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View Full Version : Announcing Bogley 4.0



accadacca
04-26-2010, 02:09 PM
Bogley Members,

Last year after "Bogley BigShots (http://www.bogley.com/forum/showthread.php?34956-Announcing-Bogley-BigShots%21%21%21)" was announced, we started talking about how to make Bogley better. Specifically, how do we keep up with technology and utilize new web trends that will make each member's Bogley visits more powerful? And, what would make their user experience and membership more valuable? So late last year we decided to pull the trigger on some software that we have had our eye on for some time. It is a professional forum software package that I have been familiar with for many years, yet never had the funds to make it a reality. Well, it felt like the right time to make the switch and push Bogley to the next level. Which is very exciting for everyone! I should also mention that this software package is the gold standard for websites running forums, so Bogley will be flying high. Of course a big thank you goes out to all those who have donated, no matter how big or small. Whether it was a BigShot membership, donation, shirt or sticker. Your generous contributions have made today possible and it is because of you that this great outdoor community is seeing these improvements. Be proud to be a BigShot, now you and everyone else are reaping the benefits. You are also the reason that Bogley is thriving after all these years. Thanks again!

About 6 months ago Sombeech and I started working on this project and it has really taken much longer than anticipated. It was a very difficult task to first learn the new software, then figure out how to import 5+ years worth of content (pictures, videos, trip reports, user information, etc, etc, etc. without losing anything!) into the new platform, apply our skin to the new site, redirect all of our old links/URLs to the new location without losing the ability to use all of our old links and also overcome various other server problems to make this happen. It has been many long nights and weekends to see this realized. For me it started out slow, frustrating, technical and I kept wondering if we could chew on this big project or would we have to spit it out! This was after it was already paid for too! Yikes! (Well, the first year anyway...) Yet, as we got closer and closer with the many hurdles and hoops we had to jump through along the way...the excitement started to build.

Below I will list only a few of the benefits of changing to this new platform. You can now witness this first hand and the many other upgrades that we will be able to easily implement now that we are running on this new platform. Further, more features/enhancements will be on the way soon and the BigShots will be able to suggest and then vote on them. An example of some of these new features will be included in the videos below and this is only a small sampling of the bright future that Bogley will have on this new platform. Sweetness!

Just a few new features/benefits:


10x more embedding options for video, slideshows, google maps, etc. - We will be able to embed from all of your favorite media websites. No reason to click away from Bogley to see the content.
An automatic photo resizer - Just post in your photos and let Bogley do the rest.
Attached photos will display in the order uploaded - Finally!
A much easier method to categorize/tag trip reports using thread prefixes. Very cool! - Example: [Trip Report] Little Wild Horse Canyon
Ability to ignore certain users - Avoid those trolls!
Rate a thread - Coolness!
A mobile version of Bogley and app support for multiple smart phones - You'll be able to post and upload photos from your phone.
Full WYSIWYG editor - Similar controls to format your message that you have in your email client or word processing program.
RSS feed for all forums and threads
Our current software is over 5 years old - It is very hard to maintain and a royal PITA to update or add upgrades.
Our new solution will be much easier to maintain long term. High fives!
Professional forum software - Which is managed and updated many times throughout the year with a huge team behind it. We'll have endless amounts of upgrades and enhancements to choose from and they'll be much easier to implement.



Finally, if you are not currently a member of Bogley BigShots and you would like to contribute. Please visit the store (http://bogley.bigcartel.com/) and sign up. This is a great way to support all of the new improvements that you are now enjoying and it will ensure that Bogley continues to be a great outdoor resource for all of us.

Thanks,

-acca


http://www.vimeo.com/10238734



Some posting tutorials:


http://www.vimeo.com/10047800


Google Maps!!!

http://www.vimeo.com/10016206


Bogley 2004-2010

uutah.com 1.0
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/uutah_1.0.jpg

uutah.com 2.0
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/uutah_2.0.jpg

bogley.com 2.0 home
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/bogley_2.0_home.jpg

bogley.com 2.0 forum
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/bogley_2.0.jpg

bogley.com 3.0 home
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/bogley_3.0_home.jpg

bogley.com 3.0 forum
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/bogley_3.0.jpg

bogley.com 4.0 forum
http://www.bogley.com/forum/files/bogley_4.0.jpg