Why is this place so dead?

[Lifter]

Hi, I'm a new user here. I was a myHTPC user and I'm trying to cross over. I've absolutely had it with myHTPC, and Xlobby seems superior in just about every single aspect. Everything I wished myHTPC could do, it seems Xlobby already can.

My philosophy is that a frontend should be just that. It's focus should be mostly visualization and integration with other apps that already do what you want well (Girder, Winamp, etc.). Why reinvent the wheel? Xlobby seems to follow this idea.

So why are there so many people over on the myHTPC forum obcessively waiting for version 2 when this app practically does it all? The community there is huge and I just don't get it. myHTPC is so limmiting and so cluttered with half-ass features. Not to mention it's generic visual style (the beutiful look of a first gen DVD menu) can't really be changed.

I'm just annoyed because some of the skin ideas people are posting over there for H2 are mind blowing, and there isn't a single downloadable skin for Xlobby with Craig's not in the d/l page anymore. I'm almost to the point where I want to take art lessons.

[mattdisaster]

First off-
Welcome Lifter.

I think to answer you're question why the board is so dead, it's never been as "hoping" as say myhtpc's board cause there hasnt been much need to be. Normally if there a problem, we post it steven reads it, and its fixed, rarely do things get drawn out. You'll soon see how great steven is. Same goes for requests, you post it, he reads it and realizes the need for it(if there is one) and does his best to add it. I wish someone would make up a chart as to how many features he's added from requests, it would be mind blowing. And to top it off, we're just gotten the new alpha released a few days ago, which we were all eagerly waiting. You should have seen the board before that with everyone going back and forth about bugs found and features needed.

I think the reason there are people obsessing over myhtpc2 and not poeple over here is because myhtpc has been on "on top" for a while longer thenmyhtpc I know it's the first thing I heard of when looking for a front end. And with age comes poeple dedicated to it, even if its not really anything to be freaking out over. No offen to pablo, he's a great guy. But I'm a firm believer (you might even be able to say obsesive) that xlobby is much much better then myhtpc.

As for yhe reason you can't download the skin off the download page, well that's because the skin engine as well as the events engine have been recently redone/added. Hold onto your horses for some crazy skins though, I just got a preview at a few and they blew my socks off. And, once again not to stir up trouble, but arent eh skin for myhtpc2 just mock up and not really working since it hasnt been released yet? (That was my understanding, I could be wrong though).

All the politics aside, stick around and hope on the chat server, theres alot of activity there. Good luck!

-matt

ps- His name is chad, and he's awesome. lol.
pps- Art lessons are great, you carry what you learn over to every aspect of your life. So fi you don't wanna take em sign me up for some, I'm always willing. hehe

edit: You wanna see a skin utilizing the new features of alpha 40 check out jowaldo's. I had the chance to test it, close to nirvana. so so good.
http://members.cox.net/jowaldo/xlobby/

[Tracie]

Well said Matt & I've got to put one in for Steven as well. One of the reasons that Matt alluded to is that we all know how good Steven is at doing what he says he's going to & we have faith that it will get done - because we know it will, so there's no point in freaking out about why he hasn't been around for a few days or whatever. He is a true one-of-a-kind in the software world.

I will admit that in recent months I became a little impatient because of the immaturity of Xlobby & (dawning flame suit) began looking at other front ends. I looked at myHTPC & the Cinemar products, but in the end realized that I'd be very lucky if I could figure out how to get either of those products to do everything that I already know how to make Xlobby do. So here I am & here I will stay.

[jowaldo]

lifter:

Just to show that xlobby isn't dead check out the post I just made here

http://www.xlobby.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1093

[Lifter]

Well it's good to know people here are active and interested in Xlobby. Again, it really blows away myHTPC head over heels. Yes, those were skin mockups I was talking about, but the artwork is there, so if one of those guys wanted to make an Xlobby skin out of it, I don't see it being that difficult. But instead they'd rather fantasize about the magical H2 which they won't see for probably a very long time. It's just discouraging, that's all.

Changing the subject slightly, I only found one discussion over there comparing Xlobby to myHTPC. Some people though Xlobby looked cluttered, and that it lacked features. Others confused it with MainLobby and said it cost too much. I don't think they realize how customizable it is and that just about any myHTPC setup could be mimicked with Xlobby, yet it couldn't work the other way around.

[stevenhanna6]

dont take my lack of activity on the board as a sign i'm not doing anything...that would be a major mistake...if you dont see any activity on the board from me it usually means i'm working on something big. I'm always constantly working on xlobby and finding new ways to make it better(with the help of end users of course)....lately it has undergone some MAJOR changes in the past month or so.....and only now will we start to see the benefit to all the work with skins like jowaldo's.

I'm just annoyed because some of the skin ideas people are posting over there for H2 are mind blowing

where do you think i get some of my skinning ideas? I love it when they make those "photoshop dreams" as I call them....but I love it even more when I know I can fix a few things to make xlobby do it.

[stevenhanna6]

I only found one discussion over there comparing Xlobby to myHTPC. Some people though Xlobby looked cluttered, and that it lacked features.

comparing myhtpc to xlobby....thats a joke now....honestly....I would agree my current skin sucks...but thats because I'm fixing alot of stuff right now and I dont have time to make skins.

[ThE ScReW]

I only found one discussion over there comparing Xlobby to myHTPC. Some people though Xlobby looked cluttered, and that it lacked features.

comparing myhtpc to xlobby....thats a joke now....honestly....I would agree my current skin sucks...but thats because I'm fixing alot of stuff right now and I dont have time to make skins.

Your job isn't making skins but making the best program for us to make skins for you

[noviceboy]

My view as an "ex myHTPC" person.

Firstly let's not start a pissing contest. What I find very admirable about these two developers is their modesty and get it done attitude. They are both very talented and we are very lucky to be able to use their hard work

I had a complete "all singing dancing" myHTPC set up. While I was waiting for H2 to give me the control is was missing I revisted Xlobby.

In the space of 1 week, the majority of which was trying to figure it out I had a setup that frankly with H2 was "pure future", if it could ever be acheived. I could of done it much much quicker- a P.M if I knew what I was doing.

The first time around I had the impression ( like many when you read other forums ) that Xlobby was weak beacuse of X,Y and Z. All of which turned out not to be true. The root cause of this is the web site and lack of documentation which was always a wait until it's finished item. This is not a critic just but needs to be accepted as part of the game.

So why does myhtpc have 6000 registered users?- answer PR and marketing. Xlobby could in less than 3 months have many more. As a sales and marketing person I get heated up about such things!


Incidently all those H2 screens are 100% pure screen mockups.

Xlobby's jewel is it's internal engine, both for skinning , BUT MUCH MORE IMPORTANT, the category/database functionality. Now that is a pure unknown in H2. Plus you don't create a skin editor overnight either.

[samgreco]

Two words...

Client - Server. That alone puts ANY of the others out of the running for me. All the rest is a BIG bonus.

I think that once Steven stabilizes XLobby (meaning slowing down additional features) you will see more people flocking to it. And I think he's getting very close to a complete product.

I do honestly think that the reason there are so many myHTPC users is the open plug-in idea. Steven adds what everyone asks for himself, where as users have been adding their own to mtHTPC. But in the long run, I think Stevens approach is better abd will be more stable.

Just my 2 cents.

Sam

[Lifter]

myHTPC is appealing because it's easy to figure out, there's tons of users, and there's seemingly a plugin to do just about anything- things you would have never thought of. Xlobby, at first glance, looks unfinished with very little functionality as is.

Then you realize how lacking myHTPC is. I'm not trying to bash it, and I think Pablo has done a great thing, but once you dive deep into it, you realize how many little things it should be able to do that it can't. Then you realize how it's not very easy at all, and searching for answers in that monster forum (which is 99% conversational posts) is a nightmare.

Then you check out Xlobby and it's like "alright, I can do this when I couldn't before", etc. Then you think, "ok, what can't I do with Xlobby that myHTPC could?" I still haven't thought of anything. Sure, there are a lot of things that are easier to achive with myHTPC (and vice-versa), but I can't think of anything it actually can do that Xlobby can't.

I think it takes a frustrated ex-myHTPC user to truly appreciate Xlobby.

[Colby]

I'm almost to the point where I want to take art lessons.

Well I agree with what has been said, Ive had professionaly art lessons, (a degree in design) and I know there are others who are very scripted in web and graphic design aswell on this forum. Steve said it well

dont take my lack of activity on the board as a sign i'm not doing anything...that would be a major mistake...if you dont see any activity on the board from me it usually means i'm working on something big.

Me too. The less I post the more I develop. Silence usually means good stuff is coming.

Steve,

I love it when they make those "photoshop dreams" as I call them....but I love it even more when I know I can fix a few things to make xlobby do it.

leave teh photoshop dreams to us you spend your time on the enormous wish list, and all the performance stuff.

[AirPost]

Hi Everyone,

I, myself am in the midst of crossing over from being an avid myhtpc user. I still have my htpc setup using myhtpc but I just downloaded this terrific software and I'm starting to like it very much. Just glimpsed the long-awaited H2 and looks like it's not going to live up to it's expectations. I'm currently working on a skin which I hope would be worthy to show here.

And yes, a board that has fewer posts than another doesn't mean it's dead or non-constructive. It just means that there are fewer bugs or problems that are related to the software itself. If we add a new topic on how we would dream the next version of a software would look like (heck, throw in some mock-up images as well) then the number of posts would skyrocket. The point is that what other free front-end software users are wishing for now and polluting their forum is already here in Xlobby.

[noviceboy]

It just means that there are fewer bugs or problems that are related to the software itself.

Absolutely. And people are getting on with it and are happy.

[stevenhanna6]

another thing that happens on this board is I actually take care of it and delete posts.....I see no point in having posts that have no relevance any more. Post counts mean nothing here....you could look at mine....it says i make less then one post a day on average lol

the long-awaited H2

I find that part the funniest thing about H2....all the ideas and suggestions are the from the their users (future customers also)....but they wont even give out public releases for them to play with....talk about a one way street.....I also get the feeling its become a top secret project run by the US government....someone go over and ask for the release date...I always love the responses people get for that question.

thats the end of my rant...welcome to the board AirPost.