Major Web Site Update Coming

[MarkE]

As some of you may know, I have been planning a major site update for a few months now. I haven't goten around to it because i wasnt sure which direction to go. The latest page update I did for TAAB kinda "kicked me in the ass" so to speak and I have decided on a format.

Currently, Hawk's main site is a standard Microsoft Front Page generated HTML website. The forums are a standard version of vBulletin. Links allow you to move back and forth between the two.

In the new format, both the site and the forums will be integrated together using something known as a CMS, or Content Manager System. CMS will make the main site and forums appear to be the same using the same theme/skin and user/permission system.
What does this mean to us?


The Bad Stuff...
The main web site will be kinda sketchy for a few days as I switch over. BFD! The forums will continue to operate normally.



The Good Stuff...
There will be a fully integrated photo gallery and article system. Users will be able to comment on pictures.

There will be section added for blogging if you care to use it.

File uploads will now be part of the system and running on a permissions basis. No more UBER!

I can easily integrate my Teamspeak server. This is a voice server that I commonly use to play on-line video games. This means that we can have group voice chats if we choose to.

The forums will still retain its current functionality like embedded youtube vids etc etc

The main site and forum will look the same, share the same skin. The site will look different.

There is a lot of other stuff too.

The content manager I chose is called Subdreamer. I will be purchasing it for experimentation probably tonight and have it all on line before the weekend hopefully.

I'l keep yaz posted.... MarkE

[MarkE]

Okay, I purchased the software. If I have the energy after work I will install it tonight (Tuesday). I will attempt to keep the old site online as I spend several days getting the new site configured and all the content moved over.

The forum should remain unaffected until the last step, which will be to update vBulletin to the latest and greatest version. I dont care about the new features. Its mostly for security purposes. It should only take me 15 minutes or so unless I run into some problems.

[MarkE]

Okay...
As you can see, the new content manager is online. Im just looking for a skin for it.

Like it says on the front page, the old site is still there. I need to bring the web pages, articles and all the other bullshit over to the CMS before I shut the old one down.

Larry... I have'n forgotten the embedded code for the TAAB vids. When I piblished the CMS it kinda disabled my Front Page publishing abilities. I should have it corrected shortly.

This is exciting for me. No more Front Page, I can edit the web site from anywhere (including my cell phone), its smaller, tighter, meaner, leaner and will save me monthly$$ on what Im spending on Hawk now.

Thanks for the patience everyone.

MarkE