The past week I’ve been working behind the scenes to transfer my web hosting and registration to DreamHost, and switch over to Movable Type. The domain name servers have just been changed, which means the rebelprince.com URL will start pointing to my new space over at DreamHost, but it takes as much as a couple of days for the change to propagate… across the universe! Bwah ha ha. Or something like that. (There’s something about the word “propagate” that makes me think of viruses. Or world domination. Anyway.) So, if and when you read this on my spiffy redesigned webpage (think “indigo”), then you’re at the new space. If you can’t wait and want a sneak peek, check out the mirror server at http://rebelprince.dreamhost.com.
And so I finally know what Movable Type is, and how it differs from some of the other systems. MT is software that runs directly on your web host server. Installing it is not for the faint of heart. I had to exercise some brain cells I hadn’t used in a few years, like the ones in charge of basic UNIX commands. But surprisingly enough, it all went pretty smoothly.
One thing I like is the integration. MT has built-in comment and e-mail notification functions, which previously I had to pull from other sources. And all the code is customizable, almost so customizable that all the choices can be intimidating, but it’s like learning a new language, one where most of the words look like <$MT…$>. I’ve imported all my old Blogger entries and YACCS comments, but I’ll be publishing them on a continuing basis, since I have to do some quality control to get make sure all the formatting is okay. For example, in the imported comments, where I had typed the HTML code — to get the m-dash (—), the conversion takes it literally, and renders the ampersand too (&dash;), which is icky. It’s going, slowly but surely.
Well, I hope you like all the changes. That’s one small step for Jeff, one giant leap for Rebel Prince.
5 replies on “Ch-ch-changes”
Looks great Jeffy! How exciting all this is!
Jeff, it’s a triumph.
Wow! Jeff goes digital. 🙂
You have been busy. I do not have the patience for things like that so well done you. 🙂
Propogate makes me think of growing flower bulbs under clear plastic in grade 4.
“When will they start to sprout Mrs Harrison”?
“Oh you’ll just have to be patient Johnny” replied the teacher.
I have clearly caught Jeff in full bloom. I love that picture of the ballet dancers… Is it Cezanne Jeff? You will always be my D.C. Flaneur Jeff, but slacker bon vivant gave me a thrill. Your link for Paddington isn’t up and running (I love that bear) so I think I am going to send you a silly Paddington link of my own, just for fun. Talk soon. You rock our world.
Lub Natey
Yay! Each site remake outdoes the first!
I especially love the “remember personal info” button. I feel if I don’t mark, it, you will not remember my shoe size, favorite color, or the anecdote about the day I had when every time I mentioned “llamas” people thought I was referring to the Dalai Lama.
ps. Do you like my Cubist emoticon? I thought it up myself…
What are you planning on seeing at the DC film festival?
Thanks, folks. Nate, you’re close; the painting of the ballet dancers is by Degas. And I’ve restored the link to Paddington’s picture, so you can admire him now.
Rajani, ha. Yes, the “remember personal info” is like selective amnesia. It’s all, “What? Who are you? Where am I?”
Shelly, eep, the filmfest is fast approaching and I haven’t even looked over the movie list! Must do that soon.