I have some how or other found time to do some more work on the James Follett website, which is good as I really like they way it looks now, even if I say so myself.
One thing that I have noticed since rebuilding the website is that some of the pages in the website have for some reason or another different fonts on their pages, I don't know why they have ended up like this but they have.
So I am slowly going through every page of the website to make sure they have the same font, I have not worked out how to get the programme that drives the website to do this for me yet.
I have looked at the Official James Follett site and compared it to mine, both sites look very different and both have a different slant on the information provided and also how that information is presented, my site still goes into far greater detail, which I think is something you would expect from a fan site, and I cover all of James's work, where the official site just does a broad brush.
I think its a good thing to have 2 different sites on the one subject and even better that one of them is independent of James.
Showing posts with label James Follett website. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Follett website. Show all posts
28 August, 2010
19 July, 2010
James Follett website
The new James Follett website has some how or other had 55 visits which is really quite good as I have not told anyone the new site and the software changes
02 March, 2010
Updates
As I think I sad in an earlier blog, I have just started to do some work on the new James Follett website, pretty much in the same lines as the Dirk Maggs one, well why not it all seems to work okay and once everything is in the updating of the website is to tell the truth really really very easy and that's one of the main things that I want to gain from all of this updating stuff.
I must admit that the James Follett site is smaller I think, in fact I'm not to sure how they compare size wise. I suspect that over the next few weeks it's something that I will find out from first hand experience.
So then, on the James Follett side of things the database is set up and the core elements that go to make up the website are now all in place, all and I say this lightly all I now have to do is get the content transferred into the new website. This is a task that has to be done manually which is a pain but there dose not seem to be any other way of getting the job done, so manual it is.
I have so far only put the very first page up, mainly to see if it all works and all that sort of stuff that you do when trying out new stuff, it all appears to be working how I would expect it to which is good.
So I now have the long task of converting it to the new format. I don't know if I should tell James or not, as I am not sure if he is that interested in his unofficial website these days.
I will set up the domain so that when complete it points at the new website, and when I have checked that it all works I will delete the old website.
If by any chance James does realise any new material it will be very easy to update and also as an added benefit he could also with the right permissions edit the site, or at least correct it or even add missing information to it.
So lots to do.
I must admit that the James Follett site is smaller I think, in fact I'm not to sure how they compare size wise. I suspect that over the next few weeks it's something that I will find out from first hand experience.
So then, on the James Follett side of things the database is set up and the core elements that go to make up the website are now all in place, all and I say this lightly all I now have to do is get the content transferred into the new website. This is a task that has to be done manually which is a pain but there dose not seem to be any other way of getting the job done, so manual it is.
I have so far only put the very first page up, mainly to see if it all works and all that sort of stuff that you do when trying out new stuff, it all appears to be working how I would expect it to which is good.
So I now have the long task of converting it to the new format. I don't know if I should tell James or not, as I am not sure if he is that interested in his unofficial website these days.
I will set up the domain so that when complete it points at the new website, and when I have checked that it all works I will delete the old website.
If by any chance James does realise any new material it will be very easy to update and also as an added benefit he could also with the right permissions edit the site, or at least correct it or even add missing information to it.
So lots to do.
01 March, 2010
03 October, 2009
Projects 2
If you have read some of the other posts on this little blog of mine, you will no doudt be aware that I have several projects that I have been doing for a long time and that one minute they are on and then the next they are off, deping upon what is going on in my private life.
We at this moment it's sad to say that all the various projects are off again.
The reason?
I simply don't have the time or the right software and also the expertise.
I will deal with each of the above separately
Time
Its in very short supply at this time, as things in the private life have some how or other expanded to such an extent that it leaves nothing left for anything else, and boy have I tried to make spare time, but there does come a time when you do have to sleep.
Right Software
This is one that is proving to be a bit difficault, in thaat in years passed I used Dreamweaver version 1 to do all the websites, now for reason that I just don't understand the software does not work very well, or not a tall under Vista, and I can't not afford to buy a new version of Dreamweaver, it's just to expensive, hey I brought the first version for less than 10 pounds!
I have sorted out the FTP side of things, in that I have found a freeware programme that does everything that I need to do.
Lastly
Expertise
A little while ago I changed web hosts, this is allways a very scary thing to do, the experance has not been plsent in that the transfer from one host to another took some time, now I have an exact copy of all my websites eg the Dirk Maggs site, and the James Follett sites, when I uploaded them to the new host I made sure that the storage of the files and all the other stuff was the same.
The result?
My Dirk Maggs site has links that are broken! I don't know how or why they are broken as I have not changed anything, I have rechecked the site and I have also uploaded it more than once, I even went so far as to delete everything and re upload it all, the result the same! broken links
Why!!!!
I am going to stop now before I start swearing
We at this moment it's sad to say that all the various projects are off again.
The reason?
I simply don't have the time or the right software and also the expertise.
I will deal with each of the above separately
Time
Its in very short supply at this time, as things in the private life have some how or other expanded to such an extent that it leaves nothing left for anything else, and boy have I tried to make spare time, but there does come a time when you do have to sleep.
Right Software
This is one that is proving to be a bit difficault, in thaat in years passed I used Dreamweaver version 1 to do all the websites, now for reason that I just don't understand the software does not work very well, or not a tall under Vista, and I can't not afford to buy a new version of Dreamweaver, it's just to expensive, hey I brought the first version for less than 10 pounds!
I have sorted out the FTP side of things, in that I have found a freeware programme that does everything that I need to do.
Lastly
Expertise
A little while ago I changed web hosts, this is allways a very scary thing to do, the experance has not been plsent in that the transfer from one host to another took some time, now I have an exact copy of all my websites eg the Dirk Maggs site, and the James Follett sites, when I uploaded them to the new host I made sure that the storage of the files and all the other stuff was the same.
The result?
My Dirk Maggs site has links that are broken! I don't know how or why they are broken as I have not changed anything, I have rechecked the site and I have also uploaded it more than once, I even went so far as to delete everything and re upload it all, the result the same! broken links
Why!!!!
I am going to stop now before I start swearing
08 September, 2009
James Follett wiki
The wiki is doing great, I think, it is growing slowly which is what I expect, to tell the truth as it's a long term project I expect to be saying pretty much that for a while to come.
I have got to 1975 on the content that I am adding to the wiki and I only started in 1974!
So a long way to go.
I have got to 1975 on the content that I am adding to the wiki and I only started in 1974!
So a long way to go.
07 September, 2009
Wiki pt 1
As you know I have started 2 new wiki's which in time are going to replace my existing static websites, I have to admit that it was something that I have looked at over the years, but for various reasons the use of the wiki's as the main websites did not take place.
But I know think that the time is right, so I have started, but to make it easier I have started with the James Follett site as it is smaller, and hopefully it will not take to long to get the basic content into it.
Once I have done that I will the move the old site out of the way and point everything to the wiki.
Currently I have 114 articles, and have only done 3 radio play and 1 TV show!
So I don't know how big it will be.
But I know think that the time is right, so I have started, but to make it easier I have started with the James Follett site as it is smaller, and hopefully it will not take to long to get the basic content into it.
Once I have done that I will the move the old site out of the way and point everything to the wiki.
Currently I have 114 articles, and have only done 3 radio play and 1 TV show!
So I don't know how big it will be.
22 August, 2009
Changing Hosts pt5
The last update for a while.
The main site www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk is working okay
The James Follett site www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk is working okay
The flash intro to the Dirk Maggs site still does not work even though all the files and links are all in the right places, why? not a clue
The new web domain www.citrusdreams.info works but from cpanel I can't access it, why? not a clue
The main site www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk is working okay
The James Follett site www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk is working okay
The flash intro to the Dirk Maggs site still does not work even though all the files and links are all in the right places, why? not a clue
The new web domain www.citrusdreams.info works but from cpanel I can't access it, why? not a clue
20 August, 2009
Changing Hosts pt4
Well just an update to say what I have got working and what is not working.
The subdomains are working now, and I am being to hate cpanel so www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk and www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk are now mostly okay.
www.citrusdreams.info I have a holding page on as I have to decide just what I want to do with it.
What is not working is the flash page I had as the into to the Dirk Maggs website its all there all the files and all the correct links it just does not play, why? not a clue.
So apart from that the new host do give some great toys so that you can look real easy at what pages on the website are most popular.
The subdomains are working now, and I am being to hate cpanel so www.jamesfollett.dswilliams.co.uk and www.dirkmaggs.dswilliams.co.uk are now mostly okay.
www.citrusdreams.info I have a holding page on as I have to decide just what I want to do with it.
What is not working is the flash page I had as the into to the Dirk Maggs website its all there all the files and all the correct links it just does not play, why? not a clue.
So apart from that the new host do give some great toys so that you can look real easy at what pages on the website are most popular.
28 June, 2009
Website Updating
As you know if you have looked at this blog, I have a number of websites that I have had since the very early days of the internet, not on the same ISP silly!, anyway these websites of time have got to be ...well large in fact very large, in that they are hand edited by yours truly and he is starting to wonder if there might be an easier way to keep the site up to date.
One of the websites is on James Follett and the other is on Dirk Maggs, both sites are I suppose fan sites in that they detail the work both of these men do.
James Follett used to write very good tech thrillers, but he has over the last few years basically stopped writing, if you discount the stuff that he does on the newsgroups, in fact I have a sinking suspection that, all his time when he could be writing books is now taken up with the newsgroups, its become like a drug to him and that he is hopelessly addicted to them.
Dirk Maggs is a director writer of audio productions and I am glad to say still very active in the field and still producing some very good work.
The problem is that both sites have more the 100 pages each! they are all hand done.
The James Follett site does not get updated as much as the Dirk Maggs one as there is very little new material ( in fact in the last 2 years: none) the Dirk Maggs site gets an update every 6 to 8 weeks or so
The other day I had the spare time to look at the website logs, and to my surprise the website that gets the most hits a day is the James Follett one, this was a bit of a surprise as like I said before it does not get updated very often, also James has not got any books in print at this time.
I have not found out why this should be, but there must be a reason for it.
So why this long blog on websites?
The reason for it is that most of the very early websites, that have not gone on to be huge money making sites are as far as I can see dead, yes that's what I said dead, you may have heard a term pod cast fade, well before pod cast fade there was and still is website fade, and I can tell you it's still very much a live and well and still getting lots of trade.
Lots of reasons have been put forward as to why pod casts and websites die and I suspect that most them have to do with the fact that people get board and also they get no feedback on what they are doing so they give up as no one will notice there passing.
It's a sad fact that most people on the internet are users and not creators, that's just how it is, and as far as mu understanding goes it has always been that way ever since there was stuff that could be consumed by others.
As for my websites, well they are made for me, if others like them use them or even comment on them, that's a bonus,
I must admit that when I get feedback it's nice, but I only have to look at the number of hits I get a day to the amount of feedback a day to notice just how much more consuming goes on compared to creation.
So I am glad that I am a creator.
One of the websites is on James Follett and the other is on Dirk Maggs, both sites are I suppose fan sites in that they detail the work both of these men do.
James Follett used to write very good tech thrillers, but he has over the last few years basically stopped writing, if you discount the stuff that he does on the newsgroups, in fact I have a sinking suspection that, all his time when he could be writing books is now taken up with the newsgroups, its become like a drug to him and that he is hopelessly addicted to them.
Dirk Maggs is a director writer of audio productions and I am glad to say still very active in the field and still producing some very good work.
The problem is that both sites have more the 100 pages each! they are all hand done.
The James Follett site does not get updated as much as the Dirk Maggs one as there is very little new material ( in fact in the last 2 years: none) the Dirk Maggs site gets an update every 6 to 8 weeks or so
The other day I had the spare time to look at the website logs, and to my surprise the website that gets the most hits a day is the James Follett one, this was a bit of a surprise as like I said before it does not get updated very often, also James has not got any books in print at this time.
I have not found out why this should be, but there must be a reason for it.
So why this long blog on websites?
The reason for it is that most of the very early websites, that have not gone on to be huge money making sites are as far as I can see dead, yes that's what I said dead, you may have heard a term pod cast fade, well before pod cast fade there was and still is website fade, and I can tell you it's still very much a live and well and still getting lots of trade.
Lots of reasons have been put forward as to why pod casts and websites die and I suspect that most them have to do with the fact that people get board and also they get no feedback on what they are doing so they give up as no one will notice there passing.
It's a sad fact that most people on the internet are users and not creators, that's just how it is, and as far as mu understanding goes it has always been that way ever since there was stuff that could be consumed by others.
As for my websites, well they are made for me, if others like them use them or even comment on them, that's a bonus,
I must admit that when I get feedback it's nice, but I only have to look at the number of hits I get a day to the amount of feedback a day to notice just how much more consuming goes on compared to creation.
So I am glad that I am a creator.
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