Changes Coming to XJRider

[radare]

The time is right for me to start laying out the next set of changes that the site will be going through. Over the next six to eight months, I see some big changes for XJRider.

First, PHPBB3.2 is rolling out within the next few months and it is changing the way the site's core software works. It is very likely that the home-brew theme that we've been using since the inception of 3.1 won't work. Because of this, I expect the site to get a new look-and-feel with PHPBB3.2. Either that, or, I will spend a great deal of time coding the existing theme to work with the new core. If you're interested in some of the big changes to 3.2, you can read those here.

Second, I expect to have a business grade line and dedicated IP extended to the house by October. This will allow me to get the server up-and-running, thus creating a mirror of XJRider. After months of testing, if the server works out, XJRider will be moved to it full-time and we will no longer rely on the hosting service we currently use. This will bring some positives (and negatives) to the table. I hope to time this with the PHPBB3.2 rollout, thus creating a fresh version of the site on the server. More to come on this one.

Third, I am considering restructuring the site's how-to's into a graphical type display. Instead of searching for them via categories, I would provide a digital image of an XJ600 and clicking on the modifications would open the how-to for that modification. Of course, this is low-priority compared to one and two but something in works.

Fourth, I am also considering expanding the site to include the newest Diversion and FZ6R. If I were to do this, though, I would buy one myself and use it as the basis for creating site content, much like I've done with the XJ. The reason for expanding into the newer bikes is to try and keep the community going. I know that XJ's are getting old and there are fewer and fewer of them, giving our little community a shelf life and probably a shorter one than I'd like. By embracing the new models, I would be able to build knowledge base and improve site envolvement, at least in theory.

Fifth, I have a BIG announcement regarding my own personal life and its impact on XJRider but I'm waiting until the first of July to post notice.