Why I love and hate MODx

From the start I would like to express that I really like MODx and use it almost exclusively, having developed sites using MODx since version 0.9.6.

During this time I have developed well over 30 websites for a mix of clients, from large fashion brands to small company formations. I have enjoyed the freedom provided by MODx, and have even actively promoted its use with other designers.

However what I’m about to express will possibly be unpopular, but feel I should express my recent concerns to ensure that they are addressed in future releases.

On my recent upgrade Evo to 1.0.4, I experienced several niggling problems:

• Custom admin templates were broken as names used to reference images were unnecessarily changed
• AjaxSearch had changed it perimeters names, this resulted in many hours of re-scripting sites without any real benefit for my clients
• Addition of a new admin setting to remember tab selected, this should have been set to reflected older versions as it resulted in much confusion
• TinyMCE now missing Link List and Italic fonts

During 1.0.2 > upgrades I have also noticed several features removed only to reappear in later versions, this is frustrating as it lacks consistency.

While I appreciate that there has been much time devoted to the release of MODx Revolution I am concerned that the quality always previously experienced in MODx Evo will be watered down as key members now spend more time developing the new Revolution branch.

I don’t think that Evo’s going down. If you follow the commit history of MODx from time to time, you’ll see that MODx Evo is here and very lively.
On the other hand, maybe it’s time to jump on the Revo wagon (for further project)?

For people who hates ExtJs’s policy, Evo stays as a good option.

Quote from: goldsky at Aug 24, 2010, 10:46 AM

For people who hates ExtJs’s policy, Evo stays as a good option.

Isn’t that coming right from your heart?

I’m currently developing personal sites with Revolution but at this time I’ll wait for Revolution to mature with more snippets, plugins and modules before building client sites with new technology.

I personally feel the admin within Evo is much easier for clients to use, additionally I tend to have repeat clients so many already have a liking for Evo.

Quote from: lossendae at Aug 24, 2010, 11:22 AM

Quote from: goldsky at Aug 24, 2010, 10:46 AM

For people who hates ExtJs’s policy, Evo stays as a good option.

Isn’t that coming right from your heart?

Haha...
I’m at the gray area.
If you ’sell’ unpublish the script to a public repository, you have to pay for a Developer license, although it’s for once of a lifetime.
I believe it’s applied to an intranet.
That’s the ’current’ policy.
They like to change the policy as whatever and whenever they like.

I would have to say one of my bigger complaints is how everything in the back-end to see any kind of options require right clicking. I would very much appreciate atleast some resemblance of the old back-end in the new one. My one user already insisted on returning back to evolution as he complained that it took some time to realize to change any of his settings under the tools/configuration he had to right click. There were some other issues as well he had to cause the revert back to evolution however if he wants to go into that he can come and post here. I personally do not enjoy the back-end as well, I welcome all changes from the modx dev team but as an evolution user personally I admit the new back-end is rather frustrating to look and deal with. Perhaps after spending a year with evolution it will just take some time to adjust but I have never been a mouse person than again I notice this with alot of older users.

The user can also double-click to change settings in a grid.

Quote from: jessay at Aug 24, 2010, 11:14 PM

I would have to say one of my bigger complaints is how everything in the back-end to see any kind of options require right clicking. I would very much appreciate atleast some resemblance of the old back-end in the new one. My one user already insisted on returning back to evolution as he complained that it took some time to realize to change any of his settings under the tools/configuration he had to right click. There were some other issues as well he had to cause the revert back to evolution however if he wants to go into that he can come and post here. I personally do not enjoy the back-end as well, I welcome all changes from the modx dev team but as an evolution user personally I admit the new back-end is rather frustrating to look and deal with. Perhaps after spending a year with evolution it will just take some time to adjust but I have never been a mouse person than again I notice this with alot of older users.

I’ve been using Modx since 0.9.6 and have to say after a week of using Revo I hate the Evo back end, revo is by far better layed out and easier to use once you get used to it

I really like ExtJS, it’s very powerful even though i agree with goldsky about the license issue (the Ext team are not very clear and stable on this point).

The usability concern are more design related than linked to Extjs, notably on the setting grid where things can evolve in a more user friendly way in the next release.

I’m totally with the idea of single click edit for setting grid, and more inline button in full text instead of right click. It’s doable with Extjs, but you’ll have to push the idea to the team.