Help Wanted!
Posted by hooz on: 2004-11-19 14:36:08
Driven by a recent call for a 2CPU.com facelift, Jim and I have kicked off quite a few new projects behind the scenes here at 2CPU.com. Most of the stuff that’s going on won’t be evident to you guys until the day that we throw the switch, but we do still have a few other things we could use some help with.
First: We need a new logo. The only real requirement is that it not be more than ~80 pixels high. I’d like to stick with the familiar green background, but maybe something else will catch my fancy. Other than that, as long as it is clean, professional and a small file size, anything goes.
Second: We’re thinking that with a site makeover and a new logo we should probably come up with a new slogan. “Because two is better than one!” has treated us pretty well over the years, but considering how the scope of our coverage (news and product reviews) has changed, I think our slogan should change too. Something official, something cool, something different.
Third: Jim and I are evaluating options for web-based graphing. We’d like all of our graphs to be uniform in size and appearance, and there are some pretty cool options out there for generating graphs on the server side. One in particular that we’ve been tinkering with is PHP/SWF Charts. The cool thing about this app is that we could generate fully customized SWF graphs using relatively simple PHP arrays. The uncool thing is that there are a TON of design and layout options in the app and no easy front-end tool. Ideally what I would like would be to input numbers into a web form and have that form output the PHP code snippet based on a set style and size graph. Probably a lot easier said than done, but I thought I’d ask.
Unfortunately the downside to all of this is that Jim and I can’t afford to pay much for your help. We have decided that a few goodies from the 2CPU.com store wouldn’t be out of the question, but that’s about all we can offer other than our undying appreciation and a bunch of front page props when we get the new site launched.
New CMS tested @ 2CPU.com
Posted by Jim_ on: 2004-11-17 15:10:12
News Source: Jim
Jim_ wanted to do further CMS testing to see how the news engine handles news on a different day. 2CPU.com rocks.
Dell woos islander with 2005FPW
Posted by hooz on: 2004-11-16 11:57:57
News Source: David
The last jemm's family and friends saw of him, he was running down the street with his new 2005FPW widescreen display. Scientists say that the lad has not been the same since he took delivery.
2CPU.com Reviews the Silverstone TJ05-ST!
Posted by hooz on: 2004-11-16 10:55:46
News Source: HoozYourDaddy
A government holiday has given me a day off to catch up on the product reviews that have been sitting in my queue. I was able to take a couple of hours and write up my thoughts on Silverstone's TJ05-ST case. It's sexy and loaded with features.
By glancing at the picture you might make the assumption that the TJ05-ST is 100% aluminum. That would be incorrect. The front panel and door consists of aluminum but the rest of the chassis is solid steel. Weighing in at around 30lbs really isn't that bad for a case of this size, especially when you compare it to a couple of servers that I'm currently testing which each tip the scales at 65lbs and up. Height-wise, the TJ05-ST is only slightly taller than your typical Antec SX1000-series housing, so it should be able to slide under most desks without too much trouble.
If you're looking for a sexy case to house an Extended ATX or SSI-based motherboard, you'll want to look through our review.
New Motherboard Reviewed Somewhere!
Posted by hooz on: 2004-11-16 10:52:34
News Source: The Great Kirkinator
2CPU.com has posted a review of the latest and greatest Xeon processor from Chipzilla, the Nocona! ph33r!
Site Redesign: Comments? Suggestions? Help?
Posted by hooz on: 2004-11-08 22:05:16
I've been kicking the idea of a complete site redesign around for quite some time, and after much frustration and discussion I've decided that the time has come for 2CPU.com to get a facelift.
I've been frustrated with the page load times lately due to poor ad server performance. Jim has spent quite a bit of time optimizing the server so that pages load fast and furiously for all of you but due to the table structure of the site, everything is slow waiting on the ads to load. Since the ads have to stay to help cover the costs associated with running the site, and since we have no control over the ad server performance, the best compromise is to redo the structure of the site so that the pages can load quickly and the ads can load in their own time. I may be wrong (please correct me if I am), but I am thinking that we need to move to more current, CSS driven layout to accomplish this.
I am also starting to think that 2CPU.com is looking a bit dated. The basic site as it exists today is pretty much a hacked version of the original site I designed 6 years ago. The look has changed, but the structure and code has largely remained the same. If I want to continue to grow the site (Jim and I have plans to do just that), then I need to ensure that the interface is user friendly, intuitive and pleasant to look at. I'd also like to add a few more aspects to the site. We've been promising a DC site for quite a while, and I'd really like to make that happen along with a few other things.
I've never claimed to be a web developer, so I am going to ask for some help from you guys. If you have some web development skills and can or would like to help out, drop me an email. I'm also looking for your input. What would you like to see? How would you like it displayed? What do you currently like and/or dislike about the layout, navigation, etc? With our new template driven dynamic site, it's easy to change the look and feel, but not so easy to change the way things are displayed.
I'll thank you in advance for your help and/or suggestions. Hopefully as we move into the new year we'll start a new era here at 2CPU.com... A bigger, brighter, more successful era.