With Growth Comes Change - New Look

[Genie]

ok I guess ...

Just kidding - I'm a big Dan Kimmel fan and love all your efforts.

[Revtro]

Wow, what a big difference a little change can make.  Dan, you rock.  Do you code this whole site by hand? 

[Genie]

Dan Kimmel is coding this site by hand ... in annoying TV announcer voice ...

[djkimmel]

Whew!!! I just flew in from Coderville and boy, are my arms tired (actually my hands and fingers )...

The forum is Simple Machines Forum PHP. I could not write in a couple years all the base code here, but I have to take the plain envelope and fill it with all the code for GLB links, advertising scripts, routing and other enhancement (hopefully) scripts, edit the CSS, and create and add in the graphics to look like a fishing site. I move some of their stuff around like taking away the bolding of "Last post" which I have to remember the two files it is in to 'refix' it next time they have to do an enhancement or security upgrade. There are several thousand files that make up the forum. To make some changes, I have to find the file it is built from first, then change it without breaking the chain - to someone looking at the source code, it looks like one xhtml page, but it is really a whole bunch of code in a bunch of files, and other software (even other web sites) to build each page.

All the html pages (and a few PHP pages) for the rest of the web site are mine. I 'borrow' and cut corners on code whenever I can. Eventually (maybe sooner than later), I'll have to go to more manageable pages built kind of like the forum, with templates and/or built from page 'parts' but some of that brings serious security considerations because where there is code and variables there are bad people with evil intent too.

I also have advertising software installed (PHP) that I edit a little, load graphics and code to, and have to keep up to date for security and enhancements. Soon comes new store software that will be like the forum - PHP code-based envelope that I edit to look like the GLB store it will be.

I have plans for new pages and new or enhanced sections too that mean more pages and code - to provide more information to help anglers get around and stay informed. I'm behind on the content thanks to all of you making GLB a popular place to hangout!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! FREE POSTS FOR EVERYONE!!!!

I do appreciate all the content you all provide on the forum and really appreciate that a few members are writing articles and other content now to add to our experience. I think I have 4, maybe 5 persons working on articles right now.... which reminds me... I have one to load...

[bosshawg]

 was a little suprised at first - have adjusted to it and it does look good. nice job!

[djkimmel]

sorry boss... I hate to put the shock treatment into some of the guys, but things move fast in some circles...(read computernerd-land) so it can't be helped all the time... I'll try to make it up to you somehow 

[fiker]

I love the new look Dan, and like everybody else I'm greatful for your time and efforts. 

However, since the new pages are up, I'm finding that it takes my puter much longer to go from page to page.

[djkimmel]

Yeah - I'm looking at the Rick. I think it is a lag from one of the advertising servers. I'm trying to narrow it down to the most common culprit and then figure out if there is anything I can do about it.

Once I figure out for sure which source seems to be causing the lag, I'll try to figure out what I can do about it.

[Revtro]

I've been timing some of the page loads and have noticed that nearly every hang up I get is from an advertiser server, not GLB.  If that helps...

[yukonjack2]

I just got upgraded form comcast to 6mb speeds, and the forums are difinately slower than before.  I'm patient though as its worth the wait.  See what you can do please?

Jack

[djkimmel]

I'll see what I can do... not sure yet. I do have one idea at the moment.

[yukonjack2]

Dan:   seems to be really sloooooooooooow tongiht - not sure if its still the ad hangups,  or something else, but thought you should know.

Jack

[djkimmel]

There does seem to be an intermittent slowdown coming from somewhere. I need a little more time. I may have to remove some ads one at a time to see if I notice a difference. Some ads, I'm contractually obligated to show though... I'll do what I can.