New site launched for Side Challenges

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

10/31/2006 08:26:03 PM · #1

Hello Everyone,

I have been working on a new site to make the side challenges a lot more user friendly!

I have put up a demo side challenge so you can take it for a test drive. Feel free to submit photos to the demo side challenge, leave comments etc. The demo side challenge just contains a couple of my photos from dpchallenge.com and some of my favorite photos from dpchallenge.com.

dpcSides

Features
- To submit a photo you just enter the image id from dpchallenge.com and the site will automatically pull the title, photographer comments, photographer username and how to display the image from dpchallenge.com. This lets you keep all of your images on dpchallenge.com but make them viewable on dpcSides.
- View all of the images for a side in one place on one page
- Sequentially view photos submitted to the side challenge (just like you view them when voting on dpchallenge.com
- Leave comments on photos that are separate from the comments on dpchallenge.com so they don't clutter up the 'recently commented on' page.

I have spent 2 days developing and 2 days testing the site so please keep in mind that there may be small bugs that were over looked.

I plan on making large updates and adding features over the next week so if you have any suggestions please use the 'Suggestions' link on dpcSides.

You can also view a more indepth overview of the site by going to dpcSides and clicking on the 'About' link in the top right hand corner.

I don't know if I finished in time for the Woody and Ducky side challenge but you can test it out and let me know what you think.

Also, dpcSides is a personal project of mine. It is not an official dpchallenge.com site

-James

Judi

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

10/31/2006 08:28:39 PM · #2

It looks great...congrats!

slide12345678

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/31/2006 08:29:37 PM · #3

i didn't notice any pages on the site which are secure
especially the login/pass pages

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

10/31/2006 08:31:46 PM · #4

Thanks Judi!

Slide: Yes that is true. I am working on setting up ssl for the login/account pages. Those are the only pages I think need it. Hopefully in the next day or so.

sfalice

Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

10/31/2006 08:33:23 PM · #5

Say, this is fun. I'm one of those 'intuitive' users who poke at buttons until one works, and even I was able to navigate your site without a problem.

Elvis_L

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

10/31/2006 08:35:49 PM · #6

looks cool. I put a photo up there for you and it worked like a charm.

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/31/2006 08:35:53 PM · #7

Originally posted by sfalice:

Say, this is fun. I'm one of those 'intuitive' users who poke at buttons until one works, and even I was able to navigate your site without a problem.

awesome!

One note:
comments made on dpcSides are completely seperate from comments made on dpchallenge.com The comments made on dpcSides are only viewable on dpcSides.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

10/31/2006 09:16:45 PM · #8

James,

This is an interesting concept, but have you contacted Drew and Langdon for permission to do this?

Without that permission, the site may violate several sections of the DPChallenge Terms of Use agreement as well as the respective photographers' copyrights. While I'm sure that permission would not be denied without good reason, it's probably still best to ask before developing this further.

~Terry

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

10/31/2006 09:21:18 PM · #9

Why? DPC is just fine for me. If I'm going to spend time commenting, viewing, etc...I'd much rather do it here than on some copycat site. JMO of course.

Canon EF 28-135mm F/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/31/2006 09:24:42 PM · #10

Originally posted by ClubJuggle:

Hello,

I sent Langdon a PM when I first started developing it a couple of days ago and ask if he had any comments or anything to let me know. I haven't heard from him yet.

There are a couple of things I would like to talk to him about though. Some about this project and some about the information in general on dpchallenge.com

As far as copyright I did not think I was violating anything since the photographer is listed under the image on every page. If you click the photographers name then it takes you back to their profile on dpchallenge.com. I have also written it where no matter who submits the photo to dpcSides the correct photographer is always credited. That is how I created the demo side challenge.

I thank you for raising these concerns though and if Langdon sees this please send me a PM or I can get you my email address. Any adjustments that need to be made to it to make them feel comfortable with it can easily be made.

ClubJuggle

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

10/31/2006 09:27:57 PM · #11

Langdon was away all weekend. He's probably still catching up on email.

Generally speaking, any time you are contacting SC or an Administrator about a Site issue, it's best to use the Contact page (under the Help menu). You'll typically get a faster response that way.

You'll get a reminder of this any time you go to PM any one of us.

~Terry

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

10/31/2006 09:28:11 PM · #12

Originally posted by glad2badad:

Why? DPC is just fine for me. If I'm going to spend time commenting, viewing, etc...I'd much rather do it here than on some copycat site. JMO of course.

This is not meant as a replacement for DPC. It is meant to make it easier to view the side challenge entries than viewing a long list of different blogs and such.

And your comment points out one of the beautiful things (if I say so :) about dpcSides and that is that your images are still on DPC. The comments on dpcSides were put there to keep them out of the way of the people viewing the 'recently commented on photos' page on dpchallenge.com.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

10/31/2006 09:52:23 PM · #13

Originally posted by mssnare:

Originally posted by glad2badad:
Why? DPC is just fine for me. If I'm going to spend time commenting, viewing, etc...I'd much rather do it here than on some copycat site. JMO of course.

This is not meant as a replacement for DPC. It is meant to make it easier to view the side challenge entries than viewing a long list of different blogs and such.

And your comment points out one of the beautiful things (if I say so :) about dpcSides and that is that your images are still on DPC. The comments on dpcSides were put there to keep them out of the way of the people viewing the 'recently commented on photos' page on dpchallenge.com.

Sorry. Still not getting it, but that's fine. I like DPChallenge pretty much as it is. If I don't want to see certain categories of threads then I can choose not to display them via my preference settings (I actually show all but The Critique Club currently).

Originally posted by mssnare:

- To submit a photo you just enter the image id from dpchallenge.com and the site will automatically pull the title, photographer comments, photographer username and how to display the image from dpchallenge.com. This lets you keep all of your images on dpchallenge.com but make them viewable on dpcSides.

This just doesn't feel right. DPChallenge data being ported to another site.

Originally posted by mssnare:

- Leave comments on photos that are separate from the comments on dpchallenge.com so they don't clutter up the 'recently commented on' page.

Why? It's hard enough to get people to comment on images that reside on DPChallenge sometimes. If comments are left on the copycat site images they're not going to show up on DPChallenge. So then you have disparate websites running with mostly the same data, but not all. Not only that, then you have people expending energy and time on an image that really belongs on DPChallenge.

I prefer keeping the data in one place rather than having to check another site for other comments that "might" be there. BTW, who says the recently commented on page needs changing? Was there an admin poll or announcement saying it needed to be changed for sure? I enjoy reading other peoples comments and, again, don't need to go 2 places to do that.

Sorry, doesn't feel right.

hotpasta

Nikon D800

10/31/2006 10:00:44 PM · #14

I can't see how this would be in the good interests of anything...it waters down the power of this great site

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.8D

10/31/2006 10:05:47 PM · #15

Originally posted by glad2badad:

I prefer keeping the data in one place rather than having to check another site for other comments that "might" be there. BTW, who says the recently commented on page needs changing? Was there an admin poll or announcement saying it needed to be changed for sure? I enjoy reading other peoples comments and, again, don't need to go 2 places to do that.

Sorry, doesn't feel right.

First I want to say thank you for taking the time to talk with me about this. I appreciate all of the feedback that I can get!

I agree that having comments in two different places may be weird but people participating in these side challenges right now are using blogs. They post an image to a blog then when someone wants to look at all of the photos for a side challenge (say 30 day macro) then they have to visit a bunch of different blogs to see them. Then they leave comments on a bunch of different blogs. I just thought it would be nice to let them consolidate everything and make it easier for people to submit images for the side challenges and easier for people to view/comment on all of the side challenge entries.

I don't think there was ever an official poll about the 'recently commented on photos' page but I have read a couple of forum posts where people have said they didn't like all of the side challenge entries being the only photos on it. It is one of the reasons people are using blogs I believe.

Edited to remove the 4 pages of text I accidentally quoted. sorry :)

Message edited by author 2006-10-31 22:15:14.

Louis

Nikon D800

10/31/2006 10:10:11 PM · #16

Assuming there are no copyright issues with the admins, I don't think there's anything wrong with an idea like this, particularly since participation is for like-minded people only. In fact, I think it's bloody clever, and a useful expenditure of creative energy. There's certainly more than enough energy expended in the opposite direction.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

10/31/2006 10:16:42 PM · #17

Originally posted by mssnare:

First I want to say thank you for taking the time to talk with me about this. I appreciate all of the feedback that I can get!

No problem.

I spend a lot of time at DPChallenge and really enjoy the site and just don't want to see it become a piecemeal, multiple domain adventure with bits and pieces strewn about.

Langdon is very much in tune with what works well for the DPChallenge community and does a great job updating as needed. So hey, hopefully your idea will fly with Langdon's blessing.

As for the blogging, I wasn't aware of that as I have not been active in the 30 day side events.

Best of luck to you.

robs

Canon EOS R6 Mk II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

10/31/2006 10:25:50 PM · #18

Getting a rails error clicking on the midnight express image.