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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 10/24/2008 2:27:36 PM
Posts: 437,
Visits: 632
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First, I hope everyone had a good holiday season and got to spend an enjoyable time with friends and family. I also hope 2007 was a good year for you all. At the very least, you tackled Expression Web!
Alright, so its probably about time for another status update about the site and what's been going on for the past several months. I should note that this is no doubt not the first status update on the site that will be talking about largely the same thing and I'm well aware of that. I'm very excited that so many of you have written me lately and have been able to stay excited about the future of the site and new content. That's very encouraging and I thank you for that.
Anyway, let's knock this out;
Things actually changed drastically for me almost immediately after the last status update, which put the exact future of this site into question. Long story short, I am no longer employed full-time with LearnVisualStudio.NET. For those of you who are unaware, this site was an endeavor started because of the natural extension of the LVS site, while I was under employment there. Working for Bob was a great experience and he will no doubt be one of the greatest people I'll ever work with/for, and I'm glad to continue to have a solid relationship with Bob and the LVS crew, which enables me to continue to help make this site grow and expand.
About a month after that move, we found out my wife is pregnant, which is our first, so that is certainly exciting. We were surprised though to find out we would be having twins. Yes indeed. She is currently just over 4 months along now and getting quite the makings of a belly.
So what have I done for the past 4+ months then? Well I've been making a go at being entirely self employed to enable me to accomplish several of the goals I have for myself personally. Needless to say its been an interesting few months trying to get everything balanced out right, and deciding what exactly I needed to do for my soon to double family. There have obviously been countless other hurdles in the past 4 months, but those two are the ones that really had a huge impact on this site's status.
This site is now just barely over a year old, having launched December 22, 2006. While I didn't get all of the goals for the year accomplished in the way we had hoped, the site has still been a great success so far I believe. The traffic has been very good and steady and I have gotten so many great emails from people about the site throughout the year. Also, I just found out the other day that I received a Microsoft MVP award for my work with this site and the Expression community, which is really a great honor that I wasn't expecting, and I'd like to thank Microsoft and rest of the community for noticing the site and for the great feedback.
So where does that leave us now in 2008? Actually in a pretty good spot. I really want to get this site to the promised next stage that has been impending for some time and I've been doing a decent amount of week before the holiday to prepare for that. My next several weeks will be almost entirely dedicated to getting the new site launched and recording more content. I need to get with Bob to try to nail down an exact date that we can implement the next phase that the site will need behind the scenes, and what will most likely happen is that I will put up some more Expression Web content for free by the end of the month, to be followed by the waiting Blend content and the series on Web Design, which will be paid content of some sort. When I have a set deadline for the site launch I will let you all know.
I do plan on using the blog more for these types of updates this year as well. The blog was really barely touched last year and I've had more of a direct response and connection to the users through the forum. I'll try to use both actively this year and see what works better. I also want to explore more ways to keep more free content coming to the site as well as paid content, some of which may take the forum of written tutorials on the blog. I plan on trying that a bit as well and seeing how that works. It obviously won't be the focus, as the focus is still video tutorials and learning by doing.
So that's the "short" of it really. It has been an exciting and challenging year for sure. Thank you all for supporting this site so far, I know it hasn't all gone off without a hitch, but I think everything is finally working itself into place now. It has really been a honor to have been trusted to help you learn and transition to Expression Web. Here's to a great 2008 for all of us and our continued growth.
All the best.
Dustin
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My wife has given birth to our twins, so I'm still going to be spotty around here. It never seems to correct itself does it? I'm sorry, I'm trying.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/10/2008 12:25:23 PM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 33
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| Dustin: Thank you for having taken the time to give the detailed status report. But what a report! It's monumental, that's for sure. First off congratulations on your wonderful family news. Second, congratulations on the MVP award. The web site seems secondary compared to the tectonic moves that have been taking place in your life, but congratulations on that too. I've scoured lots of sites and have found nothing that comes close to answering my needs than this one. The possibilities, well you've outlines a few that seem pretty good to me. Anyway, I'm just a new guy on this scene, but again my thanks for all you've done. As to the learn visual studio site, well I've done many of those tutorials a year or so ago while familiarizing myself with the express VS versions. But I prefer yours. I also checked out the "usual suspects" large commercial operation training sites and I "changed the channel" real quick in each case. Again thanks and congratulations on your great accomplishments this past year (including the site!). cparker
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Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/22/2008 2:08:53 PM
Posts: 39,
Visits: 61
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I certainly echo Forum Newbie's congrats.  I have been so awed by this site--it is a rarity to get this kind of education & assistance in the puter world. And I thank you & your other colleagues for even attempting a site like this. I, for one, am very thankful for investing your time on this site without monetary compensation. But I really believe, if the costs are not too high, that you will have interested parties for your paid content for Web Design. I eagerly await the implementation of your next stage.I wish you & your growing family much happiness & prosperity.
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/28/2008 6:46:37 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 25
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| Hi Dustin, I certainly have to re-echo the last 2 posts. I have been a disciple of LVS for a year or so. I reside in Nigeria & I had difficulties with my Internet connection for a while but that is all sorted out now. I have gone through the amazing videos you have put up on this site & I can't wait till you start earning from this effort to compensate your efforts & increase your commitment to new stuff. With the new family size, every second of time ought to be well spent. The standards you have set with LVS.net & LE.com (I've also seen ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com and bradfordbeachjam.com) make it difficult for me to appreciate the work of developers who make it seem impossible to design visually-appealing applications. your combination of simplicity & class is remarkable. I really hope that you get more design jobs based on the work you display to the whole world on sites your design & manage. I'm looking forward to when my fusion of design & development would be clean enough to get a thumbs up from you! I haven't launched/exhibited any of my projects yet...but that will soon come & I will owe a lot to you & your friends at LVS. Best wishes to your family & hold on to the dream of Learnexpression.com. I do hope your 'break-up' with Bob was amicable. Cheers' Chill Pill
Chill Pill
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 10/24/2008 2:27:36 PM
Posts: 437,
Visits: 632
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Thanks everyone. We actually just found out yesterday that we're having twin boys as well! I can't say I'm not excited about that!
chill pill (1/10/2008)
Hi Dustin,
The standards you have set with LVS.net & LE.com (I've also seen ishouldhavebeenanastronaut.com and bradfordbeachjam.com) make it difficult for me to appreciate the work of developers who make it seem impossible to design visually-appealing applications. your combination of simplicity & class is remarkable. I really hope that you get more design jobs based on the work you display to the whole world on sites your design & manage.
Wow, thank you chill pill, I appreciate that.
And for the record, Bob and I are on great terms. I was trying to be careful in my post to not make it seem otherwise. Breakup is really far to harsh of a word, as I am still working with Bob, but not on a full time basis as I was. Bob has been really great for me and my career and I'm honored to have a relationship with him.
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My wife has given birth to our twins, so I'm still going to be spotty around here. It never seems to correct itself does it? I'm sorry, I'm trying.
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Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 5/22/2008 2:08:53 PM
Posts: 39,
Visits: 61
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| Congrats on the set of boys! Are you prepared??? I checked out bradfordbeachjam.com--did you design that site? It's very creative & enjoyable to peruse. Your gallery caught my eye...how did you expand the photos into those neat photographs--somewhat like a slideshow? Do you need special software? Again, many thanks for all your wonderful videos & forum help...
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Forum Newbie
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 4/2/2008 10:17:23 AM
Posts: 2,
Visits: 14
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| Congratulations Dustin! Happy New Year! I recently purchased Expression Studio, and have found that you're tutorials are excellent (and greatly appreciated). I'm a lifer at LVS, and I'll be a lifer here too when you have everything in place. Take care, FOo
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Supreme Being
Group: Administrators
Last Login: 10/24/2008 2:27:36 PM
Posts: 437,
Visits: 632
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