Upcoming Platform and Network Releases!

[Beth]

Hello Everyone,

It's a big week! We have two releases on the docket and wanted to share more details with all of you. Here's the scoop!

Platform Release
Scheduled for Saturday night (5/17/08) from 9:00-11:00pm Pacific. During this window, Ning.com and all networks will be offline. We'll update here as soon as we know the exact timing. We estimate this will be a 2 hour downtime. We'll do our best to make sure your branded maintenance pages are up.

New look for Ning.com
This release will include changes to the design of Ning.com and set the stage for the new Create Your Own Social Network path to be unveiled next week. You can get a sneak peek in our Preview section!

Retiring the Site Editor
As networks have become more complex, the Site Editor has become a less effective tool for managing changes. Rather than divert our focus from network features and performance, we have made the difficult decision to retire it. But don’t worry! You can still access these files through WebDav or an SFTP (secure file transfer protocol) program, many of which are free to download and install.

Plus, two of the most popular uses of the Site Editor will still be accessible through a web browser—the ability to redirect your Ning.com address to a domain mapped URL and the addition of "Pages" as tabs on your network. We will update the Developer Network and Ning Help Center with instructions later this week.

Network Release
Scheduled for Monday night (5/19/08) from 9:00-9:15pm Pacific. We'll update here as soon as we know the exact timing. Your networks will be available and speedy during the release. During this fifteen-minute window, Ning.com and all networks will actually be offline. This is a change from the original announcement. We will do our best to ensure your branded downtime pages appear during the release window.

New Birthday Field on Signup
As you'll notice on the new sign up screen, we've added a birthday field. We've done this because it's the quickest way to confirm that someone joining your network is over the age of 13 in compliance with our Terms of Service and Federal law. A member's age will not display automatically but he or she will have the option to display it.

Your PIN will become your “Master Key”
The PIN you use to sign in to your network will now be called your “master key” and you will be able to add letters and characters to make it more secure. The master key is only for Network Creators and Admins.

More Flexibility with Profile Questions
We’ve removed the requirement to have at least one customized profile question on your network. You will also see a new option to include default questions for gender and location.

We are excited about these releases and hope you will be too! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them here or to drop us a line through the Help Center.

Thanks!

[Alva]

Thanks Beth, but the link doesn't work.

[Thomas David Baker]

Hi Alva,

To use the link Beth supplied you need to change "yournetworksubdomain" to the name of your network (before the .ning.com bit).

So if your network was "hello.ning.com" then the link would be:

http://www.ning.com/?view=apps&appUrl=hello&op=edit

Hope that helps!

Tom

[Beth]

Hello Ainsley!

There are no changes to the Ning bar in this release, but this is a project we are currently working on. You can read more about what's in store here.

Thanks!
\Beth

[Tumisang Tyamzashe]

The age option, would one be able to choose from what age can people join? I think it would be best that before the person see's the network they will confirm their age first, then once the age complies with the network's terms of service then they will be redirected to the network's homepage.

[Beth]

Hello Tumisang!

To answer your question, there will not be the option to set what age the form checks for, but thanks for the feedback!

\Beth

[Zack]

you say that the Site Editor is rarely used, however this is the fastest way if needed to add more pages using the Pages feature! I really don't want to download that software! I like how I can just click "Edit" and add more pages in the "Instances" directory.

So, is there going to be a way to add pages by clicking a button?

[Roland Taylor (Warrior Servant)]

lol.
It's actually faster with something like WebDav
I wish I could record it for you to see now. You can save the needed files to a folder on your desktop. The next time you need to add a tab, you just copy that folder to the remote instances folder, change a few lines in the xml file and your done.

And despite the one time download, something like Aptana makes that real easy.

[Mackenzie]

Hi Zack!

As Beth states above:
"Plus, two of the most popular uses of the Site Editor will still be accessible through a web browser—the ability to redirect your Ning.com address to a domain mapped URL and the addition of "Pages" as tabs on your network. We will update the Developer Network and Ning Help Center with instructions later this week."

So, there will be an even easier way of adding Pages after Monday's release which requires no code whatsoever. Thanks!

[Phil Falcone]

Hi Beth,
On the Retiring of the Site Editor: is this signalling us that the infamous "beta Pages" is no longer in beta? I know before it was kinda "try at your own risk." Also, I know you all keep saying that Notes will evolve in putting Pages into the Instance folder but it's a little hazy to understand how that works (although it does sound good). Do you have a hyperlink to a tutorial on how this is going to evolve?

Must be tough for Team Ning when so many people whine about something they get for free,,, and keeps improving! LOL! As the saying goes, "Change is the only constant!"

[Roland Taylor (Warrior Servant)]

haha!
ning is not free, we are tormented daily with good service and friendly support!
they needed to end this campaign of kindness before the world becomes a better place!!!!!

-Furious former user...

lol
of course I'm joking (or am I)




-dix tastes like chicken-
Warrior servant of Christ

[Mackenzie]

Hi Phil!

Nope, the Pages feature will still be in beta, though there will be an easier way to add Pages to your network after Monday's release. We'll have a new tutorial up here on the Developer network as soon as the improved process of adding Pages is released. Thanks!

[Dave Iannone]

How about drop downs for questions with multiple single answers?? Would really clean up the submission page.