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[BETA_RELEASE] Portfolio_Ultra_Lite Testors wanted

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[BETA_RELEASE] Portfolio_Ultra_Lite Testors wanted
I'm about done with the beta, or -pre-beta for an Ultra_Lite version of the model/photographer/portfolio/etc program I've been working on. The "pro" and regular versions became a bear, and I realized I had enough done to put out a "lite" version much more quickly that could be upgraded module by module to one of the larger programs.

This program pretty much clones the model/photographer/portfolio sites that have popped up over the past few months to years. They seem to be very active, and a good potential money maker using OTHER PEOPLE'S CONTENT! That's the key :) You get a load of people wanting to show off, earn money, get noticed, and you don't pay for it -- they pay you.

Anyway, I need a few beta testors who want (or want to upgrade) to this sort of site. You need a full GLInks license, as this program sort of takes over. It doesn't have to, but I don't want to deal with the regular links vs profile/portfolio/etc links especially in the lite version. Many of the settable defautls in the larger versions are hard coded into this version, and loops are removed or bypassed, and things simplified (rather than stripped down).

The on-disk and database layout is the same for this program, as the others (though they may add fields, tables, etc). So it's upwards (not downwards) compatible. (But in someways it is also downwards compatible, since a "lite" install could run the "pro" database ignoring all the other data if it had to... it wouldn't be pretty though <G>)

I'm about ready. I'm fixing up some basic things, and adding in some things I forgot to handle. I also need to get the templates updated, as they are pretty much disconnected in some places.

But, the program allows:
1) a registered user to set up a profile
2) a registered user with a profile to set up a model/photographer profile
3) a registered user with a profile and model/photographer profile to set up a portfolio
4) a registered user with a portfolio to upload, edit, delete images/captions.
5) non-logged in users can view non 18+ and worksafe images
6) a logged in user over 18 can view the 18+ and not=worksafe images
7) admin can set a default image/logo to block inappropriate content (this is logged, tracked, etc)
8) using community and Gforum, you open up the forum messages, private messaging, etc. No reason to re-create this, since it's inexpensive, robust, and stable.
9) One profile page, one portfolio page (with admin definable image limits)
10)

What's not created/connected properly yet:
1) searching/browsing (should be soon)
2) robust admin features -- right now, it's done from the admin area, or via a hack.
3) comments/ratings on the individual images (this is almost done, just needs debugging and tweaks)
4) The "Friends" system - an extension of the bookmark system where you can list your favorites, friends, people you want to work with, people you don't want to work with, etc.
5) Karma system -- not really planned for this "Lite" version
6) "Feedback" -- sort of how the auction systems work -- successful relationships, bad ones, etc. (Not really planned for the lite version)
7) lot's of other stuff planned/implemented in the larger versions

Why use this program?

1) It's available, and being actively worked on for over 300 of our own planned, and upgraded sites.
2) It's based on GLinks and the GT SQL and GT Template parser
3) It's MOSTLY template driven, meaning you don't have to rewrite code or we don't have to rewrite the program to make it work the way YOU want, or to fix/upgrade things. Everything is in modules that are either callable by the scripts (entry points) or can be called from within the templates -- ANY TEMPLATE (pretty much). In some ways, it's using the GT Template parser as if it was PHP -- only better. The actual code is in perl modules, but you use the template itself to call what you want, when you want, and HOW you want it.
4) It is on-disk and database compatible to the larger programs, as it was developed FROM them not the other way around.
5) It can be upgraded by module or feature, not whole programs, due to the modular nature and template-based output features.
6) YOU can customize it by writing a module, or global, and linking it to the existing routines.
7) The "pro" version has both scripts and template-based functionality (as we think for higher end sites, the script-based version is probably more efficient for many tasks, as unnecessary over head is removed on any given call) *BUT* the power of the system, is in the templates. *AND* with the costs of server power going down, and the simple-linking for images, you'll be able to distribute load pretty nicely as you need.

Anyway...... lot's of work went into this, and the other versions still being developed. It's a combination of 4 to 8 or more of our existing and/or upgraded/new plugins all working together.

Estimated cost for the lite version is $800. It will clone most of the sites out there, Most of them have really bad forums/messaging, so we suggest using community and GForum. We'll be providing tighter integration of GForum with the Links base via Community over time.

Beta testors -- and we need you have a site you are really trying to build -- will get 50% off the cost of this program, 50% off the costs of any upgrades or modules you add to this program (that we don't give you as part of the testing process), and free installation of the upgrades, beta software, etc. and help with templaes and linking. Your discounts are for your time and help in finding bugs, quirks, feeding back on what isn't working right, or needs changed, and all that good stuff. Beta testors will also get upgraded to the full "Lite" version + 1year updates when the program is officially released. The "regular" version is being built along side this at the current time, so if you are upgraded to the "regular" version, you'll get that + 1 year of updates when released.

I'm only looking for 2 or 3 sites now, as it will be a lot of time/work getting the first sites up and running. I should have the beta code ready for installation on your sites in a few days. I'll have a beta/demo site up at that time, you can see what this program is capable of, and where it's going (remember, there is a HUGE code base and feature base not in the Lite version .... but which is being worked on and tested at the same time).

This "Lite" version pulls together a whole bunch of our plugins from the profile system, to the image upload and thumbnailing system, to the attachments to the link record, the advanced ratings/review system, the comments (formerly blogger) software, zip code searching, advanced bookmarks, "friends and favs", and much, much more. Many of the utilities and functions in this system can be used for other purposes, as they were written flexible enough to handle several different jobs (while still being secure through allowed/disallowed lists of tables, fields, templates, etc.)

If interested, let me know. I'll be posting more on the UltraNerds forum once the beta is out.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.
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Re: [pugdog] [BETA_RELEASE] Portfolio_Ultra_Lite Testors wanted In reply to
No takers ?

I should have a pre-public-beta available by monday, with 90+% functionality working. 20% discount off the release price. Remember, this is a complex program, and still being developed, so I will have to limit (much to my own chagrin) the number of sites that get the program for awhile to adaquately support them. The pre-public-beta should be fairly stable, just incomplete. The main missing feature will be the "Friends/Faves" system, and possibly individual image ratings/reviews and comments (though the profile/portfolio comments/ratings are enabled). The image comments/ratings will be the first thing added after initial deployment.

One more feature I didn't mention is that the way the templates are constructed, it would be fairly easy to allow for several different "schemes" for people to use. This could be set up as pick from both a color scheme and layout combo, or allowing people to pick both a color scheme and layout.

This would be done by allowing a user to set their preferred "style" and including that in the _display templates.

The layout can be done by using the mechanism links uses to check for template sets, *or* if you only want to allow overrides to specific portions of a _display page, using a simple <%if..%> set of tags to include the correct layout based on the user preference field.

This is being built into the "pro" version in a much more complicated and per-file basis.

You'll be able to open a my-space-like user profile area, with the portfolio features of the various model/photographer sites.

(Also, if you just need image upload, resizing, thumbnailing, logos, attachments to a link, etc, I have some great routines that are being added to daily)


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.
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Re: [pugdog] [BETA_RELEASE] Portfolio_Ultra_Lite Testors wanted In reply to
I'm polishing up the templates at this point, and have made some huge modifications to logic, oddly, none required any changes to the code, only to templates. Actually, that means I've somewhat achieved the goal I was shooting for, putting the power of changing the site behavior into the templates, not into perl code.

I should have the working beta shortly, and while the image ratings/reviews/comments are not connected, pretty much all the other features will be. (The admin end is still weak, but with the power of the actual Links Admin, you still have control over the site).

It doesn't require community, but there will be additional checks, so that when a user has to sign up through community, things like age, location, etc are "fixed" and if they don't match what the user sets up in their profiles, a warning is sent up. Any change to email, will require new validation. It won't stop really decietful users, but it should catch enough, and give you the legal basis to say you "tried" to block users as best as possible, but they actively worked to bypass all warnings, restrictions, and TOS.

My demo site only allows models to have portfolios, but allows both models and photographers to have public profiles, and a model or photographer profile. This should show how the system works.

I'll have a commercial site set up after this that allows for some of the advanced profile/portfolio system features.

Still looking for a couple of beta testers.


PUGDOG� Enterprises, Inc.

The best way to contact me is to NOT use Email.
Please leave a PM here.