After careful consideration, I have decided to axe Blox. I've come to this decision because I no longer have time to maintain it, and bigger, better systems are out there actively being worked on by more people. For a more detailed writeup, you may check my blog at http://jason.cox2.name/?p=256.

Cheers to those who found this software useful and gave feedback. Who knows, maybe someone will pick this up and run with it; it is open source after all!

I have released an alpha version of 1.0 for those of you who want to get an early peek at the changes going on behind the scenes.  As alluded to in my previous post on the state of Blox, there are some fundamental and sweeping changes including:

• New package system
• New object-oriented design
• New theming engine
• Dynamically changeable
• Controls layout of the site as well

There are a few other things being added/tested as well, but that about covers the major features.  If you'd like to check the alpha release out, just click on the "Latest Release" link to your right.

Please be sure you read the included Readme.txt file as well.  Enjoy!

All the database tables on the site have been restored.  If you notice any strange behavior, please email me at jasonc221 <at> sourceforge <dot> net.

Well, now that I've released the much needed News brick update, I can begin looking forward to Blox's future.  I will be changing many of the fundamental elements which will, no doubt, break many current things.  It is for this reason that I won't be releasing any new bricks until these fundamental changes are implemented.  These changes are necessary to both bring Blox up to speed with the standard features expected in a content management system, and to also make developing for Blox easier than ever.

Some of the features I am planning on implementing are:

• Skinning
• Dynamic site layout
• Move towards a more database driven site (a database is already required, why not take advantage of the requirement?)
• Make installation/uninstallation of bricks even easier/more complete
• Moving many features into the Blox core library to allow bricks easier access to powerful tools

Please not that these aren't just pipe-dream features.  I have a plan and a roadmap on how these features will be implemented.

For those developers developing bricks, you may want to hold off on development until the next release.  While the core logic of your brick most likely won't need tweaking, you will have access to a larger array of tools in the next release of Blox that you may want to take advantage of.  Some of the implementation details for bricks may change as well.  I apologize in advance for any trouble these features may cause, but it is a necessary one, and it's also why I have Blox listed as an alpha release - I don't think it's production ready quite yet.  As always, thanks for your patience!

After many months of on-again, off-again work, the new News brick is finally here!  With it comes many, many enhancements and bugfixes.  For full information on the release, please see the changelog in the download section.  You can get this brick by clicking on "Get Bricks" to your right.

Thanks to everyone for their patience!