Ok, so I now have a job and a very small money source. I've found a place that gives 5gb of server for only $7.77/mo, which I think I can afford. So, here's my question to all of you: Do you want one? I think I can make fractal fun II (we'll have to come up with a better name) but I'm not going to do it if I don't have members. That was what made the first version so awsome.

Also, would anyone (particularly anyone familiar with php) like to help me get it up and would anyone be really interested in moderating/maintaining the site (kimpe?)? I know that at least once school starts I'm likely to have little time for the site, due to studies and the chess team, but if the site can sustain itself for a few days with a few good hands (not like those are hard to find around here) it will be fine.

So I guess that's it. I know that the first one was a complete success, and that it created something we never had before. Its dissapearance has left somewhat of a hole in my view of the internet, I was very attached to that place. I want it back, how about you?

Running a site like FractalFun is a lot of work... one really needs to make sure that they have the time to be able to do it properly - or it will go the same way as the original site... Personally, I run a bulletin board alone, and I can tell you that it can take a heck of a lot of time and effort to fix problems if they occur. I recently had a meltdown of my board which took 2 days to get restored and back working - then there were some problems with one of the scripts that handled cookie generation - that took over a week to track down and fix! I don't offer gallery space - that can lead to a whole slew of other problems... lol! Besides, there are so many places where people can host their images, that it doesn't really make a whole lot of difference to most of the members at my board. My aim is to have a place where people can come to discuss the wonderful world of fractals - ask for and give help, shoot the breeze, show off their work (by linking to their other galleries from the forums), and a few other fun things that our members have suggested. If you are interested in having a look at the board I've set up, feel free to drop by... http://www.woosie.net/fracfan/index.php T.

Hey, that sounds like a great idea, but I have been wanting a small site of my own for my gallery. I don't have the skills to even do that and not too many people are willing to help without charging a large fee to set it up. Which I understand that part, who could stay in business if they gave away their skills and knowledge! I wish you luck with trying to get your site started!!! :)

CoolBreezeLady, Most ISP's offer a small amount of webspace for their users - but to have the kind of space that you would want for a decent gallery setup unfortunately costs money... Fortunately, nowadays, it's not the exhorbitant sum that it used to be - almost anyone can afford around 1 gigabyte of hosted webspace. The deal that FreedomOfExpression has found is a really good price - and if it offers PHP and MySQL support, it's excellent for setting up a gallery, and they may even throw in a free domain name registration for the first year (mine did... lol!) There are a number of free gallery softwares out there - I use Coppermine Gallery myself... free and very configurable to one's needs. There are also a number of free bulletin board softwares out there - phpBB2 is one of the best as far as I'm concerned. Technically, FreedomOfExpression could easily set up a FractalFunII site in the same mould as the original one, using nothing but free software (Derek used all free software with the original site). The only drawback may be FreedomOfExpression's time availability to keep on top of things with such a site - but if he is willing to share his admin access to the host control panel with someone he trusts - that may not be a big issue either... It's a big job FreedomOfExpression - are you up for it? If so, I reckon you have a good chance of success my young friend! Nothing ventured, nothing gained as they say... lol! T.

Hi Tracey: It sounds like you really know your way around a web site and what it takes to do one from start to finish! As always I appreciate the advice that you offer, I have read some of the other advice that you have written here in the forum and I can tell that you're a pretty smart Cookie!!! LOL ;) Happy weekend to you! Patti

Awww... you're making me blush Patti! I'm no smarter about things than the next person - honest. I learn by making mistakes just like everyone else... lol! OK - I've made a lot of mistakes in my time... hahaha! Now if anyone could help me to work out what the heck I'm supposed to do in UltraFractal - I'd be one very happy chicky. Every time I open it up I just look at it all and go "HUH???" I've tried the tutorials, various website tuts, am a member of the mailing list, etc - and I'm STILL totally confused - maybe even more so now! Is there an Idiot's Guide for this app? T.

If there is an Idiot's Guide, I haven't found it!!! I could use one too! I have actually had it since it came out on the market, the original version. And then my son bought the next version of it for my birthday 3 yrs ago. So both versions just sit here in my desk top and when I decide to open one up and give it another try, I do the same thing that they do except I just sit here on my AS*, staring back with this really stupid expression and sometimes when I'm very frustrated, I believe that they are laughing at me. That's when I know I have been on the computer too long for the day!!! LOL Just a little crazy!!! ;P Patti

I love UF3! It's so awsome- My basic work order: Step zero: download the public formulas. Step one: pick a formula that appeals to you Step two: Go find a coloring method which looks interesting (I know where many of my favorites are, but you must learn this by random selection basically. Same with formulas). Step three: Either mess with gradient/merge mode or hit duplicate and go to step two. Learning UF is best done simply by pushing buttons...soon you learn which do interesting things and which do not.

Thanks for the tips on UF! It sounds like the way I learned to work APO. If so then maybe I will be able to work it out. Thanks again! Patti

If only it were that simple... lol! I must admit that it all scares the heck outta me when I open UF... I'll definitely have a try of your workflow method though... Sometimes I'm not as smart a geek as I might appear... lol! T.

OK-well, if anyone still reads this far down, you should have all noticed that I started this discussion and never really returned to it. I shall now do so. Here's what I have come up with: 1) I can do this alone. 2) I don't have the time to do it right. While it would be possible, it would consume me...and I have other things to do. Plus, when school starts, chances are excellent that I will have little time to run a site, so this site would suffer the same fate as number one. If nothing else but of respect for the origional, we cannot allow that to happen. I've done some thinking, and I have an idea: Since we are all somewhat interested in this, we should collaborate. We could split this effort into a team of 5-6 people. Sure, I can do the basic design work (loading php nuke), but I can't maintain it after alone. All team members would have full site access, and they would be the forum moderators. If a problem was found (a daily occurance on FF), it could be taken care of quickly by one or two people. If one person left, we would be ok. FF was the product of Derek (kimpe helped, but in the end it was still Derek's site) The point of the team approach is that we all would contribute, but none of us would be making a big commitment, which is what I think has prevented FFII. So...anyone with me? //Matt "If only it were that simple.." Maybe that's why I'm not all that great......cause for me it really is.....