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Upgrades and changes to Lush

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nicola
Matriarch
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Hi folks,

Just so you all know what's happening, I thought it best that I post regarding impending changes at Lush HQ.

We have again partnered with the HQ Group (who set up the mobile site for us) and they will be helping with the ongoing development on Lush going forward.

Gav will be stepping aside due to personal commitments as soon as we upgrade to the new platform in the next 3 months or so. He has done a brilliant job with the site over the last decade and a half, but is no longer able to allocate the time and energy to maintaining and developing the site.

Right now behind the scenes there is a whole team of developers working full time taking all the bits that make this site great and coding them onto a new platform. What I mean by that is the new home will be familiar feature wise, but also benefit from being a lot more up to date and mobile responsive. All the forum posts, content, GIFs and anything else content wise that is on here will move over.

The chat will join their global service which means that we will have our own Lush protected rooms that no-one other than site members can get in, but members will also have the ability to chat with 1000s of other members from all over the world in global rooms if you want to. We used a cut down version of their chat on the old mobile platform, but you never had access to the global chat (which rocks!).

The new forum will be mobile responsive so you don't need to scroll on your phone. They are just making sure all the forum signatures etc., will work on it. Every category, sub category, and post will be there.

Story wise they are pretty much copying every feature on the site, voting, scoring, tags, badges, competitions etc..

Groups will be improved, but once again also feel familiar with the tags to navigate etc., and you'll have the ability to list events if you want to.

Profiles are probably where you will notice the biggest changes. There will be better albums, media etc.. There is also the same kind of friends, following, followers features, but the layouts will be a bit different to be mobile responsive. They are also copying all the badges, stories, and other functionality over that we have. What they can't do is have animated GIFs as backgrounds although there is a customizable panel at the top. It's to do with Google page load times now as most people view on mobile devices these days and we will be penalized for slow loading pages.

Still on the profiles, there is a really good filter tool that will save you getting unwanted attention from other member groups as well. For example if you don't want attention from single males it will filter them all out of everything so you can focus on seeing activity and feedback from user groups you want to.

I have been told that, "Development will be ongoing for at least the rest of the year making feature upgrades as well as site speed improvements etc. We have a mission critical priority list to get through in the next few months, and only after that is done can we move on to any other features."

Having stuck with the same design and technology for over 15 years, I have to say I'm very excited to see the new site in action. Functionality, speed, responsiveness, features etc. will all be greatly improved.

I will post further details as things progress.

Cheers,

Nicola
kiteares
"the Great God (snicker)" - James 'Bear' Llewellyn
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Thank you Nicola!
Change is always a nervous undertaking and it's good to read this.

Sorry to hear about Gav.

Looking forward to how things are going to look, work and feel.

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Unknown User
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That's so dope!!! I look forward to seeing the changes.

Gav, thanks for doing all that you've done for the site.


I'm curious as to how our profiles will look seeing as I have a .gif as background.
Will the set-up be as the previous mobile platform where at the top you could upload background art
but it wasn't an all over background?





All I can say is that many members would Iike for the site to remain as it is now and
will request to turn off the new mobile style sheet like they requested when
the new one launched because they don't know how to navigate new site.





Denim_Daisy10
Southern Barefoot Angel
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How will the changes effect those of us who use only phones to access Lush ?
Unknown User
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Quote by Denim_Daisy10
How will the changes effect those of us who use only phones to access Lush ?


I think this line is relevant:

Quote by Nicola
The new forum will be mobile responsive so you don't need to scroll on your phone. They are just making sure all the forum signatures etc., will work on it. Every category, sub category, and post will be there.


Frankly, just about any forum I am on these days works better on a phone than this one so I can't see it getting worse. I actually avoid using Lush on my phone because if I blow it up to a slze my eyes can handle (I'm myopic with progressive lenses and have a cataract in one eye), I have to side scroll to read everything.

Overall, I think this is good news. Though after the so-so experience with that attempt at a mobile site, I'll have to see the finished product to be convinced.
Denim_Daisy10
Southern Barefoot Angel
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Quote by seeker4


Frankly, just about any forum I am on these days works better on a phone than this one so I can't see it getting worse. I actually avoid using Lush on my phone because if I blow it up to a slze my eyes can handle (I'm myopic with progressive lenses and have a cataract in one eye), I have to side scroll to read everything.

Overall, I think this is good news. Though after the so-so experience with that attempt at a mobile site, I'll have to see the finished product to be convinced.



Thanks Scott !
nicola
Matriarch
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Quote by seeker4


Overall, I think this is good news. Though after the so-so experience with that attempt at a mobile site, I'll have to see the finished product to be convinced.


Things are a little different this time around.

Before they were trying to shoehorn our mobile site into their platform, without the ability to fully synchronize between both sites.

They are now full partners and are writing the site from the ground up with access to everything.

With over 70% of our traffic on mobile devices, those are what the new setup will be geared towards, together with making the "desktop" version a lot cleaner and more user friendly.

Due to all the admin functions Gav added on the backend, the forums here haven't been updated since 2007. They are one of the core areas of the site that need a big improvement.
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
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Exciting times ahead!

The performance and reliability improvements of the new platform will be a much-welcomed change.



"Punch it, Chewie!"
Meagananne1986
Sexy Seductive Siren
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Great news, although not so much with the impending loss of Gav. He's been a superb behind-the-scenes guy and he's helped me quite a few times. Like everything else in life, change is the essence of life. Without out change, there is only death. I'm looking forward to seeing and using the end product. Thanks for the updates, Nicola.
Meagan
Fluttered
Kinky Quill
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Every now and then it is important to take steps forwards. In creating that way forwards occasionally the sharing technological development is wiser than trying to stand alone. It will be sad to see Gav - loyal servant of the beast - step back, yet the circle of life happens, change happens and life goes on.

I look forwards to what will come to be in the future, no doubt their will be some losses, but many gains. As with the change to a becoming paid service a number of years back life moves on some will be lost sadly, yet others will be gained in abundance if the shared platform works well.

I always support visionary projects, for if we stay the same, the reality is we stagnate.
I am glad that a flutter can mean so much, and be oh so powerful! Whilst I bring my own kind of chaos to those I choose to know everywhere, I do believe in Chaos theory, and I am glad that it is suggested that the fluttering wings of a butterfly can be felt the other side of the globe, it gives me hope that I can caress your soul.
nicola
Matriarch
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Quote by Meagananne1986
Great news, although not so much with the impending loss of Gav. He's been a superb behind-the-scenes guy and he's helped me quite a few times. Like everything else in life, change is the essence of life. Without out change, there is only death. I'm looking forward to seeing and using the end product. Thanks for the updates, Nicola.


Yes, it's remarkable what we've achieved here with Gav's enormous help, considering what he's done on a shoestring budget and very little free time.

Single-handedly keeping a site going on a part-time basis, which serves 20m unique visitors and 200m pageviews p.a., is one heck of an achievement. That puts us well into the Top 1% most visited sites on the web. =d>
Master_Jonathan
Active Ink Slinger
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Personally speaking (and I mean MOHO exclusively) I have been a webpage designer and developer for a number of years. I was around when Geocities was big then it got bought out by Yahoo and disappeared, taking two or three of my websites with it. Then I was at Angelcities for a bit before it too went the way of the dodo and the dinosaur. My last failed attempt was over as tumblr before it went all Disney on us all.

Now I am here and with 650+ stories I am not looking to move again. I will reserve judgement on what's to come and wait to see the finished product. But I do so with a bit of well-earned skepticism. I hope I'm wrong.
lynnwitt
Quantum Tease
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Clearly there will need to be some place for folks to leave goodbye comments for Gav. I did interact with him very sporadically when I first joined, and he was always very pleasant and responsive. As someone, um, modestly involved with software development, I can appreciate all his hard work. (How is it that "responsive" and "hard" seem to sound like innuendos here?)

Any teasers for site design will be most appreciated, though I know that sort of thing can be a lightening rod, too. (Hmm... there is again... "rod". You'd think this was some sort of sex site!)

It is good to know that the contents will migrate to the new platform.
simplyjohn
Site administrator
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Quote by lynnwitt
Clearly there will need to be some place for folks to leave goodbye comments for Gav. I did interact with him very sporadically when I first joined, and he was always very pleasant and responsive. As someone, um, modestly involved with software development, I can appreciate all his hard work. (How is it that "responsive" and "hard" seem to sound like innuendos here?)

Any teasers for site design will be most appreciated, though I know that sort of thing can be a lightening rod, too. (Hmm... there is again... "rod". You'd think this was some sort of sex site!)

It is good to know that the contents will migrate to the new platform.




I note its his birthday in 3 days time (13th).
Twisted_Skald
Chatterbox Blonde- Rumps Mystical Bartender
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Figured after all that hard work Gav deserves a little thank you card from us all.
So here's my little contribution.

Thank you card for Gav
Whatever was posted is always meant in love and respect never to offend.
I'm also highly likely to have posted this from a phone so there may be typos or odd word changes, auto correct can be a pain.

I've been listening to my kinky pencil here's my current work

My current Competition entry is here
A Cure For Stagefright

I put a little banner in here, it might change. I'm still messing about with it.
Master_Jonathan
Active Ink Slinger
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Quote by Twisted_Skald
Figured after all that hard work Gav deserves a little thank you card from us all.
So here's my little contribution.

Thank you card for Gav


Thank you for this TS, it is a very nice gesture and I hope everyone stops by.
Meagananne1986
Sexy Seductive Siren
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Quote by nicola


Yes, it's remarkable what we've achieved here with Gav's enormous help, considering what he's done on a shoestring budget and very little free time.

Single-handedly keeping a site going on a part-time basis, which serves 20m unique visitors and 200m pageviews p.a., is one heck of an achievement. That puts us well into the Top 1% most visited sites on the web. =d>


I think you should create,a new badge for him - "Moderator Emeritus." Like you, his contributions over the years have been enormous. Hopefully, he's leaving his job, but not totally leaving Lush.
Meagan
noll
"insensitive prick!" – Danielle Algo
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Hopefully Gav will stick around as a member.

A lot has changed in the past 15 years in web development and design and it's good the site gets an overhaul to reflect that. Technical debt on a site the size of Lush is impossible to get rid of with a single developer IMO. I'm amazed Gav has been able to manage it all this time.

A separate mobile site always felt old-fashioned to me, so I was glad to see Lush got some responsive styling not too long ago. A new Lush, build as a responsive site from the ground up is excellent news in that regard. Looking forward to the new design.


===  Not ALL LIVES MATTER until BLACK LIVES MATTER  ===

Unknown User
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Quote by noll
Hopefully Gav will stick around as a member.


I second this!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I'm going to wait and see what all will change before I say yay or nay to all these new changes coming our way to Lushville?
Bluestars
Active Ink Slinger
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Great news x congratulations on getting this working, looking forward to the site being usable again xx
lynnwitt
Quantum Tease
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Quote by KaliLeigh


I second this!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I'm going to wait and see what all will change before I say yay or nay to all these new changes coming our way to Lushville?


The new, fully-interactive complete sensory transmission facility ought to be a hit.....
adele
Weaver of Words
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Gav has done an amazing job just keeping this site running, albeit with some occasional frustrating issues. But considering the fact that he was only part time, he is a true wonderkind.

Perhaps this isn't exactly the thread for this, but if everything is being re-worked from the ground up, it would be nice to see all the various emojis (from forums, emails and chat rooms) be available site wide and standardized where the same or similar emojis are in multiple locations. Also, if possible, the addition of some new emojis.
Unknown User
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All this is very exciting. I can't wait to see how the new site looks, especially the forums.

I was just wondering if new users would still have to choose male or female to make an account both here and on the blue site. It would be nice if that wasn't a required field to sign up. There might be many potential users who are currently put off by having to choose with no way to opt-out, or for those who don't want their gender to be how their writing is perceived.

Many thanks again for all the hard work being put into this wonderful community.
apptobebad
Unfuckwithable
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Quote by lynnwitt


The new, fully-interactive complete sensory transmission facility ought to be a hit.....


the electrical socket??
You should first read this Looky Here!!

and then this Free stuff

then say 'Hi'
lynnwitt
Quantum Tease
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Quote by apptobebad


the electrical socket??



Oooooo.... KINKY! But I'll hold out for rechargeable.
Meagananne1986
Sexy Seductive Siren
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Quote by lynnwitt



Oooooo.... KINKY! But I'll hold out for rechargeable.


Hopefully, the Lithium batteries won't be the only thing catching fire!
Meagan
Unknown User
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FYI, the upgrade is underway at Storiesspace. I tried going in early this morning and got a really nice splash page about the upgrade. So if you want a hint of the future (and a chance to read some good non-erotic fiction), pop by once it's back up.
Liz
Scarlet Seductress
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Quote by seeker4
FYI, the upgrade is underway at Storiesspace. I tried going in early this morning and got a really nice splash page about the upgrade. So if you want a hint of the future (and a chance to read some good non-erotic fiction), pop by once it's back up.


That is a nice splash page, lol.
Unknown User
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all of my photos I have uploaded over there are showing and I can't change my settings. I try to change them and the system won't let me. I can't change some of my other settings too.

I still can't change my settings.

This is a privacy issue and I can't disable my account until it's fixed even.

I can't delete anything. This is a huge security issue!!!!
Jen
Charming as fuck
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Quote by Godsangel
all of my photos I have uploaded over there are showing and I can't change my settings. I try to change them and the system won't let me. I can't change some of my other settings too.

I still can't change my settings.

This is a privacy issue and I can't disable my account until it's fixed even.

I can't delete anything. This is a huge security issue!!!!


I'll raise it with them asap