Suggestion

[Julio]

Hi All

Just a something to run by you.


What would be cool would be to have a piccy on your profile. So at the events etc you'll remember who's who .

Not sure how this will effect you memeory space/bandwith etc?

Julio

[Grant Johnson]

I like the idea, and in fact have thought of it - the space and bandwidth isn't huge, but a factor - we are already 50% over our hosts largest package and growing - but the problem is the software doesn't support it.

We are still looking at BB software, and still aren't satisfied. Lots of techie stuff deciding for and against the various choices, but the final result is we haven't seen anything worth switching to. Yet.

There are lots of new features/toys that other software has - BUT none of them are search engine friendly - in other words Google won't find the posts.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[Fuzzy Duck]

I say stick to the current set-up! I find it really user friendly and gimmick free. No need to change!

I like the idea about photographs - but that could done in a different way - like a rogues gallery type of web page split into sections so that u get 20 thumbnails on each page. Or even just a thread where people post photographs of themselves (nice and small 100 pixels x 100 pixels) with a bit of text?

Maybe?

------------------
Fuzzy Duck
(I'm quackers about bikes)

[Fuchur]

Everything is great as it is right now but if you want to change to something that really has it all, think of phpnuke!

This is a complete freeware webportal system that thousends of people are writing add-ons for.

For everything you have here there is a solution and also the pic stuff is there ;-)

I am using it and loving it for it simplicity and as you are also planing to translate the page as into different languages, thats also... supported.

Please have a look at there webpage and you will see. When you do also click a few links of other sites using it, then you will see all the possibilities. A few are:

BB board
News letter
Blog
Virtual Cards
Multiple Languages
Webshop
Banner Admin
Links

http://www.phpnuke.org

------------------
CU under the Cu

Frank
http://www.crossing-africa.com .:. The Ultimate Travel on a Yamaha XT600Z

[fireboomer]

As a newbie on internet stuff, would this PHP stuff make it easier to make a personal website and ad features while going? I have made my current website combinating writing self in HTML and copying stuff. But I found it very time consuming this way. I am willing to spend some money but not to much. The big software packets to make a website I see in the shops cost way to much as far as I am concerned. Most of the freeware or shareware stuff doesn't offer too much of features or don't really let you personalize the website as you want.

So would PHP be something that helps me out. I want to put out pictures, travel reports, maps, links,.... See the link below for what I made of it now.

Any advise welcome, thanks.

Pieter.

------------------
http://users.pandora.be/pieter.maes2/

[Chris Smith]

Can't say I know the first thing about websites so can't offer any constructive suggestions. All I can say is that it looks like you had a really goot time in Morocco - I'm just sorry our plans didn't go - well, to plan, so we couldn't meet up

Keep enjoying it

Chris

[Grant Johnson]

Pieter, try looking at Movable Type, can be customised a lot to do what you want. We are using MT for our travellers stories, have a look.

Very easy to use from any internet cafe.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[Sian Mackenzie]

Hi Pieter,

I was doing the same as you with a simple web page, no time to update when we leave in a few weeks, so now I'm using MT on this site. Like Grant suggested, it is a bit different than having your own web site, but a hell of a lot less work!!

Sian..

[fireboomer]

Grant,

Do you mean you can have a website that you can modify yourself from a cybercafé?
Really like the idea. Boy, I enjoy writing, really do, when I am out on the route. Like the idea of sharing experiences with friends, family,... Done that by email last time. But off course if you can place day-reports, route's, facts,... out on your website right away... that's top of the bill.

I have downloaded the PHP-nuke thing and have been reading on it... It's beyond me I am afraid. :-( :-( Download and install a Linux box....? HUH?
If anybody thinks he or she can help me out with this whole thing be welcome. Do keep in mind that I am using a mac with MAC OS 9.2

Mayby I should consider what Sian is saying. And move the travel stories and fact-file to HU... And then link it from my site. But that would only work for the English version and at this point I have a Dutch and English version... Or I am wrong at this point? (Grant)


Hmmmm. Any help appreciated. I am giong to tour around quite a bit the comming months. Nothing big but I am hoping to find some good connecting routes between Brussels and Paris for example. (Have read a couple questions about nice routes from North to South on the HUBB, therefor... )
I would like to put the roadbooks out on the net and so. But I don't see it doable writing it in HTML and so myself.

[Grant Johnson]

Originally posted by fireboomer:
Grant, Do you mean you can have a website that you can modify yourself from a cybercafé?

yes.

I have downloaded the PHP-nuke thing and have been reading on it... It's beyond me I am afraid. :-( :-( Download and install a Linux box....? HUH?

no surprise, it's not simple. WE considered it, and it is complex, but the main thing for us was trying to convert a thousand pages - WAAAAY too hard!

If anybody thinks he or she can help me out with this whole thing be welcome. Do keep in mind that I am using a mac with MAC OS 9.2

Mayby I should consider what Sian is saying. And move the travel stories and fact-file to HU... And then link it from my site. But that would only work for the English version and at this point I have a Dutch and English version... Or I am wrong at this point? (Grant)

You CAN install MT on your own site, it's not that hard. Or you can use ours. On either, with MT there are two ways to deal with two languages. The easiest way to keep English and Dutch version separated is to simply categorize the stories - for example:

English - France
Dutch - France

The second is to simply have two blogs. A bit more work, but not bad. Easy to set up a second blog, takes me about 20 minutes to set up a new blog now that all the software is installed.

I would like to put the roadbooks out on the net and so. But I don't see it doable writing it in HTML and so myself.

We could always post roadbooks here too - would be a great addition to the site that perhaps others would contribut as well if we had a good format, and easy to enter in. The database is coming along, solved a couple of problems today, so shouldn't be too long before we start rolling out a number of new toys.

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[fireboomer]

Grant,

Where exacty can I find this 'movable type' one. If I can download it that might be the solution.

Something about the roadbooks:

* Since situations change
* Since somebody might know a great route, but couldn't log it very detailled, just a decent rough descreption,.
* Since nobody is perfect and there always might be a wrong direction in there.
* Since...

I think it might save you quite a bit of work if members could add notes, ad dinfo or change stuff in an existing roadbook. Roadbooks are made to be ridden, and while being ridden mistakes will come up, changings in the situation,... The person who originally posted the roadbook is most likely not the one who will discover this....
Just a thought.

[Grant Johnson]

Movable type is at http://www.movabletype.org

Points noted on the road books - it will be a database and changeable from a browser by almost anyone. (Will probably have to have a HUBB id, HU Member or something similar)

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[fireboomer]

Grant,

Had a look at MT and it seems doable. Bu there are some terms that keep comming back and seem important. Me being a newbie has no clue what they are talking about. Therefore, could you explane this to me or let me know where I can find an explanation? Or wich book should I go and buy?

What is / are:
* MySQL
* static files
* cgi.bin
* blog files

Thanks for all the help. Have the feeling this is going somewhere. I know that once I have it running it will be great.

[Grant Johnson]

Ummm, ok, sounds like a book or three would help. Can't recommend any in particular I'm afraid, I have about 20-30 myself. READ the MT installation manual carefully first, it should be sufficient to do the install.

Definitions:

MySQL is a database - not needed for MT, it's optional. It also uses a simple text dataabase by default.

Static files - simply that - files that don't change.

cgi-bin - the directory on your server that holds cgi BINary files. Basically that's the program files.

blog files - the MT blog files are the files that hold the text you write.

blog = weB LOG = diary

FIRST you need to find out if you have access to the cgi-bin on your server. You may or may not, depending on the account. On geocities or tripod for instance you don't have access, and can't install MT.

Ask your webhost:

Can I install cgi programs in the cgi-bin?
Can I have a MySQL database?

If yes to the first, you're good to go, the second is optional but nice.

have fun!

------------------
Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------

One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

[fireboomer]

Thanks Grant,

Hopefully in a couple weeks from now you can take a look at it. I'll keep you posted.