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A Change for the Better |
Jun 23, 2006 |
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A little over two weeks ago the TotalModel.com website was attacked by hackers. This is not the first time the site has been targeted but this last episode was perhaps the most sinister. Although our ever-vigilant server hosts managed to intercept the attack before it could do any real damage, the incident raised questions about the security of the site.
TotalModel.com has been online for almost 4 years. In that time it has grown exponentially. Today it is made-up of thousands upon thousands of different files. In the last 18 months alone we have posted almost 850 news items and press releases. There are also feature articles, reviews, show reports - plus a host of guides and tutorials in the Workshop. These are just the pages. The popular User Gallery holds over 4,500 photographs. Add to this the Showcase gallery and Photo Archive and the number creeps towards 7,000.
Despite its growing popularity - especially amongst grassroots enthusiasts who often shy away from forum-driven sites - TotalModel.com was in danger of collapsing under its own weight. So, last week, when I first heard of the hacking attack, my initial reaction was to throw in the towel. Thankfully, given time to think, and buoyed-on by the support of others, I have decided instead to re-build it as a more streamlined and more effective model portal for all.
The page you are reading now is part of the new website. It may look like the old TM but you are, in fact, in a completely different place. Our new server is much bigger and far more flexible than the old system. It promises to deliver a host of new features including more interactivity, downloadable files and even chat rooms. There will be a new secure online shop where visitors will be able to buy a range of products including kits, electronic books and tutorials, magazine subscriptions and tickets for events. We also aim to roll out a series of "virtual" trade fairs.
The new site will feature a limited amount of advertising. The old TotalModel.com was a purely non-commercial project. The time has come, however, for the new site to move forward. There will be several different standards of advertising on offer - ranging from simple banners to larger page inserts. Such adverts are "optional extras" and will not affect the posting of news updates and press releases. Indeed, we hope the site new will make it even easier for manufacturers and publishers to promote their companies by providing them with a platform which will attract the attention of an even bigger world-wide audience. When TotalModel.com was attacked by hackers it was receiving an average of 15,000 page hits every single day. The new site promises to perform even better.
The current site set-up is a temporary one. All of the static files from the old site have been moved to the new server and can be viewed as normal. The more dynamic features, such as the User Gallery, Forum and Links engine, will remain off-line. A new site design is already in development which will provide us with a much bigger and more flexible canvas on which to present the site. All of the missing systems - along with many new features - will be back on-line just as soon as the new site design goes live. In the meantime, news posting continues as normal.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Best Wishes
Antar Howarth
Editor
TotalModel.com
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