Intoducing the new site

As you can see by the ads, which I soon hope to remove, the new site is built on a Ning social network. Once I can afford the $20/month ad-removal fee, the ads will be removed.

Many of you probably already have accounts on Ning, which made it easy for you to sign up here. For those of you who don't have a Ning account, I hope that you found signing up as easy as I found it to be. I apologize for making you have to sign up (yet again). I couldn't port the accounts from the old site to this one.

I spent many months coding new directories based on the phpbb3 system that was powering the old forums. As time went on, it became increasingly apparent to me, and for many reasons related to web application development, future growth and sustainability, that it just wasn't going to work. phpbb3 is a wonderful piece of software as a forum, but I am 100% convinced that it fails at anything beyond that. It cannot and should not run a website. I had explored using Ning two years ago, but the features then weren't what they are now. I am glad that I waited and made the switch.

I want to give you all the means in my power to be in front of the people that you want to be in front of - members that you've known and talked to over the past decade - and I haven't created this new site with anything or anyone else in mind. But, by all means, please invite your friends!

One of the reasons why I chose Ning is that, as a member here, it's quick and easy to create your own site like this one. You can create your own network and allow your fans from outside of OCAD to follow you very easily.

As with the previous site(s), if activity dies down, it's sad, but it's ok - it's not going to make me shut down the site. I take responsibility for things falling into shambles if they do - but as always, I need and can use your help at keeping things active.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and welcome back!