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& Giftshop
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- Help Desk Archives
- Weird E-Mail
- E Mail WB3
- E Mail RD
Hypercon
Mid-March 1999 (UPDATE)
BIG NEWS! The Newly Rebuilt Giftshop is now up and running! No more javascript errors or cookie warnings because it uses none of that stuff. The new system is all server side database driven using ColdFusion® and SQL. It will run on just about anything including webTV and AOL. Unfortunately we still have a few bugs. If you hit a screen telling you there is an error simply hit your backbutton. Alternatively if you proceed to checkout and you are not prompted for further information...hit the back button. These are the only 2 bugs we have discovered so far after more than 300+ hours of testing both from within and without the Hypercon network. We hope to have them solved by March 31 or before.
MORE BIG NEWS! We finally have our very own colocated Dell server dedicated to nothing but the blacksmith shop. The Gift Shop and Blacksmith Cam are already operating on it and we hope to have the rest of the site there by the end of the March. With it will come a better server stats package and a few other goodies. We are still on the amazing "hits" trend, logging in some 26,000 hits in February and 20,000 so far for the first 17 days in March.
--wb3
Last Newsletter:
We updated the Bookstore adding a bunch of new titles and a quick index. Lots of additions in the practical metallurgy department as well as ornamental ironwork categories. We captured some of the LyttonCam images and made a full length .avi (about a minute or so) movie. We hope to have some new product out by spring '99 including some glass table bases. If you are interested in getting in on the first production run, e-mail us and we will put your name on the list.
We have finally made some progress on the F.A.Q. page (aka the Help Desk Archives) adding some basic information on where to get anvils, tools and coal. We broke 29,000 hits in January 1999 and after subtracting the camera uploads still received over 23,000 hits which is hands down a new record. We are still going strong with over 10,000 hits (excluding camera uploads) averaging over 800 hits per day as of February 14, 1999. In spite of their current problems we received 4 hits this month from someone in Croatia. Check out our latest Server Stats.
Not bad for two guys in a converted hog barn.
--wb3
Last Newsletter:
We now have a new navigation bar to help you get around the site better. RD and I have been working to get products in the gift shop and fill some custom orders to boot. We went throught a seasonably warm winter here so far but we are now getting the 20 degree and less payback.
We hope to have the blacksmith cam up and running again the week immediately prior to new year's. Shop expansion is on schedule, nothing more to report.
--wb3
Just in time for the holidays! Send a custom blacksmithing greeting card to your friends & family. CLICK HERE
Our SSL secure on-line e-commerce is up and we are making stuff for the holidays. These are one of a kind gifts that no matter how hard we tried probably could never be duplicated. They are named after Texas towns, creeks and historical sites. Check it out here. You can get something really good for under $20.
The country shop expansion is nearing completion. When we are done we will have twice as much room as before and the ability to handle really long hunks of iron without hitting the walls or each other.
The drought has officially ended with the biggest flood in the Texas Hill Country since 1810. Little old Lytton Creek rose 30, that's thirty, feet and after it all receded left us with about 6 foot of mud on the bridge which took a tractor and half a day to clear a path.
RD cut his hair.
We broke 15,000 hits in October 1998, a record for us. Check out our server statistics (historical since we obtained our domain name) here. Check out our strangely related bullfighting and Mexico City site at Feria Agosto 98. This is a trip RD & I made back in August of this year.
Til next time...
Keep hammerin'
---wb3