Patchcamp November 2006 revisions

November 18, 2006 Glenn Chase Base Camp Beta Test

If you compare the existing version of The Patch Collector’s Base Camp with the updated version that’s scheduled to go live on December 1 there aren’t many easily noticeable differences. In fact, the changes may not even seem significant enough to warrant testing by a select group of users. But be assured that many hours of efforts have gone into updating and modernizing the Base Camp. Here’s a list of the changes and new features in case you’d like some clues to what’s new:

1. Transferred site to new host (Wirenine.com).
2. Set up and implemented Google-powered custom search engine that specifically searches only Scout patch related web sites.
3. Began migration to CSS styling to reduce page loading times and simplify appearance revisions.
4. Implemented custom bullets and mouseover thumbnail popups for linked sites (powered by Websnapr and Brian McAllister’s Link Preview script).
5. Installed Google Analytics for traffic analysis and outbound link tracking.
6. Added persistent “back to top” icon on right side (code courtesy Brian McAllister).
7. Added subclassifications and revised some category titles for clarification.
8. Removed dead links, added several new sites, including:
• Clothtalk (podcast)
• World Jamboree 2007 (UK Site)
• 21st World Scout Jamboree (US Site)
• World Jamboree Collectors Society
• World Jamboree 2007 Scout Shop (UK)
• Collectibles Insurance
• Camp Patch
• Blue Book VI PDF Generator
• Blue Book VI Lodge Selector
• Tri-Arrow Products
9. Implemented “heat map” and outbound link tracking (courtesy CrazyEgg.com).
10. Added Recent Visitor Location Map powered by gvisit.com and Google Maps.