Upgraded!
Within the next couple of days, I'm upgrading my hosting plan. You may see some downtime, but if so, it is planned and for a good purpose. I will be back with news once the upgrade is complete - and I think that atleast a few of you will like the story. See you soon!
Updated a few hours later: Ok, that didn't take as long as I had expected. The upgrade has been made already, andreasviklund.com is now running on a dedicated server from SiteGround! It is a major upgrade in terms of features and performance, which at the same time reduces my hosting costs with $20 per month. I am typically wary about making changes to my hosting, but this was a fairly easy decision to make. And thanks to the great support team at SiteGround, the switch has been completely pain-free.
The upgrade is perfectly in line with my ideas, plans and priorities for 2009. I am planning to bring this site to life again, now that we (Johanna and I) have got a good start with our company and it looks like our idea will actually work very well. While I have not written anything special for a long time, I am actually planning to start blogging again. Both about templates, CSS and other topics that may be interesting to the typical visitor of this site - and less interesting everyday posts about my life in general, and the many adventures and challenges that makes life worth living.
I already know that most people will find a personal blog boring. But it will be fun to write, because I love writing, especially documenting my life and sharing my experiences with others. And I have stories to tell, if there is someone out there who care to read it all. But I'm writing mostly for myself, atleast to start with. I have learned a lot from reading my old diaries. Besides, it is a good way to practice my English, while at the same time giving you a face and a story behind all the HTML and CSS code. And this is a personal website after all!
But don't worry, I will also post tutorials, how-to:s, tips, bonus materials, site reviews, software reviews, photos (which will be released as an own image bank of stock photos, free for everyone to use just like my templates) and music. And I'll listen to requests, feedback and ideas. If you would want to see something special, then let me know. For example, I've been asked to show the post comments under each post, not have them hidden as I have now. I will definitely change that back soon.
I have not set any official launch date for this restart. I tend to miss those kinds of dates, and I have several times lost track and inspiration when not being ready by my own deadline. So I'm not setting any date. I'll just start right away, without making it complicated or dramatic. Now that I have the hosting upgrade done, the next step is cleaning out old and outdated posts and re-structuring the site content. Basically, most of my old blog will disappear. A fresh start can be worth a lot, but it will happen gradually to make sure I don't lose the inspiration this time. An upgrade to WordPress v2.7 is also planned, as well as upgrading my themes…
Good plan or lousy plan? Think I'll manage to make this happen? Feel free to share your opinions and feedback!
Comments can be only posted for 14 days after the post date. If you have comments about an older post such as this one, feel free to send me an e-mail!
Comment from Andreas
Time: December 3, 2008, 16:54
I will upgrade all themes that I have made to WP 2.7 before the end of this year. WP-Andreas00 and Daleri Selection have actually been uploaded to the official theme viewer already, but they were put on hold since i didn't have extended theme information for those themes on my WP-themes page. I'll make sure to fix this as well. If anyone wants a copy of those themes before I have got them online through the official site, I'd be happy to send the themes through e-mail.
Comment from Andreas
Time: December 4, 2008, 2:57
Coming up soon, a post that I have wanted to write for years: "Useless trivia about the andreasXX templates" where I reveal the personal details that I have mentioned since I released my first template in 2005. There are some personal details in most of my templates - small details that nobody would ever notice and few would care about, but which matters a lot to me. For example, what does the andreas02 header photo really show? And what is that yellow thing in andreas04 sample photo?
It sounds so incredibly boring when I write it down. Perhaps that is why I have never written the post during all these years… :)
Comment from Matthew Showalter
Time: December 4, 2008, 19:31
I think your site is great, I visit a lot from the states for templates or random css stuff…I wish you the best at everything! What is the new company you speak of?
Comment from Dave
Time: December 5, 2008, 3:33
Andreas, Making a switch in hosting is a big deal for lots of people. Please keep everyone informed with your experience on this new host.
Comment from Brad B
Time: December 6, 2008, 20:29
Andreas:
Your work really shines through your most humble approach. I would like to commend you on all the efforts that I see.
You really just can't cram your inspiration or creativity into a box or tie it to a deadline. The spirit of any animal will die if it is caged in too long or too much. Bravo for you on casting off your self imposed deadlines. They will only hinder your creativity anyway.
I'm looking over your themes and templates for a CMS solution powered by WordPress for hosting on Bluhost. I will be changing over to a new host, template, site builder and blogging platform all of which will either complement or abandon a current PR 3 site effort hosted for free with MSN. Naturally, I have some trepidation.
Most of my time is already taken up with the practice of law. I fear that my limited html experience and absence of CSS knowledge may force me into a simpler solution or outsourcing the project. —
Do you have any instructional information for implementation of your themes or possible suggestions to some good primers for learning the necessary precursor information? Would you mind sharing or pointing me in the right direction for a good source on the subject to be covered.
On the WordPress to Bluhost installation, I have pulled some instructions. I wouldn't be as fearful about taking this steep plunge if I had some more instruction. Lawyers are information junkies. You appear to have your thumb on the pulse. I appreciate the direction.
Bravo on the inspired template selection. Good luck with your progress on the collaboration with Jonathon on the new venture and with this collaboration with b4contact and the Windows Sharepoint collaboration. All the best —Brad
Comment from Sean
Time: December 7, 2008, 2:23
Sounds like some exciting plans. Congrats on your new hosting too. It's nice seeing you active again around your site… I look forward to reading your blog again as well.
Comment from Jill
Time: December 7, 2008, 9:07
I have had the hardest time with hosting over the years. We were on one server that seemed to go down at least once a month (apparently someone else on the server had a program with a memory leak). I am always hesitant to change hosting because I have heard alot of bad stories about data getting lost and what not so I am glad your transition seems to have gone well.
Comment from sandy- diabetes
Time: December 9, 2008, 4:42
I have enjoyed visiting your site for sometime now. This is the first I've commented. I just wanted to let you know that it look good and I appreciate the great information.
Comment from rille
Time: December 9, 2008, 12:07
I just wanted to say thanks for your excellent effort in making fraskydd.se. It is really well-written, clear and clutter-free. Thank you!
Comment from Honeybee
Time: December 10, 2008, 4:26
I am looking forward to reading tutorials and software reviews from someone who's work I admire so much.
Comment from Francesca
Time: December 10, 2008, 21:16
Glad to hear your move went smoothly.
I look forward to the 2.7 ready version of your themes.
Comment from Kristian
Time: December 10, 2008, 23:15
Good luck. I hope you get back on track. I really like your WP themes and will try to learn how to use them. I am still a noob in the world of WP…
Comment from Cynthia
Time: December 13, 2008, 5:39
I am looking forward to the updates to your themes… especially to support threaded comments! I'll probably leave my yatcp in until the updates come along. Thanks for the theme btw, I really like your themes!
Comment from Ludmilla
Time: December 13, 2008, 20:26
Hej Andreas,
Tack för ditt besök på min blogg. Det var roligt att få ett ansikte på ditt namn.
Jag beklagar din mammas död. Jag tänder ett ljus för henne också!
Ludmilla
Comment from Shawn Ann
Time: December 17, 2008, 22:09
Andreas, can't wait for you to start writing again. It's always been great to read up on you and the things you enjoy. I've been coming to your blog for over a year now and I have it linked on my own blog so I don't ever lose the URL! I found you due to your WP themes and have used each one of them on my blog at one time or another.
Keep up the themeing and can't wait for the updates!
Comment from Alberto
Time: December 3, 2008, 16:34
Hi Andreas,
are you also planning to release new wordpress themes or to re-publish your "old" wp-themes which actually are not more available for the download on the site?