Edit 6/16/10:
The site just went down for about 12 hours or so while I resolved some hosting issues I’ve been having (a problem on my part, not Site5′s). In any case, all is well now. Additionally, I’ll be on vacation from the 19th to the 27th, so I’ll be unable to make much progress until I get back. After that though, I’ll begin making some major changes.
The State of FreeMacAppaDay
Today was my last day of school for the year, and I plan to begin updating this site again this summer. However, I think I’ll be making some major changes first. The fact that I haven‘t posted an update in 85 days is testament to the fact that I simply don’t have time to review a free Mac app every day. Here’s what you can expect to see over the next few months:
New domain
While I love FreeMacAppaDay.com dearly, the name is extremely restrictive—it implies that I will post a new review every day. While this used to be no problem, life has gotten in the way and I simply can’t keep up with such a rapid pace. I’ll be accepting suggestions for a new domain, and will likely keep FreeMacAppaDay.com for a few more months to redirect the users who miss the announcement when it first happens.
New host
Site5 has been an absolutely fantastic web host—so fantastic that I’m fairly certain I don’t need many of their incredible services. FreeMacAppaDay’s hosting package is around $200/year, and leaves me with loads of bandwidth and disk space that I simply don’t need. I’m considering switching to a host like NearlyFreeSpeech.net, which charges based on your use of their services. I calculated the amount I’d be spending annually on the new version of this site with NearlyFreeSpeech’s hosting, and it came out to around $30-40/year. This will likely be the first change I make.
New design
As much as I like the current WordPress theme I’m using (called “leopress”), I feel that it’s time for a makeover. I’ve sketched out several designs for the updated site, and think they’re significantly better than the current one. With a bit of time (and the help of some friends), you may see a brand new site in the near future. While this isn’t one of the most pressing issues at hand, it’s a change I’d like to make for personal reasons, as well as to streamline the site’s overall user experience.
New writers
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the last year, it’s that I can’t handle this task alone. I’ll be looking to recruit some new writers once the domain and hosting changes are worked out. This will take a lot of stress off me, and provide for a steadier stream of content for you.
New deals
If the updated site really takes off, I’ll begin working with some shareware developers to get promotions on high-quality apps, and hopefully some software license giveaways.
New platforms
Apple’s iOS line of devices is absolutely packed with awesome apps. I’m considering writing reviews for iPhone and iPad apps in the near future, which would create a much wider variety of content on the site. Of course, this change would have to be made in tandem with the domain change. In any case, I feel it’s an interesting idea worth considering.
None of these changes are certain, and all of them are subject to change. If you have any suggestions or would like to contact me regarding writing or helping with the creation of a new site theme, don’t hesitate to send me an email! I’d love to hear some feedback (if only to let me know that there are still users around to appreciate the work that will go into these changes!). You can contact me using the form on the left sidebar, or by sending an email to gbendinelli@gmail.com. Thanks, and you’ll be hearing from me soon!
-Gus Bendinelli
