Site update (1 Viewer)

[mjp]

I replaced the map of homes and jobs on the main site.

The old one was clunky and incomplete (and riddled with ads), so I spent two days trying to build a new one from scratch using the Google Maps API, then gave up and built what you see there in about an hour with their web interface.

It's updated with all of the verified east coast jobs and addresses, and generally works (and looks) better than the old one. Hardly anyone visits the map page, but the old one had been bugging me for a long time, so there you go.

 

[d gray]

that's great! haven't seen it before.

very cool, thanks.

 

[gbsupbowl]

All known places he gave readings could be mildly interesting, though not worth the time I'm sure.

 

[mjp]

Might be worth adding at some point.

 

[Johannes]

I'm amazed to see how close North Mariposa, De Longpre Ave and Carlton Way were to each other.

They were literally around the corner :oo

 

[DaPrince34]

oh man, these maps are entertaining... I know nothing of LA's geography, so this is really putting some pieces together for me.

 

[Skygazer]

I'm the same, the North Mariposa apartments; I really like them, it's lovely to see the hallls and such, although interiors of apartments have been spruced up. If these are all the correct images that is!

 

[roni]

how close North Mariposa, De Longpre Ave and Carlton Way were to each other

yes, you walk them within 5 min. Also, the infamous corner Hollywood and Western is just around.

 

[roni]

a propos to johannes' remark, I just had a quick look at the East-Hollywood-part of the new map and think it isn't exactly correct.
To be sure, I'd need to check my own old maps from my visit, but I seem to remember, that the former 5437 Carlton Way (not existing anymore) would be East of Western Ave, not West.
Also the pin for North Mariposa points a bit too far West.

 

[Johannes]

Thanks Skygazer, amazing pictures. The sign over the North Mariposa entrance looks almost psychedelic, wtf :D

 

[mjp]

the former 5437 Carlton Way (not existing anymore) would be East of Western Ave, not West.
Also the pin for North Mariposa points a bit too far West.

I'll have to check those. The maps uses latitude and longitude, so if you're not exactly on target things can get messy.

 

[Purple Stickpin]

Just an FYI, one of the places of employment pinned in LA is given as Snap-On Tools, 1601 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130.

 

[mjp]

That's what happens when you build a map in an hour I guess.

I'll fix all that stuff.

 

[mjp]

I just had a quick look at the East-Hollywood-part of the new map and think it isn't exactly correct.

Turns out none of it was exactly correct. Thanks for pointing that out.

For some reason when you take the coordinates from the URL for an address in Google maps, it plots out a couple of blocks off from the actual address. I figured out how to get more exact coordinates and updated all of the map points, so everything should be correct now.

 

[mjp]

All known places he gave readings could be mildly interesting...

I looked at that but we don't have addresses or venue information for enough of them.

I though about locations for interesting events (his first reading, etc.), but the location of those isn't really that important. So I think the map will remain jobs and homes for now.

 

[mjp]

I was looking at Google analytics for another site, so I took a look at the stats for the main site here, bukowski.net. I don't often look at those numbers, so I thought I'd share what's going on over there with you.

They aren't staggering numbers, but they give a good indication of interest in Bukowski. There are a quarter million visitors per year, and 1.2 million page views. The thing I found most interesting though is that only 25% of those are returning visitors. 75% of the traffic is first time visitors. Which means 187,000 people come to the site for the first time every year looking for information on Bukowski.

I'd say that's "healthy interest" for a poet who's been dead for more than 20 years.

 

[zobraks]

bukowski.net... 1.2 million page views.

God, that's me and 100 000 more views!

 

[PhillyDave]

Just an FYI, one of the places of employment pinned in LA is given as Snap-On Tools, 1601 Fairmount Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19130.

drive past that place every day going to work into Center City. Buk is never too far away....that and the bookcase next to my bed. ;)

 

[mjp]

I drive past the former San Marino Grammar School every day, and I recently learned that a small part of the Bukowski-era building is still in there somewhere. Probably nothing worth seeing, but it's one of the oldest remaining places he would have walked around in.

 

[mjp]

I've overhauled the entire bukowski.net site, updating the framework that it runs on, and making it (even more) mobile friendly. Most of the changes are "under the hood," but some things that you may notice:

- Search is moved to the top of the site and results are formatted better (the ads come from Google, it's the price of their "free" search service).
- The manuscript titles are now inserted into the page title when you view a manuscript (that's for Google but also good for bookmarking).
- The pop-up images on the timeline, paintings, photos and miscellany display much faster.
- Timeline is slightly wider for easier reading (it's still basically unusable on mobile, but there's no way around that).

Please let me know if you find that something doesn't work properly over there.

In the not-too-distant future I'm going to re-scan the FBI files. The Internet has changed since those originally went up, and some larger files will make reading easier.

 

[Andreas]

There is no way to bookmark a post via cellphone.
Nothing of greater importance though.

 

[mjp]

A post? In the forum? There's a little dropdown right after "Report," and the bookmark link is in there. You have to be logged in, of course.

Bookmarks on the main website - or any website - are controlled by the browser on your phone. There's not really anything I can do on the site to make that work if it isn't an option in your browser...

 

[Andreas]

It‘s the browser, of course. Thank you.

 

[mjp]

- The manuscript titles are now inserted into the page title when you view a manuscript (that's for Google but also good for bookmarking).

This has been expanded to the database search result pages now, so if you're viewing an individual work or the contents of a book, magazine or recording, the page titles will contain the work/book/magazine/recording title.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

I truly love the Privacy Update. Thanks for not emailing me or throwing up a modal. I'm getting 2-3 of these a day. No shit assholes, I gave away my privacy for convenience.