News
There hasn't been an update in a while, but now i have my own CMS engine in place, i can write these (and most other content) whereever i happen to be.
I am sure there has been changes to the forum, but it would be tough to list them all. I really should start listing these things.
Anyway, have a good christmas and in the new year you may well start seeing updates to these pages!
20/11/04
Update: Many changes to the forum have been completed. These are the main ones:
BBcode There is no longer a box for bbcode, you simply type/copy text in the box, select it and click the new buttons to apply the code.
Textareas These should now scale to the size of your screen automatically. If they don't, use the buttons below the smilies to scale it correctly and then lock the size.
user details The user details page has been seperatered into sections. There are also buttons to disable signatures and images if you browse at work for instance.
FAQ There is now a FAQ link, with pre-emptive questions.
Searching You can now click search from any page, and there are options to filter by username.
Quick reply There is now a reply box below the thread itself, for fast replying!
scaling of imagesTo avoid stretching tables, images are now scaled back if they are too big
Many smaller updates and bugfixes names link and underline when you point at them, cross browser compat, and more
16/07/04
Another update - wonders will never cease!
Forum has been moved twice now - first to my old main pc and then onto some proper hosting, all intact. I have made no real changes yet, but i have updated some of the static content.
Please report any problems with anything on the forum.
5/9/03
SO long since an update, so here goes:
Firstly, well done for finding www.dave-webwizard.com ! So few have. The whole website has been redesigned to remove the old look. Once the members section is in place, it will retain the classic look.
The forum has been restarted, and is still running on the shuttle. No HTML other than line breaks work now, so all formatting is now done with BBcode.
You must now login to even see the forum content, for security reasons. Re-registration is required due to the new improved database.
The website will probably seem a fair bit slower, this is due to being hosted on my broadband connection. It may also change in speed, depending on what i am doing at the time.
28/5/03
First update in ages, sorry
First, the hardware changes: an upgrade to a 1.47Ghz Athlon xp 1600+
Now the updates to the forum.
1) more smilies
2) code insertion. Due to the number of people asking about code, this was required. Any html will be converted to plain text, and smilies wil lnot be parsed in between the tags. Simply put your code in the code textbox and click the button.
3) Movement to BBcode from HTML. Don't worry HTML will still work fine, with one exception. Urls must be in ". BBcode is standard design for [URL]and [IMG]
4) previous/next buttons: These now load up a redirection page that redirects on demand rather than when the page is opened.
5) other changes: smilies are now inserted where the caret is rather than the end, excpet when cursor keys and pgup/pgdn are used.
6) The old browser issue of losing message contents after previewing will now never happen since the edit now gives the message box its content.
known bugs: multiple [code] instances go wierd, code box is only a single line
30/04/03
The server has returned to resnet, and so has everyone else it seems. The forum has been improved very slightly - backslashes now work - so network links should work now, as well as code involving backslashes. There is also some new smilies that you can use. The freelancer guide is now pretty much complete - the alt tags are in place on the interface image. I may add more interface images (friendly and docked as well as in battle) to help people out more. I can also extend the games list - i may write a counterstrike first time users guide.
07/04/03
The server now rests at home for the 3 weeks. I have already started updating pages - the forum has changed look completely, and thanks to my dynamic viewing change earlier quotes and code can be changed to fit too. Previous and Next buttons for moving between threads (thanks for the suggestion Swedish). I will be updating other pages now, but i really like the changes on the forum.
15/03/03
A lot has changed since the last news post on here. The server is now a 850 Athlon on an Nforce2 shuttle. It also now has a freelancer server running on it. The forum now has poster rankings. There are automatic image and link making scripts in the forum. I have put up a guide on Freelancer here
11/02/03
Another improvement to the forum: an automatic quoting system is in place. Simply click the button next to the message you want to quote, then write the rest of the message. If you don't want to quote the entire message, delete the bits you don't want. Make sure the [quote name=name] and [endquote] codes remain, or the format may be incorrect.
10/02/03
The forum has had a update. You can now reverse the direction of threads, and anybody should be able to do a website link or a image within the post. Please tell me if you have any problems with these new functions.
The upgrade of the server will probably happen this weekend, as long as the shuttle box arrives on time.
23/01/03
There will be a hardware change sometime this term to the server. Nforce2 Shuttles are finally available, and dave-webwizard will become one. This will also mean someone could purchase the old setup. Please let me know if you are interested:
Abit kt7a-raid | Duron 800 | 512MB sdram | Geforce2GTS (modded)
Extremely quiet cooling system, but only suitable for this chip - a faster one would require more cooling
Lacks: hard-drive, though i could put a 8.4GB in, mouse, monitor (cheap keyboard will be supplied)
09/01/03
This is the last update i will be making. The spec page is now up to date, and the upgrade and guide buttons no longer have drop down menus - they open a page for easy expansion of each section.
04/01/03
The forum update is now complete. You can now edit titles of threads (as well as the first message) by clicking the edit thread button next to the first message.
I have updated the for sale page to include my latest items for sale: a Geforce 3 card and the Microsoft intellimouse explorer. I will be adding threads in the forum relating to these items.
03/01/03
Happy new year!
The forum redesign has extended even further. You can now add smilies to any message, and the title of a thread cannot contain any html, except the options given (font size, colour, bold and italic) by checkboxes and drop down lists. I am in the process of allowing you to edit thread titles - this will be acomplished by editing the first message, and has a different button appropiate to it. All buttons are now images for all you non-IE users. I have decided to leave stickies for now, and will look into a switch message direction option instead (just for you Andy !)
I have not been able to do all i would have liked to over the holiday - most of what i intended to do has not been possible due to other things requiring my time. If i find time during the term, i may do them then.
28/12/02
The first new function has been added - you can now edit your messages. The option to edit them only appears if you are logged in as that user, and it is not possible to edit other peoples messages either. I have fully tested the page, and it appears to work as expected. I am not sure if i will let you edit thread titles yet.
More functions will be added - the next one will be smilies. I will be using the universal :), :(, :P etc ones. You will be able to add them via buttons or just typing them (if you know the codes).
24/12/02
I have started redoing the forum. It will now do everything that the older forum did, but using users. You need to log-in to post any messages, but you can still read messages without loging in. I still need to add smilies, editing of messages (this will only be possible if you are the logged as that owner of that message, thread titles are not editable) and other smaller changes.
13/12/02
I will be closing down around 10 am tommorow. Keep an eye on http://dave-webwizard.mypage.org, for this will be my site over the christmas holidays.
If you are staying longer than me, keep an eye on Daedalus. There may be a replacement forum there soon, based on my code
I will be back in the new year, i hope to see you then !
11/12/02
Sorry to confuse matters, but i am now leaving on saturday.
There is a new game, christmas themed
07/12/02
There is now an internal IRC server - 172.16.3.51 port 6667
Caveman is running it, its called Primal Rage. It may go up and down a fair bit as Caveman is still doing stuff. Don't ask me how to use IRC, cos i don't know myself - i just use the trillian client, which is very easy to use.
I will be leaving next sunday, and Dave-Webwizard comes with me. Bookmark http://dave-webwizard.mypage.org (this url will not work atm) to keep up to date on changes.
30/11/02
This is just to confirm, the network database is down, and it won't be coming back. ITS told me to close it due to the nature of a lot of files in it. I know by law this is a indexing service, and hence it is the people it indexes that are in the wrong, but you must remember that ITS are the ones letting me run this webserver.
24/11/02
I have improved the forum some more. Now when you view a thread, you can click on names to view some information about them. So far, it doesn't work properly certain html code, but im not bothered really. It is merely a forerunner for the system i will be implementing over christmas, and the way the system works will resolve this.
22/11/02
It seems the server was down from about 6/7pm till 12ish yesterday. Sorry, but i do have a life - i was out drinking.
I have had an e-mail from ITS, so the network files database is down until further notice.
20/11/02
I have turned the FTP account to my pc back on, but there is one restriction: you cannot download any files - so don't try. This may seem a bit strange, but i'm hoping to get more offers back if i let people see what i have available. Basically, if you see something you like, and you have something i'd like in return, we can do business. Please don't just send me a message saying "i would like this" or "i would like that" - its liable to get ignored.
18/11/02
On saturday i turned 22. God that feels old :-)
I have added something else to the cookies. You can now specify how many threads per page you want, from 10 to 50 in steps of 10. It is included in the cookie, so it will remember what you last set it to when you next visit.
The netsearch database is back to normal. It will be a bit quicker now, due to being spread across two machine.
15/11/02
Sorry about the lack of news, been busy on course work. I have updated the links page again, adding Turbanator and the Netgamer society websites.
Another addition to the forum is the use of cookies to indicate what threads are new or have been replied since you last visited the forum. The blue message icon indicates a fully viewed thread, the yellow open one a new/replied to thread. This uses cookies, and when i update the forum to have users, i will use a auto-login procedure to pick up the username/password you use from the cookie.
Yes, the forum went wrong again for a bit (maybe 20 mins). This was an error left when i deleted the test thread i had to test the cookie. It is now fixed, and only the last thread was lost.
12/11/02
I have improved the forum some more. Now when you reply to a thread, it lists the previous replies in reverse order below the fields, so you can refer back to it when repling. Threads now have a back to index button, and you can skip the wait times when creating a new thread or replying to one. Also, it lists the last posters name in the index.
09/11/02
I have started adding resnet sites to the links page. If you want to be added, contact me.
As mentioned in the forum, the network files database has been updated. As Minotaur is the designer of the system (my site is simply an interface to it), im not altogether sure what he has done. I understand a few things:
1) ranking method based on likelyhood of the computer being on (final column)
2) compatability with ftp crawler (should work, but no ftp data in as yet)
3) new order-by options e.g. filesize, computername, server type (more meaning when ftp data in), last found, filename. None are implemented on my site yet, stay tuned....
I will not be here most of tommorow - i am going to the netgamer lan party in the lemmy. Dave-Webwizard will still be up, i just won't be here to check on the forum or answer questions. If you want to come, its 10am -10pm in the lemmy. £5 to join netgamer, £2 to enter as a non-member.
08/11/02
Ok,ok,ok i just messed up the forum. The good news is that you can still view the old threads, just without titles or dates, and no replying or creating new ones. You can also search it, so you can find your own threads easily.
OK, the server will be down for about 10 mins between 1 and 2 while i remove the IBM drive for Tom1.
Someone just discovered a bug in my voting system. Seems that if the vote option has a space in it, then it only takes the first word. That is now sorted, so i will be restarting the vote yet again.
07/11/02
Your have one day left to bid on the IBM drive, it currently stands at £40. Sorry, i have restarted the vote because i forgot to allow people that voted in the last one to vote again.
06/11/02
I am back online, as of 10:45.
05/11/02
My port has been switched off, and will not be back until ITS decide my grovelling e-mail was sufficent, Probably sometime tommorow morning. I am as annoyed with the loss on everything as you probably are with the loss of my site.
I have decided to make best use of my time offline. I have Ghosted the main drive to the Western Digital for speedier hard drive speed, plus i can use the 20GB in another computer. This will probably mean little to the website, though it may be a tiny bit quicker, particually in heavy SQL commands (e.g. the searching the forum). Since the drives are no longer needed for films, i will be selling off the IBM drive to the highest bidder, bidding must start at £10 tho, and i am hoping to get to around £40. This drive is still well within warranty, so if it does die you can get a replacement from IBM - no proof of purchase required.
I have set up a new vote. If the result prove you need a guide, i will write one.
04/11/02
I have been bored again, so i have set a new high score on sushi fishing. To add a bit of interest, the first person to beat my score can have a film of his choice. I will need screenshots to prove it - no cheats
02/11/02
The forum now has a search function added. You can search for exact sentences, any/all of the words, and search both the message bodies and the thread titles.
01/11/02
Dave-webwizard has surpassed 30,000 hits this term so far, which is the same amount it got in an entire term last year. Thankyou for you continuing interest in my site.
30/10/02
I have updated my mp3s to include a simple search function, and added a reply to threads button at the bottom of threads as well as the top. I also attempted to update the pc building guide, only to find out that the prices have generally stayed the same, or gone up. My recommendation is put off buying hardware till the new year.
29/10/02
No more films from ftp, on ITSs orders. The film request service is no more, and no more public access to dave-webwizard2.
28/10/02
The connection to St Davids is back up, so so is the netsearch page. I have discovered that ITS are not happy with the amount of traffic that the server is doing, so i have dropped the FTP settings again. Now it is 4 users, 50Kb/s.
27/10/02
The connection to St Davids has gone down, so the netsearch page now uses the old database. When the connection is returned, i will revert it back to the new database.
26/10/02
I have updated the resnet guide to fit with current ITS suggested settings. I have also added a small section on proxomitron, with screenshots. I have added a search function to the film request service - exact matches only. Search for the film you want, then scroll down the page to request it.
The server went down a while (maybe 30 mins), so i could fix the problem with slow load times and hopefully the forum too. Let me know if there is further problems.
Another complication occured, due to the newer version of php used, and there was another set of downtime caused by it. But now my server is running the latest version of apache and php, so all bugs should be fixed. Please report any further problems. In theory, everything should be the quickest it can be.
25/10/02
Dave-webwizard was down for a while today, not sure how long for, i was asleep. Probably sometime in the morning till 1pm. Seems ITS cut off my port. I then registered on another computer and my port was active again. I think ITS will be cutting off non-payers now, so make sure you register soon.
24/10/02
A new poll is up. Please vote
23/10/02
Sorry, i completely forgot to allow those who had asked for films to ask again this week. You can now.
The new database is up ! So far it has way less files than the old one, but you are going to love the search functionality. Many thanks, Chris.
It is by no means complete though. It has yet to have date functions, but these will be added soon, and a count of the number of results. Later improvements will include ftp listings as well as Microsoft Networking.
20/10/02
I have added a list of all users with viruses. If you are on this list, please read the rest of the page to learn how to remove them and stop getting them.
19/10/02
scan today, and its roughly twice the size, which should make up for the lack of one yesterday. There is a few interesting posts in the forum, particually on webproxy authentication. I will be adding a link to a list of virus ridden users from the netsearch page soon, probably tommorow.
18/10/02
No scan tonight, since the scanning program cannot get a list of computers. First time this term i haven't taken one.
17/10/02
The virus scourge is still spreading across the network shares. Please make sure you check your computer for viruses.
16/10/02
For some reason, my network card no longer can connect to the ITS servers, So there was a long outage of service while i swapped some over. I will be looking into it.
15/10/02
The Disclaimer has been updated. Please read it before using my site.
14/10/02
Anyone who requested films can now request again. Remember, you can only request once a week ! The network files database is still growing, and i still have managed to do one scan a night. Ok, thanks sampson, i had't quite finished the addftp page. It now works perfectly. Sorry about that, if you tried to add yours, try again now.
12/10/02
The netsearch page has been updated every day so far, without fail. I have started the ftp server list. It will test the servers for being online and available for you. There is a page for adding your own ftp server, but be careful because they are checked. The list drop-down menu is back so i can include all lists again.
09/10/02
If anyone gets as bored as i did, try and beat my top score for sushi fishing.
The list has been updated too. I will try to do so every day.
08/10/02
Welcome back everyone!
The first scan of the network has been done, so you should be able to find your files now. Glad to see people starting to use the forum and film request service. Sorry about the limitation on that, but i am here to work you know....
I have extended the use of SQL in my site to include the films list and the counter system, cos the old method wasn't working so well.
04/10/02
I have been experimenting with sql and php some more. A temporary sql database for network shares will be up here
My mp3s have also been succesfully put into a sql database here
They can be easily updated thanks to a little program and some php scripts
02/10/02
The Pages Various pages have been updated to include latest developments, including Graphics cards, Amd motherboards and CPU upgrading
01/10/02
The Forum The Forum has been greatly enhanced. Now working purely on SQL rather than multiple text files, it is far superior. On the outside, it isn't that much different. I will list the differences here:
Shows 20 most recent threads
Buttons to go to the next 20 and previous 20
Number of views count
However, underneath it is a whole different engine. It is far more efficient and should be quicker than the old one. It also still has the preview mode.
28/09/02
The Pages The pc guides have been updated again. There are few changes, but the most powerful has been extended to £1100 to include the latest devolpments and an aluminum case. I decided not to improve the graphics card since the 4200 can be clocked up to the £350 cards anyway. The 9700 is too buggy to be included. The graphics page has been updated to include more on the latest cards, and the upgrade page to include the new AMD core.
24/09/02
The Pages The voting system has been vastly upgraded. It can now have more than 2 options, and i do not need to edit multiple pages - it is based on one very simple text file. A few problems were found elsewhere and have been corrected.
23/09/02
Software The trial on the ramdisk ran out, so i found a code for it and tried to register it. Then i could not get it to start up right again. It was about an hour later before i got it up and running properly again. I wish someone would bring out freeware xp compatable ramdisk software (and yes, i did look)
The Forum Just to confuse last years users, the forum will now allow you to preview your message before posting. This was a lot easier to sort out than i expected, and works perfectly. It was something i have wanted to add to it for ages. Links to a quick tutorial for HTML codes valid in the forum are also provided, for more interesting posts.
The Pages The RESnet page is complete, with example pictures from IE and Trillian.
21/09/02-22/09/02
I will be working on the site all weekend
Hardware The new 80GB has arrived, and is running fine. The Papst are also in and running silent, so 24/7 operation is guaranteed now. All that remains is to get the IBMs sorted.
The Pages The ftp page can now tell if the servers are online or not. If they are not, the page will not allow you to connect to them. This means that the page may take a while to load up, especially if one is offline.
A guide has been started for freshers setting up their software for the exeter uni network. There will also be a FAQ near the bottom for more advanced users.
The Images The images have been redone in photoshop. They are now high quality gifs instead of lower quality jpegs. They are also smaller for faster loading
17/09/02
I have decided to buy another of the drives i use in my main system - a Western Digital 800jb 80GB Special edition. I will order them Friday. When both IBMs die, i will send them back and sell on the replacements. If the replacments are 120GXPs i may keep them for other computers.
Also, i will buy 4 ultra-quiet Papst fans for use in dave-webwizard, and perhaps replace the cpu fan on my main computer too. This will mean easy sleep for me when they are on.
I will be adding a simple HTML guide link to the message/thread/reply pages so more people can understand how to write better messages and make their name look cool. I will also write a "how to use resnet" page for all the freshers. This will include a FAQ at the bottom.
11/09/02
I have started applying custom style sheets. So far only the scrollbars have been reskinned, but thanks to the php formating i use, it is very easy to improve on it.
Big downer on the raid idea :-( one of the IBMs has died again, and i expect the other one will follow it soon. I will probably get replacements, sell them on and get hold of a cheap 80GB drive in the meantime, probably seagate, maxtor or WD. I will never touch IBMs after this.
08/09/02
The big fan is here, so the spec page has been updated accordingly. The biggest hardware change is to Dave-Webwizard itself. Now that it is using the kt7a board, it has a raid controller, so i will be putting the two IBMs into a Raid0 array - making one 80GB disk rather than two 40GB ones. This will avoid the annoying film1/film2 directory problem. The cooling method has also changed - it now uses 3x80mm fans rather than 2x80mm and a 60mm. This keeps the cpu nice and cool, while also making less noise. This means i can go to sleep with it on, so Dave-Webwizard will remain a 24/7 service.
A new addition to Dave-Webwizard is the for sale page where i sell off anything i don't want. Currently for sale is a digital camera and a Handheld computer. I will inform you here if anything is added.
22/08/02
The fan *should* be on its way. I have created a brand new script for viewing photos that actually works. It is a complex script created out of javascript and php, that creates a pop-up window of a particular size, puts the picture in it, resizes that to fit any screen size and then resizes itself to match the image. Im quite proud of it. More pictures pages will follow now it works.
18/08/02
Still no sign of the big fan. I have had to drop down to default speed because of the heat at the moment. Th forum page is even simpler that i anticipated - just click a link on the page, and the older posts drop below it. This also requires no new code on my part. More pages are in the process of updating. I am also starting up my broadband based website.
06/08/02
The big fan has not arrived yet. I have put the film request service up as described, and it has been fully tested. I have an idea for the forum - after a set period, inactive threads will be moved to an inactive thread page, which can still be viewed. Posting a reply to an inactive thread moves it to the front page again. The code is not ready yet, but it should be simple to do.
02/08/02
My replacement motherboard came yesterday, so the main PC is now back up fine. However, the bigger, better and quieter fans i ordered have not yet arrived, so the pictures of it will have to wait until they do.
I have thought up another improvement - for me, not you. You can only request once a week. This is done on a per-person basis, and there is no way round it. I need this because during my 3rd year i will be very busy, and the film request service used up a lot of my time last term, due to demand.
30/07/02
A lot has been done. The server has been upgraded to a duron 800. The mp3 list now returns in less than 10 seconds. All pages will be updated by the time I return, and the graphics used on the pages will be smoother and more accurate than before
The pc guide price values have been changed to better suit the pc they are aimed at. They are now just £350, £550 and £1000. A introduction has also been put in to describe why the guides are there.
Pictures of my holiday in Malta and the last few weeks of term in Kilmorie will be included, and a new javascript routine will be written to make sure the dimensions of the pop-up window match the size of the picture. I may even design it around a php script that gives you options to move through the pictures
The lists will stay much as they are now, and i hope my friend has managed to write the SQL database by the time we get back, when i will incorperate it into my design. I will hope to have advanced searches (not just strings but multiple words, filesizes, file types and even the results could tell you if they should be online or not !)
The forum will be changed slightly too. An e-mail address is no longer required to post a message. The old forum will be available by a direct link. Other changes may be possible - like a message count for the number of messages on a thread, or dates for both start of thread and last post date. I will see how it goes.
Now for bad news. At the moment, my main pc is down and out. I managed to kill my motherboard (accidentally). When i tried to put the system into a new kick arse case (pictures to follow when it is working again), i forgot to remove some cables - namely the LEDs and switches - and seriously bent them. Somehow, this killed the board. It is being RMAed at the moment. Hopefully it will be up and running again very soon.