Ran some of the early websites where ocPortal came from

Technically the original developer of ocPortal, in that he wrote the first few lines of code

Heavily involved in the feature design process

Hosted some of our early meet-ups

Original developer of ocPortal, former lead developer of Composr CMS

Masters degree in Computer Science from The University Of Sheffield

Undertaken work for over 15 FTSE-100 companies, as well as many small and mid-sized organisations. Includes a number of banks and major brands.

@gamerevolt

That depends on several factors. Here are some pros and cons of each:

It is not recommended you do this because you may run into issues. For example, some changes were made in crypto_master.php and data/upgrader2.php prior to the first v11 alpha. These changes will result in a broken upgrade unless you already pulled these changes from git. Similar situations could happen in the future as well.

It is recommended you either discard the git install and use a fresh install from the Downloads, or to maintain a git install and a bleeding-edge release install separately. Do not combine the two.

Absolutely! Frequent changes may be made to both bundled and non-bundled addons. Bundled addons will be updated via the upgrader. For non-bundled addons, you will have to update them through the addons management screen (Admin Zone > Structure > Addons). You will be informed which ones need updated.

Once version 11 reaches release candidate, we do not expect frequent updates to non-bundled addons anymore. But it is still good practice to check after every update.

Yes, for basic non-custom v10 sites. However, expect some issues to arise in the process. And please report those issues to the tracker.

For v10 sites with non-bundled addons or customisations, upgrading to v11 will likely break the site until you update the non-bundled addons or temporarily remove the customisations.

We aim to have the upgrader fully functional for a large majority of types of sites and for sites using non-bundled addons by the time version 11 reaches release candidate stage.

We do not recommend upgrading production v10 sites at this time until v11 reaches stable.

Yes (probably). Always remember especially during alpha and beta phases that things can break. Please make backups first. And let us know on the issue tracker if an issue occurs.
 

Note: You cannot upgrade from 11 alpha to 11 beta without first upgrading to 11.alpha4 (if you are not already on 11.alpha4).

• New major/minor versions are released as they are ready.
• Patch releases, primarily containing bug fixes, are only released for the latest supported major/minor version branch.

• Understand that Composr is developed and maintained by volunteers who dedicate their time to the project.
• Refrain from demanding free support or expecting developers to work on specific schedules.
• Avoid placing undue pressure on volunteers or pushing them beyond their capacity.
• Approach the community with respect and a collaborative spirit.
• Remember that offering financial sponsorship for desired features can accelerate development.

• Be specific and detailed. Identify particular issues and provide clear examples.
• Offer solutions. Suggest improvements or provide mockups demonstrating your ideas.
• Avoid vague statements. General comments like "it looks dated" are unhelpful.
• Understand design constraints. Consider factors like modularity, generality, feature density, compatibility, performance, and the subjective nature of design.

• Be comprehensive and self-contained. Provide all necessary information and context for the developers to understand your suggestion.
• Focus on widely beneficial features. Esoteric suggestions are less likely to be implemented.
• Understand developer constraints. Feature development depends on factors like developer availability, funding, and project strategy.
• Consider sponsoring features. Financial contributions can prioritize the development of desired features as it affords developers the time to implement it.

• Open a tracker issue explaining the problem and providing as much detail as possible (mark it as a major bug).
• Help the developers help you. Provide access to your site (see the software feedback tutorial for more information), describe the exact situation, and avoid protracted back-and-forth communication.
• Take backups before upgrading. This allows for easier recovery in case of problems.

• Check for duplicates: Make sure the bug hasn't already been reported.
• Report bugs individually: Each issue should be reported separately for better tracking and resolution.
• Verify it's a Composr bug: Issues with third-party addons and code should be reported to their respective developers.
• Consult the FAQ and tutorials: Check for common problems and solutions, particularly server configuration issues.
• Provide comprehensive information: Include a clear and specific title, detailed steps to reproduce the problem, your browser version, Composr version, error messages, stack traces (if available), and any other

• Use clear and concise language: Write in proper English, use correct terminology, and avoid vagueness.
• Be respectful and patient: Remember that developers are volunteers and may not respond immediately.