Updates > Update Archive > Detailed Changes May 2003 (currently open)

Previous detailed changes to AbleStable®: May 2003

Recent changes to AbleStable® made over the calendar month of May 2003 are listed below. Maintenance entries are in black text, new content is highlighted:

Last change of month made: 30 May 2003

During 29 May between the hours of 9am and 8pm GMT, WorldPay, our Payment Gateway providers, experienced serious problems with their server hardware resulting in the loss of delivery of our Payment Gateway for around 10 hours. WorldPay resolved these problems and our Payment Gateway is now fully operational. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

• Creative News: News Centre: selected arts and media highlights brought to you in association with Guardian Unlimited, the premier Internet news service based in the UK.
• General maintenance schedule including: site-wide link check; external link check; search indexing; and server performance monitoring.

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May 2003

• The Directory Area has been updated with a new Discipline 'Fashion Photography' which now appears in the Creative Area Photography.
• Our Site Map has been updated to reflect new content and directory changes.
• Our Directory Index Area has been completely reviewed and updated including significant improvements to the large Creative Job Descriptions page.
• New Freeware: JRuler, produced by Spadix Software, can make vertical and horizontal measurements to pixel accuracy, and be one of the most frequently used and essential software tools of a web or screen-based designer. This is a well designed and well executed freeware ruler that provides flexible and robust features.
• Freeware Removal: JRuler replaces the screen measuring tool 'Calipers v1'. Calipers v1 is now superseded by Calipers v2 which now presents a splash screen requesting registration (this contravenes our Freeware criteria: 'no nag screens'). After consultation with the developer of Calipers, we have therefore removed the Calipers download from AbleStable®.
• New Resource Article: Domain Status Codes is a useful document for web site owners wishing to maintain and check domain names, and details the various domain status codes and a brief description of each code.
• New Resource Article: Registry Protocol. This comprehensive document describes a protocol for the registration and management of second level domain names and associated name servers in both generic Top Level Domains (gTLDs) and country code Top LevelDomains (ccTLDs). To aid reading, this version has been completely reformatted and features links to each section. Be aware this is a very large page at 203kb.
• The Directory Area has been updated with a new Discipline '3D Graphic Design' which now appears in the Creative Area Design.
• Our Site Map has been updated to reflect new content and directory changes.
• The Help Centre has been updated with streamlined content and new links.
• Our Directory Index Area has been completely reviewed and updated including significant improvements to the large Creative Job Descriptions page.
• New Freeware: Domain Name Status Reporter is a great freeware tool that will allow you to monitor the domain name status of global top level domains. The supported domains include com, net, org, edu, info, and biz.
• The exhibition Connections has been completely updated to ensure continued cross-browser compatibility.
• Navigational improvements have been made to the Software Products area with additional links to software categories.
• Four new generic domain names have been added to our Domain Name Portfolio:
www.creativelisting.com; www.create-online.com; www.create-now.com; and www.creativelist.co.uk. When anyone enters these names in a web browser connected to the Internet they will be automatically redirected to AbleStable's® homepage. Redirection provides additional paths to discovering our site, and establishes AbleStable® as a premium destination for creative people.
• Our Domains which lists our domain name portfolio, is updated and improved.
• The Country Codes visual assistant available at Tools has been improved to perform consistency using a PC and either Internet Explorer 6 or Netscape 7. Enter a country code and the animated cross-thread will show you the geographical location on a world map, and display the country's full name. One of a series of great live-tools at AbleStable®.
• New Column: Primate Art: Six Sulawesi Crested Macaque Monkeys, one computer, a £2,000 grant from the English Arts Council, and four weeks to get creative. Join the journey to uncover the real issues surrounding this 'art project'.
• The Press Centre Artwork is updated with new screenshots of our homepage.
• Our single page Introductory Guide for new visitors is updated with new screenshots of AbleStable®.
• The Site Map has been updated with new screenshots of our navigational aids.
• Our upper and lower navigational buttons have been improved with heavier, higher definition text that significantly improves legibility.
• The Creatve Area buttons have been redesigned with higher definition text, improved colours, and a more sophisticated grey roll-over.
• Seven new generic domain names have been added to our Domain Name Portfolio:
www.creative-hub.com; www.creative-forum.com; www.creative-list.com; www.creatives-online.com; www.designers-and-illustrators.com; www.art-community.co.uk; www.design-community.co.uk.
• New Article: True Colors: Broaden your knowledge about the way computers manage colour, how the Web-safe palette came to be, why 'safe' isn't really safe, and gain a deeper perspective about Web colour in general. Molly E. Holzschlag's informative article will show you how to aim for the colour results that best meet your needs.
• New Freeware: ColorCop is the best colour picker for designers we've ever come across, a joy to use, and a credit to the skills of Jay Prall, its developer.
• New button links to the Tools Area have been added from within the Client, Member, Graduate, and Partner Areas.
• New Search filter: 'Resources at AbleStable'.
• Sitemap updated to reflect addition of the tools area and new guide.
• Ten new Glossary entries.
• New Tools: Our new Tools Area launches at AbleStable®. Our tools include an online calendar, calculator, measurement converters, graphic tools and many more. More Below
• New Guide: Our brand new one-stop Guide provides a complete overview of our site and services in a fast opening, specially created interface. More Below
• Our Homepage has been updated with the addition of a new welcome message and new links under the Community Area.
• New Exhibition: Early Days, a journey into memory, opens in the Exhibitions Area.
• Updates (this page) and the Update Archive are current for the start of May 2003.
• To view all updates for the month of April go to April Updates.


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