At long last, Photographica has many exciting new features and improvements. So, what is new?

General:

1. A fresh new look!
2. Tags are back! You tag your story while you edit it.
3. Tons of fixes to long standing issues.
4. Private Messages can contain the same kinds of formatting as a story.

Stories:

1. Edit Stories: You can now edit your stories after you post them.
2. Create Drafts: In addition, you can work on a story by saving it as draft and publish it when you are ready.
3. Improved editor: No more HTML or learning or tags. Works like a mini version of word

Bi-Weekly Challenge:

1. Flagged Entries: Stories that are in the challenge will have a flag next to them.
2. Details: Details about the challenge are better presented.

Reactions? Questions, comments, suggestions? Post them all in this story!

 

Want to keep on top of new posts on Photographica?  Did you know you can add the list of new stories to MyYahoo, Bloglines or Google Reader?

Make sure to add our "New Stories" RSS feed to your newsreader!

Add New Stories to your reader now!

By the way, if you are using MyYahoo, you can have the story thumbnails show up by clicking on the feed options (the Gear icon above the feed) and select "Headline summary, and Image" and click "Save".

Yes sir!  Get your t-shirts.  We've got Long Sleeve and Short Sleeve.

Dont forget that subscribers get a nice 20% discount on all non-clearance items (details in the Subscriber forums.)

After three years in service, I am closing the Photographica Store and Photo Finishing service for much needed repairs.  Later today, any links into either of these services will be redirected to "down for service".

Do not be alarmed if you notice any changes to the page you upload your photography.

This change will happen later today.

Thanks!

Wow!  So yeah.  I've changed some stuff!  What the heck did Cory do!?
The Look
I've change our format to a modified 3-column layout.  If you can belive it, this new layout actually has more space on the page for content then the old one.  I might move some of the info on that around a bit as time goes on.

The Dashboard
The dashboard is the central location to view and change everything about you.  From the dashboard you can create new posts, upload images, change your profile, check your mail & sales, and whatever else pertains to you.

Please note that everything that was formerly on the left "My Account" box has now moved into your dashboard.

The Store
The store finally works again.  I've a minor, but significant improvement to navigating the tons of images stored there.

Navigation
I've improved the navigation through images and other lists such as stories and tags.

Well?
Questions, Comments, Concerns?

[editor's note, by coryking] I've bumped this to the top for a while cause I really need your honest opinion on the look of the left (or was it right!?) column. I've been told it looks akward.

Update [2005-11-10 15:33:24 by coryking]: I've made the logo larger. I think that the smaller size wasn't in good proportion to the larger column.

Tagging is a system lets you, the reader and participant of this website, decide how to catagorize the vast amount of information at this website.

For example, using tags - Here is a map of all the tags so far.  The larger the tag is, the more popular it is.

The Goal
The goal of tagging is to look at a story and say "wow, I want to see more posts like this one!".  So you view its tags and find a characteristic you would like to see more of.

The Catch
See, the idea behind tagging is that you get to decide what uniquely describes a post.  So the catch is it is up to you to make it work!

The Process
The process of tagging is pretty simple.  You take a post (like this one) and ask yourself "what words describe this story and its images".  You then click Show Tags or Add Tags and click Change, which will let you add and remove tags associated with a story.  If you feel an existing tag doesn't accuratly describe the post, you can remove it.  If you feel there is a phrase that also could describe the post, you can add it.  Sometimes the system will suggest phrases already in the system.  You can accept one of those, or use your own.

Now what?
We need to get started.  I encourage every one of you to go back and tag your old posts.  The more posts on this website that get tagged, the better.

Remember, you can do this to anybodies story, not just your own!

So.... Go fourth and tag!

You may have noticed there is an elite few who had zany slogans below their avatars.  Well, as a subscriber you too can join the elite ranks of those with zany slogans!  Just go into your preferences and change it!

Gone: For Sale
It looks like "For Sale" didn't cut the mustard.  I've removed the section and dumped the content into a new secion - "Photologs".

Photologs
Photologs, which was re-named from "Photo Journals" is now open to anybody.  The idea is a place for you to dump your random thoughts and images without nearly as much regard to their quality.  Took a bunch of pictures of last nights dinner?  Wanna just BS?  Post it to Photologs...

I should add that (hopefully) the 24-hour rule is not in effect for photologs.  You can post there when you'd like, as much as you'd like.

Articles & Reviews
I've added a new section called "Articles & Reviews".  This section is, as the name implies, a place to write "how to" articles or product reviews.  I've resectioned some older content into this new section.  If you've written or know of something on this site that should be in this section, message me.

Cheers!

It has been four years since this website came into being.  All four years, it's always been a question of what is, and what is not, appropriate behaviour on this website.  Until, that is. Today.

Please take a look at the final draft of "The Rules"

Thanks!

[editor's note, by coryking] FYI, this is a draft. If you've got questions, post them in the comments and I'll try to address them in the final revisions of this document.