The New Platial -> Burnside

Finally.

Big shout outs to the many deeply involved beta testers for their tireless help and the patient Platial members for their voluminous feedback, both of which have helped us get this new site out to the public. This is the most extensive platform update/overhaul we’ve done since launch in December.

We've been listening and integrating all of your feedback so far and have emerged with something we hope you'll enjoy even more. Nearly every change or improvement has been made based on your feedback, your challenges, and your wishlists. But please keep the feedback coming- it's still early days for Platial and we have very high aspirations for the site, including all your wishes.

It is still not 100% stable, and we'll be fixing it in smaller increments now on rapid fire schedule, the new backend will allow us to really move a lot faster in dealing with new features and fixes.

But, for now, there are still some bugs. Here are the biggest few that we know about.

• safari is not as stable as we'd like it to be, your feedback and bug reports on safari are very helpful. One example is that editing an existing Place fails to reload the Place detail.
• the site feels a bit slow, we are also looking for feedback if you seem to have certain areas where this is happening more than others (like while adding a Place to a map).
• some images weren't ported over successfully, this means you'll see more "file not found" image holders, this should be fixed verys oon
• from the profile page, clicking the markers in the map don't do anything

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Here's what's new:

Easier to navigate:

• Updated design. You've asked for results to show above the fold, now they are in the sidebar. You can see a slim list, or the full Place cards including tools with one click.
  
• More use of the user icons to help visualize who did what.
• Item counts in the sidebar: for a person's Places, a map, and tags.
• Easier to find tools: now you can add Places and create maps from these buttons which are always on map and profile pages.
• Map tools: Add Places to map. Its not as easy as we'd like yet but anytime you're looking at a map you can use the Add Place button to add to the map and your Places with one click.
• Better map size and style stickiness, it remembers your preferences.
• Less getting lost, due to many functions, like adding new Places, are now inline. You never lose your focus on the map.
• Context: Place details now show without leaving the map, or search results that they are a part of.
• A more you-centric navigation: when you're logged in, the main links are about you first.

Easier to organize your information:

• Easy bookmarking of maps. You can del.icio.us any map from the map detail area.
• URLs for permalinking and staying in map
• Better pivots in the sidebar.

Easier publishing:

• Better publishing- anyone (logged in or not) can publish any map anywhere (previously you could only publish your own maps).
• Super fun flickr image search integration using the Creative Commons image pool makes enhancing Places much easier.
• Easier browsing: The new yellow "stream of consciousness" bar at the top. When you aren't logged in, you can see who has last grabbed, commented on, tagged, mapped, or added a Place.
  

Easier editing:

• Add any kind of image at any time, plus, no more 3 image limits.
• Flickr built in. More to come, too.
• Inline tools: you can add tags and images without leaving the page.
  

Beefier backend:

• A rebuilt underlying structure that will allow us to deploy new features at a breakneck pace.

Fun stuff and pretty touches:

• Better geocoding - now with the 50 "states", "usa", and the "world"
• Better smaller map markers, with a more intuitive connection the the sidebar's "Place cards".

There is much left undone and we are still working on it! Thanks so much. Now come over tonight, say hi and drink some beer.

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