Progress of GavickPro updates and change of forum work

26 comments

• 

  hi, i want to ask Gavick Tabs Manager GK2, i already install n follow the instruction how to create the tab but in my problem i want to link my menu to Gavick Tabs Manager GK2. when i create menu and select the link Select Menu Item Type->Gavick Tabs Manager GK2 i not function. in the web when i click the menu page 404 = page not found will appear.

• 

  Any word on when the Finance theme from Sept of 2009 will be updated? Can't wait to see and use the new version.

• 

  I can't even find the field to start a discussion ????? Really Gavick website is not really user friendly. How do I post a question? I did that once before but I remember trying to find that option for a while.
  
  Where is it???
  
  Broya

• 

  I am trying to use photoslide GK2 when I click to add a new slide the page goes white and it gives me this error message
  
  Error 101 (net::ERR_CONNECTION_RESET): Unknown error.

• 

  Hi Guys I have to say that you produce some great extensions. I am not so sure about your support. Its less that you don't answer problems or resolve issues, its more that you don't do it publicly.
  
  I read through a variety of posts and find that rather than going through the solution step by step you opt for pm's private emailing etc. That is all fine and good but it leads to you having to resolve the same problems or questions over and over again.
  
  Naturally I have read a LOT of questions in the forums which discuss simple things that shouldn't require posting if the users had read the manuals.
  
  Small Suggestion: Create a Sticky with a link to the pdf manual for the extension or template I can guarantee you it will reduce the amount of rather basic questions!
  
  You provide free extensions and want to be paid for support that seems to be the main goal of your business structure, which i think is grand and quite a good income model. The issue by you stopping to provide customization and open forum advice though is that potential customers will walk away simple as that. Even if the price is low, if they find that no answers are given to some of their "modifications" or placement of your product into a site that requires some modification then you will fail at this.
  
  I truly hope that you will not fail and rethink some areas of your support/product structure.

• 

  I can understand your situation with user customization being a little overwhelming, but... not all customization queries are difficult ones.
  
  Just about every Joomla designer/developer wants to 'customize' your templates to meet their customer's needs and maybe there is a call for a GkUser Forum or something where users can help each other out.
  
  For example, I just submitted a request, prior to seeing the 'we will not answer any customization' announcement, where all I want to know is where to look in code or css to simply lower the top navigation bar within the ElveSocial template.
  
  I don't think that this would be against any customization no-no's. So I then ask you... how and when would I find this information out?
  
  Do I need to actually adjust my client's mock-up to better match your template? I think that defeats the purpose of grabbing a great Gk template to begin with.
  
  Please give a Gk User Forum another though. Might be a great idea to build more Gk Buzz as well. :)
  
  Thanks for the great templates though guys. Keep 'em coming!

• 

  It was very interesting for me to read the blog. Thank author for it. I like such topics and anything that is connected to this matter. I definitely want to read a bit more on this blog soon. By the way, pretty good design you have here, but don’t you think design should be changed every few months?
  
  Natasha Pingtown

• 

  In change to this there should be a place to get still help, even if its payed. The support must get on.
  
  So my question here:
  I want to have myStore with a choice of colour named as Orange ;)
  
  What now?
  
  There is an easy answer for anti nerds, I can't get I don't buy.
  
  No answer is no answer and a good bye will turn to farewell.
  
  I never noticed that the support was bad here!
  Many see the main reason in buying templates is to get into the forum.
  
  In all respect to Your decision getting more time for developing new templates
  
  This knife has many blades .....

• 

  I love to get good stuff for (almost) free but I think every reasonable person will also understand that there has to be a limit in terms of what level of support can be provided for a very small yearly membership fee.
  
  If I put myself into your shoes I understand that each of these "little" questions of "how could I do this or that..." can easily lead to more and more "little" questions... I leave it up to you to define the line how far you can reasonably get in terms of "standard" support (as opposed to "custom support").
  
  But instead of "cutting off" custom support all together, may I suggest that you consider a scenario that can actually work well for you AND your customers/the community ("win-win")? Some customization questions will be quite standard, I guess, like "how/where" do I change the font style or the element position" of a template element. I would agree that that it is difficult to provide all this customization help for free (it may be just 10 min per question, but how many people will ask you for such, "just 10 min" consultation...?).
  
  Perhaps you want to consider defining some standardized "Customization Advise Packages" and offer such standard packages for a fee. If someone needs some color codes or graphic positions, hidden in CSS files, to be changed, but does not have best of the CSS knowledge, perhaps it will take you only 5 min or 15 min to point out where these custom changes need to be made. Maybe you want to think of offering "tickets" (you define what is included) for 20, 40 or 50 Euro and such a "ticket" addresses a certain scope of "customization" advise for your templates. Its up to the customer to decide if he wants to spend money for some service or spend time and try and figure it out.
  
  Wouldn't that be fair to everyone and suit your rightful interests and also customer's needs for "customization"?
  
  Tom

• 

  Customization is THE REAL SOUL of internet. I understand that your templates at gavick are designed for a "take and use" situation. But, you also have to understand that you can not have 50 sites looking exactly as your template.
  
  Seems to me like paying for a template stopped to be of value for a subscribing company. The support is what makes the difference in buying a product or not. You can't expect to use only your own components and modules in a website, specially if your own components sometimes do not meet the requirements a client wants.
  
  Very dissapointing news. Certainly with this, We'll not be renewing our membership at gavick anymore.

• 

  I agree with Nicole and other members, i think one of good things that Gavick Club give to us is the support (customization fonts, colors) Its part of the template code! Im not active right now but i will have to think if i going to activate again my membership because i need some Club who can help me in Club Templates....
  
  Gavick you are very good in your work, i admire you but maybe you have to think in add more support moderators and you will improve the quality of your Customer Service here....
  
  As one a better Joomla Template CLub you have a responsability with joomla community (at least its my opinion)

• 

  I still can't understand why you would go back and update older templates to the new framework. I would rather see more focus on new templates and extensions. And the framework documentation from Joomlart is very confusing, which is the case for most of their site. I can't believe you decided to go with them, since there are better alternatives out there. And I agree there is a grey area between customizations and template questions. And it's not a matter of learning how to code. It's about specific questions on your templates and extensions. Not sure if I will re-join this time.

• 

  About the customization, there will always be a grey area no matter what level of joomla skills you have. Hopefully the grey area will be considered in due time, because certain questions for customization improve the original template for all. Then again, i do see that the demand for customization is really getting out of hand, anyone a dark or light variation:)
  
  But as gavick is always pressed for time, see this month's release etcetcetc, i really don't see the need for recoding the 2009 templates to T3. Sure, it will add some nice functionality to the older templates, but they are more than ok just as they are. Most of the customers have joined because of the oldies, so there you go.
  
  With 1.6 and maybe even 1.7 on the way, i would concentrate on making the old templates compatible with that, and keep the T3 for the new ones. No one can really expect you to recode the old ones to T3, whereas compatibility with 1.6 will be high on anyone's list. This will take quite some pressure off the developers and give you some room to enjoy the summer and release some funky new templates. I know what i would do:)

• 

  I'm throwing my 2 cents in here to say that I too support this move as well. I've watched all too often the same exact questions being asked, even the same question being asked multiple times in a thread where the question had already been asked AND answered.
  
  The majority of problems that people have with Joomla, componants, and templates, is that they don't take the time to actually LEARN what it is that they are working with. 9 times out of 10, most of the questions that they have on how to do something are already spelled out either directly in documentation, or could easilly be learned by learning how to actualy physically use the product.
  
  I also agree that Gavick should NOT be considered responsible for teaching you how to make XYZ Componant work with Template ABC... If a particular stylesheet or template for that particular componant wasn't included with the template, its not Gavicks reponsibility to either create one or spend time teaching you how to use that componant to make it work with your particular layout. (Nor is it the responsibility of the componant developer)
  
  Like a previous poster noted...
  
  "To those who wouldn't support this move for whatever reason, perhaps this is an opportunity to learn a bit more about the Joomla! installation, web design, PHP, CSS etc." - Spanners

• 

  I support your move to this new format of answering forum posts. You've helped me immensely in the past, despite the time difference (hello from Australia), and in the process I've learned quite a bit about Gavick Products and web design/development in general.
  
  To those who wouldn't support this move for whatever reason, perhaps this is an opportunity to learn a bit more about the Joomla! installation, web design, PHP, CSS etc.
  
  In addition, there was no mention that forum posts not directly linked to Gavick products would be removed. Just not answered by the Gavick team. We need to support each other when it comes to customisations and other Joomla! add-ons. If you work something out and think someone else would find it handy, add it to the forum.
  
  If everyone took a couple of minutes each week to trawl the forum and answer some questions, this would help everyone involved.

• 

  Sounds to me like you just want to sell but not provide the support. What you should have done is to simply stop support for third party components. But if someone is trying to figure out how to make their logo work with the templates you sell, that person should receive support.

• 

  I disagree also and here is why...
  
  When you state that you will ignore customization questions, you are making one big assumption...that all your members know the difference between customizations, styling, template issues, etc..
  
  When you open up a template club to the public, you will have a wide range audience, from advanced developers to people that don't even know how to install or configure Joomla. If you are accepting money from everyone, you need to take this into consideration. I realize some questions are not applicable to the forum, but you have to at least take those type of questions into consideration.
  
  If you simply ignore those questions, the perception will be that support is not being attentive, which is the case today. Only your team can answer specific questions regarding your templates, especially your extensions. Hope to see continued improvement in this area.

• 

  Maybe worth considering... Gavick Forum and User Forum.
  
  
  Gavick Forum specifically defined services and Q n A
  
  User Forum to be User to User (If a User is seen to be very helpful to community - maybe give them some free stuff or reward)
  
  Many time users can help each other just need the right forum.
  
  Also on Joomla same questions get asked over and over - just filing them under headings makes things lot simpler.
  
  You guys are great - I understand it may seem like the more you do and the more you try to move forward...the more people want and the more they seem to hold you back.
  
  Let the users look after themselves but also be prepared to encourage and reward - everyone wins.
  
  Excuse my optimism...had a couple of Heinekens and feeling happy

• 

  I have to disagree. Other template clubs like ... are more than willing to assist with questions that are within reason. As developers, you know how to make these changes when it comes to style and customizations. If the question is easy and straight forward, you should provide an answer. If this is to much effort, than maybe you should hire additional staff, like ...

• 

  This all sounds like good news to me, though I personally feel you need to add one or two forum-monkeys to handle customization questions. Ignoring them all together seems fair too.
  
  Getting all of the updates rolled out is very important IMO.
  
  Does anyone know about how well the templates work with PHP 5.3.x?
  
  I'm considering making the upgrade.

• 

  I agree whit Nikole.

• 

  I think that Gavick should take some proactive support, im member of RT too and im not talking about their forum which is larger, active and better organized and that must be something of size structure, im talking about repack updates on quickstart... is unthinkable that you miss to update that yet you dont. I strongly agree to focus on your code and leave customization to the last if its there any spare time left, but i dont understand how your support works. In many, many posts, things seems to be fixed case by case without the appropiated feedback posted on the forum. Also you should move posts to appropiated sub-forum, this should improve the search function use by the members.
  Keep on working :)

• 

  That sounds like you're on the right track trying to answer to what members ask of you.
  I'm sure something better is on our way. Only trying to improve one can succeed.
  Congratulations and thank you!
  
  Manoel

• 

  in someway i agree that is this a good idea. but most questions could be answered if people started using the search function...
  i've only been a gavick user for a few weeks, but already i answered the same questions over and over again..
  
  i really like the support as it is now... but if you go away from helping with costumizing - that would be a shame...
  
  im not sure i would be of much help to others, if i cant get help to the few things i need help with...

• 

  I think that stopping support for customizations is a real shame as this is one of the better elements regarding your support and the support has been a LOT better in recent months.
  
  Promising new versions of existing templates is a really bad idea and I agree this goes way out of your support scope, takes away from the real support issues and disappoints when not delivered..
  
  Hopefully though, concentrating on template specific issues will improve response time and quality to issue...
  
  Dave

• 

  I do not agree with this.If I put this questions to normal joomla forum,they probably response : "why you don't leave your questions to gavick pro or ask their staff about such questions?
  "
  I do agree with their response sometime,because they DO NOT know the code and templates files from gavick pro,only the developer in gavick team could know where it can fix the change.
  
  Or you should create a special forum only for style,and the answer might not response by gavick team but other users could leave it to help.And write the rules to let user know,gavick team will not take responsiblity if any style change here in this section.I think this is a good idea to keep in 2 ways.
  
  Please think about my opinion.

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