Eileen, I think you misread it. The proposed changes would make it easier to modify, and to maintain, since each function would be in an easily callable function -- a function that could be changed, modified or upgraded without affecting the rest of the code or application.
What has to be done is to look at w3t as a collection of objects, and visualize which objects are containers, and which are components.
For instance, a "message" would be an object made up of the various parts of the database record. A thread would be a collection of "message" objects.
The smallest nugget of information that would generally be requested would be a single message.
There would be a template for that object.
Those objects would be strung together into a thread, which is a part of a page. Thus, the "page" would be another object into which "messages" would be inserted.
Anyway, those closest to the program are those who will find it hardest to grasp the changes. But, they will also find the changes a breath of fresh air -- perhaps even freeing from the drudgery of maintaining loads of code. The "static" code is packed into modules, the semi-static code is put into the .pl files, and the changeable code is put into the templates and interface file.
There are many forum products out there. Sporum, phorum, UltraScript2000, etc. A quick check of cgi-resources.com will yeild many others.
They suffer from the problem of being "clones" and not having a mature, stable, development base.
That was the advantage of w3t. It's history.
w3t is in need of a modular/template rewrite. Otherwise, it will lose it's advantage to the newer programs that are easier to install, maintain and upgrade. They may not be "better" programs, but the "cost of ownership" will be lower.
Remember, I chose w3t over the others. The question is -- in 6 months, if I had to make that choice again, would I make the same one?
I found the modifications frustrating, and each upgrade a major waste of time -- literally. Making the same code changes again and again. Most of them were HTML changes that would have best been in the templates -- I could have just replaced the code files, and been good to go.
It's a lot easier to replace a wwwthreads.pl file with a new one that uses the old templates, and requires no changes. Same goes for each of the "modules" and scripts.
Anyway, fortunately for me it's not a life or death situation to have a certain forum. It's been a test, but will become more important in the near future. The _most_ important thing is how well I can integrate it into my site, and with SQL and PERL I should be able to do that -- but without templates, digging into the code makes it more difficult.
I think it's essential for w3t to evolve. The great thing is that the direction it's evolving means someone who starts to install it today, and work with the templates, may not have to hack into the source code at all to keep up with the updates and upgrades ever again. Copy the new .pl scripts over the old ones, update a few templates, and everything is now "upgraded" with no editing or errors.
