8 replies to this topic

[Jem]

I was wondering if there was any chance of you guys actually allowing people to review the tutorials listed, as well as rating them? I know this might end up being resource intensive in the long run, but it's something I'd find particularly useful and others may too?

The reason why I ask is that I've just been going through the php section to see what has already been done (so I don't submit repeat tutorials) and I see tutorials like this which is basically telling people how to create scripts that have no security features at all - anybody using the code in that particular example is at risk of having all sorts of unsanitory data inserted into their database (JavaScript to steal cookies, unwanted html or even sql queries which could allow malicious users to drop all databases/etc).

The problem is, rating them with a 1 tells people that the tutorial is effectively crud, but it doesn't educate them on the potential risks they're putting themselves at by using the code. The example I've listed above isn't the only one, either..

[Jamie Huskisson]

it's a very fair point Jem.. some tutorials are incredibly poorly written and you can blame Dan for accepting it (haha). If you spot tutorials like this you can feel free to contact us using our contact form (http://www.pixel2life.com/contact/) and complain/leave your comment on why the tutorial should be deleteted from the listing

The reason we don't allow comments/reviews on the tutorials is that we feel that the person writing the tutorial in the first place deserves the comments/reviews, not us. Take Digg for example.. you see a blog entry gets digged with 89 comments (on Digg), but you see as a little as 2-3 comments on the blog entry itself. Instead of this method we prefer to guide people towards joining up and commenting on the tutorial writers website and not ours. As after all, it's the tutorial writer that should be expanding their user base here, not us

[Jem]

Thanks for your reply.

I would submit the 'bad' tutorials I find via the contact form but then I 1) feel guilty for pestering you guys, and 2) have no idea if you'll get the links to the problem sites, because the last two emails I've sent via the form (link changes) have been missed/ignored/not received (in the end, after waiting several months, I just put up redirect links - not a major problem, but I thought I'd have a quick whine ).

I can see the logic behind allowing the tutorial writer to get the credit, so to speak, but a lot of sites don't have contact info on them. Perhaps instead of allowing us to review the sites, you could have a 'report link' feature which allowed people to report bad tutorials as well as dead links (which you obviously already have)?

Edited by Jem, 08 May 2006 - 09:37 AM.

[Jamie Huskisson]

Strange, normally Dan deals with every e-mail sent via the contact form

Also, a 'report tutorial' function would largely depend on what the user thinks is a bad tutorial.. Personally i'd probably report 40% that I read, but another user might think only 1% are bad.. and that's because they can't read them because ads are in the way.

Reporting a 'bad tutorial' depends on the user's perspective of what a bad tutorial actually is, so it wouldn't be a good idea to put that into the listing

[Osmosae]

Only report 40% i think itd be more by your standards jay (not a bad comment trust me)

Could this feature be implemented to certain sections. If a php script (or any other coding script) is unsecure and slips through the net then it should be reported, but most users would be too lazy to use the contact page (being honest), however, bad tutorials on things like maya/photoshop/poser etc, are completly user based, and therefore can be just ignored ? Dont know if this could be implemented into the tutorials secrion but thought i'd throw it out there.

[DanWilliamson]

I think this would be bad, as Jay said it would turn out like Digg, most tutorials have on the tut 'If you enjoyed this tutorial please join our forum and post comments'

[Jem]

I think this would be bad, as Jay said it would turn out like Digg, most tutorials have on the tut 'If you enjoyed this tutorial please join our forum and post comments'

There's a difference between wanting to comment on a tutorial because you think it's cool, and wanting to point out that a tutorial is putting a person's entire website at risk. Now, I might enjoy being helpful and pointing out security risks here and there, but there's no way I am going to start joining a few hundred forums just to post one message saying "your tutorial is badly written and insecure." Do you fancy doing that?

My query has been answered so this thread can be locked..? Thanks for the responses guys!

Edited by Jem, 09 May 2006 - 04:04 AM.

[Osmosae]

1 last note sorry, i meant about having a report feature other than the dead link, not havign a comment system, should have made that clearer.

[Barkeeper]

If a php script (or any other coding script) is unsecure and slips through the net then it should be reported

I think it better to contact the author so he can make it secure. Otherwise he wasted a lot of time for nothing.