Time really does fly

Has it really been three years since Charles and I started up Invision Power Services? It seems incredible that it was so long ago and that it seems like only yesterday. It's a testament to the hard work of everyone thats ever been involved with Invision Power Services that we've come so far and achieved so much. From the ashes of Ikonboard we announced a new PHP forum system called "IBForums" and resold hosting accounts to generate an income to fund our development work.
Three years on and we're on the verge of releasing our newest product: Invision Power Dynamic and updating Invision Power Board with new technology for a point release that should really be a major new version number. It's definitely a very exciting time. Invision Power Board has been through many changes but has come through some tough times to keep our competition on their toes.

Invision Power Dynamic has been a very interesting product to develop. I've learned more in the past few months than I have in the past few years. I like to continually challenge myself and I never want to get too comfortable doing what I do. IP.Dynamic certainly has been a challenge. From DOM through LDAP to RSS, there's been something new to learn and digest along the way. I've written a whole bunch of classes which can be used in our other IPS products which will help speed up development of IPB and its related products.

Right now, I'm developing the "components" framework of IP.Dynamic which will enable code authors to manufacture add-ons to IP.Dynamic and allow the end-user an easy way to install them. It's all database driven which negates the need to 'hack' any current source files, such as the CP menus and such which is an annoyance in IPB. If this works out the way I want it to - expect to see it included in IPB at some point. IP.Dynamic will come with a bunch of pre-installed (and undeletable) components, such as RSS read and feed features for easy syndication. The back-bone of the project is completed, the content blocks, content groups and page management is all done and flexible enough to allow these components to interact with them without introducing reams of new code. All in all, I'm quite pleased with the design and execution of the system and look forward to the alpha testing phase which is right around the corner.

In other news, legal downloadable music still has a way to go before people will dump peer-to-peer (P2P) filesharing for their free and illegal downloads. For example, I wanted to purchase Athletes latest album, Tourist. I was surprised to see iTunes list the album as they are very thin on the ground for lesser-known Indie bands. Unfortunately (and for reasons unknown) they only sell the partial album. They don't sell track #7 which makes the entire album more expensive to purchase at 79p per song opposed to £7.99 for the entire album not forgetting it's a song down. I hopped onto a P2P network and downloaded the missing track in under 4 minutes - for free. I wasn't left with a lot of choice.

Update: A quick look on iTunes shows the entire album for download now. I've just purchased the missing song. Hurrah.