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5MV Update History

maintained by Zeke

AUGUST 2004

5ME

August 1

ChrTh just reminded me that the 5ME Season 3 page isn't up to date. The reason is that I was waiting till I had the PHP system ready -- but I've actually had it ready for a while and simply forgotten to upload the index page. So if you go to 5ME now, you'll find a new index page layout and listings for all the Enterprise Week fivers, including blurbs. (I'm particularly fond of my "Hatchery" blurb.)

5MV

August 2

The rebuilding of the forums continues; I've got the favicons back up and I've rolled out a new batch of member titles. What? You don't go to the forums? Go to the forums! They've never looked better, those forums....

5MV

August 3

A couple of links today.

  • Here, have a sausage.
  • Here's another one.
Okay, seriously now, there are a couple of links today. First off, Kira has suggested -- no, demanded -- no, I'm just messing with you, suggested -- that I link you folks to JibJab, home of a highly amusing political parody of "This Land is Your Land." Bush and Kerry sing it and are mocked about equally, so you can laugh at whichever one you hate more.

Second, in the webcomic world, one of the best out there has just hit a milestone. Like Sluggy Freelance and Professor Ashfield before it, Diesel Sweeties has passed the 1000-strip mark. DS is light on continuity, so now is as good a time as any to jump in. Also, remember Kid Radd? The series is going into its final stretch now, and it's kicking serious digital butt. Take it from me (and PointyHairedJedi) -- this strip's a winner.

5MV

August 5

Sorry about missing yesterday's update -- I couldn't get online. It wouldn't have been spectacular anyway, because I've been really busy the last couple of days. I did have time to install a new mod at the forums today, though, to restore a popular feature of the old board. We now have a calendar, and while I'm not sure what it does exactly, it's definitely a calendar. More interesting updates to come this weekend.

Meanwhile, go look at the most bizarre Nintendo product in history (scroll down).

5MV

August 6

Sweet, Men in Hats is back. (Sorry, that's all I got for today... I pulled an all-nighter last night trying to get my work done and it turned out to be a really bad move.)

5MV

August 7

Xeroc pointed out that the 5MSG link on the front page was broken, so I fixed it. Sorry, that'll have to be today's update... this weekend isn't turning out remotely like I planned.

5MV

August 8

I'm just about done a TJI that will rock your puny little world. It's the start of TJI's first continuing plotline since that Zuke thing, and I've got very cool plans for it. Look for that tomorrow. Meanwhile, for today's update... well, I fixed another front page link. Sorry -- like I said, weekend, planned, remotely, etc. But the TJI will make up for it.

TJI

August 9

As promised, it's TJI #41: "Executive producer of Trek becomes elected position." This Just In's biggest scoop to date begins here....

[Comments]

TJI

August 10

Since we just started a major This Just In event, it's a good time to look back at one of the classics. Today (well, yesterday) on 5MV 3 Years Ago, we have TJI's tenth issue: Episode II title causes AI research catastrophe. I wrote this shortly after the news broke that Episode II would be called "Attack of the Clones." Kira's cited this one before as one of her favourites, and I hope those of you who are just reading it now will enjoy it too. Pretend you just heard AotC's title and the outrage is fresh in your mind.

Speaking of TJI history, bonus points for the first one to catch the two references to past articles in #41 yesterday....

[Comments]

5MV

August 11

Some items of possible interest:

  • There have been several developments in the real buildup to ENT Season 4, and if you ask me, the most exciting one is that Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens are joining the writing staff! I'm a huge fan of their work, especially their brilliant DS9 novel trilogy Millennium, and I'm delighted that it's finally led to a job in canon Trek. Congratulations, guys! (In other news, that Shatner appearance is looking more likely all the time. The Reeves-Stevens have helped Shatner out with all his Trek novels -- coincidence?)
  • I've fixed a bevy of broken links in the TJI subsite; thanks to Xeroc for finding them.
  • Been wondering what a dsokdpach is? Wonder no more.
  • Does anyone know if the SNES Model 2.0 (the streamlined "mini" version, like the rereleased PlayStation) has different capabilities from the regular SNES in any way? If you know, let me know.
5MV

August 12

I got a fiver done today! However, it's for the fourth anniversary event, so you can't read it yet. If you'd like something you can read yet, Television Without Pity has announced the Tubey Award winners for the 2003-4 season. (How did Enterprise not win any? And how, HOW did Angel win best finale?)

5MV

August 13

Ohh, those TWoP awards weren't done yet. Today they've got Part Four, listing the most memorable moment of the season for each show they carry. What did Keckler pick for Enterprise? The revelation that T'Pol is a CRACK HO (to borrow her constant capitalization but not her exact wording). Memorable, I agree, but the most memorable? That's gotta be the [SPOILER REMOVED FOR IJD GAF'S SAKE -- WATCH SEASON 3 ALREADY, IJD!]

In 5MV news, I've made an important breakthrough in the PHPing of the site: the PHP files for Five-Minute DS9, my current testbed subsite, are now all but subsite-independent. In other words, I can use them in the other subsites without changing the code, which will save a lot of time. I should now be able to convert most of the subsites to PHP with very little work. You'll also notice the Subsite Info box is finally back, and it counts the total hours fived automatically now -- a major bonus in my book. Please let me know if you find the page is loading slower than usual; I want to avoid that.

5MV

August 14

I've finished the details of the PHP system for 5MD, and the modularity I was talking about yesterday has proven just as handy as I thought -- I've now got 5ME and 5MST running on the same system. (Have a look at their index pages; the subsites' unique colour codes are now prominent somewhere other than here on the News page.)

I'm also experimenting with slight modifications to the fiver pages. Here's what Five-Minute "The Adversary" looks like now, and here are two alternatives. How do you guys like them?

[Comments]

5MV

August 15

So far the second of the alternative fiver layouts I linked to yesterday has been pretty popular. Do let me know what you think if you haven't yet. I'll be continuing to give you guys input on the changes to come in 5MV v4.0, so keep an eye on the forums and/or this page.

I did some more PHPing today, but this time on a subsite that doesn't exist yet, so I can't show you. Sorry. But come back tomorrow for the next installment in the eTrektion saga!

TJI

August 16

Part 2 of the eTrektion saga is here: TJI #42, "Invited candidates for Trek position announced." By the way, should I keep calling it the eTrektion saga, or is that too crude and better kept a one-off joke?

[Comments]

5MA

August 17

Check it out! Five-Minute Andromeda and Five-Minute Farscape are now "up to code" -- as are two other subsites that I can't show you yet. Because I don't know where they are. Okay, I do know where they are, but they're a secret. You'll see them in the fourth anniversary event, Theme-To-Be-Announced Week. (No, that itself is not the theme, though we considered it....)

After listening to the comments on those alternative fiver layouts I proposed a few days ago, I've created a few more. Here are the five current alternatives:

Personally, I like #2 ("epaulet style") the best. But I'd like to hear your thoughts. Let me know which of these you like best -- and if you have any ideas of your own, post them and I'll try them out.

[Comments]

5MF
5MV

August 18

Sorry, couldn't do any site work today -- I had a Greek exam. (Ancient Greek. That's right. Pericles wasn't just whistling Dixie in that TJI, baby.) Come back tomorrow for an update and maybe -- just maybe -- an actual fiver. Yep, I'm still in the business of publishing them....

5MV

August 19

That'll be another day, sorry. I blame Sa'ar. It's his university where we meet for pool, and there's a comic book store on the way back.

Meanwhile, explore the mystery of I Love Bees. You throttle that network, baby. (Confused? This may help.)

5MV

August 20

Thank you to Xeroc for pointing out that the last couple of news items were misdated. He's also suggested that I link you to this page for a more detailed explanation of what's up with that I Love Bees thing, and also the parody site I Love Beer.

And hey, ENT Libs! Another production from the folks (well, folk... is there a singular of folks?) at TripHammered. Enjoy, you folkses.

5MD

August 21

The promised fiver is here! Feast on a new Five-Minute DS9 episode from the master, Derek Dean: "Life Support."

[Comments]

5MD

August 22

Got you! There's no way you were expecting another Derek fiver the very next day! Here's "Treachery, Faith, and the Great River," which marks Derek's first Season 7 fiver.

Also, remember the "Hotel Faction" mystery? (See July news entries.) This image at Nan's DeviantArt page will at last reveal the true meaning....

[Comments]

5MV

August 23

I should have saved the Hotel Faction thing for today. Link... link... oh, hey, I've never introduced you guys to Lobster Sticks to Magnet! It can be found among the Flash items at Save the Goldfish (the eponymous game is fun too).

TJI

August 24

Today on 5MV X Years Ago, X=1. It was a year ago (and a bit) that the new This Just In was completed. The two-column layout and background were controversial, but almost all feedback was positive; I decided to see how it would age. Now, as TJI's biggest storyline continues, how do you think it's aged?

[Comments]

5MV

August 25

Today's link: Andy's Anagram Solver, by means of which many entertaining anagrams for one's name can be found. Owen has suggested that I start going by "Emcee Dork Zoom" rather than Commodore Zeke. If you agree, spam me and say so!

5MF

August 26

The trailer for the upcoming Farscape miniseries, PeaceKeeper Wars, is now out -- and it kicks all kinds of yotz. Check it out!

5MV

August 27

I think I've only done one B5-related Link of the Day before, so today I'll give you three! The best B5 site out there by far is The Lurker's Guide to Babylon 5, a huge site with lots of info about the show. For fiver-writing, however, an even better source is The B5/Crusade Spoiler Junkies Page, which carries detailed synopses of every episode of both series. For entertainment value, though, my favourite is cScott's Babylon 5 Page. His parodies of Season 5 episodes (click "Episode Parodies") are truly hilarious, and were an influence on both Sa'ar Chasm and me in our B5 fivers. Now if only he'd update again....

5MV

August 28

Someone has combined my love of Badger Badger Badger with my love of Bananaphone! Groovy! (Thanks for the tip, Alexia.)

5MV

August 29

Scooter has updated his archive of the Top 10 Lists thread. I'm hoping to get the next part of the eTrektion saga done tomorrow, but with a move coming up this week, I can't promise anything. Well, I can promise pie. Have some. ::: hands over the pie :::

5MV

August 30

Zeke's Better Judgment: Now aren't you glad you didn't promise anything yesterday?

Shut up, better judgment.

Zeke's Better Judgment: How many times before have you promised "tomorrow" and then had RL crop up? This is a better way. No shame, no blame.

That's lame.

Zeke's Better Judgment: Don't flame.

All the same, here's what's up this week. On Thursday I'm moving to Waterloo to start my Master's in math. Moving will keep me busy until Sunday at least, so I've asked Kira to handle the updates, and she's accepted. Boy howdy has she accepted. See, she's going to publish something BIG. Something she's been sitting on for a long time, waiting for the right moment -- and having seen it, I guarantee you don't want to miss it. So mark your calendars, because sometime between Thursday and Sunday the roof gets blown clear off.

Meanwhile, I'm going to make the best of my two remaining Ottawa updates. Tomorrow you'll be getting at least one new Original Series fiver, and on Wednesday the eTrektion continues, with not just an article but the first few candidate profiles. Be there or "E2."

[Comments]

5MST

August 31

The first season of the Original Series is out on DVD! To celebrate, IJD's done a new Season 1 fiver, "Errand of Mercy" -- and it's hilarious even by his standards. Enjoy!

[Comments]

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