German Shepherd dog

Hi all,

You have probably all noticed the aesthetic changes I have been doing.  I am trying to make it a bit friendlier for the newcomer (It shouted "learning curve" for the first-timer). 

I will be re-arranging the order of the navigational links  (so get ready to re-learn your favorite shortcuts )

I have been googling around for logo design companies and finally found one that does logos that I truly like and that have good prices ( www.biz-logo.com )  and bought a silver package from them.  I hope and believe that they are able to create something nice for the site.

I will post the sketches I like and get your opinion .  

I am planning on making this forum a general cross-breed forum and creating seperate "US", "showline" "working dog" forums.  Let me know if you think its a good/bad idea.

Regards to you all
Oli

-- testing edit

Oli,

What do you mean by a general cross-breed forum ? I doubt if very many of us are interested in other breeds.

the idea of a cross-breed forum was for posts that are generally not breed-specific.   Upcoming shows, heatlh issues,  training questions, and so forth.   More of a "General talk" <-> "Breed Specific" etc.   New messages and forum search would include all,  (plus a new page to show all new posts cross-forum.).  Haven't thought it all the way through though.   Just felt that I needed to split the messageboard for different topics.

the blue/pink icons are very small and should only correspond to about 1% of a whole page, maybe I will tint the lower half pink and the upper half blue, see if that helps.

I already added (took me about 15 minutes) the feature of showing if progeny/siblings etc, have any entries.

Regards

Oli

This color looks aweful familiar, lol......

And once again, Thanks Oli.

I was wondering..  Would it be possible to have a way to go to the first unread message in a thread?  I've seen that other places.  It would be nice, expecially on the active threads it would make it much easier to find where you last read.

And what Bob-O mentioned would be nice too if possible...

As you can see I added the ability to have user logo's in the forum.  (only took about 1 hour to implement, so I thought "why not".

I don't know yet where to put the link to change/submit forum image,  but here is the link for now: www.pedigreedatabase.com/gsd/userinfo.userlogo

Regards

Oli

Hello Oli,

I don't know about separating forums or the best color scheme but you have a good thing going here.      I would like to see you use a new clock (GMT) just for kicks.   As far as other changes,  its yours to grow.  Raise it as you would a child.  I'm sure its a great source of pride for you and well deserved.   Just remember that simplicity and function are more beautiful than all the glitz and glitter and dont spoil the child.   Too much of anything, change included can upset the tummy.

I wish you success and yes you are the busy beaver, remember too much work and no play make jack a dull boy. 

And family is more important than anything especially success.  

Regards to you and your family,

Brent.

Yeah,   I know.  I am a pure "function over form" person.  But I had to do something since the site has been almost the same since ~2003,  All the changes I am doing are using tech that is 5 years old or older.   ( do not want to go for to much glitz).   But the site needed a facelift,  too many emails are about complex usability, plus, I simply wanted the site to look better.   (been itching for 4 years now to do something, but by being not a design guy, I didn't know where to begin)

There is no company around this site and I am the sole employee/worker.  So I do need to learn alot of different stuff to make it work. (graphics, design, browser stuff,  web server stuff (apache) ,  database stuff (which is my profession) etc..

But again,  I wanted it to look better.  Most of the changes I have been doing do not have any impact on the coding or internal stuff,  just CSS code and minor differences.

But I am going to change the nav bars on the left/right side,   just to simplify for the newcomer.  (remember I am trying to branch out to multiple breeds)

Regards
Oli

-- test edit

Oli,

Thanks for the "go to" option.  I'm glad to see you're using the GSD and waterfall picture, I always loved that picture.

I like the changes  looks nice.

I love the changes.  Thanks Oli.

Hi again. I was just wondering what is going on with DaKota's pedigree?

I see it posted where she has a sibling & when I click siblings there is nothing there?

It goes for her Sire & Dam, etc. as well. I was just wondering if someone could explain this to me?

                                                                                                                                                 TIA,

                                                                                                                                          The other Yvette :)

The new changes are stellar Thank you, Oli.

Oli,

the changes look great, well done. The site looks friendlier with it's new clothes on!

With the ability to change/add an image, why dont you make that part of the User Profile so that it could be added in or edited there?

Kim

I finally redid the Pedigree modification process.  You now truly are able to remove titles and such. 

HERE'S A NEW BUG:  Each time I open any topic on the message board without being logged in, I get this little popup.

You can now edit forum posts.  

If edit is done within 2 hours of it's creation, no logging will be done (to allow people to fix typos, too large images, and so forth). 

After 2 hours there will show up a line indicating the date and by whom the post was edited.

The ability to add logos can be found in the user profile menu now. 

You know what I think is especially cool?  All the other sites have basically the same set up as each other, the colors might be a little different but that's about it.  This site is unique - a one-of-a-kind and I really like that.  Now Oli, you have managed to bring some of the more convenient features other forums have while still maintaining the PDB "Flavor" and the very important functions only found on this board.

So thank-you Oli, for going to all the trouble, you are appreciated!

Good morning Oli,

I have been reading some of the messages posted on your boards but I have never joined in.  I think what you have done with your site is awesome and a credit to you and your efforts to help all dog owners in their search of pedigrees all over the world. A thank-you isn't sufficient but it does encompass all that can be said in any language. Just as 'I am sorry' doesn't express a person's feelings when it is given in moments of grief to another, it is the best that can be said in the moment.

I have several links to your site within my site for people to check out pedigrees on dogs including links of our dogs that are in your data base.

My question is about the logo that you will eventually decide upon. Will you still allow that logo to be used in a link to your site? I know I have seen the comments about pictures, copyrights, etc. on the board and since you are going to professional logo builder it has made me wonder if it will be allowed to be copied for your link?

I joined your message board today just to send you this message. The main reason I have not joined before is I read too many violations in the messages of your 'Terms of Usage' specifically items: 4, 7,9,11, 15,20, and 22. It is unfortunate that there are so many people that are driven to make postings which are negative in nature and not productive. When item 4 should never be violated if posting on your site.

Thank-you for doing not only a great job but a great service to all dog owners not only the GSD as the site was initially.

Oli, I love the new look and appreciate all you do. Thanks.

It amazes me that you can make all this look so easy.  Where is the user properties section after you log in so that you can change the logo and stuff?

Thanks, Colleen and K9 Barbie