Motherlode Peer Group Review

[BobHegwood]

Okay, if that's what you want, then that's what you'll get...

I will begin posting the links to ANY add-ons which I consider
ready to be deleted - along with my reasoning - in this thread.

That way, anyone with an opinion can express it, and we can go
from that point onwards.

I will wait for a MAXIMUM time of 3 days to do the dirty work if
there are no objections. If there are objections, then we can
have at them in this thread.

Does this meet with anyone's approval?

Selden? Would this be okay with you?

Just trying to help here, so let's at least try it, huh?

Thanks, Brain-Dead

[Dollan]

I'd be happy to help as I can, certainly.

...John...

[selden]

I think this is a very reasonable idea, so long as people don't get overly emotional about it: discuss the facts of the issues, not the personalities of the people involved. If the latter starts happening, I'll have to take steps...

[BobHegwood]

Okay then, I'll be good...

Here's the first one. Really simple because the link no longer points
to any file. This is/was Maxim's VT of Buenos Aires.

Maxim's Buenos Aires VT.

Now let me ask another stupid question here. Do we really need a
Peer Group Review for something like this? Or, is there a benefit to
someone because the information is simply being made available?

Thanks, Bob

EDIT: This add-on HAS been deleted. There ain't any reason to keep
something that you cannot even locate, so the link above will
no longer work. Shoot me...

[BobHegwood]

This next one is a bit more problematic. It depends on an outdated
Blue Marble VT, and it offers nothing in the way of installation
instructions to the general public. It does tell a knowledgeable user how to install the thing, but a new user will be completely at a loss as
to what he/she should do with it. Should this be deleted, or should
we go to the trouble of asking Guillermo if he wouldn't mind updating
the thing? Serious questions here...

See: Guillermo's Comahue Region of Argentina.

Thoughts?

[fsgregs]

Bob:

Both can be deleted in my opinion, provided the author does not want to fix them. As to your earlier question, obviously if an add-on points to a link that no longer works, or points to an add-on that for some reason cannot work in either 1.4.1 or 1.5.0, then I assume it can be deleted, with some prior approval from the author.

Thanks for working up a reasonable solution. The ML will be a better place in the end.

Frank

[Hungry4info]

I volunteer the addons I've made so far to be deleted. They're rather irrelevant these days.

[Dollan]

I volunteer the addons I've made so far to be deleted. They're rather irrelevant these days.

Which ones? I might still want to download them, just to have.

Bob... can we have a day's notice before you delete any add-ons, just in case they are something that we might want to grab a hold of first? I was trying to race through the ML and grab all I could, but my schedule just isn't allowing me the time....

...John...

[BobHegwood]

At the moment, I am deleting NOTHING...

I will give notice here when I resume. I'm still waiting for my "Peers"
to voice their opinions here, but it looks as if not too many of them are
really interested. I don't mean that disrespectfully... I'm sure the
holidays are playing a role here too, so we'll just wait a while before
I resume with my machete.

[Dollan]

At the moment, I am deleting NOTHING...

I will give notice here when I resume. I'm still waiting for my "Peers"
to voice their opinions here, but it looks as if not too many of them are
really interested. I don't mean that disrespectfully... I'm sure the
holidays are playing a role here too, so we'll just wait a while before
I resume with my machete.

Understood. Thank you!

...John...

[BobHegwood]

Two more that I would very much like to delete though...

This one is now DELETED.
This is John's VT Moon texture. Is missing CTX file, SSC file and any
kind of instructions, and the Moon has large black gaps in it.
Oh, and it also presents problems because it was made via 7-zip.

The next is one is now DELETED.
This one is Jack's Lunar crash and landing sites SSC collection. The
reason I think it should be deleted is because it defines sites on
the Moon in terms of asteroids or spacecraft (in orbital paths)
rather than with a single standard location SSC file. It also calls
on models which have NOT been included in the add-on.

Any thoughts?

[fsgregs]

Bob:

Jack's Lunar landing site add-on was made when either asteroids or spacecraft categories were the only ones available that might "fit" with the add-on.

I suppose the ssc file could be edited a bit but frankly, I ran the add-on and it was nice. I had no idea that many man-made objects have been sent crashing into the moon

I think it has good value and should be retained.

As to the VT moon texture, the comments made in the comments section below the add-on on the ML explain how to write a simple ssc file and therefore, do in fact, allow the add-on to be used. I have not taken the minor time needed to write a simple ssc file, but it would not be hard.

Has anyone seen the textures in use? Are they good VT textures of the moon? Should we simply write a short ssc file and add it to the add-on?

Frank

[Hungry4info]

I volunteer the addons I've made so far to be deleted. They're rather irrelevant these days.

Which ones? I might still want to download them, just to have.

I made the HD 69830 system (non fiction) and I made a .ssc file either Eris or 2003 EL61 (one of those... I don't remember now).

Bob... can we have a day's notice before you delete any add-ons, just in case they are something that we might want to grab a hold of first? I was trying to race through the ML and grab all I could, but my schedule just isn't allowing me the time....

Perhaps instead of deleting some, we should send them to a sort of ... add-on purgatory. Kind of like a group of sub-standard add-ons. That way they are avalible for download, but not part of whatever will come of this project.

[Dollan]

Perhaps instead of deleting some, we should send them to a sort of ... add-on purgatory. Kind of like a group of sub-standard add-ons. That way they are avalible for download, but not part of whatever will come of this project.

A possibility I mentioned before is to simply remove them from the public face of the Motherlode. Leave the files intact in the creator's directory, but one would have to find that directory in order to download them. Most folks, when confronted by a highly visual site like the ML, would probably not bother to go that far. And if they did, then the burden of making these add-ons work would definitely fall upon them.

...John...

[LordFerret]

I'm not peer enough to give such opinions, but I do hope you'll archive rather than delete... someday they may be of use to someone.

(Sorry, I can't help it, I confess, I'm a packrat. )

[Goonster]

I know I`m new to Celestia , but already I can see problems with this delete / don`t delete business . For every person who wants an add on deleted there are going to be another who has used it and wants it kept . I think it will be impossible to come to a situation where everyone is happy.
I think the best idea so far is to put the not so good add ons that need further work done to them in to a separate list . Then if the creator wants to, he/she(just to be PC!) can add the necessary info , instructions or whatever . When this is done the add on can be ` promoted ' back to the normal listings.If, after a certain amount of time,nothing is done or the creator does not wish to add the necessary info , then delete it .
I hope you don`t mind me commenting on this even though I have little experience with add ons , but I do think that the more information about the add on concerned is included the better . Possibly it would encourage even more people to try out Celestia .

....Goonster

[BobHegwood]

Just so everyone is aware of this fact...

Ulrich has already implemented a kind of "junkyard purgatory" for any
more of my deletions, so don't worry about that end of it.

As far as Jack's add-on goes, there are also references in the file to
meshes which simply do not exist in the file. The crash site models
for example. I agree that it provides valuable information, but the
added confusion of asteroids vs spacecraft is simply too much for
new users to deal with. Even if you go to the referenced locations,
you are misled because they don't actually go to the correct places.

Just FYI, and again, nothing is being deleted at the moment. I'm
simply gathering comments and awaiting further opinions. You know,
this may work after all. Keep it coming.

[BobHegwood]

Bob:
I think it has good value and should be retained.

Sorry Frank... There is another problem with the add-on. It also
refers to model meshes which have NOT been included within the
package. In fact, I have no idea where to find them, unless it would
be at Jack's site. If that's the case, then I guess I could simply add
some more instructions on the add-on page. I'll take a look there.

As far as John's Moon VT goes, there are a large number of black
areas on the textures where data has not been accumulated and/or
repaired. Just FYI...

Thanks, Bob

[cartrite]

As far as Jack's add-on goes, there are also references in the file to
meshes which simply do not exist in the file. The crash site models
for example. I agree that it provides valuable information, but the
added confusion of asteroids vs spacecraft is simply too much for
new users to deal with. Even if you go to the referenced locations,
you are misled because they don't actually go to the correct places.

You may already know this but since most if not all of the addons at the motherlode were created for 1.4.1 or 1.3.2, I fear the ones that depended on the sun being at the center were broken if they used "referenced locations". The 1.5 version uses the solarsystems barycenter and that may account for ."you are misled because they don't actually go to the correct places". I didn't use the addon though so you probably know what is best.
Good Job, your a saint to be doing this.
PS I still am on the wagon. Almost fell off but.......... Next Time?????????
cartrite

[bh]

Yes good luck Bob... I fear many of my models are now irrelevant/ out of date/crap.

Cartrite... are you going to have a dry xmas?... I'm going out for a couple of beers myself later this eve... oh dear!