Looks like Spymac is going v3 tonight...(Jan 4th)

[edesignuk]

http://www.spymac.com/ :confused:

[Macmaniac]

Why do I feel like this will be a huge anti climax?

[Freg3000]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
Why do I feel like this will be a huge anti climax?

We shall see...I am not expecting much. But I may be wrong.

[Macmaniac]

Did you notice how it mentions the "others" in the trailer, maybe it refers to the other rumors websites like Macrumors.

[Kingsnapped]

The trailer doesn't seem to work for me...

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by Kingsnapped
The trailer doesn't seem to work for me...
don't bother with it, it's http://upload.edesignuk.net/uploaded_data/smilies/smilie_poopbanana.gif, well put together and everything, but has absolutely NO information as to what exactly v3 is or what it will provide...very pointless IMO.

[Royal Pineapple]

what is the big change? a new layout? big deal MR had one and nobody made a thread on spymac about it, they are blowing this thing out of proportion.

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by Royal Pineapple
what is the big change? a new layout? big deal MR had one and nobody made a thread on spymac about it, they are blowing this thing out of proportion.
Yes, but it'll be interesting to see just how much out of proportion wont it? :D

[arn]

the update's supposed to take a couple of days... so prob not tonight

arn

[MacFan25]

Originally posted by arn
the update's supposed to take a couple of days... so prob not tonight

arn

I guess they'll be on in time for MWSF. :confused:

Anyway, I'm interested to see what it will be like.

[Freg3000]

I don't understand why it is going to take so long. I mean, even though Spymac 3 supposedly is a more elaborate change than MacRumors' recent facelift, Spymac will be down for DAYS? Was MacRumors down at all?

I just don't get it. :confused:

[AtariST]

Hi everyone,
The reason why we have to be down for so long is that we have developed our own software. We created our own forums software; our own gallery software; our own news publishing system; and so forth. We had quite a few large databases to transfer, but the real time is being occupied by the number crunching. There are lots of calculations going on, and even though we have them being performed on multiple servers, the shortest we could get it down to was a day or so. I invite you all over for a look once we're open again: we may not be your cup of tea, but I think you'll at least have fun poking around the new site.

AtariST
Staff@spymac.com

[arn]

Originally posted by Freg3000
I don't understand why it is going to take so long. I mean, even though Spymac 3 supposedly is a more elaborate change than MacRumors' recent facelift, Spymac will be down for DAYS? Was MacRumors down at all?

MacRumors' forums will be down for possibly a couple of days when the forums are upgraded... possibly the weekend after MWSF.

arn

[arn]

Originally posted by AtariST
Hi everyone,
The reason why we have to be down for so long is that we have developed our own software. We created our own forums

own forums? impressive. ;)

I, personally, am interested in seeing the result AtariST.

arn

[MacFan25]

Originally posted by AtariST
we may not be your cup of tea, but I think you'll at least have fun poking around the new site.


I'm sorry if I left the wrong impression, as I enjoy going to Spymac and reading the articles and looking through the gallery. I watched the trailer a couple days ago, and I'm interested to see how it will turn out. :)

[Awimoway]

That's living dangerously, starting a major 2-day revamp with your own forum software 48 hours before MWSF, isn't it? Good luck--you'll need it. :D

[Shifty]

Originally posted by AtariST
Hi everyone,
The reason why we have to be down for so long is that we have developed our own software. We created our own forums software; our own gallery software; our own news publishing system; and so forth. We had quite a few large databases to transfer, but the real time is being occupied by the number crunching. There are lots of calculations going on, and even though we have them being performed on multiple servers, the shortest we could get it down to was a day or so. I invite you all over for a look once we're open again: we may not be your cup of tea, but I think you'll at least have fun poking around the new site.

AtariST
Staff@spymac.com

Arr..I see.

BTW, was the trailer not ment to give real info, but hidden info that the viewers have to work out themselves. Hence, it's a TEASER trailer

[Rower_CPU]

It definitely sounds like an impressive project, AtariST.

As a web developer, I'm looking forward to what you come up with for your home grown forums, etc. Good luck!

[Waluigi]

Excellent trailer. I've always been very impressed with the graphical talent that spymac has. I really love the G5 based design now, so hopefully most of the improvements will be under the hood.

--Waluigi

[Shifty]

Apparently, according to info hidden in the trailer, the Forums, Gallery, and Webmail is all going to be run under their software they coded themselves, called Web Operating System. I get the impression that this may be a new web software standard like YaBB, phpBB, vBulletin, PhotoPost, etc...

The current Spymac forums is run under vBulletin, but most of it is custom coded. This time, it is built from the ground up.

[Mr. Anderson]

So its still down....anyone know when it will be open for the beta viewing?

Also, they mentioned something about the 16th - what's the significance of that?

D

[Shifty]

Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
So its still down....anyone know when it will be open for the beta viewing?

They're having a few technical difficulties. They had to recode part of the software. they are currently working constantly around the clock to get the beta up as soon as possible.

It was supposed to up on Monday, is now delayed for a short time.

In the meantime, the old forums are up until then.


Also, they mentioned something about the 16th - what's the significance of that?

D

That would be Spymac's 3rd Birthday

[arn]

Originally posted by Shifty
Apparently, according to info hidden in the trailer, the Forums, Gallery, and Webmail is all going to be run under their software they coded themselves, called Web Operating System. I get the impression that this may be a new web software standard like YaBB, phpBB, vBulletin, PhotoPost, etc...

I guess that'll depend on whether or not they offer it for sale.

arn

[edesignuk]

I think they're having "technical difficulties", this site is still down (apart from the old forums that have been put back online). I'm really looking forward to seeing what they have done, coding your own forums, gallery etc is no mean feat.

Come on Spymac, let's see it! Impress me! :)

[Dont Hurt Me]

spymac dont impress me, they are populated with children asking stupid things like whats your favorite color? they dont even stay on top of the rumor mill. they might as well change their name to KiddieMac.

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by Dont Hurt Me
spymac dont impress me, they are populated with children asking stupid things like what your favorite color? they dont even stay on top of the rumor mill. they might as well change their name to KiddieMac.
Yeah, I never really liked the forums, but I am a regular user/visitor to the gallery. I'm still looking fowrd to seeing what they've done.

[Shifty]

Originally posted by arn
I guess that'll depend on whether or not they offer it for sale.

arn

Yeah, I'm not sure about that, actually. Depends on how well the new software goes. Other developers may seek interest into it and may request for the software to be available to the public.

[iJon]

well i dont post much on spymac either but i love what they all have to offer. but macrumors has been changing rapidly, with the abundance of trolls and then the newbies asking questison that have been answered millions of times before.

iJon

[MattG]

I'm looking forward to seeing this too! spymac and MacRumors are the two Mac-related sites I spend the most time at :)

[clubsport]

Well, Spymac.com appears to be down. I guess version 3 will be here soon.

[edesignuk]

good spot clubsport...looking forward to seeing what they have been doing all this time...

[edesignuk]

Well, it's back...

"Advanced Showing Now In Progress.

Moderators and Editors, please contact staff@spymac.com for information on how to access the preview site.
The first Spymac 3.0 public beta will go live shortly."

[clubsport]

"The first Spymac 3.0 public beta will go live shortly."

But how long is shortly? Atari said that Spymac would be back shortly over a week ago!! Oh well... :D

[Tiauguinho]

16th of January it will make 3 years that the iWalk was revealed for the whole universe to see (klingons and other life forms included)! :D

[Mr. Anderson]

They're doing a lot of work, obviously, but they've also been using the Jobs approach of secrecy, hype and drama to good effect.

I hope it all goes well for them when the curtains are lifted.

D :D

[edesignuk]

Spymac offline again? Maybe this is it...

[wuntrikpony]

This better be it. I'm going nucking futs.

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by wuntrikpony
This better be it. I'm going nucking futs.
oh gawd, it's back to the "Spymac will return shortly" page :rolleyes: what's taking so long?

[wuntrikpony]

"will go live shortly"

-Spymac.com


mmm....yes....

[edesignuk]

This "Advanced Showing Now In Progress." has been going on all day :confused: AtariST, are you around?

[Shifty]

It's a good thing that it's down. cos I've noticed a few spymac members have registered and are now posting here on MR. :p

[angelrendon]

im pulling my hair out, where is spymac 3!!!!

[MattG]

Man this is taking way too long!

[edesignuk]

Time to start spamming* staff@spymac.com for answers!!!! :eek: :D

*DO NOT DO THIS, JOKING!

[Shifty]

A lot of the Spymac members are actually on the #Spychat IRC channel.

[adamfilip]

The public beta-testing will last until January 16, 2004 — A date that regular members know the significance of.


well sure

would be nice to start the public beta test before it ends eh?

[clubsport]

Originally posted by adamfilip
would be nice to start the public beta test before it ends eh?
Yeah, I was thinking that too. Maybe they mean that the beta testing will start on January 16?

[wuntrikpony]

"The public beta-testing will last until January 16, 2004"

So no.

[arson]

There have been a couple of minor issues with the new software they are trying to work out before launching the public beta. These things happen, especially with brand new code on a site as large as Spymac.

[edesignuk]

Originally posted by arson
There have been a couple of minor issues with the new software they are trying to work out before launching the public beta. These things happen, especially with brand new code on a site as large as Spymac.
Of course, there must be heaps of possible problems with custom code, is there any sort of ETA yet?

[Knox]

Originally posted by arson
There have been a couple of minor issues with the new software they are trying to work out before launching the public beta. These things happen, especially with brand new code on a site as large as Spymac.

What i'd be interested to know is what cropped up in the process of changing the site over that broke it completely and meant that they were unable to put the previous site back up.

Whenever i'm upgrading one of my sites (which isn't at the level of spymac's popularity, but still well used - currently 100k forum posts) i always have a development site on a local server and eventually on the target server. This is used to both test the new code with the existing data and also test the transition scripts that convert the database between versions. Since i don't have a staff/other editors i also get a few of the regular users to test it. Any problems are quickly ironed out either by myself or the testers and when the site goes up the process has been done several times before, i have step-by-step instructions on how to do it properly and it takes less than an hour.

Maybe there really was something that was completely unforseen - I haven't seen any technical explanations posted - but it is a bit weird.

My transition motto - plan, test, backup (or whatever the latin is for that :))

[arson]

Originally posted by Knox
What i'd be interested to know is what cropped up in the process of changing the site over that broke it completely and meant that they were unable to put the previous site back up. I really don't know the answer to that. I do know that the forum transition wasn't as big a deal as the gallery transition. The gallery has over 30 GB of images, with it's own comment system (the system they used was called Photopost). My best bet is that the problem is somewhere in there. All of the new software (forum, gallery, webmail, etc.) was written from the ground up, using no 3rd party software, so there is no reference for switching over.

There are also some new services that will be offered that we aren't allowed to discuss quite yet.

[Knox]

Originally posted by arson
I really don't know the answer to that. I do know that the forum transition wasn't as big a deal as the gallery transition. The gallery has over 30 GB of images, with it's own comment system (the system they used was called Photopost). My best bet is that the problem is somewhere in there.

Ah right, that would explain the number crunching factor.

All of the new software (forum, gallery, webmail, etc.) was written from the ground up, using no 3rd party software, so there is no reference for switching over.

Same here - my site is entirely custom (including the forum) and i write all the transition scripts myself. Just makes the process of testing and retesting the transition even more important.

[angelrendon]

Thanks for the info Arson, but why didnt they put the shoutbox up on the "advanced showing" page like before??? I am completely in the dark over here.

[ithink2ez]

spy what. it's been down so long I don't remember it's name is going to be up in beta 1 on the 16th

[clubsport]

Thanks for that arson. I wanna know what these new services might be...

[wuntrikpony]

I keep hitting the refresh button!!!

AHHHHH!!!!

[arson]

Originally posted by clubsport
Thanks for that arson. I wanna know what these new services might be... It should be open to the public within a couple of hours. I've been looking around, and there are some rough edges, but what is there really blew me away. They even had a few surprises that I had no idea about.

[edesignuk]

Just a few more hours...
...almost there...c'mon!

[MattG]

Good god just do it already.

[Darwin]

Seat Belt still fasten :D

[Megaquad]

Mountains were shaking, mouse was born.. err nevermind ;)

I don't expect much from this, I could be wrong though.

[Rower_CPU]

Just stare at the hypnotic image on the front page and you'll be OK.

For those of you on dial-up, sorry, the image is almost 1MB. :eek:

[mrpuffypants]

Well, the beta has 'launched' but it's pretty much non-functional for the most part.

Some of the stuff that they talk about on their site looks kinda cool, though...

[Knox]

And..... it's up :) Well sort of, still a few sections not available yet.

[edesignuk]

well...it's nice...but I'm disappointed I'm afraid :( I was expecting a big change, still looks like the same old spymac to me though, with a few extra buttons here and there.

[mrpuffypants]

Judging by all the features that they're giving away for free I can't figure out how they pay for the hardware/hosting/etc.

All I ever see ad-wise it ads for their ad service! I hope they don't really think that they're going to rake in the cash selling hats and glasses :o

[Shifty]

Looks quite good, but it's very crowded. Thank god this is just a beta testing.

[Rower_CPU]

I'm impressed with some of the graphics and interactivity stuff they've done.

The random rotation and borders on thumbnails in the Gallery is very nice, as are the signatures and ranking "stamps" on the user's avatar area.

I'm ambivalent about having to click on a user's avatar to get links to their profile, etc. It's only one extra click, so it's not bad, and it conserves space for the larger 'tars, but it's still more effort.