Print

[Yuyu]

THe ones that are still around the scene from time to time, I think KAC's comments

QUOTE

I've used MXM for over a year now as my default dash but have decided that I will change to UX with the UX next release. I would normally slash back at SUBLOGIC for picking on my MXM but I have to agree that UX is much better. Unfortunately, MXM has turned into just a WIP playpen for action scripters. There are no MXM updates/releases cuz they all just gather in their WIP loop of insiders and just do action script after actions script with no end to it. It sucks.

in the following linked htread, sums up how alot of people feel and the reason they have given up on wanting to use MXM at all...

THREAD

[chilin_dude]

I saw that thread earlier but didn't reply because I knew it wouldn't be one that would be appreciated, so I'm not going to now.
Its up to them whether they use it or not and makes no difference to me so if they don't like it thats their choice  

[Yuyu]

Yeah, I do realize this Chillin DUde, but the whole thing is it helps to have a litttle of a user base,  I see like 15 people that use MXM primarily around the forums...

I just don't want BJ to start feeling, its a waste of time.. I love MXM, and will always use it, no matter the direction it goes in... I'm just saying, it saddens me to see people feel like BJ has forgotten about them...  <

[koldfuzion]

well, unleashx hasnt been updated in 3 months or so either.  The only reason the next release is coming out pretty soon is because unleashx wont have time to work on his dash for a few months in the future and he knows everyone want it anyway, even though its not what he wants to release.  

Thats where the MXM's advantage shines... progress will still be made even if BJ take a vacation for the next 6 months. (though some serious bugs still need fixed).

I wasnt going to comment either,  and chillin was reading my mind or something.

I just want to add the one comment that everyone who has followed or tried the dashboads already know.  

Development starts somewhere.  It started with Evox.  That dash was everything...yet now considered to be nothing.  MXM gave you mulitmedia eye candy, extensive skinning, the most advanced dash scripting available, avalaunch gave you in-dash file manager, avalaunch gave you in-dash saves, and specifically xlink support.   (keeping the list short ok)

The dash generations actually look like this:
1. Evox
2. MXM, Avalaunch, nexgen
3. unleashx

So does UnleashX look professional, look refined, provide what most other dashboards may or may not provide? does some of those things better? provide innovation beyond the other current dashboards?

Yes,  it should.  It's a third gen dash,  more resources, more knowledge and more helpful advice/info were available from its conception.

Point being, You cant blame a 69 mustang for not having airbags,  and if you want airbags...buy the current model.  (or better yet.. get them from this scene, cause its full of airbags ).. or what till the next mustang comes out.

Unlike most other dashboards though.  MXM gives the user, or community, the ability to extend its abilities. Which is most impressive and will enable mxm to survive beyond its developer or its final release.

EDIT:

QUOTE

I'm just saying, it saddens me to see people feel like BJ has forgotten about them...

Its saddens me that they dont contribute themselves,  that their willingness to participate in a forum is for the sole purpose of bashing and requesting.  Not providing ideas,  ways to make something better, or just words of encouragement.  Isnt it more like they forgot about BJ and just think about thier wants and desires?

Again,  how many people complain to Ford that thier older cars dont have airbags?  and thats not meant to say that MXM is old.. its not, its not even 1.0 yet.  even if it was... older perfomance cars kick ass.


btw.. i have 3 xboxes, all thre have mxm as primary, and evox as secondary via x-select.  I have 5 friends that use the same.   Its not the user base that is hurting.. its the people that feel the have to voice thier opinions like "MXM is never updated so im using something else.. [read as thumb up ass and brain in toilet with the purpose of the post being "what can i get out of it"]"

It doesnt take a scientist to use actionscripting... it publically documented in this forum,  so there is no excuse... people just want shit done for them with no effort on thier part.  Thats fine,  but it would also be fine to not complain unless you are contributing.

[CreziB]

I use MXM as my primary dash.  I also have ava and THC, prlly put on Unleash again soon, but those dashes are for me to show others so they can pick what I put on their boxes.  Everyone's like, "MXM".  I ask why and the answer is..."duh, look at it and then look at the others."  It may be old, but that doesn't mean it isn't still impressive.  Ava has some excellent functions, but it's still got the whole evoxish dash look about it.  I skin it sometimes and it looks more decent, but not impressive looking.  It's features are more impressive to me.  Anyways, a couple user friendly features that have been repeatedly posted on MXM forum and this dash would stomp again.  In the meantime, I'm waiting patiently cause I know the current MXM version well, and am satisfied that BJ and the gang are more than competent to overwhelm the scene, yet again.    <

[Yuyu]

Oh no  I fear some have taken my comments the wrong way...
Me personally, I will always use MXM and recommend it to others always...
My recent usings of UnleashX, have not lead me astray from my true dash of choice..

The 3rd generation dash, such as you put it KF, is exactly how I see it, he had time to look at the best of all dashes and use that to create one himself... Also as you said KF, with this next release, the end-user will be able to develop for MXM for a pretty long time, making all sorts of things, if they put their mind to it...

And there in does lye the problem, the only people who people see as the "insider crew" are the ones that give a damn and contribute, this I know... The others inflate their egos. with the help of some "airbags" and decide they have the right to rip into whatever app they want, though they have never personally contributed anything to anyone, probably not even in real life, they just leech what they can, and complain there isn't more to leech...

SO I guess too take back my ealier comment yes, I the end-user has forgotten about BJ, and for whatever reason they feel it is he who forgot about them... I always defend this dash, as I did (cinstructively this time) in the earlier thread posted...

BJ once again thank you for your hard work, and thank you to those who have stuck by MXM and continue to expand it... With MXM's fresh release will come about something else pretty fresh... But that will be talked about in due time..

[flattspott]

That's why I've always said, the best dash is just the stock MS dashboard. Wait a second, I never said.. long live Media X Menu!

[koldfuzion]

dont take it wrong YuYu,, the "you"'s in my reply was not aimed at you or (Yu or Yu).

I was more or less aiming those "you"'s to anyone reading that was thinking .  "Damn YuYu,  you right.. thats just how I feel.   BJ forgot about us, its never updated, only the Actionscripters and WIP users get updates and MXM isnt as good as UnleashX"

Thats all.

Actionscripting, as we know,  isnt a closed community.  And my personal feeling is that if someone contributes by creating scripts,  when they run into a roadblock because they dont have the WIP to fix thier problem..BJ would most likely fix that problem.   Kind of like a working reward to make you work more.

I love mxm most because i DONT have to sit back and wait,  I can if I want to or I can be proactive and try to do it myself, or assist others to do it.  

The Slideshow creator was started because it was asked for in the UnleashX forum,  it wasnt asked for by BJ.  

It was possible to quickly make it because of others code contributions. Either on the forums or by existing scripts.

Its 90% done and BJ didnt have to lift a finger.  (the last 10% is due to reorganizing our own script and a couple more buttons/functions need added).  

How cool it will be to, as a user, be able to download stuff like this at any time to extend the features of my existing dash.... or NOT download it because I dont want the ability as a user.


EDIT:  to contradict myself.. I actual think MXM is a 4th gen dash in the works.. but able to compete before its completion with current 2nd gen dashboards.

[flattspott]

Just imagine all the crap MXM would have got if the 1202 WIP build was official. The one with the _AutoExec Freeze bug.

 <

[Yuyu]

BTW BJ seems to be MIA atm...  <

[koldfuzion]

QUOTE (flattspott @ May 26 2004, 07:16 PM)

Just imagine all the crap MXM would have got if the 1202 WIP build was official. The one with the _AutoExec Freeze bug.

definitely would have been hell in the forums.   At least your finally caught that bug too.. I thought Kthulu and I were on crack or something. Thats the exact reason the WIPs arent publically distributed though.


I think if BJ was even thinking of an close release, the icon(game thumbg) bug would need to be fixed first.

The ftp is definitely solid.. at least at my house and is the only real reason I can see push a version out.  <

[unleashx]

Well, you can't really blame them, people will always be people. You can't please all of them all the time. It is likely that when a new dash comes out, I'd find myself wearing the same shoe as the ones before me did. It ain't gonna be pretty but I guess I just have to take into considerations the eventuality of things. This ain't tantamount to saying that all those dash before UnleashX can be considered old, not at all. I say, they're all still pretty current and those who done it could only tell how much time one has to devote in order come up with a release, sadly, there's this thing called "personal life" and things could really take its toll. I can't deny the fact that my dash has been getting a lot of praises but I have had my fair share of bashing. I'm not letting any of those get into my head. It doesn't matter now as it did before. The important thing is that I enjoyed doing this and I'm still enjoying it.

More resources? I doubt it, after all, I'm a one-man team like BJ is.

QUOTE

he had time to look at the best of all dashes and use that to create one himself

Flattspott had the same comment, but believe it or not, this isn't exactly the case. Before UnleashX, the only two dashes that I've used were Evox and Nexgen 0.95. I don't even know back then that Avalaunch had a file manager. People requested these features, and the features that made it in the first release has always been what I wanted. I'm not adding features because they exist in another dash, but because I find them useful. At first look, it may indeed look similar, but you only need to look deeper to see the diferences and that I implement things differently.

At any rate, BJ has my respect and appreciation. These things ain't easy but he still managed to do it. Actionscripting could really prove very useful and it's true that BJ doesn't have to do anything to expand his dash. I just have a different view amidst all of these scripting stuff.  <

[koldfuzion]

true people will always be people.. and their ways of thinking here will probably never change.  

QUOTE

More resources? I doubt it, after all, I'm a one-man team like BJ is.

I know you are..by this i meant that you have more people and possible previously discovered "ways" to get things done than what BJ might have had available when he started..

I know some of the devs talk back and forth,  some do not.   Maybe nothing at has ever been shared between the devs and no code/ways to implement have never been shared. Im not a dev for any of the dashboards, so i may have error'd in this assumption...but it was an assumption based off previous posts.  Just having one person to talk development stuff out with now and then can be a huge contribution to getting things done right the first time.  Did you do in on the first release? No i doubt it. Or there are few people that can keep very good secrets.   My point was that there is at least one more dev in the scene than there was when BJ first started,  personnally,  i would hope that the devs DID talk more to each other, it just makes more sence.

QUOTE

At any rate, BJ has my respect and appreciation. These things ain't easy but he still managed to do it. Actionscripting could really prove very useful and it's true that BJ doesn't have to do anything to expand his dash. I just have a different view amidst all of these scripting stuff.

You ALL have my appreciation and respect.  Not sure how you continue sometimes with all the crap that is said in these forums.  

Just keep in mind i wasnt bashing UnleashX, the dashboard, or you personally.  Simply providing another view to the arguement on release times, urgency on the users to stay "fed with updates" and the idea that MXM is old.   <

[-FourDoor-]

I guess it's time to chime in. I must say that I apologize to BJ and the rest of the actioscripters/WIP users as I am guilty myself of participating less in the MXM forums (Official and WIP)... I would consider myself a die hard MXM supporter not only due to the great features of the dash, but the great following it has with the WIP testers. Unfortunately, I do feel that the general following that MXM had has tapered off a bit due to the lack of current official releases. The MXM forums have been quite inactive for a while. As much as we hate "noob" questions that have been asked a million times, it was fun showing them the way when they were truly greatfull at opening their eyes.

In regards to actionscripts, I strongly support action scripts and their power. I have been on board with BJ since day one of him announcing action scripts. And I jumped at the chance of being a WIP tester so I can play with action scripts. Given my limited programming background, I was happy to be able to jump right in and code away some scripts that personalized MXM for me and hopefully for a few others. But unfortunately due to "real world" responsibilities, I have been unable to participate as much as I would like. So given the lack of action script practice and the great advancements/change that BJ had implemented, I started to feel well behind the curve as to the level current WIP actionscripters were working with. From homebrew vid games to you name it, action scriptors were doing it. To say the least, I felt intimidated. I guess what I am trying to say here is that actionscripting has a definite learning curve at its current state. Re-stating the obvious: Actionscripting is meant for the more "advanced user" who wishes to customize MXM even more. Unfortunately, the current average modded xbox owner/user is not interested in doing all of the work themselves but would rather like it all packaged up nice and pretty with just one button. Given that 99% of the target audience for MXM or any other dash for that matter are these "one button pushers", that leaves the few dedicated few left in the WIP forums to toil around and plan/implement the next big thing... How many UX, Ava, EvoX users do you know compared to the masses that have made their own “scripts”, install disks, etc?

In short, I agree with what others have said here stating that the MXM user base, as it appears on the forums, have dwindled down quite a bite. (the most active the MXM forums were was during the MXM logo contest primarily because they wanted a free modchip ) The lack of updates AND participation by normal MXM users has contributed to a feeling of alienation if you will. MXM as a dash requires a little PR work at or before the next official release just to let everyone know that the GAP that has developed between the normal user and WIP user has been closed. Then the fun “noob” questions start popping up again in the forums.
 <

[BenJeremy]

:::sigh:::

I've been very busy of late. I'm working on three apps for work, along with my usual duties there (basically acting as software manager for an offshore development team on a product development project)

I keep saying I'll have time, but things keep coming up. Last weekend it was my Dad having an operation (meaning I had to take care of many things for my folks, as their only child).

I really do want to get this update out to everybody. I have some key goals to accomplish with this release, and it may well be the final "release candidate" before 1.0


To be honest, nobody wants to get this out as much as I do. It has dragged on quite a bit, and while I have many great scripters contributing, I'm a one-man team when it comes to the actual application coding. I can only do so much.

 <