Eric
09-25-2008, 17:32
Hi folks. As many of you have no-doubt noticed, stuff is happening around here. After more than five years, this site is undergoing an extensive upgrade and update. These changes will be sweeping and I think the end result will be a much better site for us all.
It will probably be easier to cover what is not going to change, than to cover what will change. I say this because the changes will be widespread and will affect just about every aspect of the site. The basic look of the site will not change much. I am making changes to the header, the page formats and such, but the basic colors and themes will change very little. Thee basic functions of the site will not change much at all, although some new ones will be added, especially for paid members.
There are some other things that I will wait to announce until they are ready to launch. I am not trying to be cryptic about these upgrades, but they are complicated and every aspect of the upgrade is interrelated with other parts and I do not want to spend the next two months explaining ever step I take.
I have been working on these changes behind the scenes for some time now. You are starting to see changes now, because many of the systems are nearing completion. I have been working hard to disrupt the site as little as possible with these changes, but there will be some intermittent issues and inconveniences to deal with in the coming weeks. I will try to give warning before any changes that will affect anyone's access or use of the site. I expect there to be very little interruption in site operations or services during these changes.
I know that many of you will not like some of the changes I make and many of you are predisposed to like any changes made at all. I can't help that. When I am done, we will all have a better, more appealing site. I hope that those that find some aspects of the changes off-putting will keep in mind they are being done for a reason.
As I have had occasion to say a couple of times already, feedback from all of you is always welcome, if it is presented politely, but I do not intend to debate these changes as I make them. I have a vision of what I want to accomplish and I am going to do this. For all of you whose only urge during this process will be to complain about change, or tell me my changes suck, please hold your comments til the end and I will lead you all in one resounding chorus of 'Eric is An *******'. Until then, if you don't have anything constructive to say, please keep your comments to yourself.
I am going to close this thread and use it myself to post announcements. I'll start another thread for bug reports and one for suggestions/feedback, but I want you guys to understand that I am not going to allow this process to get bogged down in debate and second-guessing. If I see any suggestions that have merit, I will incorporate them into the upgrades, wit hmy thanks to the poster, but I am not going to respond to messages asking me to explain aspects of the changes, or calling me to task otherwise. I hope you all understand.
If I want feedback/suggestions on any specific aspects of the upgrades, I will post another thread and/or poll, to solicit your opinions. If I have occasion to do so, I will really appreciate everyone's constructive input.
I ask that during these changes, you confine any gripes/*****es/complaints/suggestions/input you might have to this forum. I do not want threads concerning the changes popping up piecemeal all over the site.
Folks, this is not going to be that big a deal. You will continue to be able to find the site, log in and do your thing. Stuff is going to be pretty much where you left it and the site will continue to function mostly as it always has. You might have to walk around some scraps or deal with some unsightly drywall for a while and you will occasionally see things change right under your fingers, which might be a bit jarring, but things will be business as usual during the process.
This is going to be a busy, stressful time for me. Please do not pull against me or make this process harder than it has to be. If you spot a problem, please post about it in this forum. If you have a suggestion, please post it hear. I would love hear it. If the changes I make bug you or prove a little inconvenient in the short term, please try to keep in mind that I am trying to improve things and we will have a better, more versatile site when I am done. Thanks for listening. Eric
It will probably be easier to cover what is not going to change, than to cover what will change. I say this because the changes will be widespread and will affect just about every aspect of the site. The basic look of the site will not change much. I am making changes to the header, the page formats and such, but the basic colors and themes will change very little. Thee basic functions of the site will not change much at all, although some new ones will be added, especially for paid members.
There are some other things that I will wait to announce until they are ready to launch. I am not trying to be cryptic about these upgrades, but they are complicated and every aspect of the upgrade is interrelated with other parts and I do not want to spend the next two months explaining ever step I take.
I have been working on these changes behind the scenes for some time now. You are starting to see changes now, because many of the systems are nearing completion. I have been working hard to disrupt the site as little as possible with these changes, but there will be some intermittent issues and inconveniences to deal with in the coming weeks. I will try to give warning before any changes that will affect anyone's access or use of the site. I expect there to be very little interruption in site operations or services during these changes.
I know that many of you will not like some of the changes I make and many of you are predisposed to like any changes made at all. I can't help that. When I am done, we will all have a better, more appealing site. I hope that those that find some aspects of the changes off-putting will keep in mind they are being done for a reason.
As I have had occasion to say a couple of times already, feedback from all of you is always welcome, if it is presented politely, but I do not intend to debate these changes as I make them. I have a vision of what I want to accomplish and I am going to do this. For all of you whose only urge during this process will be to complain about change, or tell me my changes suck, please hold your comments til the end and I will lead you all in one resounding chorus of 'Eric is An *******'. Until then, if you don't have anything constructive to say, please keep your comments to yourself.
I am going to close this thread and use it myself to post announcements. I'll start another thread for bug reports and one for suggestions/feedback, but I want you guys to understand that I am not going to allow this process to get bogged down in debate and second-guessing. If I see any suggestions that have merit, I will incorporate them into the upgrades, wit hmy thanks to the poster, but I am not going to respond to messages asking me to explain aspects of the changes, or calling me to task otherwise. I hope you all understand.
If I want feedback/suggestions on any specific aspects of the upgrades, I will post another thread and/or poll, to solicit your opinions. If I have occasion to do so, I will really appreciate everyone's constructive input.
I ask that during these changes, you confine any gripes/*****es/complaints/suggestions/input you might have to this forum. I do not want threads concerning the changes popping up piecemeal all over the site.
Folks, this is not going to be that big a deal. You will continue to be able to find the site, log in and do your thing. Stuff is going to be pretty much where you left it and the site will continue to function mostly as it always has. You might have to walk around some scraps or deal with some unsightly drywall for a while and you will occasionally see things change right under your fingers, which might be a bit jarring, but things will be business as usual during the process.
This is going to be a busy, stressful time for me. Please do not pull against me or make this process harder than it has to be. If you spot a problem, please post about it in this forum. If you have a suggestion, please post it hear. I would love hear it. If the changes I make bug you or prove a little inconvenient in the short term, please try to keep in mind that I am trying to improve things and we will have a better, more versatile site when I am done. Thanks for listening. Eric
