Yet another new feature - a Technical Library

[Mike]

This is one I've been waiting on for a long, L-O-N-G time! And I am really happy all the bugs have been ironed out of the system, so we can finally put it into use on this site.

We now have our own Technical Library!



The sharp-eyed amongst you have doubtless noticed there is a new menu option in the NavBar - a link titled simply enough, Library.



Clicking on that option will take you to a new section of the Web site, called the T-Bucket Forums Technical Library. This new section allows articles to be submitted to specific categories, so they will be easier to locate. Articles can be written with images, links, smilies and YouTube videos, just as forum posts are created. Comments can be added to the articles, just as they are to forum posts. Articles can be rated, to give the author an idea of how valuable his submission was to the forum community.. The Library even offers RSS feeds. The system is full-featured and I am excited we can finally put it into use

I want to stress the Library is to be used for tech article submissions only. If you have a comment or question to put to the members, please post it to the forums. I truly feel the tech library will become a valuable T-Bucket resource over time and I want to be sure articles submitted to the Library are of the highest caliber. As such, all submissions to the Library will require staff approval. The staff members will proof each article submission, checking for things like spelling errors. Please do not submit any articles with images you do not intend to keep active. Articles with broken links and broken imaqes will be moved back to the forums.

I still have a bit of work to do on the Library section, but I have already moved several of the forum article posts over. Take a look and see what you think.

 

[Mike]

The technical articles forum has been moved down in the stack and those topics are now read only.

 

[Youngster]

YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ron

 

[VegasBruce]

CCCccooool!!!!!!

 

[Mike]

There is now a new Media category, with sub-categories for event videos, personal videos and shop videos. :egypt:

It's not as if I am like a child with a new toy...

 

[Mike]

OK, ladies and laddies, I'm working on another new project for the site. We have a couple of blue skins for the site, but I know some of you like red. So, I'm working to convert one of the blue styles over to red. And if you ever hear me thinking I might try working on a new skin ever again. just shoot me and put me out of my misery.

I now have an entirely new opinion of the professional skinners who sell skins for as little as $20 - $25. They are bluidy well insane! After about 9 hours work, I am getting close to converting the IP.Board skin.



One wouldn't think it would take a lot of effort to make some simple color changes, but I've spent the day editing a single CSS file. My original thought was to print the file out and write in the edits, then type them into the file. I copied the file into an Open Office document and the file was seventy-nine pages long!



I was tickled just to get to the bottom of the file. Until I discovered all the edits I had missed. :wall:



I'm getting closer to being finished. The file I just completed was the big one. There are still a few smaller files to edit, but I'm hoping another 6 - 7 hours will see it completed. I still need to come up with matching forum icons and topic icons and I'm hoping that won't be too tough. I hear some Italian sausages begging to be grilled, so I'm hanging up the coder's apron for the day. Whatever you do, please don't tell me you hate the color red...

:beer:

 

[Mike]

OK, I have the lion's share of AztechRed 3.1 in place. Still some wee tweaks needing to be done here and there, but I wanted to get this much into the live setting to see what is working and what is not.

I've made AztechRed the default skin in the hope some of you will stay with it and help me Beta test it. I'm hoping some additional sets of eyes might see something I have not. Obviously, if you simply cannot stand it, just scroll down to the bottom-left corner and select one of the other options.

 

[Rick]

OK, I have the lion's share of AztechRed 3.1 in place. Still some wee tweaks needing to be done here and there, but I wanted to get this much into the live setting to see what is working and what is not.

I've made AztechRed the default skin in the hope some of you will stay with it and help me Beta test it. I'm hoping some additional sets of eyes might see something I have not. Obviously, if you simply cannot stand it, just scroll down to the bottom-left corner and select one of the other options.

I was surfing here about 5 mins ago and when i came backBAM the red hit me pretty good i thought i did something wrong.hehehe.I like it.

 

[Mike]

I can see how it might have come as a bit of a shock. :hyper:

Had I know what all was entailed in developing a skin, I would never have begun. If anyone finds the tall, pointy hat marked Dunce, that would be mine. :hyper:

 

[VegasBruce]

I was surfing here about 5 mins ago and when i came backBAM the red hit me pretty good i thought i did something wrong.hehehe.I like it.

Cool' have a round on me.

But I miss the green

No big thing though.

It looks great Mike.

 

[Telman2]

Thanks Mike you did a great job, I really like it.

 

[Mike]

I'm just sitting here deciding how much to cut Bruce's pay, after the green comment.

You know, if I can come up with a good green gradient to use for the header category images, I just might try to style up a green skin. Yes, I am just that crazy.

 

[VegasBruce]

Thanks Mike, I could get by on about twice what you pay me, so its OK to cut it in half.

If you don't have a green, the red works, so no worrys on this end.

 

[Mike]

Bruce, just for you, we will have a green!


It's still very much a work in progress, but it's coming along nicely. I think I paid the majority of my dues yesterday and things are going a bit smoother today. I know, you think I'm sailing up the Clyde on a banana boat

, but here's what I have after about 3 hours work.

Heck, I may even do a really hot blue after this...

 

[VegasBruce]

Thanks Mike, its looks great. See you may not pay well, but the perks are great.

 

[Mike]

OK, my friend, scroll down to the bottom and select AztechGreen 3.1.

And don't say I've never done anything for you.

Still some minor tuning to do, but I should have that nailed down in another 45 minutes or so.

 

[VegasBruce]

Very cool

Thanks

 

[Mike]

I am fixin' to put a big smile on the faces of those that prefer a blue forum theme. I think RPM was one of those people liking blue better than red. I'm working on a blue skin that needs another 3-4 hours of tweaking before it is ready.

Here's a teaser from the blue skin -



I've learned some new code techniques and some new graphic editing techniques, so I will have to dive back into the green skin and tune it up a bit more.

:hooray:

 

[RPM]

Yes I am liking it. Is there a way to default to a larger size font?



green hmmm

 

[VegasBruce]

Yes I am liking it. Is there a way to default to a larger size font?



green hmmm

The Green is cool, Mike out did himself with it.