Some of the changes implemented:

New Code: I’ve rewritten the code for the weblog and the common template from scratch, using more object-oriented code and consolidating functions and content into fewer files. Hopefully this should make for a faster and easier-to-update website.

Rehashed Layouts: I had originally intended to just add minor revisions to the old CSS, but I found that the old layouts no longer seemed as refined, and many of them had display problems in Mac browsers. So, I opted for a creative reload: I’m rebuilding each layout from the ground up, using over a year’s accumulated knowledge of CSS tricks. This isn’t an absolute redesign; each layout maintains some sort of thematic connection with its corresponding original. Where possible, the old graphics were used, or variations thereof. I’m starting with just one layout, and will add more and more over the next few months till we get back to the fifty-two. Obviously this is going to take a while.

Skin Chooser: Originally suggested by Jesper, it’s over there in the sidebar. As I add new layouts in the next few days, the purpose of that dropdown will become clear. (If it isn’t clear to you already.)

Renumbered Blog Entries: It has been a pet peeve of mine for some time that my old Blogger entries were first imported into Movable Type in ascending order, numbered from entry_id 1 at the time of import and going up in reverse, so that my very first post was numbered 390. Having donated enough to merit email support, I asked the MT people if there was some magic MySQL query which could renumber the entries, comments, and trackback pings sequentially, across all the different tables in which blog data was stored. Ben responded that I could just do an MT export, empty my db, then reimport the entries. It took a while on dialup, but it worked. Of course it means some permalinks changed. Sorry. (I defy you, Jakob!)

Changed Directory Structure: Some directories got moved or renamed, but I’ve tried to catch the important changes with .htaccess rewrites. (And I only lately realized that weblogging convention is to refer to archives in the plural.) Most everything outside of blog-related content is where it was before.

Still a work in progress, but then, when is it ever not? Lots more coming soon.