- They're Under Staters Orders
- Blogged on Saturday 27th November 2004 at 2:17:29 AM by David
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Let the race begin. Over hare at quiterude.com there is a race on between me and the weekend. I'm going to try and write new blog software completely from scratch by Monday morning.
Let's take a nostalgic look back at how Ass Plug has developed over time.
Originally it was located here and only had a short life-span as it was soon replaced by version 2. I can't remember how long it took me to write, but from the look of it you'd have to say not long.
The only thing that admins could do was create new blogs, there weren't even separate admin accounts though. To edit or delete comments meant a trip to the database to do it manually, very impractical I'm sure you agree.Version 2 arrived on the scene back in July. Things were different this time round, we had a .com! However the software was rushed into use before it was properly completed so we could move over to our new host and domain. Therefore when it first went into use it was not that much better than the old version and there were some bugs.
There were a few extra perks though, editing/deleting of blog comments for admins as well as admin accounts were nice additions. At first the next and previous page links didn't work because they had not been tested, but I fixed them along with a couple of other minor things and the software gradually improved over time.
Then most recently there have been other upgrades such as the recent comments page and proper page numbers instead of just "next" and "previous". Many upgrades have been made to this version and unfortunately I didn't keep the code as tidy as perhaps I should have, therefore it is getting harder and harder to upgrade.Therefore it is neccesary for a new version of Ass Plug (which still needs a new name by the way), one with all of the features mentioned so far built into it. It will be a complete from-the-ground-up rewrite and very little of the old code will be recycled. The aim is to create a very user and admin friendly blog site with easy to maintain and upgrade code.
The database will also be improved because in the near future I plan to bring in the ability for separate blogs on the same web-site, each with different admins. So the blog will be approaching something close to a forum by the time I am finished with it.
The subroutines that are used to display comments and blog entries will be completely changed to allow for more flexibilty within the blog system and lessen the server load (although for a site this small perhaps that doesn't matter as much).
There are other features that I plan to include in version 3 that didn't quite make it into version 2 because it would have been too difficult. These include sending email notifications to people subscribed to the blog (but only to users who request to be notified). I was also thinking of including RSS and Atom feeds so that all you lazy people with readers don't have to bother coming down here every day to check for updates.So hopefully this will all work out and by Monday we'll have a completely new version of the blog software and Phil will be like, "wtf???"
If I was to put odds on me finishing this by Monday I'd say maybe 5:1, not totally out of the question but by no means certain of happening. Wish me luck.
Well, good luck to you, seems you have set yourself quite a challenge for the weekend.
Any chance of an edit feature for us mear mortals?
Again Good luck, and is any one taking bets on him finishing, altho @ 5:1 i'n not sure id like thoes odds
Well, I think that whoever wins should get $5 from the other two people. I say this, because I plan to give them a swift boot in the arse.
Ass Plug... I love it. :-D
Well, I've drawn up plans for things that I don't have a hope of finishing by Monday. Although hopefully, when I finally do finished making version 3 it'll be so fantastically good that I'll win 3 Nobel prizes.
Oh, in case no-one has any idea what Ben was talking about, I'll explain.
I challanged someone called Daniel to a race. The challange was to write a complete blog system from scratch and deploy it by Monday. Ben has decided (apparently) to take part in this race as well. I think that at this moment in time he's winning. By a long way.
Progress report so far, I have created an entirely new database. It's megabrill and should serve the new blog system admirably.
I have moochos work still to do on the blog system, so I'll get on with that now I guess.
I will quite easily be able to complete the back-end (administration) section today, but the layout, etc, etc on the front end will have to wait until monday, likely (I won't be home tomorrow).
LONG LIVE PHP!
Just so long as the markup is outputted. Skinning it should be a minor task compared to all of the back end work.
Anyway, Ben showed me his checklist that he has online. Therefore I thought I'd steal it and modify it. So I did, now I have a checklist as well.
You can view it here if you want to. Every so often I'll tick the stuff off that I've done (if I remember).
Well, let's see: I've thought up the system, done an entry writing admin function, planned out all admin controls, written a format function, and already know how to implement everything (even mail alerts). Now, it's just a matter of DOING it.
Ass Plug still sounds just as good as it did when it was first un-officially named such.
Keep Up the good work david, im sure u'll get there eventually
This is, of course, assuming that David isn't distracted by a shiny object or new computer part before he finishes the blogware...
In this instance it was many new computer parts, put together in such a way that it allowed me to play UT2K4.
Also, I just really wasn't in the mood to program this weekend, I dunno why. Perhaps it was Ben's fault for distracting me ALL FRIDAY EVENING.
Hi guys,
Dave nice to hear you're updating the blog, can I use it when you're finished? It'd be nice to get our site working before the end of term if possible....?
By the way, fancy drinks sometime over Christmas? I'm back home on Thursday.
-Phil.
Heh. And then Dave returned the favor by not allowing me to finish my own blog... X(
BTW, another item for your checklist- prevent fraud, and give admins their own class.
Three failures... wow.
I feel the same as Dave, coding the weekend away blows. Here's my progress:
<?php ?>
Meh. I was feeling anti-social so it was all well and good. My progress:
- writing, viewing, editing entries (forgot to adds deletion)
- writing, viewing comments- going to add editing deleting
- er... other various things... *shifty eyes*
Well it looks like we have a winner. Dan has made a working blog and skinned it. He still has a few more features to add to it apparently but you can read about them on his site here.
I don't think so, not yet. I thought the context was blogware? I could technically distribute my own (not yet full featured) blogware, but I need to add finishing touches, as well as a few features- as does he.