In software with plugin capabilities, typically in interpreted languages, it is possible that plugin have dependencies included, that may collide with dependencies included in core product, or in other plugins. It is not a problem when the same version is used, but in turns into a problem when different versions that are incompatible to each other are shipped. The end user may face bugs. Developers speak of the Dependency Hell.

In Nextcloud these plugins are the various apps, coming from various sources.

Example:

For a long time it is already possible to leave comments on files. With Nextcloud 11 we provide a way to mention users in comments, so that a notification is created for the respective individual. This was never really advertised, however, because it was lacking an auto-completion tool that offers you a type-ahead selection of users. The crucial point is that user IDs are neither known to the end user nor exposed to them. For instance, if users are provided by LDAP, it might look like "1d5566a5-87e6-4451-bd2f-e0e6ba5944d9". Nobody wants to see this and the average person also will not memorize it :)

It would be sad to see the functionality rot away being unseen in a dark corner. With Nextcloud 13 the time was ripe to finally include this missing bit, which is actually pretty fundamental and every application that allows text based communication amongst multiple people ships it.

Am vergangenen Wochenende war Kubuntu-de.org auf der FrOSCon, einer Konferenz rund um freie und offene Software, die dieses Jahr etwa 1200 Besucher angezogen hat. Wie auch im letzten Jahr war ich wieder als Standbetreuer mit von der Partie. Zu den besten Dingen auf solchen Veranstaltungen gehören dabei, die täglichen Mitstreiter wieder persönlich zu erleben oder auch erstmals kennen zu lernen. Dies gilt ebenfalls für die Leute bei anderen Projekten wie zum Beispiel KDE und Amarok beheimatet sind.

Bin gerade dabei, naja schon gestern, eine Aktivierung via Bestätigungslink für ein Projekt einzubinden. Das Ding war auch ganz schnell durch, nur eine Sache verfolgt mich seit Stunden. Inzwischen glaub ich, dass es was persönliches gegen mich ist...