Author: chris

BeatsBase.com

Posted on by chris

One of the other major things taking my time up is an exciting new web project:

BeatsBase.com logo

I started this in earnest just before Christmas, and development is going well with the front end pretty much done. You can see the pre-launch page here, which will give you a pretty good idea of what the site’s about. There’s also a blog by Mr BeatsBase himself; Robbie.

BeatsBase.com is built on WordPress MU, the multi-user version of the incredibly popular WordPress blogging system. Early on in the project I realised that while it’s entirely possible for me to write an entire system myself to do all this, it would take a long time and therefore be costly. Using a powerful and scalable system that takes care of the basics – user registration, blogs, pages, content management and user administration – means I have more time to spend doing the real meat of the website.

And what is that meat? Well, in a nutshell (mmm, meat in a nutshell…) BeatsBase.com is a community site for DJs that allows people to share and use information about tracks such as the BPM (beats per minute), key, style etc. Users can also build playlists from multiple tracks, and save details about events. And of course everything a user does – adding tracks, creating playlists, adding events – links back to their own personal blog.

Just in case you thought that this doesn’t sound very Web 2.0-ish, tracks and playlists will be rateable, everything with have RSS (and probably Atom) feeds, and there will be judicious use of AJAX for those of a progressively-enhanced bent.

So, take a look, sign up and keep an eye on progress. It’ll be great when it’s ready.

A new job

Posted on by chris

I have a new job, as I announced late last year. I actually started a couple of weeks ago, and so far it’s going very well. Eventually the website will have something on it, but for now you just get a nice logo (made a bit more Web 2.0-ish by me).

Figure Out logo

I would tell you what we’re doing, but it probably wouldn’t interest a lot of you. Still, we got a little write-up in the Money Marketing magazine. 2Plan is the company we’re building software for, by the way.

The directors were unavailable for comment, but Steve my fellow developer had this to say:

Are you going to make a cup of tea yet?

Which is nice, I think you’ll agree.

And we’re back

Posted on by chris

For various reasons I’ve been off blogging for nearly a month. I’ll spend a little time explaining exactly what I’ve been up to (note to self: new job, BeatsBase, marriage blessing, Andys gig etc) once I’ve got a few teething problems ironed out with the site.

Because, as you can see, I’ve redesigned stillbreathing.co.uk. Actually, this design was done last year but I’ve only just got around to getting it online. What do you think? This will be my official blog from now on, and I have a huge sack full of ideas for it. Watch this, or indeed that, space.

End of year roundup…

Posted on by chris

This is a traditional new years eve for me, involving a couple of bottles of beer, Jools Holland and watching hundreds of fireworks explode across the valley. Living at the top of a hill with such a good view is great by day and by night.

This last year has been pretty noteworthy on a number of fronts. For one thing our son Reuben was born, we got officially hitched, and we made a new home for ourselves here at The Mill. I also did some major things at work, the biggest of which was handing my notice in – I start my new job in a few days time. All in all 2006 will remain in my memory for being the year I felt I’d finally come out of the tunnel into the light, started a new path properly and left the past behind. It feels good, and I have high hopes for 2007.

There’s be a lot of changes around here over the next few weeks, but I’ll let you know about all those as they happen. I’ll just finish 2006 by thanking you for reading and wish you all the very best for the coming year.

In memory of Alan…

Posted on by chris

I found out tonight a friend of mine died today. His name was Alan, he and his wife Mary have been friends of my wife for many years, and I have got to know then quite well over the last couple of years. Alan was diabetic, and although his health has not been good for a long time this has been an upsetting piece of news.

I have to say I didn’t know him as well as I would have liked to. I knew he had a love of music, in fact he taught several children I know to play the piano, and last Christmas he invited me to play in a brass band with him, which was fun. But it was only during a conversation last week I discovered he had a particular love for jazz, especially jazz piano. I’d just popped round to drop off their card and presents and we got chatting about Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck and a few others. He wanted to find a recording of Art Tatum playing “Tiger Rag” which I’m sure either my dad or I have got somewhere. We were going to arrange a session listening to jazz music, and probably drinking whisky. That will never happen now.

I’m glad I knew Alan even for a short time, and can only pray that he is finally at peace. However I’d appreciate your prayers for Mary who is going to have to learn to cope with life alone after more than half a century with Alan by her side.

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I’m going to be off-line for at least a week, so I hope you all have an enjoyable, relaxing and fulfilling Christmas and New Year.