mortsmel
Message
Sep 4, 2026, 10:21 AM
Reply to
Working Updates of September 2026
Shop notes since the End of August digest. Checkout is still off. Catalog, cart, wishlist, rides, forum, Messages, and Ask ES stay up.
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Database (MySQL)
The site is off SQLite and onto MySQL. That file database was fine for one person poking around; it locked the shop when two people wrote at once. Catalog, cart, forum, and the desk now share a proper database.
You should not notice a new login or a reset cart. Old links still work. If something looks stale after a save, refresh once and tell us on Contact if it sticks.
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Forum tools
Staff can pin a thread to the top of its board, flag member conflict (a notice, not a ruling — keep it civil and on the facts), and lock replies when a thread is done. Members see the badges. Forum mods and admins run the switches.
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Shop URLs
Product pages are now
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Home, About, Contact, Orders
Reviews column on the home page: real product reviews first. If we do not have five yet, driveway quotes from About fill the rest. Quotes go to About → What they said. Product reviews go to that product.
Contact no longer nags you to add an install profile before you write the bench.
Orders (logged in) is a compact list: shipping, total, paid/pending, carrier track link when we have a number. Invoice drops down on the row. PDF and Refund / cancel stay in Actions.
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Ask ES
Forum updates pulls this board (General / Updates), not random lobby noise.
Find recent rides looks at member setups, not a generic forum search.
Logged in, a Tracking chip asks where your tracking number is.
Times on the site show Eastern (Detroit). We store them in UTC.
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RAM this month
We will likely upgrade RAM on this box later this month. Expect a short window where the lights flicker — site down or slow for a bit, then back. That is hardware, not checkout, not your cart. We will try to pick a quiet hour and post here if we have a firm night. Same story as the Sunday-night tease on the August thread: if the page blinks, it is the RAM work.
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Still closed for charges
Public checkout is still off. Aim remains around September 21 or October 1 once the paperwork clears. We will post when the date is firm and when the register is live.
Wishlists, named lists, a warm cart, FAQ, Contact if something looks wrong. This board is still the long notes.
Shop notes since the End of August digest. Checkout is still off. Catalog, cart, wishlist, rides, forum, Messages, and Ask ES stay up.
---
Database (MySQL)
The site is off SQLite and onto MySQL. That file database was fine for one person poking around; it locked the shop when two people wrote at once. Catalog, cart, forum, and the desk now share a proper database.
You should not notice a new login or a reset cart. Old links still work. If something looks stale after a save, refresh once and tell us on Contact if it sticks.
---
Forum tools
Staff can pin a thread to the top of its board, flag member conflict (a notice, not a ruling — keep it civil and on the facts), and lock replies when a thread is done. Members see the badges. Forum mods and admins run the switches.
---
Shop URLs
Product pages are now
/product/item/ plus the item code. Old product.php?itemcode= and product.php?id= links 301 to the new path. Bookmarks and Google follow.---
Home, About, Contact, Orders
Reviews column on the home page: real product reviews first. If we do not have five yet, driveway quotes from About fill the rest. Quotes go to About → What they said. Product reviews go to that product.
Contact no longer nags you to add an install profile before you write the bench.
Orders (logged in) is a compact list: shipping, total, paid/pending, carrier track link when we have a number. Invoice drops down on the row. PDF and Refund / cancel stay in Actions.
---
Ask ES
Forum updates pulls this board (General / Updates), not random lobby noise.
Find recent rides looks at member setups, not a generic forum search.
Logged in, a Tracking chip asks where your tracking number is.
Times on the site show Eastern (Detroit). We store them in UTC.
---
RAM this month
We will likely upgrade RAM on this box later this month. Expect a short window where the lights flicker — site down or slow for a bit, then back. That is hardware, not checkout, not your cart. We will try to pick a quiet hour and post here if we have a firm night. Same story as the Sunday-night tease on the August thread: if the page blinks, it is the RAM work.
---
Still closed for charges
Public checkout is still off. Aim remains around September 21 or October 1 once the paperwork clears. We will post when the date is firm and when the register is live.
Wishlists, named lists, a warm cart, FAQ, Contact if something looks wrong. This board is still the long notes.