Between chapters I typically think about doing some work on the website. Outside of page posting and near-permanent browser tab residence I never monkey with the thing otherwise. Presently, I’m planning a couple of minor updates to templates and whatnot before I get serious about DCR.5 pre-production. DCR.5 already has a script, has layouts, has several key assets created, and is generally chomping at the bit in ways that previous chapters never have. Downtime will be shorter than usual, and during that downtime I intend to accomplish the following:

1. Comments overhaul. The CAPTCHA thing that made the current commenting system work appears to have died in its sleep some time ago. The comment system will be upgraded to what dcr.org is presently using, as foreshadowed previously.

2. In line with that, once comments have been debugged to my satisfaction they will again be enabled on all three books as well as the blog. Some future version of the site may expand this to Universe.

3. “Tool tips” will be implemented for all graphical links. Main left column navigation and the previous/next bars – and possibly the book root menus as well. Book roots will probably get a bit of CSS love as well – a background color declaration on the graphics is long overdue.

So, that’s it. It’s a short list and I should be able to bang it out in short order. Possibly this weekend, definitely before the end of April. With the exception of transplanting comment logic this is all extremely trivial stuff – the real update-and-overhaul will take place between DCR.5 and Transitional Voices 2.

As with past website updates, the changes will be announced in a future blog post.

18:48 : Comments are GO!. Tool tips are NOT! Due to poor interface design choices during the 2010 site build and a total derp on what to do/say in the first test instance, work on the site is presently half done. I’m presently learning towards shelving them for the moment, and doing it up all Right And Proper after DCR.5 wraps.