Picrate is moving along so well that we're looking at a beta launch very soon. It will be hitting our live site in the next couple weeks for product testing, and comparing it to the current version we're looking at a major change. That means a big conversion from the live site which currently hosts over 28,000 pictures and has between 1500 and 2000 visitors a day. But what exactly are we looking at being different?

Forum
The application has been developed into a wider community drive application which now includes a built in forum. This means the current site can drop the third party app, but will need to convert the information from it into this one.

The forum is a simple built in system that works from the same engine and database as the rest of the site. This means it will be easier to maintain and work with.

Instant Messaging
Community members can now instant message each other through the site. This will give more interactivity between users to help grow the community.

Following Users
Following users is something that a lot of sites are jumping on, since it allows a member to see what their favorite users have been doing lately. This is currently in development but will be released with the next code launch.

Flagging
The flagging system has been improved and now allows the user to choose a reason they are flagging the picture. This can help make it easier on the administration by letting them know that the trouble is with the picture.

Favorites Folders
As we found on the test site, members were adding hundreds of pictures to their favorites list. However, after several hundred pictures it becomes a mess. Now you can create a folder to group your favorites into. This helps separate the images and group them where they can be easily accessed and understood.

If a favorite is removed, it is added to the public trash can. This trash can holds pictures for a specific amount of time before finally being purged. This trash can is available for users to pick through and add to their own favorites if they'd like.

Statistics
There are more statistics coming down the line. Currently the stats page only shows a few, such as the most searched terms and the last X tags added to pictures. Recently Favorited, recent battles, and least viewed pictures will soon be added as well.

Profile Redesign
The profiles have been redesigned to show off more of the user data. To be perfectly honest, we never paid a lot of attention to the profiles. We've since backpedaled a bit to give them more life apart from their bland pure text page look.

Member's Area
The members area is going through a full overhaul. Instead of dropping you directly on a page of upload fields, we're helping to drive the information you want onto your front page. This means more stats, new instant messages, and follower data.

Improved SEO
Onsite SEO is a big part of what drives a site in the search engines. We've restructured the code across the site to dynamically create META data and better explain to search engines what a page is about.

There is a wide range of administrative tools being added, including the ability to purge a user from the system completely. This will remove all comments, votes, uploads, and posts made by the user. It will be as if they never existed.

Code clean up is being done and reorganizing the structure has taken place. Various controller sections have been developed to better maintain the application and separate each of the sections into their own elements.

There are more changes in store for the system, and we will announce them as the time comes. For now, I need sleep.