my network, I see things that need to improve, things that I need to take my network dynamics further. For example: I want to remind some members of tasks, or multi-way chat with on-line members, or post a calendar for all my members.

(c) How about real-world use-cases for why I want to reach my Ning Network, or create a Ning Network from some other application? When I see a URL "Rest API", I have a feeling that I can reach the Ning platform from anywhere.

(d) Based on some real-world use cases, show the architecture first, then show the reference implementation. Why the architecture? Because as a developer, I need to know how things are wired up, end-to-end, from end-user, to the Ning Platform. This will allow me to understand where possible bottlenecks are, where points of failure exist, which design patterns I could use, etc.

(e) The reference implementation must be in the most popular internet and enterprise languages - Java, C#, Ruby, PHP( you have this already). I come from the enterprise space, and I naturally gravitate to Java and C#.

(f) Is there a sandBox or a workspace? Am I going to use Live data to test my application?

[Walter]

I would like some examples in (The Ning Content Store: A Primer) of how to use REST to query XN_Content externally.

[Zarzing (Dustin)]

I think that there should be a step by step screenshot for everthing in the documentation

[DYNAMICTECH]

Videos Videos Videos Videos

[Zarzing (Dustin)]

Video's for everything in the documentation

[G Ollison]

Amen to "step by step screenshots" and video tutorials, with the added suggestion of extreme clarity. Since the Ning team is a "team", handing off different team members' expertise to whomever on the team has the "gift" of making things "crystal clear" for "final drafting" should meet with minimal or no problems, yes? Any techie talk that is absolutely essential to explaining something and cannot be translated into near-daily jargon for those more interested in building apps than swimming in deep-water-code could be accompanied by brief, complete definitions.

Surely most network creators are willing and courageous and not allergic to some work to begin with in tackling the job of creating and managing a network. But many are the times we have employed "Google is my friend" on a subject and waded for hours through Everglades of forums, wikis, blogs and articles filled with data but obscured by grammatical tech-speak gymnastics that leave us saying "Wha?" after re-reading a piece for the 5th time ... then happened upon some easy-going soul's "it goes like this" clear-as-a-bell 10 minute explanation, and left it wondering why the other techs and techettes couldn't have said that.

By the way ... is Gina's "wish list" compilation still alive and well? Seems I read that having forums look and work like a "real forum" (in the words of other developers) was a repeated, urgent request.

[Hari Karam Singh]

Hi again. I feel sometimes there is a lack of documentation/support for more experienced developers. I try not to post problems until I've exhausted all avenues of finding a solution myself. I've had a couple forum posts concerning such situations that have never been answered by anyone of the Ning developers. This leaves me high and dry as I don't have access to the framework code (and dont want it either :))

Is there a better recourse to take when I'm stuck other than posting to the forum?

[Mike Nicholson]

Hey Hari!

If you're encountering an issue working with your code, especially if it's an urgent one, please feel free to contact us via email at the Help Center. We monitor this more closely than this forum and will be able to provide you a faster reply.

Cheers!
Mike

[Julius Crouch]

Ernie,

Focus on those improvements that most network administrators want.

For example, one of my Ning sites is a site for my Highschool. I would love to change the CSS to show both a Highschool Senior Photo as well as a Current Photo. Additionally, a seperate members page could be cretaed for the "Before" pictures. A quick search for the word "High" in Network Names lists just oover 140 Networks.

I am fairly certain that each one of these Networks would also want this capability -- That is roughly 140 sites would benefit from the code.

In addition, you may want to find an easy way to poll the Network administrators to see what ideas most interest them. (http://www.whynot.net/) This website has a way of collecting the ideas and it allows the community to collectively bubble up those ideas that most interest/encourage the coimmunity.

Incorporating something like this may be a good idea----just to be sure we focus on the right changes.


Provide video footage on how to add the code to your site.

Yes I am a noob, but hey everyone needs help once in a while.