Lev (13:12): and i will begin to be on regularly again (out of habit i forgot about it, but i will start going on for at least 8 hours a day again) Lev (13:12): sorry I missed ya.. I'm on skype now.. guest 538 (22:41): jgjhvjh guest 690 (21:37): help* guest 690 (21:37): hey, i need hel
As you may have noticed if you've been looking around, I have added some new sections.
To make a long story short, I will be creating several new sections going over the various custom services I offer, and I will also be bringing over all of the free scripts from PBL to this site.
I will also make an update to Theia in a day or two so that different sections, items and so forth can use different themes; so that I may use a new theme for SikoSoft's home page, and keep this current theme as Theia's theme.
I will probably update the site in phases as I complete various things, so sit tight if you think something just isn't quite finished yet!
If you thought the unusually long lag between 1.0.0b5 and 1.0.0b6 was a sign a lot had happened; you would be right.
As the date for the stable release of Theia (currently hoped for on Jan. 23 2010) draws closer, many of the things changed with the latest version of Theia are about standardization - in all senses (not just web standards, but how CSS class, module and function names are written, etc.).
Another major aspect of Theia that is "rapidly evolving" is the presence of module-based CSS files. This means two major things: 1) Theia will NOT use or rely on HTML template files, but instead a pure CSS layout and appearance, and 2) hundreds of new CSS classes are being added (thankfully, on a modul-basis), which means virtually everything will be contained and configurable in appearance with only CSS. Since areas of content can be placed anywhere you like in CSS, or hidden completely, it seems silly to burden development with an extra, unnecessary layer (being individual HTML template files for each area). Because of this, it means many additional CSS files are now included in the package (for the default theme that comes along), and by the time the stable release of 1.0.0 is out, there will be many more included.
Theme Management
Improved CSS management tool makes updating and customizing themes a whole lot easier, with a more dynamic interface.
The "Missing CSS Classes" pane is much more discriminant at determining if one of your style sheets is missing any CSS classes they should have.
The "Missing CSS Classes" pane can also be minimized from display - and will remain that way on subsequent use of the file editor
Easily add additional (perhaps missing) CSS files through the interface, which is great for people who want an easy way to update to Theia, while retaining their original styles, or people who add plug-ins into Theia
Calendar
Integrated with the clubs module, so that clubs can have their own schedules of events
RSVP feature: request a response from other members to determine if they will participate in an event
Clubs
Easily and instantly search through all the clubs
Integration with calendar module so each club can have its own schedule of events
Added categories make organization possible
Customize the entire layout and appearance of the club's homepage using a WYSIWYG editor
Upload a custom logo for each club (or use pre-installed icons)
Improved flexibility and interface for adding sections to a club (unlimited sections of any allowed types, and multiple sections of the same types)
Rate clubs using the newly added rating system
A "wall" for each club so members of that club can write whatever is on their mind (using a WYSIWYG editor)
Tag clubs individually to improve their SEO and their prevalence in Theia's search tools
Other things worth mentioning
Customize the destination URL for members upon logging in
All groups of admin tools can now be minimized and will remain that way for your session
Members can now enter their first and last names
Login now works using your email address OR your username
Admin tool for disabling/enabling the control panel
Admin tool for controlling reserved usernames
Admin tools for controlling comment/rating configurations (allowing you to plug-in your own code with a unique type ID)
Graphs added covering how many clicks you've been sending into the site (part of the affiliate program which is still in the works)
There have also been hundreds of little fixes, optimizations and improvements. For a complete list of all changes and fixes, see out development history
I apologize for not releasing it yesterday (on Christmas). I had worked a huge amount of time on it, but I had realized after much work, that so many things had been added that I needed a bit more time to get the installer and default options setup for people updating.
Most of it is done now.. Dare I say all I can think of. I'm going to try to perform an update on a live site (TT) either tonight or tomorrow.
The sixth (and probably last) beta of Theia will be released Christmas day - December 15th, 2009.
This update will include countless new features and improvements, and a whole lot more flexibility with the design, with the introduction of hundreds of new CSS classes.
Obviously, since this has been the longest gap between releases, the number of features added will also reflect that.
There are huge improvements to the clubs, to the calendar, to theme management, and the overall accessibility - to name a few.
Expect some new videos in the coming days showcasing many of the improvements.
I am aiming for a "stable" release of Theia 1.0.0 on January 23rd, 2010 (the 10 year anniversary of TT - the site that started it all). With the stable release will also come a new license which will provide more freedom in how you can use and even sell Theia!
Unfortunately, the next release of Theia, which has been slated for a release on Halloween is going to be delayed. This also means that the stable release of Theia also will not make it on Christmas time.
I've been incredibly busy with custom development projects and have had very little time to put into the planned improvements. Many of the projects I've been taking on have ended up turning into a lot more work than was originally anticipated, so I've been left with little (if any) free time.
Hopefully this delay will just be a month - meaning the next beta release should come out November 31st instead, and instead of a December 25th release for the stable, I'm aiming for January 23 (the 10 year anniversary of Tainted Thoughts - the site that started it all).
On the bright side, a lot of other interface improvements will be added which haven't been mentioned quite yet!
My apologies to anyone who had been anticipating the release this Halloween, as it simply cannot happen by then any longer.
I'll be sure to keep you posted as things become more clear.
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