Well it has finally happened – we have successfully migrated the entire site to WordPress VIP and you are now looking at it! It has been a very difficult task and incredibly time-consuming, but hopefully we will all appreciate the benefits that come with the move. This small list is just to let you all know what has actually been going on and what to expect with the updated site. Normal lists will resume tomorrow.
We are now running on the latest version of the WordPress software which we use for Listverse. Prior to this we were on a very old version which was buggy. In addition to using the latest version, we will be automatically upgraded to all future versions, meaning that we are always up to date with bug fixes and improvements.
The comment system remains largely the same (ie, no nested comments and no comment voting) but we have made a few tweaks to improve them. The first is the use of gravatars – these are small images that represent each user. If you want to have an avatar show up, you can add one in your user profile or you can add it via Gravatar.com which will mean it will not just appear on listverse, but any other website using gravatar technology. We have also slightly changed the layout of comments so that the number is now larger. This makes it easier to backtrack over comments that other readers have referenced. It is also (at least in my opinion) more attractive.
Prior to this move the administration involved in posting a list was immense. Here is a breakdown:
1. Write list
2. Post list to site
3. Use FTP to upload icon for list
4. Log on to Listverse via Telnet and sync the two servers
5. Stay up to publish list at 12 each night.
6. Run update script to update various parts of the site such as the archives
The new system means that we now:
1. Write list
2. Post list and icon to site with delayed publication date
As you can see this is cutting a huge amount of work which will, hopefully, give me plenty more time for research for new lists. I am quite astonished at how much deadwood gets added to a process over two years.
Registered users will have noticed that we were advertising the need to register usernames with WordPress before the change. Unfortunately the move means we can’t move our users over because of the terms of use of WordPress. This means that if you register on listverse now, you will automatically be a part of the huge WordPress user system – which means automatic registration for the Time Magazine blog, failblog, Icanhascheezburger, and more. Furthermore, people registered on any of those blogs will also be able to register here. If your username is taken already, you can still use your old listverse name by choosing it as your nickname in your profile. This gives us the best of both worlds. As before, if you don’t wish to register at all, you can just enter your email address and nickname and post a comment.
I have created a new simpler logo for the site using the alternative logo sent in our by our logo competition winner. It is much smarter I think and retains our unique look. I have also updated the little icon (favicon) that appears in the address bar of your webbrowser as the old one still referred to “list universe” when we are now officially “listverse”.
I am sure most of you will have suffered from the stability issues that we had on the site over the past year and a half. No matter where we went, the problems continued. Now that WordPress is officially taking over the administration side of the servers, this should not be a problem. We should now suffer no downtime at all and comments should always get through. Thanks to everyone that alerted me over the last year to problems – it was a big help. Thankfully this should no longer be necessary.
WordPress VIP is spread out over hundreds of servers around the world which means that a person in Australia should find the site much more responsive than before as they will be seeing the site on Australian servers – rather than waiting for the American servers to dish stuff up. This is the same for most countries now and it is an excellent system (used by Google and Amazon). This widespread network helps reduce downtime, load time, and the effects of things like Digg and Reddit front pages.
I couldn’t do an administrative post without reminding you all that the Listverse Book will be out in November. Be sure to pre-order a copy! You can do so from the advert at the top of the page on the right hand side.
This is the only list I will be publishing today as I need to focus on making sure the transition to the new servers goes smoothly. We will be back with our normal posts tomorrow. In the meantime, use the comments on this list to tell us whether you like the changes we have made. Be honest but not nasty 
I really can’t thank you all enough for having suffered uncomplainingly through the troubles of the last year and for putting up with the move of the forums and listverse. It will take a little getting used to, but before long it will feel just like home. The content will certainly remain as before and hopefully the comments will continue. Listverse has been a real joy for me and the dedication of the readers really enhances that. As my gift back to you all I promise to make no more drastic changes for at LEAST a year!
Iistverse has grown up. Congrats . And good luck wth todays rugby match. Go Bulls.
The site looks good so far but what really matters is that the content stays at the same quality level. If you keep that up I know that I’ll continue visiting everyday.
I like it! I had commented on a list back in February and didn’t realize I had been reading the lists for that long. I don’t miss a day! It gives me my fix for lists which I didn’t realize I had until I came across this site!
Thanks for your hard work!
Awesome changes! Thanks for a great daily read!
I like it! I had commented on a list back in February and didn’t realize I had been reading the lists for that long. I don’t miss a day! It gives me my fix for lists which I didn’t realize I had a need for until I came across this site!
Thanks for your hard work!
Thanks crackberry for posting it twice! Ugh!
Long time reader with hours of enjoyment and the changes look great. Congrats!
Wow, I’m impressed. This is awesome!
defil3r: I just added a link by the top of the comments to take you straight to the comment box. It should show up in a few minutes (the code changes have to sync across the servers).
Congrats jf, it’s all lookin’ very shiny awesome. Larger font comment numbers was a great idea btw.
Only problem I have with the migrate is that now all of my subscribed lists are no longer subscribed!
Congrats JF! The site looks great. I have been a long time reader and a very infrequent poster. I have finally registered and will probably post more often. I will say I was a bit put off by WordPress’s restrictions on username creation. Lowercase and letters and numbers only. Other than that the site looks great. Looking forward to all the great lists to come.
Yeah I made it through!!!!Not as exciting a trip as a whitewater raft, but I didn’t have to get wet either.
The new digs look and act REALLY nice Jamie…Thanks for keeping the quality of the site a huge consideration in your daily works.
And yes I still LOVE my LV toolbar.
“Only problem I have with the migrate is that now all of my subscribed lists are no longer subscribed!”
I noticed that too, cym! Now trying to find a way to write somewhat pertinent comments without making it too obvious that I’m trying to resubscribe, haha.
It looks great. Congratulations, jfrater!
Jamie,
Looks sleek.nicely done.
76 gabi319:…hehe… I already started that.
Jamie – Everything looks super!
Hey – shifty, oouchan – how did you get your old avatars to switch over? Mine wouldn’t do it!This should be a pic of my dogs, but I can’t see it till I post…
Looks Good!
However it seems some comments have been deleted. I only noticed it on the Top 10 Myths About *****, I don’t know if it happened to any other lists. It seems to have lost the most recent (about 30-35) comments.
80 BooRadley: Did you have it saved to your computer somewhere? If so, then you should be able to use it. If not, then you might have to hunt it down. Also, if you did use a picture, I can’t see it now.
Looks good Jamie! keep it up.
I have a question….
in your little book that i will be buying as soon as i get the chance, will you include any of the comments and stuff?
and do i need to actually make an account or something here cause i have been commenting on lists for like a few years and people keep stealing my names and i have to come up with some crappy new one.
CHI-KNEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ
looks super nice Jamie, I dig the bigger numbers and the gravatars are snazzy too! (All this from a girl who’s normally adamantly against change of nearly any kind!)
Wow! Good job. Well done jfray I’m impressed.
I cant login, is it coz of the changes
hey jFrator. the new site looks great! congradulations! only problem is it won’t let me log in. says my screenname is invalid. :/ Any ideas?
congrats. Nice look.
finally able to register
I have to say, I find this list highly controversial. I am very offended.
Kidding. Seriously, though, great job with the move. I am very impressed, and I am happy to be a registered user now.
Hey guys, list verse fan from the very beginning, Nice new layout Jfrater, keep up the good work
Hey guys, This looks good! nice new layout, big list verse fan from the beginning , i believe i was mentioned in a list based on one of my questions a while ago, Thanks Jfrater for being so close to your fans, this site rocks, keep it going
Hello, Congrats on the change. Everything looks great. Keep up the good work.
hey cym! You don’t need to subscribe! WordPress already keeps track for you! Check out “My Account” drop down menu “My Comments”.
Unless, of course, you simply want to subscribe so you have it in email as well…
Jfrater, I’m really liking these new changes!
O cool! I’m liking that. But now I have to go and comment on all my fave lists again…o well.
Definitely like the avatars jfrater!
Mr Frater sir!
I have been an stealth fan of your site for just over a year now and I can tell you now that the changes you have made are just outsitanding.
congratulations to you from Australia [from one of the awesome Australian servers
]
..unlike my spell checking behaviour..
here’s to more cool lists!
#80 Boo – I didn’t really get it to “switch over”. I downloaded it again from my computer. WordPress made me crop the edges to make it square.
I see your dogs but I could sure use a magnifying glass. You should post that picture in the forums.
I’ve been visiting lisverse daily for years, and am excited for the new changes!!!!!! Congrats to all who write and run this *****! I am totally diggin’ it, man!
hey. i have been following listverse daily for months if not a year, and have never commented. so with the new changes i am going to begin commenting
congratulations on the change xx
Looks good Jamie.
Thank you too, this is a great website.
It looks great, good job JFrater
WOOHOO =D
have been reading the lists for many months new site looks great
Great, change is good!
Congratulation on the move, JFrater, the new comment system looks really great..and I got to keep my username, so everything is perfect
Everything looks awesome JF. Only problem with moving things is that for some unknown reason, China has blocked this site. Using some proxy something or other to get around it, but it’s a pain in the butt.
Youtube, I could deal/understand. Listverse? Why China, why?
wordpress is great!!
JayBe
congratulations to you, Jay Fray! and to all the loyal LVers over the past year… amazing how simply starting a cool website can amass such a following…just wait until the book is released…this site’s traffic is going to go thru the roof!
Green Numbers add a nice touch.
PS: The favicon is the wordpress icon.
Looking good.
Thanks for all the hard work JF not forgetting Mom and Cyn – I hope this site goes from strenght to strenght.
117–Good point.
Thanks to our oft unmentioned admins too.
Mom, Cyn and Dan –thanks for all the help you have provided to me as a member, and the hard work you all do for the site as well.
I am blown away by the comments today – thank you all – it makes the effort worthwhile! In the morning I will respond to some of the questions posted but right now I am exhausted (it is nearly 3am).
One thing I do need to mention immdiately is that list subscriptions should function soon – wordpress VIP is working on importing all of the old ones. I will give an update on that tomorrow.
oh – there should be no missing comments – I specifically checked to make sure that the comments here matched the old site before launch. I will investigate tomorrow just in case though
Thanks 118 I think they deserve credit to – Ive had to change my username to fit into the new system – I have been on this site for quite some time now and am glad you could retain your name.