deskthority

I put thumbnails of photos & videos on the frontpage. Current selection is last 5 topics. Let me know if you find any bugs, like or hate it, etc. It currently takes the first photo or video it can find in a topic. I plan to make something so you can change that default.

It would be nice to have a "database" of every keyboard we know and related pictures, should we use the wiki for that?

Possibly. I once started a relational database scheme which is fairly elaborate for this kind of purpose, to complete such a thing is another option. I'm not sure, it would mean two sources of info, the wiki and the database, instead of one which solves all.

I actually was thinking about the real relational database where you can search by some keywords/features/switches etc. yes. It's does take time for sure to code it, but it's unique as there is none around yet.

The sql is pretty complete I think, it hasn't been in my mind for a while. Tables for brands, manufacturers, switches, etc. etc. all normalized, and I think with edit history. Would be pretty wild to put 1000 keyboards in there, you could query/filter anything you like.

That's cool! Any thoughts about the backend/frontend?

php/MySQL, because that way phpBB and mediaWiki can communicate easily with it. Web page with search form and some default content for browsing, such as categories for keyboards, brands, switches etc. with below links to deeper entries. Options for list or thumbnail browsing. Possibly dynamic search results, i.e. you click Keyboards, click on brand Cherry (the results narrow), click on MX Black switch type (more narrow results), etc. I'd like it simple, yet powerful, and visual.

What makes the thumbnails really cool is the ellipsis overflow with Firefox. Which it doesn't support, unlike the other main browsers.

something like a "desktop" application interface (extjs/dojo etc) or something custom?
If you opt for something custom using jquery-ui as helper for ui design check out "aristo" theme.

what do you mean with the ellipsis overflow? I see the same with firefox 4 / chrome on OSX

It will probably be jQuery UI, if this becomes a reality (time...). I've done much work with it. Call me MrInterface. No wait. Call me Mr Ajax.

Also jQuery is compact, and the main script is already in use by this site, and probably in your cache. This would make it very quick.

xbb wrote:what do you mean with the ellipsis overflow? I see the same with firefox 4 / chrome on OSX

Good. What I mean is firefox doesn't support css text-overflow: ellipsis, and still they are there. Magic!

webwit wrote:It will probably be jQuery. I've done much work with it. Call me MrInterface. No wait. Call me Mr Ajax.

Lol jQuery is cool, I'm in love with the new deferred obj feature. Let me know if you need any help!

While interesting, are we sure we want to have some of Ripster's pics posted (from the off-topic section) pop up in the thumbnail bar? Or does it filter for those forums?

luckily I think the pictures that appear there are from every first post of five selected from the photos section

Oh right, that would make sense given the title of the whole bar. Why didn't I spot that before...

Who would ever do such a thing as to spam a keyboard forum with off-topic pictures??