Aqua-Soft Forums

Macish.org Coming Soon To A Monitor Near You!

Originally posted by ClockWise@Oct 8 2003, 01:06 AM

Instead of starting a whole new site, why not just have some text and some links?  And then some more text and links and more text and links.  Keep it nice and smallish.

@ ClockWise:

Not entirely sure what you mean... Could you clarify for me? As it is the site is already on it's way, and the large part of the design process (identity, branding, colour scheme etc) has already been done. Not sure if you are suggesting a text only page... But that would kind of miss the point here... For skins we need previews etc...

If you meant something else, please explain :)

Cheers

#62948

Originally posted by contrasutra@Oct 7 2003, 07:41 PM

Fine, I guess its OK.

I still remember when there were LOADS of Aqua-hosting sites out there. I guess times have changed.

Just don't start a forum. Look what happened to AquaXP. ;)

What's this? :o

"FINE"!?!

"I GUESS ITS OK"!?!

Someone changed contra's mind!?! :blink:

Behold the power. :ss_goku:

Let's all be friends :hug:

Anyway, I'm hoping that the layout on the temp page will be the permanent layout. It looks slick and clean with its own personal touch. Good luck to ya DEEJ. :D

Uh-Oh contra saw this.

Don't hurt the poor Mexican contra :sprint: ...

#62949

DEEJ: I think ClockWise meant that you should just be a database of links to other websites/skins. A "portal" if you will. There is no need for redundant content.

Wizard: Godpunk is the calm wisdom is in this insanity we call life.

#62952

Deej: Yeah, what contrasutra said. I don't think you have to duplicate Aqua-Soft and AquaXP. It would be really keen if someone came up with a very simple, very accessible listing of applications and themes that can create the Aqua look. Sort of what Iceman does, but with ALL of the options.

And if you did that, you would be providing something that Aqua-Soft and AquaXP do not provide! Finding ALL of the sh## available is a real chore on Aqua-Soft and AquaXP. Even I have only a very vague idea what is available.

Heck... if some of what is available already has stable hosting, you don't even have to waste bandwidth (something you should be very scared of)... just provide the heads-up.

#62973

http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/index.php?s...hl=list+of+mods

^_^

We could always contribute to that.

#62976

Originally posted by contrasutra@Oct 7 2003, 09:23 PM

Godpunk is the calm wisdom is in this insanity we call life.

Yeah, he's SOMETHIN' all right, let me tell ya.... :blink:

I agree, tho, this sounds like it might be a good idea, I don't think we've ever really had an Aqua-site that was wholly devoted to getting/submitting files/skins of all nature, so long as they be Mac-Ish.

Probably somewhere I'd browse around, at least.

Good luck to ya!

#62985

this will be good only if it actually only holds Aqua related material and themers/modders/artists submit their news, work etc....

It could be something.... but it has to really stand out from all the other mac vs hosting wannabee sites...

Good luck...

Cheers

Seph

#63001

Many times it has been attempted.

Many times it has failed.

Let's hope this one works out.

I'm in if you need me.

I have a catalog of over 15 gigs of stuff that dates back to the early 90's for Macifying the PC.

#63002

Originally posted by Duckie@Oct 8 2003, 07:10 AM

...stuff that dates back to the early 90's for Macifying the PC.

OMG... THAT IS REAAAALLY OLD hehehe... do you still use any of those?

#63005

My suggestions from amidst the dark fog I call my brain:

1. Please keep it Mac related only:

I know I'm old (looks at es.) but even if I return my mind to the days of playground spitting, smashing neighbours windows and stealing apples, (oh yes, we were rebels) I struggle to see the connection between Britney Spears and Apple Mac/Aqua.

2. Thoughtful Moderation:

Please consider carefully who you choose to moderate your site. Wrong choices can quickly make for a very frustrating experience. (There's only so much text-based power struggling us oldies can take before we burst into fits of laughter and have to be returned for our injections.) - Someday, all mods will be built like godpunk - now there is a mod. (I'd tip my hat to ya but I forgot where I put it.)

3. Don't fall into the WinCustomize trap:

There's no pride in having the largest collection of bits if 90% of it is created by Crayola. I'd sooner have only two fantastic skins, than have to wade through one-hundred mediocre ones. Sure, people will be annoyed, rejected, etc. if their latest pride and joy is rejected but as far as I know, nobody has ever died from it. Whereas, I have died from boredom on at least three occasions. Maybe four - I forget you know...

4. Rinse & Repeat:

Oh and did I mention to keep it Mac related only? I forget easily you know... :woot:

Bon Chance.

#63066

thanks for the sugestions :)

Rest assured, SniperX, macish.org will

1) focus purely on mac stuff... no irrelevant naked ladies here :P (You all know where to look for them hehe)

2) be properly modded, by myself and people i trust... not power hungry butt-mongrels :)

3) be selective about what goes on... only the best, my friend! And like I have said a couple of times before... Only with permission from the creators :)

Cheers, keep em coming!

#63072

Deej, I love the idea and would be a constant visitor; however, I would like to say that you would benefit greatly of the collected wisdom of the people that have attempted this before and have met with the dreaded "cease & desist" from the company with the fruit logo; find them out and talk to them, I'm guessing many of them are here or at AquaXP. Tread lightly and ye shall prosper... I hope!!

#63075

Originally posted by o0o The DEEJ o0o@Oct 8 2003, 07:23 AM

butt-mongrels...

Interesting. :blink:

-godpunk

#63091

Erm, it's a UK term. It means, interesting and complex people.

Sorry, Deej, best I could come up with at short notice. :blink:

#63105

Hehe... no so much a UK term as a Deej term actually

Still... i agreee that I would benefit from the knowledge of the people who have had their wrists slapped by apple before...

More soon

#63112

I'm rooting for this one. I've been meaning to do something of this sort for a long time because it is getting more difficult to sort through thousands of posts to find really usable apps, skins, etc.

Aqua-Soft started out that way but, due to several problems in the past, ended up the way you see it these days.

#63264

I'd just like to say f*** you and also look at my new user title

;)

smart ass

#63272

I'm scensing anger of some sort. >.:mellow:

#63273

Originally posted by Duckie@Oct 8 2003, 11:49 PM

I'd just like to say f*** you and also look at my new user title

;)

smart ass

erk!

Sorry, Duckie... I didn't realise that would offend you :P

Anyway, it couldn't possibly be directed at you, you are a highly respected member of the skinning community. You are one of the very people I was going to aks for permission to host files!!!

Sorry, and cheers.

PS: Like the user title tho :D

#63389

Originally posted by o0o The DEEJ o0o@Oct 9 2003, 05:57 AM

erk!

Sorry, Duckie... I didn't realise that would offend you :P

Anyway, it couldn't possibly be directed at you, you are a highly respected member of the skinning community. You are one of the very people I was going to aks for permission to host files!!!

Sorry, and cheers.

PS: Like the user title tho  :D

no no, that's why i winked.

It's just a joke that I thought a few of the older members might have appreciated.

Anyway, sorry to go offtopic.

Resume your discussions.

#63423

Originally posted by Duckie@Oct 9 2003, 07:12 AM

It's just a joke that I thought a few of the older members might have appreciated.

I appreciated it. It was a nice break from Contra's open source ramblings. ^_^

-godpunk

#63447

lol

Contra... seing as you seem to be the resident open source expert, dont spose you would care to contribute some knowledge of php for me would you? I'm trying to get my head around coding a damned upload/download system for the site.... and not being a coding whizz... well, it's none too easy :)

lol.. cheers

#63456

Im an expert at rambling, not doing.

I know nothing about PHP.

Godpunk: Most of my open source "ramblings" are jokes as well. Im just more subtle than Duckie. ^_^

#63517

Progress Update:

As of Oct 11, development is going as follows:

I have taken the decision to run ezpublish on the macish.org server. ezpublish is a highly customizable Content Management System (CMS), which I am in the process of trying to get configured sor macish.org's needs at the moment.

At this precise moment in time, I have made a simple "skins" template that will display each of the skins, containing the following fields:

  • Skin title
  • Author & email
  • Date submitted
  • Intro/credits
  • Preview Image (having problems with this for some unknown reason)
  • Detail description
  • File download (slight quirk with this too, read below)

I am hoping to get the kinks straightened out soon... Will be talking to people who know ez alot better than me as soon as the ez site is out of it's maintenance cycle :)

Now, for the problems...

For some reason the preview image that con be uploaded when creating the "post" for each skin doesn't want to work. I have a feeling that it is partly to do with the URL protection that ezpublish uses... it seems to be messing itself up. Also, it would seem that the image doesn't have a placeholder in the description page, although the field is there. I'll sort that one out soon enough (I hope)

The file downloads themselves work ok at the moment... but files in a compressed format like obpacks etc seem to get changed to zip files on uploading via ezpublish. For this reason at the moment skins must be zipped up before upload (a pain). I am trying to sort it so that it leaves the file extensions alone on compressed files, so that this will not be necessary, thus people will be able to install themes directly from the site with no unzipping (like on wincustomize.com).

If you can think of any other fields that should be there, then let me know here. There will be a review/commenting system in place (well, it's already there but needs restricting from other functions like deleting whole skin files!), so that you lot will be able to give the skin makers feedback on their work.

News posting *should* be easier to sort out... but I have not started on that just yet. First things first, get the downloads section ready. The the rest, then adapt the templates to my design (as on the home page).

I almost forgot to say a big thanks to Dan Maloney for hunting out permissions from all you skinners out there! I know he hasn't had a chance to get around anywhere near all of you... so get in touch if you want to give us permission to host your stuff :)

Seriously, though, his work is invaluable... He has been going around getting permission for us to host skins and apps from a lot of you already, and he's only been on board a few days!

Thanks to the following who are already showing their suppost and allowing us to host their skins and/or apps: (If I miss any of you out, please reply here and I will add you on :))

  • Xero
  • Pogz
  • The Unknown
  • Lynchknot
  • Pe7er
  • miSka

Comments? Suggestions? Reply!!!!

Cheers,

#64254

You can host my ZP stuff too, DEEJ, but you will have to download all the skins by yourself ;)

#64460