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Issues That Need Work

Aug 7, 2012 7:43 AM

Categories: Content Management and Modules, Customer Database, Web Apps, General Discussion Tags: #tags #web_forms #webb_apps #javascript_hacks #css_hacks #module_tags

Hey all,

 

I've been using BC for a little over a year now and I feel that I've found it to be overall a good system.  That being said there are a few problems I'd like to see addressed by the devs in the near future.

 

One problem I encounter on a regular basis is the inconsistencies between various tags and their ability to be placed within certain layouts.  For example - in the Web App layouts I am able to add the {tag_classification} tag to the detail view but not the list view.  This happens all the time with one tag or another across all BC modules and components.

 

In addition to not being able to place certain tags in certain layouts I've found that many tags are simply inconsistent.  For example - the {module_webapps} tag allows us to filter while the {module_webappsresults} doesn't allow this functionality.  That is just backwards.  We can't add a filter to our results with the default tag?

 

Now there are ways around this, such as creating custom fields or using javascript (another issue), but the point is there shouldn't have to be workarounds.  The tags should work consistently in their given environments.

 

The third problem I have is that EVERYTHING semi-advanced has to be done with javascript or CSS hacks.  I'm glad we have communities like BCGurus and Kiyuco who have gone ahead and done a lot of the work for us in these respects but again we shouldn't have to.  I use javascript and CSS hacks on nearly every BC site I launch and while it 'works' it's not a premiere platform if we have to hack it in order to make it work.

 

The major problem with CSS and javascript hacks is that they are easily manipulated by malicous hackers.  This makes BC sites with advanced functionality easy to manipulate.

 

Another issue I have ran into more recently is the implementation of CRM forms and form code in general.  We need to be able to pick and choose fields from CRM forms to insert into web forms a la carte. For example - I have a CRM layout that I need to keep consistent in my backend but the form up front doesn't necessarily need every one of the fields from each CRM form.  It's a simple contact form, I only need two or three CRM fields.  When a user submits the form all those CRM fields show as unfilled fields  on the confirmation page and again in the email sent out.  That is a nightmare when it comes to the end user.  Were there fields they missed?  Why is all this extra data showing up?  Those are the kind of questions that arise when a user submits a form like this.

 

I feel like the BC system is very tailored to non-devs and I think that's great.  BC sites are certainly easy to get going, but for those of us who are technically inclined, we need the depth and customization afforded by other premiere CMS/hosting platforms and I hope that this is an issue that is being worked on.  It'd be amazing if we had access to the scripts and code that makes BC work but I realize that's probably not going to happen.

 

I have other complaints but these seem to be the issues I deal with most.  A lot of times they are actually deal breakers for our clients and we have to move to a different platform unfortunately.  I hope this discussion will garner some support so we can get these issues resolved.  They can cause major headaches in an otherwise very simple system.

397 Views   7 Replies   Latest reply: Liam Dilley, Aug 8, 2012 6:51 PM
 
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  • kenneth_rapp
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    1. kenneth_rapp,
    Aug 7, 2012 11:01 AM   in reply to rdelagnes
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    Not being able to edit all of the html my sites serve up through templates is a pet peeve of mine. And there being no logic in BC's templating system at all, forces us to use js as a stopgap until they get Liquid up and running and give us access to all the frontend code for our sites.

     

    That some field types in web apps will render incomplete html if they don't have data is infuriating. If I don't add a href to a link field, I shouldn't get a blank link in return... why does the system not run a basic check to see if the data associated with that field exists?  And let's not even mention the bug with rounding values. In an e-commerce site. So we have to use js to validate content.

     

    The inline editor sometimes destroys valid code (even as the system sometimes generates invalid code, re web apps)

     

    The captcha's a joke. If you're going to have a captcha, at least have one that works. The reason recaptcha's gotten almost completely unintelligible is because that's what it takes to stay just one step ahead of what hackers are doing to defeat them. There are best practices when it comes to captchas and Business Catalyst's follows none of them. Yes, they're installing Akismet. Akismet can be bypassed as well. Akismet and a good captcha would at least provide a proactive and reactive solution to the spam issue.

     

    There's apparently no method for exporting a site (and I mean an entire site, including data, not just what gets put into the folders that we could get from ftp.) I should be able to export somehow with a single action, completely delete my existing site, take that metadata, import to a new blank site with a single action and get the same site back.

     

    If I understand a former thread correctly, BC doesn't hash user passwords. As far as I know, anyone's site is one database dump and pastebinning away from being completely open to anyone. If this is inaccurate, or being worked on, I apologize, but if it's accurate it should be fixed immediately. However difficult it is to do so, it's going to be even more of a pain for Adobe when they have to deal with the egg on their face the way Envato did. Envato had to refund everyone for the downtime they spent having to lock everyone's accounts out, add proper security, and force everyone to change their passwords, then practically beg people not to leave.

     

    It is incredibly frustrating, particularly when you consider how awesome the platform would be if everything worked properly.

    The major problem with CSS and javascript hacks is that they are easily manipulated by malicous hackers.  This makes BC sites with advanced functionality easy to manipulate.

     
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  • mario_gudelj
    1,579 posts
    Oct 13, 2010
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    2. mario_gudelj,
    Aug 8, 2012 2:11 AM   in reply to kenneth_rapp
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    Hi Kenneth,

     

    All of the issues you have listed are in our bug tracking system as they are fairly old and outstanding issues or they are a functionality that the app is lacking atm, which we are aware of. The Creative Cloud integration has recently slowed down all the other development, but once the team is back up to speed we will tackle a bunch of these annoying issues you have raised, and more.

     

    As for hashing passwords, that is wrong. We do hash all passwords and have done a major security overhaul in the past year and a half in our PCI compliance work.

     

    Cheers,

     

    -mario

     
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  • kenneth_rapp
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    3. kenneth_rapp,
    Aug 8, 2012 6:06 AM   in reply to mario_gudelj
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    Sorry, my apologies then. I've had my account dumped on a couple of other sites this year because of that (all of my passwords are unique but still... my Adobe ID works for all of my sites here)  so I misinterpreted what I read and I guess I jumped the gun.

     

     

    As for hashing passwords, that is wrong. We do hash all passwords and have done a major security overhaul in the past year and a half in our PCI compliance work.

     

    Cheers,

     

    -mario

     
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  • Liam Dilley
    4,049 posts
    Feb 28, 2012
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    4. Liam Dilley,
    Aug 8, 2012 6:14 AM   in reply to kenneth_rapp
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    Your Adobe ID is something powerful and Adobe wide for all products, not just BC and of course your BC password applied to all accounts for being a partner before you had the Adobe one.

    Adobe ID integration is more secure but also allows for more association like being able to use it for these forums and not have 20 logins for different Adobe sites/products

     
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  • kenneth_rapp
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    5. kenneth_rapp,
    Aug 8, 2012 6:34 AM   in reply to Liam Dilley
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    This is what had me worried. A login for 20 different things is also 20 times the disaster if it fails. As long as nobody can call up Adobe support and BS their way into my credentials then I guess you're in a better spot then Apple is right now.

    LiamDilley wrote:

     

    Your Adobe ID is something powerful and Adobe wide for all products, not just BC and of course your BC password applied to all accounts for being a partner before you had the Adobe one.

    Adobe ID integration is more secure but also allows for more association like being able to use it for these forums and not have 20 logins for different Adobe sites/products

     
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  • mario_gudelj
    1,579 posts
    Oct 13, 2010
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    6. mario_gudelj,
    Aug 8, 2012 6:01 PM   in reply to kenneth_rapp
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    That iCloud issue is a scary one!

     
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  • Liam Dilley
    4,049 posts
    Feb 28, 2012
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    7. Liam Dilley,
    Aug 8, 2012 6:51 PM   in reply to mario_gudelj
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    Along with just about everything else

     
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