Welcome to the New Web Site

It's definitely an improvement over the old site. I was pleasantly surprised by the color scheme... though I don't like all the columns, they make the page look crowded.

When we launched the site we were anxious to see how people felt. It's been very interesting.

We considered a custom site and even put quite a bit of work into one. But, we realized the most important thing was to get our 7 years of content available in an easy-to-use format. Going with "Nuke" made that possible more quickly.

Are we done with the design? No way!

Is Nuke the ultimate answer? Probably not.

But, what we have done is converted static information into information that is stored in a database. That means we can work on the presentation without having to worry about a lot of manual work to change the data format again.

Scott, Richard and I really appreciate your comments. They will guide our future changes.

Like Linux, Linux Journal has no intention of giving up on development but also like Linux, we need to make sure our growth produces useful steps along the way.

To be honest, I am a bit disappointed by the new site. While I have to give LJ credit, for improvements over the old site, I certainly think that they could have put more thought into the redesign.

I am a big advocate of making sure you do it absolutely right when you redesign. I think that despite its strengths, using something as cookie cutter as *nuke kinda devalues the LJ brand.

If you surf the net with any regularity you will have seen how many *nuke or slash sites there are there on Linux, and OS software. I am not yet convinced that LJ had distinguished itself sufficiently to avaoid get buried in the din.

The one reason I read LJ over all the other Linux magazines out there, is their lack of fear in doing hard stuff. There aren't too many screen captures, or pretty things to attract JoePublic, but the articles do solve really hard problems. I think that LJ should have taken the same approach in redesigning its site.

I could talk more about why I think (even if only to avoid looking like all the other Linux advocating and LUGs sites out there, and ) the LJ should have used another toolkit. If you do not believe me look at a sample

http://www.ez-linux.org/
http://www.newsgeek.net/
http://unix.soft.lv/
http://docksidelinux.dhs.org/
http://techienews.utropicmedia.com/
http://www.phpwizard.net/
http://localfoo.net/
http://www.go-build.net/~lotas/
http://supportpc.nl/
http://www.linuxmodems.com.ar/
http://www.puebla.linux.org.mx/
http://www.bestlinux.com.ua/

Some of these sites look even more pro than the LJ site. While you can use different templates, nuke sites tend to retain that *nuke* look.

I could go on about why I think mysql is not the best database to use

Instead I will spare you, and merely say that the LJ team should really not have shyed away from the challenge, and solved a hard problem.

For what it's worth, I personally would have suggested the openacs as the toolkit of choice for a website for a magazine of LJ's standing. It might not look pretty straight out of the box, but it really is a versatile opensource platform, with CMS features, extra modules etc, and it has been used to build some industrial strenght sites. Throw in the PostgreSQL database, and you would have left the competition trailing in the dust. In fact, you would possibly be so far ahead that all they would have seen is the dust settling!

worth more than

I currently run phpNuke on a few websites. I'll probably switch to PostNuke but that is my personal preference. Anyone who says that phpNuke isn't Open Source is incorrect. The source code is freely available and under the GPL (to the best of my knowledge)... so the end user can do with it as they like.

The fact that the principle author (Francisco Burzi - fbc@mandrakesoft.com) of phpNuke has decided back away from the team development model and continue to do it himself is certainly his prerogative. No one is forced to use it. As more proof that it is really GPLed / Open Source just witness the fact that PostNuke exists... a fork from the development.

While it is ok to prefer one product over the other, it is NOT ok to critisize those who have their own preferences.

While there have been several reported bugs in phpNuke several have also been reported with PostNuke. While it is probably true that the PostNuke people are quicker and more vocal about fixing reported bugs, especially security issues, the information about flaws and fixes in phpNuke does get out and the end user usually can find a fix just as quickly... although the existing download of phpNuke isn't always updated to incorporate those fixes.

I DO NOT KNOW why people would call Linux Journal lame for going with one of the most popular content management systems out there. I'm sure over time they will refine it, make it more unique and representative of their style. While it is true that many phpNuke (and PostNuke sites as well) start out with that cookie cutter look they usually don't stay that way for long. I have to admit that I've been lazy with most of my phpNuke sites by not bothering to do enough customization... yet.

Why re-invent the wheel? phpNuke is a good basis for a site... and it is obvious they have done quite a bit of customization given all of the areas in the blocks... and I'm sure they will do more as they see fit.

Does this site work? Does it do a lot more than it did before? Can it expand? I'd say that "YES" is the answer to all of those questions. Does every aspect of this site, including the graphics and layout, appeal to everyone? Maybe not. Does it get in the way of the content? Some say yes and others say no... that they can search and find things more easily. Your milage may vary... and we've got a lot of miles left to travel so pipe down and enjoy the ride.

My advice to the LJ staff, not that they need my advice... is to ignore all of the non-constructive comments and press onward and upward. I've been a subscriber to the print magazine since 1995... although I am currently lapsed and need to renew... but I've been buying each issue from my local B&N until I get that check sent in. :)

Lee Scott Dowdle,
Billings, Montana

Wow! Look! Now Linux Journal can look like every other freaking site on the internet!

I can't belive you guys went with NUKE... are you that broke that you couldn't even get some PHP hacker to code you a site?

This is a joke.

I'm cancelling my subscription and ignoring your magazine. I need a professional source for information not some magazine that I now see is quite amature.

awsome!!!! about time you had a nice site easy to run and manage....without a doubt phpnuke is a hit!!!!!!

now, hope you enhance the magazine as well....

Wow! When I heard the LJ has done a new web site, I didn't pay much attention to it... Until I visit here...

You guys have done a *GREAT* job!

I especially like the Forum! Is nice, really nice...

I hope you are using the latest 5.1 version of php-nuke otherwise you are endangering your site.

There exists a programmed error on (virtually) all version of php-nuke prior to 5.1 that enables anyone to access the admin password and thus manage your site from their location.

So, if you're not running 5.1, go get an update illico presto!

see ya!

aurey@linux.ca

This phpNuke might be good for some sites but not yours. To much information. To much clutter. Hard to navigate. Where do I stop. If you change at least do it for the better.

PHP-Nuke is NOT open source. The author closed open devlopment. Kinda ironic you would choose PHP-Nuke over a true open source CMS suh as PostNuke. Your credibility is on the wain.

If you do stay with this closed source junk I think you should at least keep the previous website archives under /old or something for links people may have to your content.

I think the site looks great and it's easy to use. You must be aware though, that your site looks just like other sites who use the same tool. Look at the UK's Linux Format magazine site for a direct competor who now has a web site which "looks" like yours. you've lost (maybe?) market identity? From my perspective, I like the simplicity and the consistency. But if I were you, I would think long and hard about my market identity and what it means by going down this route for your business. One thought (obvious to most): content becomes even MORE important. The good news is Linux Journal has the best "content". Keep it that way (assuming of course that's what your customers want).

I don't like this theme, but it's easier to change it, i was liking old colors, so, you can modify it to get the blue colors.

I'm a LinuxJournal reader, now it's easier for me to search documents, i was having some experience with similar "templates".

BTW a Php-Nuke version was having a exploit, please check it.

Personally, I feel that the topic graffix for each story is taking up too much space; it gives the impression of a lot of wasted space on the front page. Maybe shrink the pics even more? I don

Lose the second box benieth each story. Don't lose the contents just the outline and the extra color. It seems too busy the way it is now.

It looks OK. It would have been better if it looked similar to www.computercontractor.net. It is also powered by PHPNuke.

Other than that, good work and long may open source rule.

I like the new look and operation. I was wondering how long the python site would last ;)

My link to your old `What is Linux?' page is busted and I can't find it anymore. Also, links to some stories on some pages seem to loop back to the same page ... can't bring them up. I guess the new site will be an improvement when it's working.

Oh yeah, it took a while to realise what was going on with the search thingo at the top of the page ... no button anywhere, and then when I get it figured out I go to a page where I fill in my search term again anyway.

Anyway, LJ is still the only linux journal I read :-)

Too visually active for my tastes. I think the teasers for the forums are spaced too close together. The one line blurbs contribute to the manically repetitive feel (its like I've had a six pack of Mountain Dew after taking a multivitamin with ginseng).

On the other hand, I think using PHP-Nuke will be a good move when you guys fully break-it-in.