Site Update 2/2007

[W2INR]

Over the last three weeks we have been updating and upgrading the site. We still have some items we are working on but for the most part it is done.

There are several new features and many of the old features have been enhanced.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                           

The technical stuff

We did away with the formal front page. This is the front page to AMfone. You can just http://amfone.net and you will arrive here.

This site has been optimized to the web standard resolution 1024x768.

It is highly recommended that you clear your cache and session cookies for this site. There have been many changes to code as well as visual items. It is also recommended that you have the latest version of Flash Player on your computer. Not only for this site but for browsing in general. Almost all computers have this installed on them but like everything in the computer world you need to  update regularly. You can upgrade your version to the latest here:
http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&promoid=BIOW

Just download and install it. It is painless. Its Free


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

New Features

The two biggest additions are the new photo Gallery and the AM Audio Vault. We are currently still making changes but feel free to use these two new areas.

Gallery:

 This is a 5meg gallery for each registered user here on the site. If you choose to use the Gallery it is simple.

1) On the menu bar (at the top of the forum where you see "Home Help Search "etc etc) and click on Gallery.

2) You should be in the main page of the Gallery. In the upper right hand corner you will see the bracket comments - [ MyGallery ] [ MyImages ]  [ Search ] - Click on my gallery. You should see your registered user name on the top and an option to add a category. Create a category. You just need to fill out the Title and Description to start and click on the Add category button.

Now you are back to the User page and you will see your category listed under Gallery Name. Click on the name. You are now ready to upload pictures. You will see some options like add a subcategory, Add Picture and return to gallery. We want Add picture. Click on it.  The rest is pretty straight forward. If you need help post it in Using the BBS.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AM Audio Vault:

Concept came from Bruce W1UjR and we quickly implemented it. Located  in the contents on the left hand column next to the forum.

Here's an collection of audio takes from years back up to current of the airwaves. We currently have over 100 files and more coming daily!

Please consider sending in your cuts to add to the Vault. You can send them to:
amvault@amfone.net. mp3, and wav are preferred but we can work with other files also.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other enhancements include:

Sub Forums ( example can be found in the AM Online Handbook )

News Fader at the top of the Forum.

Message alert - - In the Menu bar at the top you  will find a tab labeled messages. This is for your PM's. If you have a new one there will be a flashing icon to alert you.

Quick reply: You have the option in you Control Panel to elect to have Quick Reply on. This will provide a text entry box a the bottom of any thread you are reading so you can reply quicker. No bells and whistles just type and enter.

This New Upgrade should load quicker for the slower connections.


As with anything we are still working out some bugs and there may be others we are not aware of yet so if you see anything please post it in the Using the BBS forum.

More to Come!!

Thanks for your Participation and Support

Gary






 

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Cool stuff, G. Thanks so much for the effort. I promise to call you soon on the other addition we spoke of and get my...self back on track.

[W4EWH]

OM,

I'm running my screen at 1024x768, and I'm having great difficulty using the site (I've gone to the Adobe site and confirmed that I have the latest Flash player). Please consider these changes for the next release:

• The headers take up about 75% of the first page whenever I open a subject for viewing: the "AMfone" header and Oscilloscope images alone are about 1/3 of my display area, and the "Electric Radio" and other buttons occupy another 1.5 inches of vertical space. I wind up with the "Welcome W1AC" paragraph only about 1 inch from the bottom on my screen when an article appears, and I always have to scroll down to read the text. I know a "Splash" page needs good graphics, but the articles are too hard for me to read with that much header info in the way: I suggest they be taken off of the article pages and trimmed way back on the subject lists.
• I find the Left side navigation bar to be too intrusive and distracting when I'm reading an article. I suggest it be removed when individual articles are displayed.
• The navigation links (Pages [1], previous, next, etc.) come out in dark, subdued blue against a black background. Since I'm over 50, that means that they disappear: I've actually had to override the site colors in Firefox in order to navigate! I suggest that the colors be changed or that the links be letterboxed to improve contrast.

I'll be glad to help with the HTML if you need.

73, Bill W1AC

P.S. Please ask posters to use more descriptive "Subject" lines. I like an "inside" joke as much as the next guy, but some of the subjects are too far off from what's actually being posted.

[WA3VJB]

Bill have you tried switching among browsers?

Sometimes with a given screen setting there will still be some layout differences across Firefox, Safari and any other browsers you may try.

Welcome to the group BTW

Paul/VJB

[W2INR]

Bob,

Of the three areas you mentioned two are an issue I want to  work on.

1) The header (I too take issue with the scroll down on every page load)

2) The link tree colors. (Mentioned several times in this thread.)

I just have not had the time to redesign the header and it's components after spending over 100 hours of my last few weekends to update and add new features.

We are working on it.

G

 

[W4EWH]

Fellow hams,

I tried it with Internot Exploder 6; there's no difference except that I had to enable ActiveHex.

Thanks for your help.

73,

Bill W1AC