Feelin’ mighty discouraged, here.
A year ago this month I got back control of Form Tools and was extremely excited to return to work on it… and then something came up, and I had to put it off for a month or two. So then I returned to it, and something else came up. Wash and repeat.
Cut to one year later. What do we have to show for it? Well, the documentation has been ported out of a custom database and into github where (eventually) anyone can edit it – admittedly, that was a huge task – and I’m still working on the website re-write. But really that’s it. The old site is still just sitting there; I’m not helping out in the forums, and basically the whole script has gotten sadly out of date.
The problem is time, not motivation. In the two years that I took off from Form Tools I started numerous other projects include d3pie, grunt-search, country-region-selector, and I re-wrote my popular generatedata.com script. All of these, plus many others, take time to support. When bugs are found I have to fix them – and even finding time for that is difficult.
I absolutely don’t want to give up on the project, I’m just at a loss about how to proceed. July 1st my wife and I are moving to Bowen Island where we’ve bought a house. Initially that’s going to mean even less time while we get the house shipshape.
The goal with Form Tools was – and still is – to get it to a state where people are able to contribute so it can hum along on its own steam. But in order to do that, I need to do work myself – the website, considering the functionality it offers, has to be closed source.
Anyway, </vent>. Sorry the project seems to be stuck in limbo.
Wow that’s so good to hear that you have been so busy, and congratulations on the house!!
I wish I could help in some way. I, like many others I’m sure, are so grateful for the work you have put in to formtools. I rely on it daily in several different installations. I don’t know what I would do without it. Of course I would like nothing better than seeing some updates, and of course a few added features from the suggestion thread in the forum. I wish I could help somehow!
Keep up the great work!
Thanks, Alex! :) Appreciate the comment + good to hear from you!
Wait… you’ve been spending time with family and house stuff instead of formtools? Please get your priorities straightened out! ;-)
Hi Ben – thanks for caring to share. Much appreciated. Life comes first, that’s for sure.
That’s right Ben, take your time and staff can help Alex yes, just help answer the forum. I took a paced the forum and has many doubts to be answered, unfortunately do not know the tool but I know I have many doubts that I am tentnado solve alone.
Come on people, take a leap in the forum who knows a little more …
I hope anxiously that you retorene Ben ….
Thanks for the update Ben. Formtools is superb and is a total lifleline to us! But reallife has to come first. Don’t be discouraged though, something will work out! I wish I could offer to help, but I just don’t have the technical skills, sorry!
I can appreciate the busy life. Any changes that may improve the chances of update work? Love your product … just checking : )
Hi Ben,
Nice to hear what you’re up to! May God be with you in all current in future endeavors. I love formtools and can’t wait to see it tie in with LDAP, Shib, and other SSO systems. I have not done this yet but I will start making donations in support of this awesome tool you have here. It is a very essential tool in my organization.
Best,
A
Hi Ben
A little late on this one, I know, but I too wanted to add my thanks for producing Formtools. I looked back and realised I’d been tinkering with it for about 2.5 years now and I am only just getting to grips with it! Consequently, I fully understand the massive amount of work that’s gone into it!! Generally, its ‘modular’ build makes it intuitive to use and a great base to develop from. I have 3 potential clients for it and, (if I ever get paid!! :o) ) will donate too.
We all need you to win the lottery so you can concentrate on Formtools full-time! If you were able to I am sure it would fly!
Thanks and regards from England (the old one!)….
Hey, thanks Grahame! Really appreciate your comment.
A week doesn’t go by without me thinking about this script, but yeah, finding the time is an absolute killer. But I haven’t given up hope…
Ben… please return the Paypal donation link for monetary Formtools support. At worst it will supply you with beer money for what you’ve already done; at best it might provide such a tremendous financial windfall that you could abandon all other employment in lieu of developing Formtools full time. I’m keeping a Piping Plover hostage until you meet this demand.
Haha, thanks Andy! But I don’t think I deserve any donations while I’m not working on it. My other scripts bring in enough donations to cover the hosting costs for now. But I appreciate the thought – and take pity on the poor plover! ;)