Feature requests - put it to a vote?

i2Paq wrote:Nice, but why yet another part to vent your features requests?

I have 1 topic with all the features requests already made + 1 topic where people can make a request.
In the start-post of that second topic I ask to have a look at the current request list FIRST and that even is a problem because people just post there request without looking at the current list.

Obviously this is the decision for others to make, but in my view I would migrate the existing requests (performed by users - give them a date that they have to make the transition) to UserVoice then delete/archive all existing forum feature request topics.

i2Paq wrote:I think that another place to "vote" for a request is to much, I would rather have the possibility to donate to a certain feature so that it gets a higher priority.

If OpenCart is open source software, does that mean only those who can afford to donate, or donate the most, will see their feature requests implemented? Surely the software's enhancements should be governed by the users, not donation amounts.

i2Paq wrote:Now we (users on this forum) have yet another place to look and I can tell you that withing a couple of days that uservoice part will be filled with same request just with a different approach...., and will become useless.

1. It wouldn't be useless if it REPLACED the feature requests section of the forum.
2. It allows for better tracking and notifications of feature integration, so it's a far more useful tool.
3. It will reduce the amount of time Daniel and Qphoria have to spend replying to topics, updating feature lists, and so on, while also reducing your own workload on the forum (as you would simply delete any feature requests and refer users to UserVoice.

Just my two cents.

I was only trying it out. It was pretty easy to setup.. took 2 min so i just linked it. Its not really advertised just there to play with. I don't really see us using it any more than we use the forums. And actually, the forums prevent randoms from spamming

I like the fact that the number of votes per user is limited (until their request is implemented). That way if someone is repeatedly requesting features that no one else wants, they won't get a say anymore.

Sounds ideal to me

Perhaps better would be a donation meter.
http://www.livedonationmeter.com/
Put a popular feature up for vote by donation. When the donation meter hits the target, the feature gets added

Maybe good for getting new versions out.
Ok.. if you want 1.4.8.. start coughin up the cash (what? im serious!)

That's my beef with the donation element though - surely the development of free software should not be dictated by who puts up the most money. What if one particular person pays the entire donation target for a particular feature that no one else wants, when 100 people want another feature instead but have very little money (hence using free software to begin with)? This kind of system could have the potential for a whole range of relatively useless features to be implemented before the useful features that would support most users.

right.. so just donations for releases then

I'll decide what goes in
You all decide when/if you get it

Personally, I don't think donations should be a factor in anything. Sure, give users the option to donate, but if this is open source software then money should not come into play. If you want to make a living from the software, and advertising isn't cutting it, then charge for the product. You can't have it both ways (or at least, you shouldn't ).

Alternatively, appoint me to some kind of dictatorship role and I'll get it all sorted.