Posts in the "Miscellaneous" Category:

New Server - Apache / Mongrel

A while ago we announced a server move, but after spending some quality time at RailsConf and talking to the experts, it was decided shared hosting is not the way to go for a Rails service like ProjectStat.us.

A few days ago, we completed moving the site to a VPS at rimuhosting.com. Hopefully you didn't even notice the transition. If you did notice anything, we hope it's the more responsive site. Everything loads quicker and navigating around the site is snappier.

For those who want to know or care, the new server is Apache on the front end with a Mongrel Cluster on the back end. The future of Rails hosting is now here for ProjectStat.us =)

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 08.17.2006 | Permalink

Changes Ahead

A few new changes are in the works and will be coming in the next few weeks.

First up is a new server. The people at TextDrive don't know how to answer an email, so the service will be moving to Planet Argon. We will do our best to make the transition a smooth one, and you shouldn't notice any loss of service.

After that, a few new features will be released for the admin side of the service. We've been listening to your requests and feedback, and after development and testing, we feel that the new features will help you manage your projects more efficiently. The number one request and resulting feature? Multiple project editing on one page. Stay tuned for more details...

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 06.18.2006 | Permalink

Minor Update for Admins

After many requests, a new feature for the Admin / Projects section has been added. We thought paging the project display would be nice (five projects per page), but you told us it would be best to have a set of simple filters to work with and show all the results on one page. Done!

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 04.25.2006 | Permalink

New Design

If you haven't already noticed, we launched a new design for ProjectStat.us last night. Along with the design, we have taken the opportunity to add a few new features and to fix some annoying issues with the site.

Let us know what you think! As always, we look to our customers for feedback and direction for new features and improvement.

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 02.13.2006 | Permalink | Comments (1)

New Navigation and Help System

We have updated the site again, this time with enough changes that you should notice right away. In short, we have changed the navigation at the top of each page to an easier-to-use tab system.

Also, we have moved our help pages to a new location - they are now at ProjectStat.us/Help. The new site will allow us to update the help pages quickly and to get feedback from you regarding help topics. Feel free to leave comments so we can improve our documentation and make the service better.

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 12.05.2005 | Permalink

Minor Updates Published

We have been getting feedback from users of the service (thank you all) and have incorporated those useful suggestions into our first round of changes. Nothing major, just a few minor changes to the way messages are displayed along with minor interface tweaks.

Keep the feedback coming! Help us make this service better for you and your company.

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 11.11.2005 | Permalink

Version 1.0 beta Release

This is a copy of a letter that was posted to a discussion forum for landscapers:

Hey Friends,

We were running into a problem and we finally found a solution. Perhaps others would be interested in what we came up with.

Especially during our busy season, I was answering a lot of phone calls (or if I was on the job they would go to voicemail) about scheduling. Clients would call and want to know where they stood in the queue. I had to tell them I did not have that information with me, which was a problem (I did not wish to carry every client’s information with me every day). Thus, I would have to spend time calling people back each evening. During our busy season I would guess that we spent at least a half hour nightly returning calls. It was frustrating to me and to our clients that I did not have their information directly on hand when they wanted it.

I knew there had to be a better way, so I had a friend develop a tool for our business that allows clients to view their project’s information 24/7. The tool he developed is a web service called ProjectStat.us.

Basically, we use it to keep track of our projects using a password protected admin section. We set the date, add notes, and associate each project with a customer. Then we give our customers a “token” - similar to a username / password combination - but much easier to use. The customer can then visit “www.ProjectStat.us/Customer” and see the status of their project. If weather or other issues cause their project to be moved back a few days, they will see the change the next time they check.

Because this service has greatly benefited our business by providing greater customer service, helping me stick to the schedules, and because we want to further our industry, we feel it would be great to offer it to other curbers.

As soon as we started using this service, the first client I sent to the site said, “your product is awesome!” and they had not had our edging installed yet! We hope you will experience similar results.

I have asked Patrick if it is okay to post this information on his site. If you are interested in trying the service for free, you can go to http://www.ProjectStat.us and get started. Signup is easy and you can start using the service immediately.

The ProjectStat.us service is currently free. It is also a beta service, meaning it is still rough around the edges. You will probably notice a bug here or there. Or you might see an area of the site that needs improvement. If so, let us know. We want and need your feedback (as well as that of your customers’) to make this service better. You will find a link to contact us at the bottom of each page on the site.

While the service is in beta, we will be studying the feedback we get and using it to make revisions, fix bugs, and add requested features. The beta period will last until sometime in mid-January, after which there will be a small monthly fee for the service. Again, the beta service is free for all users.

For me, as a curber, the cost will be more than worth the time it saves being on the phone and the great customer service it gives. I also do not have to worry about backing up my data, like I would if the service had to be installed on my desktop computer. Also, if my computer at home gets a bug or virus, or if I’m not at home and need the info, the service has everything available to me as long as I have an Internet connection. This could be priceless in the event I need that information.

Finally, we want to reiterate that we need your feedback on this service. It works as-is, but we want to make it better. Tell us what works, what is broken, what needs to change. We will be making changes to the site often and according to your feedback.

Again, here are the URLs for the ProjectStat.us service:

The service’s home page - http://www.projectstat.us

To sign up immediately - http://www.projectstat.us/signup

Service updates and news - http://projectstat.us/updates/

Categories: Miscellaneous | The Story
Posted by Phil on 10.30.2005 | Permalink

Hello!

Welcome to the news and updates blog for ProjectStat.us. We are very close to launching the beta version of our service. Check back here for more news and updates in the next few days.

Categories: Miscellaneous
Posted by Phil on 10.29.2005 | Permalink