ExpressionEngine 2 Update
As promised, EllisLab has updated us on EE 2.0. This bi-weekly update comes with an against-the-grain refusal from the ‘Lab.
In summary some people are wanting us to go into more detail about EE 2.0. After thinking this through the last two weeks, our answer to that is no. We’re not going to do that until the beta process is complete and we have a concrete release date set.
So if you’re looking to find out more information on ExpressionEngine 2.0, you’re out of luck. While it’s refreshing to see a company refute the openness that the social-web has brought to us, it’s a bit maddening when it’s a product you depend on. Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Posted on Sep 09, 2009 by Kenny Meyers
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Nick McNeill — 12:35 on 09.09.2009
It’s a bit maddening, I agree. They have gone from from one extreme (SXSW ‘08) to another (today) with EE 2.0 info.
I am, however, understanding of their situation and am overall very happy with 1.6. SXSW ‘08 was my first real introduction to EE and I was able to champion in as our CMS of choice for our team.
There’s no doubt that they bit off a lot more that they could chew, at least per their initial estimate of Summer ‘08. In my opinion, the quality of the product is their saving grace. Companies get beat up pretty bad these days for being this late. Obviously there are some who have given them a hard time about it, overall the community seems pretty patient. To me that says a lot about both the community and the product.
Here’s hoping I can get into the Beta2!
David — 18:00 on 09.09.2009
On one hand- good for them for keeping the lid tight. On the other hand, well, they are screwed. I love EE but the closed nature is infectious and dictates the whole manner by which the community operates. That’s why all of the good addons move to a pay model.
The other thing that they loose by being closed is innovation. They are so afraid of being open, that the software doesn’t play with any of the open standards by default. Even if you don’t use it to blog, Wordpress is out-innovating EE every day. It is only a matter of time before Drupal figures out a better templating/UI system and wordpress figures out how to cutomize around content types.
I think Ellis Labs and Rick and Derek and previously Paul are brilliant- they make beautiful software- but this web is on an accelerating change curve- and in the last year Facebook Connect, RSS Cloud, Discus & Echo Comments- these things are all happening- and they aren’t integrated or on EE in any substantial way. We can create the coolest sites where content is built through the most complex of associations and arrays of options for the manager- but without talking to the social web, our CMS is holding us back.
Brendon Carr — 22:34 on 09.09.2009
The good addons move to a pay model because the developers of the good addons find it’s really hard work to develop them, and in the real world real work entitles you to earn money for it. I don’t work for free, I presume the rest of you don’t work for free—why should developers of addons to ExpressionEngine work for free?
So I do not agree with the criticism of developers of addons wanting to be paid for their work.
Still, I think EllisLab’s information-embargo policy stinks to high heaven. It’s a huge mistake, but it’s their mistake to make.
Brendon Carr — 22:44 on 09.09.2009
And re: “Summer ‘08”, the EllisLab mistake was far stupider. In November 2006 Paul Burdick announced in their forums “ExpressionEngine 1.x is dead” and that the next version would be ExpressionEngine 2.0—development of which he stated had jsut begun. Nobody who had been conditioned by the EllisLab non-communication policy could have interpreted that statement as anything other than “coming Real Soon Now”.
Three years is a long time to wait for something coming Real Soon Now.
Daniel — 03:43 on 09.10.2009
Why is everyone complaining?! Just be patient and wait until it’s ready!
David — 05:09 on 09.10.2009
@Brendon - I hear you I am not trying to deny anyone their due pay. ANd you are right the Good addons- well worth the money. I have spent a ton on many many addons for my own sites, and my clients.
But its starting to get ridiculous. Take Wygwam for instance- BK charging for an extension that uses an opensource foundation- LG TinyMCE was free for years and now I have to pay to use CK Editor? There are free alternatives, but I think this kind of agressive capitalization of any all useful addons will hurt our whole community in the long run.
I think the biggest insult is the idea that we would pay Devot-ee just to comment or rate addons and then Ellislabs saying that is the defacto addon list. I totally respect Ryan Masuga but that is some kind of joke. Charging for everything and putting up communication walls everywhere- what a great way to kill innovation.
Marcus Neto — 05:39 on 09.10.2009
I agree and disagree at the same time (call me Switzerland) but I know the amount of time that goes into some of the add-ons and it is not something that could be freely given away. Even in the OS model communities are being torn apart because of this discussion. Good development costs money and should be rewarded as such. If we do not respect the time that this development costs then how will we sell our services to our clients at a decent fare?
On the other hand I commend EllisLab for shutting the door. They were getting hammered for estimating wrong. We have all been there. Could they have sped it up? Sure by hiring more people and increasing costs… but I have no major issues with EE 1.6 so 2.0 is not a necessity for me. I guess I would ask what everyone sees in the release notes of EE2 that they are all excited about. CodeIgnitor integration?
Shane — 13:01 on 09.22.2009
I’ve been using Wordpress for a year or so, and have been looking at ExpressionEngine because I’m not entirely satisfied as Wordpress as a CMS.
You sum things up well when you say it’s maddening. The closed approach does worry me, and Wordpress is moving forwards in some areas of my perceived areas of deficiency.
I guess I don’t really understand the logic behind being completely candid about forthcoming developments. Sure, we’ve seen the Admin UI demo, and although an improvement has been made, I still don’t think it’s a patch on Wordpress’ (recently redesigned too.)
So, unless version 2.0 is absolutely astounding, I fear that we may be disappointed by a long wait with no news.