Plucker Website Redesign and Updates

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The Plucker website is getting a substantial facelift. I'm going to add a huge host of new features over the next couple of months. You will see improvements in speed, functionality, and interactivity on the site. We're getting a record 40,000+ hits a day now, so we need change a few things around.

Here's a short list of what to expect:

• Mailing list search engine
  That's right, after being long offline, you will now be able to search every message from the various Plucker mailing lists through a new portion of the website here.

• Build It vs. Gather It
  The 'Build It' section will be updated to handle the new Plucker syntax, and will also be opened up a bit to allow you to actually use it to gather content. You heard right, you'll be able to use 'Build It' very soon to actually gather and create your content for you, much like the PDF Convertor does now.

• Plucker T-Shirts
  I've spoken to several artists, and am awaiting some slides of potential artwork to go onto the Plucker T-Shirts. Once I get the designs, and send them off to the printer, you will be able to get your very own Plucker T-shirt. Portions of the proceeds will go to the FSF to assist in their efforts.

• User-Submitted Plucker Databases
  The 'Samples' section will be expanded to allow users to submit converted Plucker databases for other users to download and enjoy. You will be allowed to put in a description, filename, and upload your own optimized version of ebooks, Plucker docs, or websites, converted for other users in Plucker format.

• Convert to...
  At the bottom of each article you read, you'll see a '[DOC format] [Plucker format]' set of links. Since we've migrated the network from one coast to the other, this function was not reconfigured. It will be amended, and properly tied to the articles database.

• Plucker Website Lite
  The website currently is designed for text-mode and graphical browsers, and looks appealing in each of them, respectively, but is not optimized for viewing on a Palm handheld device. As I begin converting things over, the new site underneath will appear the same on top, but respond MUCH faster to users. The site will also have a Palm-sized version available when you hit the site with Plucker on your palm.

• PODS
  Some people have heard of the system I've been building in my spare time called P.O.D.S., or Palm Open Directory System (name subject to change). PODS is a fast database-driven system of collecting, harvesting, and displaying URLS formatted in a Palm-sized format for you to configure and use for your own browsing. As the system matures, you will be allowed to log into PODS, configure your sites, and schedule the gathering/download of the content.

• Plucker Interactive Setup
  Each of the functions of Plucker can seem a bit confusing for some users. I'm going to add a more verbose "interactive" set of screenshots, HOWTOs, and animations that will show you how to configure and use Plucker to its fullest.

• Links
  Third-party links are currently absent, but that will be corrected. Many people have helped develop, support, and promote the Plucker project in various ways. We don't want to forget who our friends are, so we're going to give them the recognition they deserve.

• User Articles
  Users will soon be able to submit articles, testimonies, and helpful hints for other users to share and use for their own here. Articles will be reviewed before being posted.