March 2022 update
💫 Performance improvements
I tackled a long standing performance bottleneck that affected every page on AstroBin, related to a needless duplication of some database queries, that required some careful code refactoring to fix. Most pages tend to be about 100 ms faster now, and the database load is lower. 100 ms might not seem like a big deal, but a snappier experience is a better experience.
⏩ Shareable slideshow views
Remember the slideshow feature that was introduced last month? Due to popular demand, I made a couple of improvements.
First of all, when you're viewing the slideshow of a user's gallery (as opposed to that of a search page or a group) then all of the user's images will be in the slideshow (and not just those currently visible as thumbnails due to paging).
Additionally, you can now specify some settings like autoplay and the play speed, and share the slideshow with those settings.
To do that please click on the ⚙ button near the top-right of the page.
⬆ Sortable table view for user galleries
When you view your gallery in table mode, you can now sort the entries using the table's header. Easy peasy!
📷 Progress on the new equipment database
The deep-sky acquisition advanced form now has a field called f-number that you can use if you want to specify which f-number (also known as f-ratio or f- stop) you used for that particular acquisition session. The information will be displayed in the image's technical card.
📩 Improvements to the private messages
You now have access to the Received / Sent / Deleted folders for your AstroBin private messages. Of course, since the system is based on the concept of conversations, rather than individual messages,
your Received and Sent folders will have much of the same conversations, if you have replied to them.
Your deleted conversations (old ones too) will be in the Deleted folder, from which you can restore them if you want.
Additionally, AstroBin now shows you a confirmation request if you click on the Delete conversation button.
🇺🇦 AstroBin stands with Ukraine
To raise awareness of the war in Ukraine perpetrated by invading russian forces, AstroBin has decided to join many other companies in temporarily suspending its operations in Russia, until the conflict has been resolved.
AstroBin members from Russia who already hold a paid account will be able to continue using it until expiration.
I do not feel comfortable with remaining silent in the face of the atrocities committed by the russian military at the expense of the Ukrainian people, and while not being able to access AstroBin is just a tiny inconvenience in the grand scheme of things, I hope this little drop in the ocean will motivate russian amateur astronomers to do their part in fighting misinformation and propaganda.
I am aware that are many astrophotographers in Russia who are antiwar, and the necessity to bring politics into astronomy saddens me, as does the creation of a divide within the astronomy community. However, I believe that inaction is not an option.
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." -- Desmond Tutu
Additionally, AstroBin will give a lifetime Ultimate subscriptions to astrophotographers from Ukraine. I know that people in Ukraine need food, water, shelter, money, medicine, weapons, and so on, and they certainly don't need AstroBin subscriptions, but I hope this tiny gesture will be well received.
Whats comming up next?
🔭 Improvements to the equipment database
The equipment database overhaul project is running late, I'm sorry about it. The past few months I have been very busy with smaller features, bug fixes, performance improvements and user support requests. And I lost some momentum due to moving house in January, to a different part of the country.
The initial database provided by volunteers is ready to be imported, but I need to first complete the toold required for the importing and the community management of the database. Some of this work has already been happening in March, and more will continue in April.