Today we rolled out version 392. Here’s what’s new since our last update post:

• We added the option to print a customized gift card. The goal of this feature was 1) to help the recipient learn or remember how to claim the object online, and 2) help the giver tell the story of Handmeon. To address the first goal, once you release an object, you see a link in sojourn home labeled “Create a gift card for this object.” That opens a pop-up window, where you see the object name and photo, the sojourn map, instructions on how to claim the object, and a text entry box for a personalized message. You enter your message, or leave it blank, and then press the button for “Preview printable card.” Voila! To address the second goal, we added some text at the bottom of the card that explains the concept.

• We added the ability to re-order posts. When editing your sojourn, you can click on the gray up and down arrows to move the post up or down one position. After you release the object you cannot edit the post order, just like you can’t edit the post content.

• We simplified private messages. Givers can leave a private (online) message for the receiver. You can see the message the previous owner left for you, and you can leave a message for the next owner. That’s it. We removed video from private messages.

• We changed the label “Fetch a Handmeon” to “Claim a Handmeon” throughout the site.

• Likewise, we changed the label “Hand off a Handmeon” to “Release a Handmeon.” One of the interesting challenges we’re still sorting out is differentiating our language to separate the real-world experience from the online experience. Hence, “releasing” is the online term for “handing off” an object.

• We removed the invitation-only limits. Unregistered users can now explore the public objects as well as take the tour. Anyone can register, even if they don’t have an invitation code. We removed the waiting list. However, we have implemented a “Slashdot switch” so that if traffic suddenly spikes and the servers get overloaded we can quickly let existing users keep using the site and moderate new user additions. We hope to have this problem someday, believe me! ;)

• We changed Explore so that you can see current sojourns as well as completed sojourns.

• We got the blog templates integrated with the site templates. And we made a blog logo! Now we’re ready for the t-shirts….

• We made a lot of minor language changes – cleaning up, simplifying, clarifying. Let us know what’s confusing and we’ll try to address it.

• We integrated editing the object name and inscription. Much better. Following this, changed the settings label to “Edit privacy settings.” If you have not activated the object, you can delete it from the privacy settings, under the theory that deletion is an extreme form of privacy.

• “Remember me on this computer.” We expire cookies after eight weeks.

• We try to learn a user’s location upon registration, failing silently if they enter a bad address or leave it blank. The location is integral to the experience, and we continue to ask for it in a lot of places until they enter it. Just a town is fine – we don’t want targeted street addresses.

• We scale most display pictures to a max of 250 x 400, instead of cropping them into a square.

What features do you want to see us build next? Comment here or use the “Feedback” link in the upper right corner of any page to let us know. Thanks!