News

Emporium RapidWeaver Theme Update

My Emporium RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 4.0. I recommend all Emporium users update to receive the following important changes.

ExtraContent Support

Emporium now provides nine (9) ExtraContent containers allowing you to inject custom markup into various locations in your Emporium website. See the online User Guide for more information about these ExtraContent containers.

jQuery and Modernizr Javascript

Emporium now includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Also, new to Emporium, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

HTML5 Support

Emporium now supports HTML5 elements in all browsers, including IE6, IE7, IE8, and IE9!

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Emporium users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Emporium is available online for USD $19.95.

End of Life

This is the final version of the Emporium RapidWeaver theme. I will continue to provide basic customer support to existing Emporium users, but I will no longer develop this theme in the future.

Silk RapidWeaver Theme Update

My Silk RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 6.0. I recommend all Silk users update to receive the following important changes.

ExtraContent Support

Silk now provides eight (8) ExtraContent containers allowing you to inject custom markup into various locations in your Silk website. See the online User Guide for more information about these ExtraContent containers.

jQuery and Modernizr Javascript

Silk now includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Also, new to Silk, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

HTML5 Support

Silk now supports HTML5 elements in all browsers, including IE6, IE7, IE8, and IE9!

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Silk users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Silk is available online for USD $19.95.

Archetype RapidWeaver Theme Update

The Archetype RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 2.0. I recommend all Archetype users update to receive the following important changes.

Updated Javascript

Archetype includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Also, new to Archetype, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Archetype users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Archetype is available online for USD $19.95.

Envision RapidWeaver Theme Update

The Envision RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 3.0. I recommend all Envision users update to receive the following important changes.

ExtraContent

Envision includes ExtraContent support with seven ExtraContent containers. See the online theme documentation for more details about each ExtraContent location.

Updated Javascript

Envision includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Envision also includes an updated version of the PrettyPhoto jQuery plugin. Also, new to Envision, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Envision users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Envision is available online for USD $19.95.

Flex RapidWeaver Theme Update

The Flex RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 4.0. I recommend all Flex users update to receive the following important changes.

ExtraContent

Flex includes ExtraContent support with four ExtraContent containers. See the online theme documentation for more details about each ExtraContent location.

Updated Javascript

Flex includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Flex also includes an updated version of the PrettyPhoto jQuery plugin. Also, new to Flex, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Flex users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Flex is available online for USD $19.95.

Modernity RapidWeaver Theme Update

The Modernity RapidWeaver theme has received an important update today bringing it to version 5.0. I recommend all Modernity users update to receive the following important changes.

ExtraContent

Modernity now includes ExtraContent support with eight ExtraContent containers. See the online theme documentation for more details about each ExtraContent location.

Updated Javascript

Modernity includes the latest version of jQuery using Google's fast content delivery network. Also, new to Modernity, is the Modernizr Javascript library making it easier to add progressive enhancement to your websites with custom CSS or Javascript.

Free Update

This is a free theme update for existing Modernity users; existing customers will receive a download link via email.

Modernity is available online for USD $15.00.

Satin RapidWeaver Theme Update

My Satin RapidWeaver theme has received an important update, bumping the theme to version 5.0. This is a recommended update for all Satin theme users as it introduces several new features and updates bundled Javascript libraries to their most current versions. Changes in this update are:

  1. Updated bundled jQuery Javascript framework to version 1.6 using Google's CDN.
  2. Added support for seven ExtraContent locations.
  3. Added the Modernizr Javascript framework.

Existing Satin customers will receive an email with a download link to the updated theme file; this is a free update.

Sophisticate RapidWeaver Theme Update

My Sophisticate RapidWeaver theme has received an important update, bumping the theme to version 5.0. This is a recommended update for all Sophisticate theme users as it squashes a few bugs and updates bundled Javascript libraries to their most current versions. Changes in this update are:

  1. Updated bundled jQuery Javascript framework to version 1.6 using Google's CDN.
  2. Updated bundled Modernizr Javascript framework to version 2.0.
  3. Updated bundled ExtraContent jQuery plugin.
  4. Fixed bug with photo album Flash slideshow; it now displays as expected.

Existing Sophisticate customers will receive an email with a download link to the updated theme file; this is a free update.

My new online ticket support system

Today I launched my new online ticket support system to help my RapidWeaver theme and RapidWeaver plugin customers. This new ticket support system will help me better organize my support queue and provide a better support experience to my customers.

Before today, I provided customer support entirely via email. This solution worked well when I first began selling RapidWeaver add-ons. Unfortunately, after my clientele grew and support requests inevitably increased, email quickly became unwieldy. It became so unwieldy that I loathed opening my inbox each evening to see how many new support requests I had received. It became near impossible to keep support requests organized. Responding to support requests and keeping tabs on ongoing conversation threads was difficult, too.

Email itself has become something I dislike. Email is too effective for its own good. I spend most of my free time answering emails with little to no time available to develop new products. RapidWeaver theme and plugin support certainly contributed to the mountain of email I receive, but other sources contributed, too — work notifications, newsletters, mailing lists, spam. All of these sources contribute to what is a deluge of chaos that is a seemingly interminable futile endeavor.

Today that ends. Today I intend to reduce (and eventually eliminate) my reliance on and subservience to email. I credit Paul Jones — my former professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, founder of iBiblio.org, and eccentric Internet celeb — for my desire to escape the clutches of email. You can read more about Paul’s own attempt to abolish email on his blog.

So here’s how my new support ticket system works. First, click “Contact” in my website’s main menu, or visit http://help.joshlockhart.com. Next, click “Open New Ticket” and enter the required information. When you submit your ticket, you will receive an email that will tell you how to review your ticket status online at any time. You can even append additional comments to your current open tickets. You'll be notified by email when I post a message to your ticket. Also, existing email support requests will still be answered in the order received. I won't be accepting email support requests after today.

Thanks for your understanding and support, and here’s to a less stressful, more organized #noemail future!

JoshLockhart.com now runs on HiFi

My website is now hosted and managed by HiFi, a ground-breaking new content management platform by New Media Campaigns. My colleagues and I have worked very hard on HiFi for the past year, and we are excited to release HiFi to the general public very soon. As stated on the HiFi website:

HiFi is a ground-breaking content management platform. Design beautiful websites with web standards and zero design constraints. Give your users easy-to-use tools to manage every aspect of their website. Don't waste time learning templating languages, setting up servers, or training users.

To be honest, all of this is very true. HiFi makes it dead simple to create a well designed site while not having to worry about server administration and other management tasks. Yes, I'm definitely eating my own dog food. But it tastes so good :) Go and take a look at HiFi when you get a chance.

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