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#1 2008-01-04 16:55:05

Adrian
Moderator
From: London, United Kingdom
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 642
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

I know what you're thinking - who the hell is this 'Adrian'? smile

Anyway, I got a little too fed up with seeing the completely broken front page of newmars.com and decided to junk the whole thing. I've switched the weblog software over to Wordpress, which is rather better than the old Movable Type software we had before, revamped the theme, imported all the old entries, removed all the spam comments and updated the links.

So it looks nice and new now. Only thing is to add content.

I basically don't have time to keep the weblog updated with new Mars-related articles. However, it seems like there are plenty of people here with their fingers on the pulse. I am happy to set people up with the permission to write articles on the weblog directly; initially moderated, and then if everything works out fine, people can post without moderation. If you're interested, post here.


Editor of [url=http://www.newmars.com]New Mars[/url]

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#2 2008-01-05 03:18:49

cIclops
Member
Registered: 2005-06-16
Posts: 3,230

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Hi Adrian, whoever you are! wink

Wordpress is fine for a personal blog, but it's a nightmare for forums. It just doesn't have the message editing or management functionality of phpBB.

What's broken on the front page besides the link to the Wiki and maybe a better search engine (hints for Josh)?


[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

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#3 2008-01-05 03:27:50

Adrian
Moderator
From: London, United Kingdom
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 642
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

I'm not talking about the forums, I'm talking about www.newmars.com - the online weblog/magazine.


Editor of [url=http://www.newmars.com]New Mars[/url]

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#4 2008-01-05 03:32:04

cIclops
Member
Registered: 2005-06-16
Posts: 3,230

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Got ya now. Yes that's a fresh looking page, is the old one still around to compare?

You want suggestions?


[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

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#5 2008-01-05 05:43:34

Adrian
Moderator
From: London, United Kingdom
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 642
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Er, you don't want to see the old page, it was a real mess smile

Suggestions would be welcome (bearing in mind the limited time I can spend on it)!


Editor of [url=http://www.newmars.com]New Mars[/url]

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#6 2008-01-05 06:17:41

Terraformer
Member
From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,800
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

The new one is much better.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

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#7 2008-01-05 07:13:31

cIclops
Member
Registered: 2005-06-16
Posts: 3,230

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Er, you don't want to see the old page, it was a real mess smile

Suggestions would be welcome (bearing in mind the limited time I can spend on it)!

1. Use an edited version of the 'About' page for the home page - the Ares Express Issues look and are way out of date - readers will assume the site is dead.

2. Make the home page shorter - long pages are off putting


[color=darkred]Let's go to Mars and far beyond -  triple NASA's budget ![/color] [url=irc://freenode#space]  #space channel !! [/url] [url=http://www.youtube.com/user/c1cl0ps]   - videos !!![/url]

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#8 2008-01-05 20:46:30

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Nice to see a new front page, but what will it bring to the forum or cause that New Mars is all about?

MarsDrive has also done the same and while the numbers of people are slowly finding the site are increasing the needed support for the cause has not gone as well.

This new front page reminds me also of the spacepolitics site. It combines the news with those that are willing to comment on it rather than the old topic forum concept. Both ways have there pro’s and cons as I have sen from visiting both styles

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#9 2008-01-06 06:37:28

Adrian
Moderator
From: London, United Kingdom
Registered: 2001-09-04
Posts: 642
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

I'll be honest - you tell me. What would you find useful on the front page? What is the cause that New Mars is all about now? I don't have a particular agenda here, partly because I have been away from New Mars for so long, and partly because I don't have a lot of ongoing time to spend on the site, so I'd appreciate your thoughts.


Editor of [url=http://www.newmars.com]New Mars[/url]

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#10 2008-01-06 10:56:35

Josh Cryer
Moderator
Registered: 2001-09-29
Posts: 3,830

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

HOLY CRAP

New years Resolution Adrian? Get more involved in The Mars Society / New Mars? smile

To those that don't know who this ghost character is, he's the guy above me, yes, that's right, I'm not the big dog in charge here, haha. (Though I have all his powers as far as administration goes, I just never felt like touching the blog since it wasn't really linked anywhere.)

But it's nice that this got updated. I think we can revive the blog and make some posts there. I have been meaning to respond to Jeff Bell's criticism of my reasonable One Man Suicide Mission to Mars. wink

http://www.space-travel.com/news/oped-05zzb.html

I'll look for a Wordpress rss feed, Adrian, let met do the phpbb side of things because I got it how I want it (no offense or anything!). Damn you for forcing my hand here and making me do something.  :evil:  lol

It's been 3 years coming, don't you think?  :twisted:


Some useful links while MER are active. [url=http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/home/index.html]Offical site[/url] [url=http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Web.html]NASA TV[/url] [url=http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/]JPL MER2004[/url] [url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/mars/mera/statustextonly.html]Text feed[/url]
--------
The amount of solar radiation reaching the surface of the earth totals some 3.9 million exajoules a year.

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#11 2008-01-12 13:45:38

JoshNH4H
Member
From: Pullman, WA
Registered: 2007-07-15
Posts: 2,538
Website

Re: Revamped weblog - help needed!

Honestly, it really depends on what NM is.  What is the purpose of newmars, really?


-Josh

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