For the next 10 weeks, Dev4Press will be under constant development to bring new look to the website (full redesign, faster loading), to improve on documentation and support (adding user guides, reference library), and to offer much more information about all products.
New dev4Press.com will be using fully responsive skyScape theme (with several modifications) with 1200px width. Website will go through some dramatic content changes that will have a major goal: easier access to information. Some of the content will be removed from the website because it is too old (tutorials of outdated plugins versions, there are no use to have them around anymore), plugins and themes information streamlined to offer better insight into each of them, without going through 7-8 pages for all you need to know.
Support
Major changes with Dev4Press redesign and reorganization will happen with support:
- Support Forums: there are many changes planned for the forums. Current forums will be archived, and replaced by new ones that will use subdomain to access. New forums will be completely locked for the outside access, and only users will valid products licenses will be able to access it. Important changes will include different topic types to allow easier bug reports, support questions, and more to allow a more of a ticket based support.
- Documentation: current Central documentation will be moved a new Documentation dedicated subdomain, that again, will be available only to users with valid licenses. New documentation website will contain 3 main elements: Reference Guide, User Guides and Tutorials. All functions, filters and more currently in Central Documentation will become Reference Guide. New User Guides section will contain real user guides that go through plugins/themes installation, configuration and use. Most tutorials from current Dev4Press website will be moved to new website.
- Tickets Based Support: few things will change to allow for quicker response time. Tickets log will be included, with the status for tickets. This support method will be still available to Developer and Enterprise licenses only.
Additional subdomains for forums and documentation will be using skyScape theme (modded) to maintain same visual look as the main website.
So far, some email support has been tolerated. But, that will no longer be a case. None of the licenses we have on Dev4Press includes email support (or twitter/facebook/other-social-network based support), and that avenue of support will be closed soon. Why email support is not good in the first place? Well, I don’t check emails every day, and depending on my work load and number of emails in queue, this can take up to a week to respond. So, if you need fast help for any thing, it is very likely that you will not get help in time.
Newsletters
I have been planning for a while now, to add real newsletters to the website, and that will finally happen with new Dev4Press. Newsletters will be sent directly from our servers, using a plugin, and designer is working on nice looking responsive template for it. All other service emails will be improved and expanded, with better control over what you want to receive.
Other Changes
It is expected to see some changes in the licensing and pricing structure, nothing drastic. This will see updated list of included features and few other things. Only major change will happen to themes licensing, but that is not yet completed, and it will be announced when ready. All individual plugins websites will be updated to use reXposed responsive theme. Content for these websites will be updated to reflect changes in support and documentation. GD Press Tools will get its own website also (finally).
If you have any suggestions for the Dev4Press 4.0 (yes, this will be version 4 of Dev4Press website), please let me know through comments here. More information about all this will be provided when available, and I will keep you up with the progress.
