Heya!
It's been some time since the last blog post, eh? I mean... 3 years???... Pff! That's nothing... right? ... ... oof ...
Aaaaanyways! PonySFM is still going and growing! There's a pretty big Discord Server with a lot of daily active members, a site-rewrite project and more! But let's get started, shall we?
Discord Server
I think I've never actually mentioned it here but... we have a Discord Server! Tons of active people on there! No matter if you have questions about SFM, resources or just want to chat, we have something for everyone on there!
If you want to join you can do so by clicking THIS link :)
Site Rewrite
Yes! PonySFM is getting an update! Ever since we started this project there were always a few specific things the site has to do that no other Content Delivery Network (CDN) had to do before, that's why PonySFM had to be written from the ground up to fit all needs of various different creators. While it's running well and so far hasn't made too many problems (kinda) there's still a need for rewriting the code which runs the site, server, conversion, ... you name it. The current code is also written in a programming language where it's increasingly hard to find people who want to continue it on, not to mention that while it is really versatile already we still would need a few new and updated functions which are simply not easily possible with the current structure.
Since I (EpicLPer) am sadly not a programmer the only other person working on this rewrite as of now is Zerix. The new site will be based upon NodeJS and Angular which gives us a way more open and new approach to tackle the specific needs PonySFM has and in addition also gives us the freedom of expanding PonySFM as needed with new functions, easier to understand website design, a completely new API and many more little behind-the-scenes things and changes! Additional to that there are a lot more people who know how to code for such a structure which, in case we ever decide to make parts of PonySFM Open Source, would enable others to either help with the project or set up their own "PonySFM CDN"! We don't have any plans for Open Sourcing it so far but who knows what will come in the future :)
Currently the rewrite is making slow but steady progress! Of course it's not a thing that can be "thrown together over night", especially since only one person is working on the code so far. If you're interested in helping out once the base of the new code is fully established feel free to contact me either on our PonySFM Discord, Twitter or via the PonySFM Contact Page!
Funding
A few people were actually wondering how PonySFM is kept alive and how it makes money. Truth is, it doesn't. I'm currently funding the site, server and everything else for it out of my own pocket since it's a passion project to deliver something to the community. I really hate ads, especially ones that are super intrusive and more annoying than anything else. The site has stayed ad-free and will stay ad-free for the foreseeable future and will still be paid by myself. I'm really fortunate and happy that everything that has been done so far for the site came from volunteers but I still make sure to show my gratitude to them in every way possible, be it by donating to them or buying them things at a con/meetup :) Without those people PonySFM, as it is now, would simply not be possible and I want to give a huge thanks to Nuke (Ex-Programmer), Zerix (current Programmer) and another person who does not want to be named (Ex-Ex-Programmer). You guys are doing something that I'm super thankful for and I wouldn't know what to do without you guys <3
If you still want to help PonySFM out somehow we do have a Patreon over at this link or, if you don't like Patreon, PayPal is also possible. Donations are optional tho as of right now, I'm financially stable enough to support the site for some time coming but people asked me to include them somewhere. :)
Final Words and a HUGE Thanks to the Community!
To be honest I have no idea how to end this blog post properly, I'm bad at writing long texts... So I just want to dedicate this last bit to you guys, the community.
Without content PonySFM and the SFM MLP community in general would be nothing. Over the years people have contributed a TON of resources to the site and if we combine the most popular resources into one big number we'd get around 150,000 downloads alone as of writing this blog post! I could give a finer number here but I'm not good at reading databases, sorry :D
The MLP SFM community is long ways away from being dead! New amazing art is being created daily, new jaw-dropping animations pop out from time to time, new models are made every few weeks... it's just awesome! A huge thanks to everyone creating art in any form for others to enjoy and I hope it will stay this way for a long time :) You guys are the ones who keep this community alive <3
Thanks for reading this blog post :) I hope you'll have a nice day still and keep being awesome!
Yours truly,
EpicLPer