While taking a break from Woodworking after the steamer trunks and veneering classes I decided to make some updates to the web site. Once you start doing these things it is easy to get carried away and spend more time then expected on it. The following additions have been made:

• Ability to use PHP code in pages and posts, this will help me have an avenue for some of my long term site plans.
• Ability to place the entire web site into maintenance mode if needed while displaying a banner page.
• Improvement to the search engine of the site and have it return highlighted results.
• The contact form was added on the site which will send me an email, much easier to use for any visitor then the mailto link.
• Use of my gallery for posting images into blog entries, will allow users one place for all images instead of looking at each blog post. Allows me to keep my images more organized, I hope.
• I added some backend support tools for my own use including an improved editor and database maintenance tools.
• I changed the favicon for the site, which shows up in bookmarks and on some browser’s tabs.
• Various small aesthetic changes were made wherever possible.

What does all this mean? Well hopefully going forward the ability to provide a more enjoyable site experience and additional features. Features in the works include a library/reference page of materials and books I use, moving all the images of past post to the gallery for easy viewing, and including Google Sketchup designs and ideas in posts.

I have considered opening up comments to the blog entries, but at this time I have decided against it. My hobby at this point is Woodworking and not running a website, nor do I have the time. I decided the contact form was enough for now to allow people a means to communicate and I can post questions and comments manually as needed.

Adding more revenue making items such as ads, Amazon shopping, and logo apparel to the site has also crossed my mind. I enjoy doing this site for myself and others that might read it to sharing my Woodworking ideas and experiences, not to make money. To go down this route means more of a time commitment and potentially having to curb my opinions and ideas. I am not ready to step it up to this level yet.

Videos have also been at the back of my mind and with my Mac I could start them, but I need a video camera. You would think being a dad of some very young kids I would have one of these, but I just never got around to buying one. I believe someday I will and when that time comes, woodworking video segments will be following close behind.

Enjoy the web site changes and information; hopefully for me it is now back to the shop and woodworking on a regular bases.