It’s been a long day and it’s been even longer since I wrote a post. I’ve had a good time redesigning the Random Shapes site lately and I learned a lot while I was working on it.
With the original version Kevin did all the graphics so all I had to do was the coding (the CSS and XHTML stuff) and WordPress integration. We didn’t have much time to build it so we did the “Getting Real” thing and just narrowed our scope. Instead of launching a site with lots of features done poorly we launched a site with less features done well. Now that we’ve had more time to build the site we’ve added some really cool features with more on the way.
The network site has forced me to learn PHP and what feels like everything there is to know about WordPress. I’ve been wanting to learn PHP for a long time so this was an awesome opportunity to learn it. I’m still not an expert in PHP but I’m much more comfortable with it. I’ve also learned that WordPress is a lot more then a weblog platform or content managment system. You can use it to build any kind of website with just a little tweaking.
I want the network to be as easy to use as it can be. I think the redesign is a great improvment but I want to know what you would do to make the network even better. How would you change the network site to make it better or what would you add to it?
There’s always time to add stuff later – later is eternal, now is fleeting.
From the book “Getting Real” by 37signals.
3 Comments
I love it! Awesome job with the redesign! Learning PHP on your way to doing what you wanted to do is the best way to learn anything. Great job!
Posted by Lasha on Apr 30, 2006.
Great job, I love it!
Posted by Anthony Timberlake on Apr 30, 2006.
[…] …written 146 posts with 316 comments. …met tons of cool web designers/developers locally. …gone to 11 of 12 Refresh Phoenix meetings. …turned my hobby into a job that pays for college and all other expenses …started working freelance. …redesigned the site 6 times. …accomplished one of my goals by running the 800 meters in 1:58.73. …graduated from high school. …written an average of 2.8 posts per week or 12.16 posts per month. …been listed on a number of CSS galleries. …gone to Six Flags. …started a blog network. …seen snow from my house. …grown my hair out really long. …been interviewed on Blog Herald. …joined a soccer league. …redesigned Random Shapes twice (new design coming today!). …spent a week with my friend in North Carolina. …participated in 2 CSS Reboots (if you count tomorrow’s reboot). …turned 18! …made a theme for WordPress with over 3,000 downloads …started a third site (what?). …fought off over 8,000 spam comments. …won $30 in iTunes gift certificates from Blingo (just won another $10 today, thanks Robert!) …started going to college. …switched servers. …gone to Desert Code Camp. …learned a ton and had a rockin awesome time doing it! […]
Posted by Mattbob | One Year Anniversary on Oct 31, 2006.