MAJOR SOFTWARE UPDATE COMING THIS WEEK!

[Drew Dowdell]

I finally have a successful test upgrade of the software complete. I will be pulling the trigger on the upgrade sometime this week.  It takes about 12 hours to complete the initial upgrade before I can let you back in, then here is 24 hours of background upgrading where search won't work and posts might not look right.   The speed of the site is greatly improved and also improved mobile support. 

 

Please note - Your current display name, if different from your log-in name, will become your new log-in name. You should also be able to use your email address to log in.  Of course I will also make my email available for anyone who has log-in difficulties. 

 

This is a major step for us, but it will enable some exciting new stuff that we can add in the future. 

 

Regards,

 

Drew

[G. David Felt]

         

 

Very excited to see the new software. Does it have optional interface choices?

[ocnblu]

Thanks!

[Drew Dowdell]

         

 

Very excited to see the new software. Does it have optional interface choices?

 

For the moment, we will be keeping the look and feel as close as we can to what we have today.  I don't want to do too much major change all at once.  Think 5th Gen Camaro to 6th Gen Camaro - It looks mostly alike, but everything underneath is all new and substantially upgraded with superior performance. 

[G. David Felt]

 

         

 

Very excited to see the new software. Does it have optional interface choices?

 

For the moment, we will be keeping the look and feel as close as we can to what we have today.  I don't want to do too much major change all at once.  Think 5th Gen Camaro to 6th Gen Camaro - It looks mostly alike, but everything underneath is all new and substantially upgraded with superior performance. 

 

Thanks You ROCK!

[Drew Dowdell]

I plan to start the upgrade tomorrow morning.

[Drew Dowdell]

If for some reason I have to revert us to this version of the software. Posts after this date/time will be lost.

If the upgrade is successful, posts after this data/time will remain.

[Drew Dowdell]

And we're back!  The upgrade was successful.  You may notice some posts or articles that are not properly formatted.  The server is currently processing those posts and will fix all of the formatting over the next 36 hours.  

[Suaviloquent]

First time I got on it was a bit overwhelming.

 

It looks prettier...but I think functionally the tight clustered look was quite good to begin with. 

[G. David Felt]

Hey Drew, I am thinking this is what you mean by formatting, but currently my Chrome browser looks like this:

 

[G. David Felt]

Weird, but edge on the same page looks fine, but Firefox also looks just like chrome.

[Robert Hall]

spiffy.

 

[Drew Dowdell]

The main point is that we're now on much more modern web technologies. The site works far better in mobile than it did before. It allows us a new platform for future expansion. And once the database update tasks finish up overnight, the site will be even faster than it is now.

There is still work to be done with the article templates, but I didn't want to hold the upgrade back any further to wait for those to be completed.

I kept the look as close as I could to the original so I didn't overwhelm people post upgrade, however a new look and logo is coming soon too.

[Drew Dowdell]

Also New - 

Notice something you'd like changed on the website? Spot an error? Have a feature request?  Drop it in here under "Suggestion Box" and someone will take a look. 

https://www.cheersandgears.com/support/

[Drew Dowdell]

The background database processes have completed. Search and formatting should be normal now.

[Intrepidation]

Now with shiny new logo!

[G. David Felt]

Yes, love the new Logo!

[Drew Dowdell]

Now that you "mention" it @dfelt, check out what everyone can do now.  I do like the new logo that @Intrepidation made for us.

[G. David Felt]

5 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

Now that you "mention" it @dfelt, check out what everyone can do now.  I do like the new logo that @Intrepidation made for us.

Was everyone else not able to see the new logo? I am so sorry, I thought when Intrepidation mentioned it that everyone could see it. Sorry guys. 

[Drew Dowdell]

No, everyone could see it @dfelt, I was just demonstrating the new mention system.

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, Drew Dowdell said:

No, everyone could see it @dfelt, I was just demonstrating the new mention system.

Very cool, had no idea we could mention folks like that. Awesome @Drew Dowdell

[Suaviloquent]

Alright, I'm gonna be in the minority of one by saying this, but I hate the new website.

 

I feel like there is information overload. Is there like a basic stripped down version of this new site?

 

Like I've had a lot of time to get used to it, and even though everything is familiar, something just seems off. I don't use the mobile version so no benefit there, but I know that as much as I grumble and whine how it all feels off, there's probably not much to be done to placate the minority of one, know what I'm saying. The greater good leaves some people behind. and I accept that reality instead of substituting my own.

 

 

 

[Drew Dowdell]

Specifics... screenshots.... what exactly is too much info?

 

Edit: Keep in mind @Suaviloquent that as a moderator, you see more than the normal visitor

[Suaviloquent]

Nothing specific really. Just boot up the old computron, type in the address in URL and boom, this website is just so much now.

 

Everything looks pretty and all....but uh, yeah. I find there's just so many buttons, clicky things, and I usually do the same thing all the time - head straight to the forum where I then read about the staff reviews, new car tech, new car news and all the good stuffs.

 

Just a general feeling. I mean, if you have screenshots of the old site, and new one, maybe maybe maybe. Maybe maybe maybe....maybe maybe. Yup. 

 

 

 

[Drew Dowdell]

Forum Descriptions: Yea or Nay?  (some of them have to stay, but I was planning on wiping out the descriptions under each brand)

[Suaviloquent]

Yes, I think that would help.

 

Gets rid of congestion on one webpage. Maybe everyone else here uses a desktop or large tablet, but I use mostly a 13" (yes very large yes, I am very satisfied with the size very yes, super number 1 sexy yeah) long thing.

[Blake Noble]

Agreed; they should go in order to clean things up a bit, make things less overwhelming to navigate. 

[Drew Dowdell]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought.... plus they get out of date and I forget to correct them.

[Suaviloquent]

Sometimes less is more. And like Cadillac - less weight. Like Lincoln. No RWD.... 

 

Hurr hurr, joke meant not to give offense (I kno that Lincoln has Navi + D6 RWD coming soon, and the Conti being RWD would give it really nothing other than some tired dash to axle conformity that even Volvo tries to fake or Audi achieves but then will switch to an AWD system that defaults to FWD like the GKN system)

 

Please laugh, yeah, super number public enemy general moron yaaaa?!

[Drew Dowdell]

Are you drunk? 

[Suaviloquent]

remember - manic inducing, severe insomnia.

 

Like I feel like being stupid because it's fun. And I like saying things like "super number public enemy general moron" in a nice secluded place where the hombres and senhoras kinda know me enough that I might as well be Mr. Poolog's GTA IV style cousin. 

 

And the Mr. Intrepidation will Adam the Jensen out of me, and then I'll just say press F to pay respects.

 

The Art of the Deal right there, man that's some deep shit man.

[Drew Dowdell]

try and get some sleep....

[Drew Dowdell]

So, because of the suggestions above, I started doing a major forum reorganization.  It's going to take me at least a few days to get everything into the right place as it is a very manual process.  Thanks for your patience. 

[A Horse With No Name]

On 8/19/2016 at 5:35 PM, Drew Dowdell said:

And we're back!  The upgrade was successful.  You may notice some posts or articles that are not properly formatted.  The server is currently processing those posts and will fix all of the formatting over the next 36 hours.  

Thanks for all the work you do keeping the site running...and very sorry I have not been around as much as I should be.