Topic: 10 and gone?

[stevebrtx]

Today I posted a notice on ChapalaWeather.net celebrating the 10 anniversary and also that it is closing down this evening. It's like a child is leaving home, every single day for 10 years I started, and usually ended, the day checking on the site. But it was time to move on and close the chapter. In the last 4 1/2 years we had nearly 7 million visits from 142 countries, so for what started as a small weather site, we had some fun and did some good.

[ocala]

Congrats on 10 years!
Thats a long time.
I think mine only lasted about 3 .

[PaulMy]

Congratulations, and a very nice achievement.  But time moves on and change happens...

Enjoy,
Paul


 

[mackbig]

Congrats Steve.    I actually found out about your site retirement indirectly.  I got this odd message from my "contact-us" page. 

To: Webmaster
From:
Wayne Maston
sea********x@gmail.com

Message:
We will miss you, after only 3 years in Ajijic we have come to depend
upon you, sorry you are going. Thanks foe everything, Wayne

Sent from (ip address): 187.211.151.60
(dsl-187-211-151-60-dyn.prod-infinitum.com.mx)
Coming from (referer): http://www.mackweather.com/wxcontact.php.

Seeing the domain was in Mexico and the reference to Ajijic... a few google's later I was able to link it back to your site.  Not sure how or why he posted from my site, but figured you'd want to see it.

Let me know if you want the actual email address... I masked it for this post.

Andrew

[ValentineWeather]

I know the feeling it was hard when I retired and closed my Page Az website many depended on it along with cameras, it was a 13 year run with a couple hundred visitors strong daily being I was located near shores of Lake Powell. Most letters I received were positive thanking me with a couple demanding I keep it open.

[stevebrtx]

Yes, the emails are trickling in and two of the local forums down there have threads running. I posted somewhat of a description of what it takes to do it the way I do and so now a few are pontificating on how it could be done more easily etc. So, I'm just watching and smiling. One guy down there, a young lawyer may do something. I offered to turn it back on if he'll buy a station and have someone write new templates in something like Dreamweaver etc. It's currently in FrontPage, I've used it for nearly 20 years and know how to make it work, training someone on out dated software isn't the way to go.

[jgillett]

...have someone write new templates in something like Dreamweaver etc.

Steve, unable to move to Ken's template set? I use them and DW handles everything just fine (an old version running locally - not the online junk from Adobe).

I understand having to close down. My ISS battery died and because of a neurological problem I am no longer able to get up to the roof to replace it. So, everything that comes from the VP2+ at night is just "---". Not good. Under consideration now is closing down after 11+ years.

[ValentineWeather]

John that sucks. I just moved my mother from Sun City to Houston last fall or I would have been down in area to help change your ISS battery. It really needs relocated where you can reach. Hope someone in area can give a hand.

[jgillett]

John that sucks.

I completely agree.

I just moved my mother from Sun City to Houston last fall or I would have been down in area to help change your ISS battery. It really needs relocated where you can reach. Hope someone in area can give a hand.

Drat - wish I had known (or foreseen this problem).

Really no place to put the stuff that wouldn't block it in one direction or another. The trip to the roof every Jan was an old habit and all three batteries got changed. Worked just fine (until I got old!).

Any thought on Ken's template set and DW?

[saratogaWX]

Funny thing about Dreamweaver -- I've been using it for 20 years, and the Saratoga template set was generated using it (and is maintained using it to this day).  My first Dreamweaver was V3 with Macromedia.. I'm now at Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 .. never saw a reason to update to the 'leased' versions (CS7+).

Yes, the template set is compatible with pretty much any WYSIWYG modern HTML/CSS editor.

[stevebrtx]

I have a copy of Dreamweaver, several years old now, tried it and didn't follow through. So this morning I looked online to see about converting from FP to DW and it doesn't look worth the effort. Then I came across the fact that it's apparently currently a monthly subscription and that was like a cross to a vampire for me, I will not pay a subscription for the amount of use I get out of a product And, I retired VP of sales for a software company so I understand, but my personal choice is to NOT. For instance Quicken is apparently going that direction, I've updated to 2017, but that's the last dollar they'll ever see from me for the basic simple things I do and need done.

[jgillett]

Funny thing about Dreamweaver -- I've been using it for 20 years, and the Saratoga template set was generated using it (and is maintained using it to this day).  My first Dreamweaver was V3 with Macromedia.. I'm now at Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 .. never saw a reason to update to the 'leased' versions (CS7+).

Yes, the template set is compatible with pretty much any WYSIWYG modern HTML/CSS editor.

Pretty much the same with me, Ken. Long time DW user and my copy here at home is CS5. The only unfortunate thing is it's a PC version, not Mac, so I have to run Parallels/W10 (10 was not my choice) to get things done. But, DW purrs along and that's the bottom line.

Interesting, and pleased, to know you're using the old workhorse as well.   

[jgillett]

...I will not pay a subscription for the amount of use I get out of a product

I won't pay for one - period. Bad move on Adobe's part, IMHO.

[saratogaWX]

That's why I stuck with the Adobe Dreamweaver CS6 (Version 12, build 5861) and didn't 'upgrade' to CS7, which was a subscription only version.  I, too, do not like software that is 'leased' to me.. I want a license to install/run on my system, not from some 'cloud' with monthly/yearly fees.

Yes, Dreamweaver has a bunch of bells/whistles and a lot of sometimes confusing controls/widgets.  It does allow me to maintain separate sites with version control and different upload credentials.  A handy 'local - remote' dual pane allows maint and sync of updates with the document trees/remote sites easily -- kept me (somewhat) sane with all the different sites I use on various hosters (and a local XAMPP installation).

[jgillett]

Agreed, it does have a lot of extras, most of which I never use (and never had the need for when I was using it in a paying job). The out of the box setup is great and gets all my tasks done. Your situation, however, certainly calls for a lot of those extras. DW is a great package (sans 'lease') with my V11, build 4993.

[stevebrtx]

I guess this winter when it's "inside" time I should probably dig into DW and learn it and see what it can do for me. I still have the Buchanan Dam weather site on FP, so it could help - maybe. I hate to be cheap, but when the SS check is the only income and everyone else, water, electric, you name it are going up, then you have to cut when and where you can. I cut out XM radio, finally negotiated a 2 year agreement with Dish, fought a losing fight with my water company (my water bill for minimal usage is almost double my total property taxes for the year?) and so it goes. And, like I said, I totally understand recurring revenue, but as a featherweight user of most applications, it doesn't make $ense. The NFL has made some monumental mistakes recently, I think some of the software companies are doing the same.

[jgillett]

Financial problems I know. Am also on a fixed 'income' and it really stinks.

Spend some time on DW and I think you'll be very happy. Also consider Ken's templates so you wouldn't have to do any reprogramming from FP.

[Andy G]

I dont like the subscription model either Luckly i have CS6. But another side of the coin is Adobe's stock price since the switch to subscription model June 2013 Price $43 This past Fridays closing price $171.

[jgillett]

I dont like the subscription model either Luckly i have CS6. But another side of the coin is Adobe's stock price since the switch to subscription model June 2013 Price $43 This past Fridays closing price $171.

And that will probably go to their heads with no more consideration for the 'old way' with DW.

[Maumelle Weather]

Hi Steve,

As another happy user of DW CS6, I whole heartedly agree about learning it. It was the best $400 I had spent in some time. I got one of the last copies Amazon had right after Adobe announced the subscription (SAAS) model. Like Ken and others, I am not "leasing" software, period.

John

[stevebrtx]

All of a sudden I have several people determined to take over the weather station in MX that I closed. I really don't want to hold hands and so we're having a conversation tomorrow and I'm telling them that I'll provide the whole package of 10 years worth of data etc. but the templates will be in FrontPage, you're on your own. We'll see how it goes. Once I'm finished unloading that it only leaves my weather site up here in TX and I'll probably just leave it on FP. I've got an old copy of Dreamweaver, I'll probably take a look at it.

[stevebrtx]

As it turned out 2 fellows stepped up and convinced me to let them continue the station, so we turned it back on today and now everyone is happy, the community has the weather station, the guys are doing a public service and I'm happy to know the station has a future and is in good hands, so a happy ending all around.