April 2023 update

Preparing to offer optional auto-renewing subscriptions

April has been a quieter month, as the roll-out of the new acquisition detailsform completed and I could catch a breath.

After popular demand, I'm working on adding the option to subscribe with auto-renewing subscriptions. This involves refactoring the code that handlessubscriptions, and the goals are:

  1. Offer the option, to the ones who want it, to have your plans automaticallyrenew

  2. Offer monthly and yearly subscriptions

  3. Offer different prices for different countries, to account for local economicconditions

  4. Remove manual work by automating the process of upgrading to ahigher tier

Indirectly, I hope that this will also increase the revenue a little by reducing timespent in gaps between subscription renewals, and increase user retention.

More revenue means that I get closer to the ability to hire an additionalsoftware engineer in the near future, which will accelerate the development ofnew features and improvements! 🤞

 

 

Bug fixes and minor improvements

As always, thanks to your feedback, I've implemented several bug fixes andminor improvements. I don't always detail them in the newsletter each month,but this time I will as there are no major new features published this month.

Here's the bug fixes and small improvements in April:

  • Fixed issue with multiple "New image" notifications sent out if you followmultiple collaborators to an image

  • Added ability to temporarily suspend an account while waiting to resolvea disciplinary dispute

  • Removed enforced moderation procedure from users in China

  • Fixed API issue with filtering images by description

  • Fixed issue with URLs having leading spaces opening in a new tabincorrectly

  • Fixed several edge cases related to login and two-factor authentication

  • Improved OTP email deliverability by sending them via the mainapplication thread instead of the email worker

  • Improved debug/warning/error message logging by allowing third-partyapps to log to CloudWatch

  • Improved error handling on password reset page

  • Improved search index worker efficiency by not indexing items thatshouldn't be indexed on update

  • Fixed issues with Flickr importer

  • Added support for collaborators when designating Submitters andReviewers for images in the IOTD queues (this prevents members of thestaff from voting for images that they have collaborated to)

  • Improved speed of profile/edit/gear page by removing unnecessary APIcall

  • Added confirmation prompt when user clicks on button to clear allacquisition sessions

  • Fixed issue with Constellations page in languages other than English

  • Handled the case in which you try to edit an image that has beendeleted, so you get a 404 page instead of a hanging page

  • Fixed issue with checkboxes in the high-contrast theme for the visuallyimpaired

 
Previous
Previous

May 2023 update

Next
Next

February 2023 update