Mihow

SPD Goes Auto!

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Mihow
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We’re a little late on this. Tobyjoe rebuilt Self-Portrait Day in celebration of it turning one. The look didn’t change much and the idea is still very much the same, but how it functions is totally different.

For starters, it’s been automatated. Which makes me happy as we no longer have to code everything by hand and crop and optimize all the images. Now, members can log in and upload pictures whenever they want. When they do so, they immediately get bumped up to the top. Here, you will find the name of the person, where they live, a link to their site, how long they’ve been a member and the last time they signed in. Pretty cool, if you ask me.

Another new feature is the fact that a profile has been added for each person. When you click on someone’s portrait, you will enter a new page where you can learn a little bit more about the person. (shown here.)

We also added Random. The random button selects 12 faces and displays them for you.

Last, but not least (as I think this is my favorite new feature) Tobyjoe has added an RSS feed for both the Homepage and Random.

We’ll be changing some more over on SPD for the next couple of weeks. I’m looking forward to receiving feedback (we’ve already received some—thank you!) and suggestions as to how to make it even more usable and fun. As with any new launch, there are bound to be bugs. That happens. Please feel free to let us know if you find any while you’re visiting.

I am really excited about the new feel. Last night, after we launched the site we sent an email to everyone in our database. The response was overwhelming. I found myself addicted to reloading the page and clicking on new faces.

Comments

22 responses to “SPD Goes Auto!”

  1. Amanda B. Avatar
    Amanda B.

    Very cool!

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  2. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I’m glad you guys haven’t given up on this awesome site.
    Questions: what happened to the archives? What if I want to find my profile? How do I update or change it? I never got an email either…am I not in there anymore?

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  3. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    We’re on it, Sarah. I’ll have TechBoy look into it. He’ll hook ya up.

    We sent out a blast email last night asking people to update their password, etc. If you didn’t get that email, and since we lurve you so much, I’ll have him look for you directly.

    You’re the best.

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  4. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    Sarah – I can’t find an account for your email address (the only one I know)

    Email me with the address you used to register (I think you have my mail?)

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  5. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    The archives as they once were have been removed. We’re looking into a search function, etc but that will take time. Because of the way the site works, it didn’t make sense to keep an archive. Now, people will have to manage their profile using their email and password. Each time they update, they’ll be bumped to the front page. Until then, I think you’re able to bookmark your page while you’re in your personal profile. That said, you should be able to link directly to it.

    We built the profile page to hold more information but haven’t added that yet. We want to see what folks request, etc.

    We’re totally open to suggestions and will do what we can to make it more manageable. Feel free to give ‘em. As I mentioned, surely there will be bugs for a bit as we iron out the wrinkles. :]

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  6. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    I think there might have been a few weeks at the beginning (we were the first with this idea, I believe, and went ‘to market’ before getting a system set up) where people weren’t captured in the database. Perhaps sarah is one of those. We’ll need to manually port that info over, I suppose.

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  7. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    Toby, you’re absolutely right. I have a list of all those people on the computer. I will put them together for you tonight. They’re some of the “platinum” members, imo. So I’ll see to it they get emailed.

    I would hate to see us lose some of those babies.

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  8. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I just emailed tobyjoe.
    I don’t wanna be lost! :-)

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  9. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    Sarah – no luck in the DB. Perhaps you were one of the first couple dozen folks?

    You can temporarily view the old site at: http://orig.selfportraitday.com/

    If you get a chance, find your page in the archives: http://orig.selfportraitday.com/archives/

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  10. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Thanks, TJ. I’m on this page in the archives, bottom left:
    http://orig.selfportraitday.com/archives/2005_02_24.php

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  11. annejelynn Avatar
    annejelynn

    schweet!

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  12. maddie Avatar
    maddie

    I can log in and change my profile, but my picture isn’t on the new site. I was on one of the beginning weeks way back when like Sarah.

    http://orig.selfportraitday.com/archives/2005_02_24.php

    I’m on the 4th row down, on the left. Robyn.

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  13. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    Gettin’ Toby for ya, darlin.

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  14. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    Anyone from the first two weeks isn’t in the database because they emailed their info to michele. If you have an account set up already, you can always grab your photo (save to your desktop, for instance) and re-upload it. Alternately, we can do it for ya when we have time (a few tonight perhaps, more tomorrow… it’s 42 people, I think)

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  15. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    I have no idea what my log-in info was, if I had any. So I’m just gonna register as if I am brand spankin’ new, sound good?

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  16. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    Sounds lovely, Sweet Sarah.

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  17. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Okay, I’m all set, and even get to be at the top of the queue for my troubles! ;-)

    Is it totally lame that my ego is bothered by the fact that it doesn’t show how long I have really been a member? It is so lame.

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  18. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    That isn’t lame at all. I wholeheartedly agree, that would bug me, too.

    I’ll chat with TJ when he’s not working and see what we can do.

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  19. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    i can set it to the date you emailed your info to michele, sarah. tonight.

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  20. tobyjoe Avatar
    tobyjoe

    you screwed up your link, sarah! go fix it! ;)

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  21. mihow Avatar
    mihow

    I thought it was just me! YES! GO FIX IT!

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  22. kim Avatar
    kim

    you guys rock! i still absolutely lourve the site. and the random-function IS addicting :)

    i’d love a search-function as well. that way you could search for certain names, countries, states or cities maybe. that’d be cool…

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