The astute amongst you may have noticed that DearDiary still hasn't moved to its new home. There's a good technical reason for this lack of motion. The server we're moving to has some resource restrictions (notably the number of files it can contain) and there's some legacy parts of the system which use a number of files ( for example, the notification email template ) instead of database rows. This amounts to something close to half a million files on the system that shouldn't be files but should be database rows.
The new server allows only a million files - so over half would be taken up with just DearDiary message files (add Hamipiks images, and customized buttons and other DD images) and that doesn't leave much for anything else.
What does this mean? Well, I'm glad you asked :-)
It means I have to firstly import all those messages into the DD database system (which means only 3 files are used to store all those messages), which is where all the entries, comments and configuration data is kept. I then need to rewrite the parts of the system that look for information from those files to instead look in the database. So it's a little bit of work. But the pay off should be good, it'll scale better (though with only 25 diaries a day being updated it's hardly a load on the server any more).
So that's where we're at. If anyone has any ideas on how we can improve the number of people using the site each day let me know :-) It'd be nice to get back to the days where 200 or more diaries were being updated each day!
Would people prefer a WordPress type of system which allows plugins and themes, or is DearDiary the way you like it?
Comments (11)
What I like best here at DD is that each entry is on a separate page. And when I make more than one entry in a day they are in chronological order from the top of the page. It is a more natural way to read things; it is orderly and makes sense. Order works for me so you might guess that I absolutely hate blogs where I have to scroll down a page to read the older entries and then work my way back to the top. Its all backwards and it bugs the socks right off my feet.
Each of us is unique and DD allows us to express that in our own way. Thankfully this is not a cookie cutter kind of place so you might also guess that I love the fact that I can customize the look of my diary to suit me.
I suppose there are some whiz-bang things out there that might be fun, but I would hate them if I lost the things I love.
So I guess my opinion boils down to this; if you can keep the good stuff and add a little whiz-bang go for it. Whiz-bang does seem to draw people in. :)
Someone mentioned in the previous entry that it would be really good if we could reply to comments at our own diaries. I agree - I think that would be really useful and could generate some discussion. Something like the way Livejournal does comments would be good.
Anyway, good job on getting through this database stuff you've had to sort out and good luck with the server move =)
;-)
I rather like DD just the way it is, but agree that commenting on comments would be handy for answering questions some people might ask about something you wrote, rather than going to their diary and answering them or making another entry to do so.
In some ways, DD is unique on the internet. I actually tried Live Journal for a while and absolutely despised it. Too impersonal. Awkward to read. Chaotic to navigate. Ick.
I agree with InStitches, the one page entries ROCK as far as logical reading goes. It's also easier to find entries with the calendar IMO.
I have been putting a link to my entries on my Facebook page so friends who are not on DD can read my diary, but I only have 18 friends so that is not much help in the 'getting DD out there to the world' department. I only use Facebook so I can play Farmtown. There. I have admitted it! Ha!
I too would like to see more activity on DD. But I have to say, the people we DO have here seem to be of the more introverted thoughtful type of person who doesn't want to 'let it all hang out', if you know what I mean. And I'm glad we have a place to write where we feel comfortable.
I'm thankful that you are willing to keep this place up and running even though it is small compared to the megaliths out there.
Yikes,I'm writing a book!
Oh yeah, I already did that and posted it on DD!
Love ya dude.
Y.
As for a WordPress kind of system, I've never used WordPress so I don't really have an opinion one way or the other. I'm not too concerned about how this site works, so long as I can continue to customize. I've grown fond of the look I've been using here for nearly the past decade and would hate to lose it.
The stuff I want is more superficial - the ability to view ISP numbers of comment sources and ban their ability to comment, maybe the ability to use html in comments for pictures and links, and maybe make the customizer a little more user-friendly (there's still some glitches in the menu section, that sort of thing). I've been here for so long that big changes would really throw me!
I do like their threaded commenting system, though - it's easier than having to leave a reply on the commenter's diary, and means that other people can also follow the conversation.
I have used WordPress for a blog I help manage at work, and while it's nice to have all that customisability, it also takes a huge amount of work to tweak it to what you want. One of the things I like about DD is that you don't have to waste all day fiddling with things to get it looking good. Which means you can concentrate on the content :-)
Finally (because I also seem to be writing a book here!) the reason I don't update as often as I used to is nothing to do with DD - it's just life that keeps getting in the way.
^ ^
00
=+=
v