Happy New Year
Just wanted to check in with everyone and let y’all know I didn’t forget about you. I got tied up in the holidays and didn’t get to spend quite as much time with the site as I had hoped I would.
However, I did do some much needed maintenance (behind the scenes stuff) to the site and I have been slowly moving forward with both the new map pages and the DVD. I can say with great certainty that both will be online next week some time.
The map pages have a slightly more usable layout that lets you click park names and open their locations on the maps rather than clicking around the maps to find the parks. Not a monumental step forward, but easier and more intuitive for finding parks on the maps.
The 2006/2007 DVD is almost finished and will be available as a free download again. I toyed with the idea of physical copies for people unable to download and burn their own for whatever reason or for those wanting something more substantial, but in the end, I think I’m sticking with the free downloads for now. We’ll see. For now it seems to make more sense to stay free with the DIY approach. Perhaps in 2008 we’ll offer some options? Perhaps I’ll change my mind and do something for 2007? I’m not sure. This year’s DVD will definitely be a free download like the others (and all future ones) - if I do a physical product it will be an option in addition to (not instead of) the freebies. Enough thinking out loud about that.
After that I still have 7 parks and 3 special feature photo sets to get online before the 2008 season starts, so there’s a lot of pictures just around the bend. Be patient. I’m busy and ‘real life’ is eating away at my time more and more lately.
I also want to clean up things around the site a bit. Right now everything is floating between three different designs depending on where on the site you go. I’m currently debating whether to get it all in line and stick with it or let it float along as it is until after this season and go with a complete overhaul. Again, I’m debating with myself out loud. Either way, know that eventually things will be put in line as far as the look of the site goes.
Lastly, we’re starting to think about 2008 trips. Expect the usual - more new parks, more revisited parks, lots of new coasters. As things become more solid in the next few months I’ll pass along the info.
Then there’s the fact that late-February marks the 5th anniversary of coasterimage.com being online. There’s a good chance I’ll pull some goodies out of my hat as a thank-you to those of you who’ve been supporting the site over the past few years. Again, I have some ideas that I need to jump on sooner than later, so keep your eyes peeled for some info on the anniversary fun in the upcoming weeks as well.
I think that covers it. We’re into 2008 and I’ve been doing this park photography thing for just shy of 7 years now. I’ve amassed quite a collection of photos, videos and whatnot and I’m glad I get the chance to share it with everyone. Here’s to more of the same in 2008!
(Thus concludes the “State of the Website” address)
