When looking at the recent xoops.org news and updates you could get scared. The news updates show again and again that there is a new weekly videotube update and the module section gets updated with "The Philosophy of Liberty", in a new translation every week. Next to some "modules" embedding flash games.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's nice some guys have a hobby and like to embed games or philosophy in Xoops. And no hard feelings against a module like videotube, it is a nice module for use in hobby sites.

Problem I have with the recent looks of xoops.org is that it only shows the game, video and "philosophy" news and updates. This will scare of potential new xoopsers seeking for a good and serious cms to use. I know some more serious development is taking place with modules like defacer, mytabs, yogurt and the xoops core. But news about that is hidden in the forums or on private sites from developers. In my opinion something goes wrong with the positioning and marketing from Xoops as a good, stable and serious cms!

The 'modules' from Shadow are flash scripts that don't add any functionality to a website. I even don't think they deserve to be called 'module'. Just cheap sh#t.

VideoTube is a good module, but I have to agree that a new version isn't needed for each found typo.

The News is what is the News. The current News diarrhoea may be a 'lesser' period, but it is something we must go through.

Altough for the philosophers module, it should IMHO stay with one news article and then an addition of a comment to it for each new language. As the situtation is now, it's more like spam, even how lovely the initiative might be, it is degrading it.

To have news from serious modules is up to their developers. But there are two problems:

- Most modules are mature and don't need monthly updates, so, there is also lesser news about it.

- What is a serious module?
You could extend the front page by some feature articles or kind of FAQ, where it is explained what you can do with a XOOPS site, a brief introduction to most used modules and/or some speciality modules (reviving the module packs?), some themes. So, which things are serious enough to go in?

I am not quite sure how to respond to this post except to say that it was never my intention to degrade the professional appearance of xoops. I do realize that sometimes I can be over zealous when releasing software updates and I should probably restrict this activity to the xoops developers site.

VideoTube not a serious module? All I can say to that is opinions vary.

I apologise if my post gives you the wrong idea, Tank. I see videotube as serious module and a good addition for xoops. My concern is the overall impression xoops.org gives about xoops. Too much game and video stuff, anouncements about nice but not very impressive sites and too much items in the menus. Fellow xoopsers will find their way but newbies looking for a cms for something like a corporate website or intranet will get lost and look further on other cms websites.

I'm currently working on SpreadXOOPS.com, and I'll let some people on it to test it when i'm happy with it. It'll be fully about XOOPS, how to use it, but in easier terms then the XOOPS site, which is indeed scaring users, as I noticed in a survey I've done with around 50 people that never used XOOPS, but are working with CMSses.

The site will be open for everyone, but I'll need to know what YOU want to do on it, and if you want to help me, or just test it, just let me know :)

As a topicstarter I cannot refuse to give a helping hand I guess You may use me as a betatester.

I wasn't offended flipse and thanks for the explanation. I always try to view feedback, whether positive or negative, as a constructive tool for driving improvements in whatever I do.

@flipse: I'll count you in, but I'm still working on the design at this point. The home of the site wouldn't run on XOOPS I think, the rest of the site will :)

The homepage will only contain some news, updates, modules, themes, current version, e.g.

I have to agree with flipse here...

The "The Philosophy of Liberty" modules is simply a flash movie in different languages and offer no interactivity to the user.

I have ported a few games and stuff myself, but kept most of them on my site, for the reasons posted in this thread...

So my wish to module developers is to submit to repository only new modules they would want to use on their own site and stop porting games directly from games sites to be submitted, as that is probably the easiest way in the world to make a module and there are a few thousand games that can be ported still...

@tank: videotube is great!