31 December 1996

Now, I have updated all of my columns for the 1996-97 season and consolidated them into a single location: http://thebench.gszone.com/journal/season9697/columns/. My numbering scheme has been updated to take into account my summer columns. I have also included my new year's resolutions for the Bullets. You will even find the first guest column from an outside contributor. Please enjoy and respond.

I have added a new feature to my main Bullets Links page at http://thebench.gszone.com/links/. There is a button you can push that will send you to a randomly selected site that is already documented in the links section. Sure, it's an old feature, but it can be fun for a little while. It's just something different to do for a few minutes, just to randomly check someone's site for recently changes.

I have updated three pages in the Bullets Journal section to cover the new format:

• Preseason camp roster
• Regular season roster (with updated moves and personal stats)
• Preseason and regular season schedule (with latest scores and links to appropriate stories).

Please webmaster@gszone.com if you find any errors. Thanks.

Navigational arrows are beginning to appear on news stories in Bullets Journal. I haven't been able to automate the process, so I'm doing it by hand. Hopefully, the automation will be done shortly.

A new feature has been added to this site: a semi-regular column where I hope to revisit some events from the previous week and address some hot issues that may be burning and asking for answers. I say semi-regular, because anyone familiar with how I run things here realize that my regular workload sometimes necessitates my delay in addressing certain site management issues. Please be patient with me in these manners. The first column can be found at http://thebench.gszone.com/journal/season9697/columns/01Nov1196.html. A centralized link repository will be available shortly.

Also, I'm coming out with a significant action alert that may affect the nature of sports web sites, as an example. Pay attention, I hope to have it ready by the end of the day. The link can be found at http://thebench.gszone.com/journal/season9697/1196/.

Depending on your point of view, this may or may not be big. To me, it is. The new URL, http://thebench.gszone.com/, represents a new commitment to you, the reader. Excepting that I want to change that reality. For too long, you have been just a reader without input. I'm aiming to change that.

The new URL is just the first step. My new web hosting agreement with pair Networks allows me to introduce new levels of interactivity for those who wish to participate as part of this Bullets community. The first example of this is The Bench Roster, a guestbook-type service that allows you to make your first public declaration of love for the Bullets. In the coming months, I aim to make available a BBS, a mailing list, and other interactive features.

Unfortunately, the high-bandwidth version of the site is still on hold. In the meantime, I have som catch-up to do on some news from last month and this month. I also have to complete my change-over to the new format. Several sections still have not been converted. Additionally, I plan on raising the profile of the site and possibly target some new advertiser. After all, this is not an inexpensive proposition, and to date all funds have come out of my pocket.

Lastly, I intend on breaking all of my news pages into individual stories, rather than combining several on a single page, as I currently do. Unfortunately, this will take a lot of time, especially to provide the proper hierarchical linking, so please be patient while I automate this process.

I think you'll like what you see in the coming months. As always, I invite you to provide comments. This is the only way that I'll be able to make this site better.

There have been numerous wholesale changes on this site in the past few days. (Sorry about the delay in getting the news out. I'm working on it.) Many visible changes are going on, but there is also a lot going on in the background that isn't visible. These changes deal with how I manage the site, hopefully speeding up site-wide changes and easing page construction through the use of templates.

One big OBVIOUS change is the title page of the site - http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/Bullets/bHome.html (not the cover page, which you've been looking at for a while). I've gone away from the site-wide use of frames. I'll explain why later.

I've also extensively updated my credits pages, especially as I roll out new pages. The master file, which includes a list of my Web tools, is at http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/Bullets/credit/. I also maintain subpages for each major subsite, which you will be able to click on eventually.

More changes are on the way. webmaster@gszone.com if you like the new look. Meanwhile, I've got to get caught up on the news items (I have about a dozen stories to run with right now.)

The new links pages have gone online at http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/Bullets/links/bLinks.html. They have been updated to reflect all things Bullets (and some NBA) on the Net.

The new links pages also announce a new direction to this site. The basic two-column format is still in used; however, I'm getting away from using frames (for the most part, although I've gotten good complements on my use) and more to the page formatting. (Let me know if you like this approach or not.) I'll explain why shortly. Look for this and other changes shortly.

An new font suggestion has been added to the Getting Started page: Times New Roman. Most people already have this, but I want to point you in the right direction if you do not. (If you have a Mac, you still might want to download this version to ensure better display characteristics - the version on most Macs is not the same.)

I fixed a problem with the new lead in page at http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/bHome.html. Non-frames capable browsers were unable to advance to any of the appropriate sections because of some relative pathing mistakes I made. It works now (for browsers such as Lynx).

The new coverpage for the Riding The Bullets Bench goes online. It can be found at http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/bHome.html. Please use this page to enter the site. Book mark it.

"Riding the Bullets Bench" has added an advertising section as part of its coverpage. This is to increase the exposure that the site is getting on the Net. We will also consider paying sources of advertising, if you are interested.

The new coverpage marks the first publishing effort of GS Technology Ventures. Please visit the site regularly--we aim to be your first source of Bullets news and discussion.

All previous versions of the What's New page will eventually be eliminated. For the time being, you can find it at http://universe.digex.net/~gsloth/Bullets/new/bNew.html.

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Last updated Sun, Sep 21, 1997 at 12.39.57 PM.