Codex Volunteer Policy Definitions
The following definitions apply to this document:
"We, We've, Our, Ourselves, and Us" mean Formidable Masterminds and its affiliates.
"You, Your, Yourself, me, my, and I" mean You, the Developers Directory registrant.
Become a Codex Volunteer
Volunteerism is, in one way or another, embedded into all our/your collective cultures. At some time in our/your lives, you and us have probably all helped fulfill someone's need(s) whether as a personal favor or as a community service, such as answering questions in public Formidable or WordPress forums, Slack, or the archived Formidable Volunteer Community board. Whatever your accomplishments, we can use your help as a Codex volunteer because it's our/your passion for Formidable, the best form development tool in the world, that drives this project.
A Rare Opportunity
If you'd like to help with a rare and unique project, have we got an opportunity for you! We've built the only known Formidable Codex in the world. Nobody has compiled so much information about Formidable's internals in a publicly searchable form such as we have, not even Strategy 11 as far as we know. It is a one-of-a-kind tool useful to an extensive community of Formidable Forms users.
Its data is large. The Codex currently consists of the following record counts for:
- Classes: 195
- Functions: 1771
- Actions: 133
- Filters: 380
With your help, these statistics will continue to grow as the Codex is updated in one of two ways:
- Every time Strategy 11 releases a new version of a Formidable product, scan the readme file and add/update/deprecate any hooks mentioned in the readme.
- Add/update action and filter code examples as you write them for your own projects.
Your Time Commitment
Depending on your ability to contribute, the workload can be as frequent as new Formidable releases or as infrequent as posting a relevant code snippet when you've used a hook in your own projects.
An ancient proverb says, "Many hands make for light work". Others have said, "It takes a village.". So it is with the Codex, any contribution you make, no matter how large or small, is important, useful to others, and publicly demonstrates your skills and care to a global audience. Even so, the workload is light-weight for the average Codex volunteer.
Determine the Business Value
Becoming a Codex volunteer is an opportunity to market yourself or your business. Before you make a final decision, please ask yourself the following business questions:
- How much is my time worth on an hourly basis? (Choose a period other than hourly if it works better for you when framing goals.)
- How much do I want my time to be worth on an hourly basis? (Frame this question as a SMART Goal. Use same time period as above.)
- Is it worth investing a little bit of my time as a Codex volunteer, which markets me at no cost, to help me achieve my SMART Goal?
We hope you said yes.
Codex Today vs. Future
Formidable releases have come fast and furiously since the initial Codex deployed before the Views module was refactored as the Visual Views add-on. As with any product like the Codex, it needs to evolve in lock-step with Formidable. We're working on a process to programmatically jump start the Codex's evolution by reclassifying all View hooks as Visual Views add-on instead of Formidable Pro.
The Codex is also receiving upgrades to flag hooks as deprecated with version deprecated when necessary, and accept add-ons and shortcodes as data types. We intended shortcodes to be available in our initial release, but needed to table the development for a future date. Most of the code is already there. We just need to review, update, and test it.
We shall also be introducing a self-service Codex task list, so you can take direct credit for your contributions. You'll be able to enter tasks you find in the readme files, and you or any other Codex Volunteer can assign that task to themselves for completion.
Top 7 Reasons to Volunteer
7. It's Good for You
Volunteering provides physical and mental rewards. It:
- Reduces stress: Experts report that when you focus on someone other than yourself, it interrupts usual tension-producing patterns.
- Makes you healthier: Moods and emotions, like optimism, joy, and control over one's fate, strengthen the immune system.
6. Volunteers Gain Valuable Experience
As you are aware, all developers are welcome to register in the Developers Directory regardless of years of experience or self-evaluated skill level. Learning how to research hooks in Formidable code is a valuable skill to gain, especially if you're currently on the upwardly mobile development track or new to the consulting business.
If you've already reached the apex of your Formidable development skills, then you already know how to research hooks in Formidable code. Perhaps you can share your experience by providing valid code examples you may have used with your own projects. Posted code must meet development standards and above all work.
5. It Brings People Together
As a volunteer you assist in:
- Uniting people from diverse backgrounds to work toward a common goal
- Building camaraderie and teamwork
4. It Promotes Personal Growth and Self Esteem
Understanding community needs helps foster empathy and self-efficacy.
3. You Get the Credit
Every Codex volunteer is listed in the Volunteer Codex Contributors view. You may opt to display a link to your directory entry and, if you've opened a Developer Digital Store, you may choose to display your store's URL with your listing in the Volunteer Codex Contributors view.
2. You Get a Chance to Give Back
People like to support community resources they use themselves or that benefit people they care about.
1. You Make a Difference!
Every person counts!
Call to Action
Throughout history, volunteers have stood up to contribute their time and talents in response to a call to action. This is our call to action to ask for your help in making the Codex one of the best free resources available for the Formidable developer community.
Thank you for your contributions.