New host, new plans, new targets
By now, the DNS carousel ride should be over, and my site is now running live from my new host. The next step will be to reboot the blog completely, delete all outdated posts. As a temporary solution, I have moved all old posts to a new category called "old posts", but I will most likely delete all those posts very soon in order to get a fresh start.
There are a lot of things happening right now, and a lot of plans that will lead to changes. I will incorporate all template design work into Ileva, the company that my girlfriend Johanna runs. Ileva will offer my free templates (and release new ones as well), and offer customization and support packages – something I have been planning to do for years. Within a few months, Ileva will have an own website running for this purpose – and we will also move our business location out of where we run it from today. This will be a major project, currently codenamed "V.I.", something I will write more about in the future when all the details are sorted out.
The templates will of course still be available from this site. I have considered selling this site, after getting a couple of offers that has been very interesting. But so far, I have turned down all such offers. The current plan is to refresh the site, add new free templates and themes and get back into business again after years of not doing very much at all. As some of you may know, my health has not been the best during this time. I have had anemia and is still troubled by a chronic digestive disease that has had a significant impact on both my energy level and my inspiration. But the target of the "V.I." plan is to find a path through those challenges – and for the first time in years, the future looks really bright.
I know I have said it before and failed to live up to the promise, but I'll say it again: Expect some good stuff coming up soon. If I don't manage to deliver this time with the current circumstances, I probably never will. Thanks to everyone for all encouraging words and for not giving up on me even though I have deserved it. It has meant a lot, and still do. I owe you!
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: September 14, 2009, 19:12
I will do my best to update all WP-themes, as well as building new ones. But as WordPress is becoming more and more advanced and theme design is more and more about programming than about design, I'm planning to mostly build child themes to existing frameworks. I am currently looking at the Hybrid theme, an excellent starting point for someone like me who prefers to work with design over programming. I will write more about that in a future post!
For the very same reason, I am also open for suggestions from other theme designers, in case someone would be interested in taking over my current themes and updating or building upon them.
Comment from Roger
Time: September 15, 2009, 07:37
Congratulation on resisting the temptation to sell this site. For me, it's irrevocably associated with your personality.
Comment from Lorenzo
Time: September 17, 2009, 06:07
Hello Andreas, I've been trying to reach you to discuss a certain template of yours that I'd like to use, but I can't seem to find your e-mail address and your 'contact' form is not currently working. So is there any way that you can e-mail me back with the e-mail I provided in this comment for further details? Hope to hear from you. Thanks in advance.
Comment from Machinae
Time: September 18, 2009, 02:08
I suggest not to remove the old post as they might still be useful. I would archive them in a category and mark them "OUT DATED". Good luck with Ileva
Comment from Ella coafuri
Time: September 18, 2009, 13:35
Old posts are very important for seo. Try to respect same structure and metatags in every old page.
Comment from Andreas
Time: September 18, 2009, 15:38
I am well aware of the search engine traffic coming here through old posts, but with the "common sense approach" I have in terms of SEO, I consider it to be better to have fresh and up-to-date content than having posts which is completely worthless to anyone who finds them. It will result in a (temporary) small drop in traffic, but it will also enhance the overall quality of the site.
For example: I still get e-mails from logotype designers offering me their services, since I have a post from 2005 with the title "logotype designer wanted". I also get e-mails informing me of broken links. However, if there are old posts which are not outdated and which can still be of interest to site visitors, I wil consider keeping the posts – but in the "old posts" category.
Comment from sermemole
Time: September 18, 2009, 20:47
Hi andrea! I'm sorry but i need help about this blog.
http://sapretli.wordpress.com/2009/01/22/una-vita-da-cosplay/
Can you write me please as soon as possible? It's very very important for me!
Comment from Andreas
Time: September 18, 2009, 22:17
sermemole: That is a wordpress.com blog. There is nothing I can do to help anyone with wordpress.com blogs since I am not a part of the wordpress.com staff. You need to seek support through the service itself!
Comment from Lorenzo
Time: September 19, 2009, 02:28
I was interested in discussing and making a donation for the use of one of your templates, but I have not heard from you regarding my first comment Andreas. I guess it doesn't interest you.
Comment from Kamran
Time: September 19, 2009, 12:45
Congrats Andreas, love your templates, keep up the good work :)
Comment from Bob Beckett
Time: September 21, 2009, 08:01
I really loved the templates. It was my pleasure to come on this site. Thanks Andreas
Comment from Patrick
Time: September 23, 2009, 20:28
Well, I think its a good compromise keeping the old posts that still have some value for you or your visitors and deleting the others. Although I agree with Ella coafuri that it is the best to keep the old site structure (Urls, categories, etc.) alive: The posts in the "old posts" category surely will get indexed by the search engines soon. The problem that I see is, that you may loose some links pointing to your old posts. I would do a search for the most prominent posts in your blog (the ones that have many links coming in) and put them a) live under the old URL or b) redirect them with HTTP 301 code to the new location
Comment from Alberto
Time: September 25, 2009, 23:22
Andreas, thanks for your kind reply. I would like to make a new version of your Daleri Selection theme, updating some little things (for example using nested comments, etc.). Unfortunately, though I translated it in italian, I lost the original english files. Can you please send me them back?
PS: Wordpress has changed a lot in last years, but it's not so hard for a designer to update his knowledge. Main template functions are still the same. There's just some stuff new, which you can check on the WP documentation.
Comment from website laten maken
Time: September 26, 2009, 11:41
Sounds great, try to keep it up! I'll keep you in my RSS reader :-)
Comment from Carolina Garcia
Time: September 26, 2009, 16:50
Hi, I am so glad to hear you are not selling. I am looking forward to your new te3mplates
Comment from Gwyn
Time: September 27, 2009, 07:05
Dear Andreas,
Sending blessings and wishes that you are doing well and that you are feeling better. I am a nurse who is determined to launch a web based service that helps people write. I was born a writer. I was a teenage mom and I had to take whatever job training I could get to support my daughters who are all know grown and graduated college or are in college. We are the first women in my birth family to finish highschool. I tell you this, because I need, want, have to learn how to use wordpress from the beginning, bottom basics. Writing jobs that pay anything are hard to come by. I have 4 books(one is waiting for a release date) and I am ineffectively marketing my books and my writing skills. Plus if I learn, really learn wordpress, I can employ myself as well. Okay, I'm trying to keep it short: Please, people are offering tutorials on Wordpress. Can you recommend one? I started a site on Vista–www.the writinglady.com. It's only a week old and it sucks. Please, tell me where to learn wordpress. I used to have a site on Yahoo. Where would you suggest I set up a site? Vista? Yahoo? If your girlfriend reads romance I wrote the Prophecy Series and my story Valentino's Ghost (my favorite-got good reviews) is in the Only in the Spirit book at http://www.thedarkcastlelords.com. My writing name is Gwyn Lacy. Thank you my friend for your endurance and patience. Peace, G
Comment from Alberto
Time: September 14, 2009, 18:34
Very good news then. Will you also update your daleri wordpress serie? And/or will you launch a new one? Let me know!