First Generation Firebird
Posted By: Geoff Website Update - 01/04/14 06:57 PM
I have been transitioning the website over last two months and went live a few days ago. Let me know if I broke anything.

I still have some things to do. I have not wrapped the Forum in the new format yet but will in near future. I also have some sections which have not transitioned (FAQ, parts of '69 info). Once complete, I plan on focusing on recoding the sections which broke with the Hosing Service server upgrade back in 2012.

To put this in perspective:

  • Time spent in last couple months recoding site page-by-page to update to 2013 formatting and standards: ~ 150 hours
  • Time spent coding the Online Car Show: ~400 hrs
  • Time spent coding the Registery: ~500 hours


This was time knowing the coding language and not learning it.
Posted By: 68tpls400 Re: Website Update - 01/04/14 08:16 PM
Wow! Appreciate the update. And the new pages look great! Nice work. We ALL appreciate how much time you have spent on this.
Posted By: Neill Re: Website Update - 01/04/14 08:34 PM
Thanks Geoff! Nice work.
Posted By: Gus68 Re: Website Update - 01/04/14 08:56 PM
Thanks Geoff!
Posted By: chicagofire1 Re: Website Update - 01/04/14 09:53 PM
dont check in as much as I used to ...after i finished the car then moved south to Florida its been kinda nuts , and then read that the sight was maybe going down? and yet to my surprise its even better then b4! dont know who to thank but ooohhhh emmmm GGGGG its good to be back where it all started for me...so who ever you are thank for you continued hard work on this much needed sight!
Rich
P.S Im on a bunch of fakebook firebird sights but this is the real thing baby!
P.S.S
I just noticed your in Tampa! Im in spring hill maybe we can meet for coffee or something stronger? luv to meet and be around like minded people! let me know
Rich
Posted By: salmon38 Re: Website Update - 01/05/14 04:46 AM
Great job Geoff. I was going to bring this up as a discussion topic when I first noticed the changes a couple of days ago, but got too busy.
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 01/05/14 07:16 AM
Quote:
just noticed your in Tampa! Im in spring hill


Was Port Richey and now Land O Lakes - Concord Station.

Anyone you can recommend in area for engine build/rebuild? I know of a Pontiac engine guy up in Brooksville but have not taken time to give him a call / stop by the shop.
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 01/05/14 07:18 AM
Thanks all.

Worried about IE earlier than version 7.0 as using a lot of CSS3 and it chokes a lot on the code. So far all my testing shows most of it looks good.
Posted By: wovenweb Re: Website Update - 01/05/14 01:27 PM
I missed the posts about the Premium membership...or did I?
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 01/05/14 09:45 PM
Originally Posted By wovenweb
I missed the posts about the Premium membership...or did I?


I quietly put it out there in response to thread about donating.

The feature does not fully work as after you leave PayPal to return to FGF, you get an error message. I also have to manually process it to take affect on the board.
Posted By: crazecars Re: Website Update - 01/06/14 05:29 PM
OK I almost had a mild panic this morning that the old faqs were lost, but then I saw you're still in transition. So it's all cool!

I notice there is a new FAQ section here, that has a lot of good info:
https://firstgenfirebird.org/f-a-q/

But the old FAQ section is still live here, and still has much valuable OLD info...:
https://firstgenfirebird.org/FAQ/
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 01/07/14 02:10 AM
I screwed up the links just before heading out to work this morning. Will put the link back tonight.
Posted By: Gasgacinch Re: Website Update - 01/07/14 05:10 AM
Super updates Geoff. Thanks for all!!
Posted By: dam1960 Re: Website Update - 01/14/14 06:26 PM
Appreciate your efforts. Keep up the good work...
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/04/14 08:00 PM
I have updated the website further. I have wrapped our Forum board in the new style. Let me know if I broke anything and need to fix. Please include a picture of your screen to help me in what you are seeing.

May need to click your web browser's reload page to get latest update.

Thanks - Geoff
Posted By: Bjorn Sefeldt Re: Website Update - 02/04/14 11:35 PM
when replying , this box you type in is very skinny, not sure it makes a difference ,but will push the text , if its long down a bit, impacting what you see when replying, cuts off some, unless you push the arrow abv the box, not sure its making any difference
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/05/14 02:11 AM
Did I fix the issue with the reply text box?
Posted By: Bjorn Sefeldt Re: Website Update - 02/05/14 04:02 PM
yes!
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/06/14 05:52 AM
Thanks
Posted By: 1stgenbirdman Re: Website Update - 02/08/14 12:09 AM
Yes, thanks for all you have built here and continue to build, rebuild, fix and upgrade!
We would be lost with out your hard work and dedication. I know this has taken on a life of it's own from where you started, but it is ALL, Greatly appreciated as are you Geoff!

Thanks again for letting us all be a party of this!

Brett!
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/11/14 04:55 AM
Head banging on wall...

Working out some more bugs and do not have ETA for some:

- Forum Attachments uploaded with file names containing blank spaces are not loading properly. Related to security software installed to help protect website from overseas attacks which have been ongoing.

- Many website sections have been disabled while trying to fix a back end issue.


Fixed:
- Server load issue causing site to slow down at times.
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/11/14 06:13 AM
New Issue starting early in day:

The short version:
Slow downs and script errors are being caused by bad people trying to attack our website and a whole lot of other websites.

Long version:
Some type of DoS attack has been happening today and appears to be continuing. I have been reading reports it is the largest attack ever seen. We have been impacted and depending on volume hitting, may have exerienced slow downs and script errors.

We have seen a huge increase in traffic. Normally we have about 400-600 visit site. Today, we have over 40,000 in short periods of time with most coming from France, Korea, China, and the Russian Federation.

I have been working on a solution to block these attempts and appears to be working or may be related to measures our host provider has been making to ban all incoming traffic from these known countries to be involved in the DoS.

More than I ever thought I would know and care to know.

Geoff
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/12/14 05:00 AM
Did I fix the Internet Explorer version 8.0 issue with large pictures causing format issues with the forums? I can't find any issues with my copy running on a Windows XP virtual machine (anyone with an uninstalled Windows 8 install discs?).

BUG FIXES:
  • Attachements with spaces, (, and/or ) will load properly now and not give 403 errors.
  • Attachments will now show for visitors (non Members).
  • Fixed issue where PDF files would not load properly.


ISSUES RESOLVED:
  • 500 Script Errors have been resolved
  • Backend Security has been enhanced as I paid for the Pro version of software protection
  • Increased load capacity of server configuration and should see increase in loading of web pages and less degradation during peek hours


UNRESOLVED ISSUES:
  • Internet Explorer 8.x issue with larger pictures in forums causing page format issues
  • Firebird-L converted to new format.
  • 1969 AMA Pages converted to new format


Thanks - Geoff
Posted By: Bjorn Sefeldt Re: Website Update - 02/12/14 04:30 PM
whatever problems I had are resolved.....thx
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/12/14 10:24 PM
Can't seem to fix the Microsoft Internet Explorer Issue 8.x Issue with larger photos. Not sure what is causing issue as every other browser including older IE versions does not have the issue. Can not test IE 9.x as I don't have a newer version than XP to run it. I assume it is fixed in the newest version of IE.

Anyone having issues and using IE 8.x, I then reluctantly recommend using Firefox or Chrome as looks good on those and every other browser I have tested:

Firefox 27.x
Chrome OS 32.x
Safari 7.x
Android 4.x
OS 7.x
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/18/14 10:54 PM
Did not realize I restricted the File Attachment to an awful low amount as meant to increase it. Now you can again upload good size files (Up to 2MP Regular Member and Up to 4MB Premium Member).

I did turn off the [img] as looking through forums I see way too many old links no longer working. Would rather use the Upload image feature. If this is too much of a PITA, I can turn it back on.
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 02/23/14 03:12 AM
Can't find topic thread as looks like it was deleted as someone mentioned they were having more issues with Internet Explorer 8.x after someone attaches a photo. I tried tweaking the code some more and may have made a more manageable fix for Internet Explorer 8.x as it looks ok in my copy (using compatibility view) without breaking for other browsers.
Posted By: Geoff Re: Website Update - 03/06/14 01:11 PM
Started second phase of update. Started updating the old scripts which broke back in 2012 from the old code to the new code which I have to learn along the way. Seems to be a quick learn. Only bad part, I have to pretty much go line by line to convert. Software and GREP searching will speed it up more than expected.

First down, VIN Analyzer, and several more to go.

https://firstgenfirebird.org/4167/vin-analyzer/
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