Tag Archives: site

Odds & Ends

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Susan G. Komen For The CureAs we move onto df.com version 11.0_RC(2.5b), I’ve been hard at work on some code clean up:

  • Improved site caching to speed load time
  • Optimized code for Google Searches (among other search engines)
  • Fixed Star Rating & Comment system (was actually trying to speed up load times when I broke it)
  • Upgraded theme code improving cross web browser functionality

We also ran into some anomalies linked to background server tasks that were bogging down late night load times. I’ve move some of those various maintenance jobs off from peak hours and so far so good.

We’ve actually been taking on a lot of traffic because of my recent “Paranormal Activity” blog. I’ve somehow ended up number four on Google when you search for “paranormal activity movie leak”. I apologize to all those who came here looking for pirate movies (having a web show called Pirate Radio cannot help things either), but unfortunately I have no more info than the meager amounts given out by all the mainstream media outlets.

The Pirate Radio Facebook Group is taking off. At last check earlier today, we had 57 members in the group and that’s not bad for two weeks with little/no advertising about it. As always, word of mouth has proved to be our biggest friend when it comes to marketing the site.

Long term feedback is great so far for the new site layout and features. I’m getting a lot of kudos from people when I run into them and it’s good to know the majority of you like the new site.

Last, but not least– this month you will find a pick ribbon on the left side of the web site. We’re supporting the efforts of The Susan G. Komen Foundation. October is breast cancer awareness month. The Komen Foundation is a key supporter in searching for a cure for breast cancer and helps raise awareness for those most at risk (including educating both men and women how to proactively locate tumors through routine check ups etc…). This is a cause both near and dear to my heart. My father died of throat and mouth cancer back in 1998. His mother (my grandmother) died of breast cancer. His father (my grandfather) died of lung cancer. Obviously cancer research is very important to me and my family. There are very few of us out there who do not know someone who has survived cancer or died of it. I hope you’ll join me in showing your support and if possible sending donations via their site to help them continue their good works.

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Paranormal Activity (The Movie)

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Paranomal Activity - The MovieIn the grand world of entertainment there have been many attempts at using the web to launch a product. Some have been spectacularly successfully and some have been even more spectacularly horrible. Either way, the web is more and more becoming an important (if not cheap) way to launch marketing campaigns for any media release– this especially holds true for films where the web was seemingly made to host interactive trailers, pictures, and aggregate news on the release.

Years back you may recall the “Blair Witch Project“, which appeared in Cannes to much critical acclaim. The film appeared in 1999 at Cannes and was given little fanfare besides a small lightly built web site featuring clips, stories, and folklore surrounding the movie’s back story. For many (admittedly myself included) on first watch of the “leaked” film from a movie site. the film seemed very real. It was shot unlike any other film in a very long time using hand held camcorders, quick cuts, and little to no special effects. This intensified the overall feeling and lent credibility to the film’s believability. By the time the film made it to major release and we’d all had a chance to watch it a few more times there were some things in the film that clearly spelled out it was both acted, as well as, scripted; but nevertheless it was a highly successful way to launch a film.

Ten years later a new film hopes to recapture that “Blair Witch Project” feel using both the web and that same recorded live with a camcorder feel. The film is “Paranormal Activity“. The spin this time is we do know out the door it’s both acted and scripted. Instead the web site is used as a campaign launch to show localized movie theaters where demand for the film exists. You can go to the site and show your support by “demanding” the film in your zip code. Each zip code affiliates with a bigger release zone (for example my area collates with “metro-NYC”) and using those metrics the film makers plan to show the release outlets where the film should be released beyond the initial and already launch “limited” release. It’s a great idea and it appears to be working well in their favor. Better yet– voting requires an email address so you know that the marketing team will have a field day with actually knowing who to spend their advertising dollars on, as well as, being able to directly notify the viewers when the film is out in a given area.

It goes to show you that even an old concept can be revamped to meet new ends and that as the web continues to evolve it not only can live in harmony with traditional media, but augment the ability for actual investment to be put behind those releases. I personally like that idea and applaud the marketing team behind it for their efforts.

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Milestone dfv11RC2

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The site is pretty much finalized and with that I’d like to announce we’re at version 11 release class 2. Minor changes will occur herein to the actual web site framework with most changes being either content updates or additions, but overall development is final.

Last night we opened up comments on the Music and Visual Artwork pages. That takes care of the ability to comment throughout the site. I’m thrilled to be able to offer you the viewer a more interactive experience.

Along those lines we’ll be shifting gears over the next week or so. I’ve built a new Facebook Group profile that you’re welcome to add if you so happen to be on that social networking site. It features full integration with updates from this site so if you’re lazy like me and would rather login there to check both what’s going on there, as well as, see the latest df.com news from here you most certainly can do that.

We’re going to be doing more along the line of turning up social networking profiles and integrating them back to the main news/content on df.com over the next few days including MySpace, Pure Volume, and Twitter. More on that work will be posted as it happens. That should all be rather exciting. If you have a social network site you think we should join let us know and we’ll put it into consideration for future integration plans.

I also added the “Cliff Notes” for each df Pirate Radio season that used to be on the old site. That completes all the old Pirate Radio content and df.com content being integrated into this new site. We’ll see if we can dig up more of the classic df.com news posts, but for now the collection is pretty complete and includes everything that was on version 5-10 previously.

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Doing The Deed

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So last night I continued to update content. There are a few new pictures on pages 6 , 7, and 8 of the Visual Artwork “Graphic Art” gallery including some old pen & ink comic art I did for Daemon Immortalis’s “Stack Ups” cartoon series. You’ll also see exclusive never before seen scans of the character sketches. You’ll also see some old “Vote Bush” banners from back when we were young and stupid, as well as, some old holiday greeting graphics from v4 and v5 of df.com. We now have over 90 pieces of art work in this category alone. This is arguably the most complete collection of both my and our contributors graphic art work to date that we’ve publicly displayed at any given one time ever. As always, this site is about being bigger and better than before. I think we’re doing a good job of that motto thus far (and based on your feedback it seems you feel the same way).

You’ll notice on the right hand menu a new “Around the Web” feature that will show you the latest news from some of my favorite sites (CNN.com, BBC News, and CNET to name a few…). I thought this would be a nice compliment/feature to have on the site. It’ll give you some insight into the news I’m reading and an opportunity to catch up on some of the latest developments in politics, science, entertainment, and technology. I don’t think it’s over whelming in any sense and compliments the overall look/feel well. As always, please let me know if you disagree.

Overall the site is working very well and it appears as if we may be ready in the next week or so in going ahead with the final beta portion of the site (dfv11 RC2) before we finalize the site. Again– thank you both your patience through development and your feedback as it has helped shape the site into quite the little masterpiece.

I also opened up all the old articles and df Pirate Radio posts to public comment. Feel free to have at it and let me know what you think. We did have comments closed down while we finalized the look/feel on those pages, but we’re ready now for you to leave your own mark on the posts.

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df.com v10 Milestone – Release Candidate 1

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I’ve been rather busy toiling away on the site (as if you couldn’t tell). Some recent add on’s and updates to the site are:

  • Implemented Star Rating/Yeah or Nay system for posts.
  • New caching engine on the site improving load times significantly.
  • Added over 100 posts into the blog going back to 2000.
  • Fixed broken legacy links using redirects.
  • Cleaned up navigation menu.

Overall we’re about 99 (if not 100) percent operational at this point and with that in mind I’d like to announce we are up to Release Candidate 1. In geek speak, that mean we’re about revision away from the final site. It’s been a lot of work, but as you see it’s starting to pay off.

Once the final new v11 df.com site is in place we’re going to group up on this end and start working on some new things– new Pirate Radio, new artwork, new content, and new music. Plus a few other surprises I’m sure you’ll enjoy. As always, thanks for checking in and be sure to check back to keep up on what we’re up to.

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