The two Bulletin Boards

The "BlackBox Framework Center" maintains two discussion bulletin boards, called Forums, implemented with the phpBB (https://www.phpbb.com/) bulletin board software. It also maintains a Web site (http://blackboxframework.org/index.php?cID=home,en-us), a Wiki (https://wiki.blackboxframework.org/inde ... =Main_Page), and a collection of specialist development tools used to maintain BlackBox itself.

The "Community Forum"

The "Community Forum" (https://community.blackboxframework.org/) is for all users of BlackBox, and for those who develop with BlackBox. Members can request support under a variety of categories (eq Common questions, BlackBox Framework, Component Pascal, GUI problems, System or Component Support - this last category includes general community components, not just those supported by the "BlackBox Framework Center"). Members can reply to these support requests.

This is also the place where BlackBox users can report bugs, make and discuss new feature requests, and suggest documentation improvements.

The "Center Forum"

The "Center Forum" (https://forum.blackboxframework.org/) is for the small group of active developers of the BlackBox Framework itself. This group, called the BlackBox Center - see (https://wiki.blackboxframework.org/inde ... tle=Center) maintains the BlackBox Framework by implementing required bug fixes, and by agreeing and implementing new features. These tasks can involve substantial discussion, which is conducted on this forum.

Non-Center members, ie other BlackBox users, may join this forum to observe the working of the Center group, but they do not have posting rights.

Occasionally the Center discussions raise issues of interest or concern to the wider community. In such cases members should open a topic on the Community forum to widen the discussion; it may be helpful to include a link to the existing Center forum topic.

Joining the Center

Anyone may apply to join the Center group. We are keen to attract new members. We are looking for people with an established interest in BlackBox or a background in Component Pascal or the wider Oberon / Modula II world. Experience of the development tools used (eg Git, Redmine, Zenatio CMS, MediaWiki) is welcome, but not essential. In depth knowledge of the BlackBox Framework use and / or implementation is particularly valuable, as is skill in writing such software; but again this is not essential. Some Center members make valuable contributions by guiding the specification rather than performing the implementation of new features. The one essential quality is an enthusiasm to support the Center Mission (https://wiki.blackboxframework.org/inde ... tle=Center).

In the first instance applicants are asked to submit a brief "BlackBox Curriculum Vitae" to the Chairman (https://wiki.blackboxframework.org/inde ... itle=Chair). See viewforum.php?f=31 for some example CVs.