Upgrade Update: New Servers, Email Logins, Mobile, Feature Requests, and a Lot of Other Stuff!
New Servers
Yesterday I ordered two new servers for the site! They should be built within the next couple of days at which time I will begin moving the site. With lessons learned from my first two server migrations, I expect the move to be relatively painless. Be on the lookout for updates about the timeline.
Updates
Since I’ve been asked by a few people…as I mentioned within the previous update thread, I am completely re-factoring the data structure and back-end template code for the site. With these changes and the new servers, I’ll be able to provide many more customization options for members to, hopefully, satisfy the individual needs of as many people as possible. For example, some people are asking for more off-topic content, like football and basketball. Other people are asking for the ability to ignore such content. With the re-design, members will be able to choose whether or not to include those sports in the site-wide Hot Topics box by setting the option in their Profile Settings. Additionally, each member will have his own “My BBTF Homepage” (name may change) where he can view the content he is interested in with the selection of specific content topics using our new subscription system. Initially, members will be able to subscribe to content by blog (BBTF, Hall of Merit), subject/tag (Red Sox, Steroids), or category (Baseball, Football). Eventually, I hope to be able to also allow people to subscribe to particular writers as well.
Email Logins
You can now use the email address you’ve registered with the site to log into the site. Right now it is optional. When the new design is finished, however, it will be mandatory. I’ll be using the username to display member archives and other info that people are willing to share, so you may as well get used to logging in with your email address. Before the changeover there will be one-time chance for members to change their username, so please start thinking about whether you’d like to change it to something else or not.
Mobile
I am also making the site much more tablet and mobile friendly. Whether you are viewing on your Android, iPhone, or desktop, the redesigned site will load much faster and look much better than it does right now. I’m not quite ready to start Beta Testing but if you are interested in getting a very early look, add your name to the Beta Test Thread in the Forums.
Newsblog
The Newsblog and Newsstand pages have been consolidated. You probably haven’t noticed.
Tags
I have converted the site from EE’s native category system to a Tagging system. The principal advantage of the change is all entries may now easily be more finely classified when submitting new entries. So, if Bud Selig does something controversial tomorrow, you can can easily add a “Bud Selig” tag to the entry and other members can use the same tag for follow-up entries. Within the new site, and among other things, you’ll be able to subscribe to whichever tags you’d like.
Feature Requests
If you have any requests for new features, please click over to the Feature Request thread in the Forums. To make it easier for me to manage, please add each idea using a dedicated thread. I will respond to particular ideas directly so you’ll know when/whether your idea will added to the site. I am trying my best to make this site as valuable to you as I can, so your feedback is vital.
Thanks in advance for your patience,
Jim
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Jim Furtado
Posted: February 17, 2012 at 02:53 PM |
78 comment(s)
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1. Arbitol Dijaler Posted: February 17, 2012 at 07:40 PM (#4063800)These seem like some really nice changes, on the whole. I know many people will enjoy being able to choose what they see - or don't - in the hot topics and their home pages.
(subtle mention of critique)
This sounds like no more timely alterations to user names. Are you ####### kidding?
(finish with praise)
Looks like you've planned this pretty well and the end result is something I look forward to seeing. Thanks for your hard work.
That what I was wondering, but when I went into the current account settings section there is (at least now) a differentiation between your user name (which is what you originally signed up as and what you log in under, it appears above your bookmarks and cannot be changed) and your screen name (eg: Good cripple hitter hates pants). I was under the impression that Jim was saying that you could have a one-time change of the user name, but you could still change your screen name later.
Although I don't really know why you'd want to change your user name.
So, so good.
What will change...
You currently login with your username and password (which is the only place username is used right now). After the changes, username will used to display the stuff you share with other users (something like www.baseballthinkfactory.org/members/username). You will then login using your email address and password.
Since usernames were previously only known by members and me, I will allow people to change member names once before I release the update.
Not that I doubt your ability, planning, or attention to detail; but from my experience, statements like these usually result in my downfall.
In all seriousness, everything sounds great. Keep up the good work and thank you.
I'm with Monty in #4. This is awesome.
Jim, my only concern with the transition in username is whether users know that their usernames will essentially become public. For example, my username currently is my first name, but I'd like to change it to "Harold". I've seen this thread and will make sure to do it when it comes up. But others may miss the news, and have their usernames exposed.
I don't have a good suggestion for this problem. I mean, one would be to keep users' pages private until they opt in -- but I *love* the idea of user pages, and I don't want to make them private by default.
@Crosby -- edit is working. It times out after 15 minutes but, because of a bug in the default EE code, it still shows up. I have a bug report in with EE. Hopefully they will fix it soon. If not I will get around to it when I have a little more time. Sorry for the inconvenience.
@Vinay -- Once the server migration is done I will prominently display a notice on the site until the redesign is done (4-6 weeks). I will start work on the member pages some time this week. I will also post a thread about the topic so people can have a say in how things are set up and so I can make the best possible decision.
Privacy is very important to me. I haven't been a fan of some of the decisions Facebook has made in this regard. I am more inclined to have the default setting set to either hidden (like it is now) or with a very small amount of info (username and posts submitted) open to the public, a little more member data open to other logged-in members (even less than is shown now), and then more for the friends you decide to share the info with. Again, this is a very important issue that I plan on discussing with the community.
@Monty -- send me an email with the info and I will get it changed for you.
Although I can appreciate your feelings about this issue, I really need to keep this thread on topic to make it easier for people to get information about the server migration.
I invite you to create a Forum Topic on the issue within the newly created Community Issues forum.
As soon as I finish off the server migration and tweak the server configuration I promise to jump in on the discussion.
Could you please move the deleted comments posted originally posted here to the new thread you created? Thanks.
THANK YOU!
@boteman, today was a real pain in the ass, but the site is working very well right now. After I do a little tweaking of the server configs and roll out our new caching system, the site should be a bit faster, even with a heavy load.
Thanks to everyone who pointed out problems. If you find something else, please let me know.
[Edit: Picture removed. Jim]
The download prompt's what I get when I try to access the main page, the text in the background is what I get if I try to open whatever the file is in Firefox.
I can access individual stories and the Newsblog fine in Firefox, it's only when I try to go to the main page that I get the download prompt. I turned off NoScript and AdBlockPlus, but the main page still won't open normally, and neither opening, downloading, or cancelling the download allows me to reach the main page.
Which version of Firefox are you using? I'm using 10.0.2, and I'm not seeing that issue.
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/primate_studies/discussion/malcolm062204/
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/oracle/discussion/2008_minor_league_translations/
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/oracle/discussion/2009_zips_projection_disk_for_diamond_mind_9_final/
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/oracle/discussion/2009_zips_in_season_projections_hitters_through_april_28/
http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/primate_studies/discussion/forman_2001-03-07_0/
Uh... 3.6.27. That probably explains the issue, I'll update later and check.
Edit: the problem's stopped without me updating.
I blame Rogers.
Similar problem for me with Chrome. Go to the home page and get a download instead of a web page. Starts off with:
[EDIT: Code snipped. Jim]
@Gil, that issue wasn't related but the server move. It's fixed now, though.
@Frank, your issue has been resolved.
The first 90% of the task will take the first 90% of the time. The remaining 10% of the task will take the other 90% of the time.
Heh.
Thanks, Jim.
I've had that for the past few weeks.
Thanks Jim. While I am (obviously) neither GCH or TB, I was experiencing the same problem with my Google Chrome browser. Clearing the cache solved the problem for me. Thanks again.
DB
Thanks for running a great site for so long now!
I'm sure that I have as well. I generally don't close my browser so I'm always linking from a page with a discussion. I didn't really notice it until the site was down for a bit.
From where I sit, I'd say it's pretty similar to the kind of dumbass crap you write now. Hope that helps. (-:
Actually, I'd like that feature as well, though I'd rather it include the ability to search all Primates' post histories.
SHUT UP, YOU.
Actually, I'd like that feature as well, though I'd rather it include the ability to search all Primates' post histories.
So you can search my posts, too? That's flattering. I simply want to see how awesome my song-by-song review of Weezer's Red album was here two years ago. Other people may also want to see it! Or something.
The "preview submission" option is gone; now one can only "submit."
Also, when I try to submit news on my Blackberry, the page loads and then instantly loads the newsstand page without allowing any entries into the blank fields. (I am using a Blackberry 9930, 7.1 Bundle 457 OS, Blackberry browser version 7.1.0)
"Thumbnail could not be created for the image. Please make sure the thumbnail directory is writable."
@Repoz, I will look into it.
Lassus, viewing your own comments and posts are doable, although I will have to think about the easiest way for people to flip through all their comments. Viewing other people comments is something I plan on discussing in a future post. I can't see allowing it by default for privacy issues. I might be willing to allow it for *approved friends* using some group and friends stuff included in the redesign. Again, I'm very sensitive to privacy issues so we'll have to wait and see on that feature. In any event, would you please add the request to the feature requests forum?
@bobm, due to a change in the way EE now processes submit forms I have to redo the preview page. It's on my to-do list but it might take me a week or so to get to it. I'm not sure what to tell you about the form submission problem on your Blackberry. Is it working at all? Could you do me a favor and enter the problem into the Bug Report forum to make it easier for me to track and reply to you?
@Matt H, my not actually running the servers myself. I lease them at a datacenter. I considered moving the site to a cloud-based option but some of the issues Amazon had recently scared me off.
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