Changelog
Posted on 29 September, 2024
Hello everyone.
First and foremost, we are thankful for everything the plural community has done for us. Lighthouse growing as big as it has was something we never expected, and we are honoured to be supporting as many people as we are. Today, we want to share some important news regarding Lighthouse. We will be entering a partial sunset. Much like a sunset, however, the sun rises again eventually. We don't plan for this to be the end of Lighthouse-- quite the opposite. We are already laying the groundwork for a version 2.0 that will be open-source and available for the community to collaborate on.
As it stands, our own system has been splitting rapidly and dissociative symptoms have been significantly rising for us as we try to balance a full-time job, personanal projects, therapy, and more. In a way, Lighthouse has quickly become a second 9-5, where loved ones wouldn't see us for days at a time while we worked on the site. In recent weeks, we have completely burned out and haven't been active with development outside of our job. As the saying goes, we cannot pour from an empty glass. That is why we're pushing for open-source.
All existing users will be allowed to continue using the website. But as of today, September 29th 2024, sign-ups are officially disabled. We are looking forward to the future, when we have transitioned to open-source.
AI Update
Posted on 5 July, 2024
Lighthouse has been updated and has now banned over 15 AI web scrapers from accessing the website. Among these are now ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Claude.
We cannot stop what these AIs already know about Lighthouse, but we can mitigate them from getting any more information.
This ban list will likely expand in the future.
Headers and Skins
Posted on 21 May, 2024
After a long wait, users can now upload their own skins for journals.
Alter pages also now have a means to upload a header image. For optimal results, aim for images approximately 1550px by 250px.
Big update
Posted on 12 April, 2024
Hello everyone! It has been a moment, and we had a rough few months following a procedure and some other real life situations. But now we're back and can finally confidently release an update.
This is a big one. We've listened to what the users were asking, and did what we could to get a chunk of our tasklist done.
Overall
- Lighthouse has a slightly new design. The banner is gone, as you can see. That was originally there because we had improperly formatted the navigation bar. Now, there's more of a focus on the website itself, hopefully reducing any distractions.
- Almost all large backgrounds have been replaced with small pixel art drawings (made by us) to save on data and load times.
- Emoji parsing via Twemoji has been removed. The project was discontinued in early 2023. Lighthouse trying to reach Twemoji was partially why load times were so long.
- Because of us personally getting pulled into syscourse (without us wanting to), we have added a Philosophy page to the website. We hope it's now very clear where we stand.
Communal Journal
- Each system and subsystem gets their own communal journal now with pagination. The page for it also has prompts, if you need help figuring out what to write.
- For privacy and clarity, the communal journal now is on its own page.
Systems
- Alters can now appear in multiple systems. They have a ";main"; system and ";other"; systems. When looking in their ";other"; systems, these alters will have a ✦ next to their name. You can place an alter in up to 5 other systems. The breadcrumb navigation currently still points their their main system, though. This will hopefully be fixed at a later date.
Forums
- Forums now have a cleaned up reply section. formatting shouldn't be escaping on the alter cards.
- In areas where you need to choose an author of a post/reply/etc, there is now a searchable dropdown. We hope this helps large systems.
Glossary
- Despite the controversy, we have decided to bring back the glossary. Its new purpose is not to serve as a giant dictionary for terminology, and we will be pruning definitions in the coming days. Users are opted out of the glossary by default, and this can be changed in the settings page. Guests and logged out users can see the glossary.
- We know users want us to allow custom terms for their own account, which is something we plan to add in the future.
Other Changes
- We hopefully fixed a bug in our Pluralkit import logic that doesn't just gloss over members that weren't added. Lighthouse will keep trying to add a member until it succeeds. We suspect this might make another issue arise, but we'll figure it out from there.
Handful of Updates
Posted on 3 December, 2023
Apologies for the silence-- We're currently re-factoring Lighthouse and trying to make it better. The updates have been slow as a result, but we want to get this done now before a medical procedure at the end of the month that will absolutely leave us unavailable for at least a week or two.
Over the past week or two, this is what we've accomplished:
- Added an extra dyno for RAM.
- Security of certain pages has been made more robust. Nothing happened-- We just had an issue brought to our attention.
- Simply Plural and Pluralkit Import are now faster and less strenuous on SP and PK.
- Fixed a few spelling errors
- The start of our API is now available. Right now, only read permissions will work. We're working on write/delete.
- Fixed bug where selecting Italian as your language would cause the site to crash. Removed unnecessary verbiage in Italian navigation bar.
- The system pages are now paginated, and show a certain number of alters per page. By default, 15 will show per page. In systems exceeding 150 alters, 50 will show per page. In systems exceeding 200 alters, 75 will show per page. This should fix a bug where very large systems would cause Lighthouse to crash.
- You can now delete granted wishes.
- You can edit rules. They may occasionally jump around, but that's because we only recently added a “created on” timestamp to properly order them.
That's about it for now.
October 23, 2023
Posted on 23 October, 2023
Fixed bug where emails sent in Comic Sans.
Yes, this was a real bug.
Skins and worksheets
Posted on 16 October, 2023
Lighthouse received a handful of small changes:
- The Terms of Service and Privacy policy announcement has been hidden again. We think people probably got the picture by now.
- Signing up has been made smarter. The page checks for availability of usernames/emails.
- New worksheet: Messages in a Bottle. Check it out!
- The Galaxii Kingdom has made a handful of pretty journal skins that are now available for the community to use! Thank you, Galaxii Kingdom.
- On the about us page, you can now find a template for making journal skins!
Grab Bag of Changes
Posted on 14 October, 2023
Lighthouse received several small updates, mainly technical:
- You can now preview a journal skin before you set it. You'll also be reminded to save changes.
- Alter search now uses a popular library called “Tabulator”. This allows for the table to be organised better. This will eventually make its way throughout the rest of the site.
- You can now edit forum descriptions.
- If there's an error reaching the database while fetching data, Lighthouse now simply throws a visible error instead of crashing.
Paginated Forums and more
Posted on 6 October, 2023
Hey there! Lighthouse received a few updates:
Forums
- Forum pages and threads are now paginated. 25 topics will show per page, and 15 replies to a thread will show per page.
- You can also jump to pages on both of these.
- Communal Journal and alter journals will also receive pagination soon.
- Made the moderation panel wider on mobile for accessibility.
Alters
- When typing in an alter type, Lighthouse will search through a bank of alter types (Host, Protector, etc) and show a brief definition of that type. This might save people the hassle of reading the glossary and trying to find the term that fits best.
Changelog
- If we did it right, the changelog should now show dates as “23 March, 2024". The previous timestamp was confusing.
Worksheet toggling
Posted on 3 October, 2023
Though we haven't actually received any requests for this, we have decided to allow users to opt-out of worksheets. Everyone is opted in by default.
There are many reason behind this decision, but ultimately we want Lighthouse to be a neutral, accepting space where systems don't feel pressured or obligated to do anything. Some systems may not even need the worksheets. So that's something that can now be toggled on or off on your account.
Forum Update
Posted on 2 October, 2023
Users can now lock topics, pin topics, and move forums around. At this time, you may need to start moving forums by moving them down first.
October 1st Update
Posted on 1 October, 2023
Lighthouse received a mixed bag of small changes:
- Users must now type "DELETE" into a blank in order to delete their account. This is merely to put one small roadblock in front of destructive parts, in hopes of mitigating unwanted deletion.
- Fixed issue where font scaling setting made everything the same size (including headers)
- Added new activity to worksheets: Coaxing Out Alters
- Added breadcrumb navigation to worksheets
Avatar upload
Posted on 26 September, 2023
Lighthouse received a major update:
- Images can now be uploaded to alters' pages. Uploaded icons take priority over URLs. There is a maximum size of 2MB for uploads. At this time, the images are not links that can be shared.
- UPDATE (29/09/2023)- File support has been extended to all image types.
Legal Nonsense and Registration
Posted on 24 September, 2023
Lighthouse received a few small updates:
- Added a Terms of Service & Privacy Policy to Lighthouse. Users signing up need to agree to both.
- Registration has been made a bit smarter. We check password length as they type now, require passwords to have letters & numbers, and added a hidden bot catcher.
Light Updates
Posted on 11 September, 2023
We would like to begin by announcing that we experienced a serious medical emergency over the weekend that has left us a bit weaker than before. We're still recovering, but updates will be slow. For now, here's what has changed:
- System pages, Alter pages, Journal pages, and the forums all have breadcrumb navigation.
- The system page now displays alters like polaroid photos.
Visual updates
Posted on 31 August, 2023
Lighthouse received a few small changes:
- Importing Pluralkit alters shows the alter it's importing. Like "Importing Alter A into a brand new system..." with a dynamically moving loading bar so you can see how far in your import is. Also sped up importing just a smidgeon.
- Added new skins: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, Plastic Beach. The last one is a fandom skin of Gorillaz.
Pluralkit Integration
Posted on 26 August, 2023
Pluralkit integration has changed. Instead of the previous (broken) system, Lighthouse now fetches each alter you select. However, this system is slower, since Pluralkit only allows so many fetches per second. In the end, we've decided to sacrifice some speed in the name of functionality. We hope you understand.
Archived Alters
Posted on 23 August, 2023
Alters can now be archived. We decided to go with "archive" to accomodate for a multitude of scenarios, not just dormancy. Archived alters are read-only. No posts can be switched to them as an author, no posts can be made under their name, none of their replies can be edited.
Bug fixes
Posted on 13 August, 2023
First of all, we would like to thank our users for being patient while Lighthouse makes a transition on the backend. We've changed how sessions are stored, and it's been a process getting the site to comply with the new module we picked.
- Fixed bug where users couldn't view the system page
- Fixed bug where editing, adding, or deleting alters or systems crashed the website
- Fixed bug where Inner Worlds became disabled for everyone.
- Fixed bug where skins would not save.
+ Added the very, very beginnings of multi-language support. This will be a long term process of translating the entire website, so please be patient with us! We will be commissioning translators who are fluent or native speakers in the languages listed, and more languages will be added by request or by our traffic analytics. (All websites have this-- We do not see personal traffic nor are we interested in that)
Forums
Posted on 6 August, 2023
Lighthouse received a major update:
- Users can now create forums for their system. This is a very basic version of the finished product. It may have bugs. We will work these out tomorrow night.
- Fixed issue where the tutorial crashed when logged out.
Mixed bag of changes
Posted on 3 August, 2023
- Fixed an issue where Lighthouse wouldn't import Pluralkit.
- Also fixed issue where user's systems would not show on the Pluralkit page.
- Fixed issue where Lighthouse soft-crashed when refreshing sometimes. This primarily happened on the "My System" page
- Custom terms have been removed from the tutorial.
- Various quality of life fixes, like Lighthouse encouraging sign ups or logging in on 403 Forbidden pages. Removed verbiage about a mod page to keep people from getting curious.
Stay tuned for a new, large feature being implemented.
Bug Fix
Posted on 1 August, 2023
Fixed a bug where Lighthouse crashed if you changed more than one custom term at once.
Locking Journals
Posted on 23 July, 2023
Lighthouse received a minor update:
- Journals can now be retroactively locked and unlocked as needed.
The Subsystem Update
Posted on 18 July, 2023
Lighthouse received a major update:
- Users can now see subsystems on the system page, nested under the system they're a part of. These can be moved, turned into its own system, or nested under another subsystem.
- Likewise, existing systems can be retroactively turned into subsystems. Alters can also be moved in and out of these subsystems.
- Posts can now change authors. At this time, you cannot move posts from your communal journal to an individual alter's journal. That will come eventually, because communal journals and alter journal posts are stored separately.
- Fixed bug where editing the communal journal caused Lighthouse to crash.
Tutorial
Posted on 18 July, 2023
Lighthouse received a minor update:
- Signing up automatically logs you in for a session. It also redirects you to a tutorial page.
- This tutorial page is available on the "My System" page and on the Information dropdown. You do not need to be logged in to see the tutorial page.
Pinned Posts
Posted on 4 July, 2023
Lighthouse received a minor update:
- Posts in alters' journals can now be pinned, just like in the communal journal.
Searching, Moving Posts
Posted on 1 July, 2023
Lighthouse received a couple updates:
- Users can now search for alters on the "My System" page. This will update to fit users' needs over time.
- This feature isn't on Communal Journals yet, but alters can now move their posts across different alters' journals. (Example: Alter A makes a post in their journal, but realises they're actually Alter B. They can move that post into Alter B's journal.)
Put a pin in it
Posted on 27 June, 2023
Lighthouse has received minor updates:
- Posts in the communal journal can now be pinned! Multiple posts can be pinned and unpinned as needed.
- Post titles are no longer required.
Safety Plan
Posted on 25 June, 2023
Lighthouse received minor updates:
- DES-II and Safety Plans are now available under the worksheets tab. The DES-II is not designed to be a diagnostic tool and cannot formerly diagnose or disprove anyone's case. It is simply there to track your dissociative symptoms.
- Each user gets 1 safety plan. This plan can be generated into a PDF and downloaded to be printed out later. PDFs auto-delete from the server 5 minutes after generation. This page has been guerilla-tested, but there may be gaps. Please message us if you come across a bug.
June 24th Update
Posted on 24 June, 2023
Lighthouse received minor updates:
- Due to technical limitations when importing a large number of alters, the limit is now set to 100 alters. Please let us know if the problem persists.
- Lighthouse's "brand" is slowly shifting away from journalling and more towards a self-help website. You may see the wording of what Lighthouse is change over time.
- Added Plural Pride Day (15 July 2023, third Saturday of every July) as a splash screen holiday on Lighthouse's front page.
- Added new alter fields: Gender, Sexuality, Front "Tells", Source (if introject), and Relationships.
Pluralkit Integration Update
Posted on 19 June, 2023
Lighthouse received a minor update:
- Pluralkit Integration now has an option for importing alters into existing systems, creating new systems, and which alters to import.
- If two "Imported from Plurakit" systems are made during the import, the second one will have a random 3 digit number appended to the end.
Tiny updates:
- Users can now select skins for Lighthouse. Users can pick from: Waves (blue), Shells (pink), Slate (grey), Mermaid (green/purple/blue), Coral (orange/purple/pink), and Sand (brown)
More Alter Information
Posted on 17 June, 2023
Lighthouse received a small update:
- Alters have 2 new fields and 1 updated field.
- Age: Is now a text field, in the event of an alter needing "Ageless" or "30-40" or "Age sliding" as an answer.
- Birthday: New text field, to allow input like "May 2005", or formatting the dates in a way that makes most sense to you.
- First Noted: New text field. A ballpark estimate of when this alter was heard or acknowledged for the first time.
BDA Plans
Posted on 10 June, 2023
Lighthouse received a small update:
- BDA Plans can now be edited and deleted.
BDA Plans
Posted on 3 June, 2023
Lighthouse has received a major update:
- Users can now post BDA plans to their accounts for incoming stressors or trauma. Editing & Deleting to come soon.
- A new system of retrieving data without redirecting to new pages is being implemented slowly. The first page with this new system is on the BDA page.
Profile Updates
Posted on 29 May, 2023
Lighthouse received a couple updates:
Major updates:
- Users can now change their usernames, passwords, and emails on the settings page. You have to check the availability of what you entered before you can update your username or email.
Minor updates:
- Wish entries should no longer autocomplete. Some browsers may ignore the "autocomplete=off" flag, in which there may not be much we can do.
Pluralkit Integration
Posted on 27 May, 2023
Lighthouse received a minor update:
- Users can now import systems from Pluralkit. This page can be accessed on the "My System" page.
May 24th Update
Posted on 25 May, 2023
Lighthouse received several updates:
- The Changelog has moved to the information page.
- A Glossary has been added.
- Lighthouse is now a bit more decorated, with a background image and a log in screen on the homepage.
- The font used around the website is now Lexand, a dyslexia-friendly font.
Wishes
Posted on 22 May, 2023
Alters can now add to a "system wishlist". This is primarily a morale booster to help every alter feel more welcomed and heard. Wishes can be deleted or granted.
Moods are now updated to be encrypted the same way as journals are, for user safety.
Custom Terms
Posted on 7 May, 2023
Lighthouse received a major update:
- Users can now set custom terms for "Alter" and "System". It will reflect accordingly in the navigation bar and throughout the website. Default is "alter" and "system". This is able to be changed on the "settings" page.
Quality of Life Changes
Posted on 2 May, 2023
Lighthouse received a mixed bag of updates:
- Added more system icons. New icons include: Lighthouse, Scallop, Whale Tail, Fishbowl, Seahorse, and Snail Shell.
- Systems now show up as buttons so people can click a system that shows as blank. Their aliases can no longer be less than 3 characters.
- Emails for losing your password, joining, and leaving are now styled. Only a select few email providers support custom fonts right now, but as that changes, these emails will look a bit nicer.
- Hidden todo page updated
- The navigation bar on mobile has been consolidated into a hamburger menu for ease of use.
Journal Icons
Posted on 30 April, 2023
A new update has been added to Lighthouse:
- Systems can now use icons to represent themselves on the "System" page. This can be helpful for users with quite a few systems.
- Moods can be set, and they can be cleared as well.
- System aliases can no longer be less than 3 characters, so that users can still click on their system. To help this further, the list may become buttons.
How are we feeling?
Posted on 25 April, 2023
Mood Update:
- Alters can now set moods. These will be visible on the system page that lists all alters.
- These aren't chronologically tracked due to how the database is set up (admittedly a fault of my own, but we'll see). Instead that mood + status simply updates.
On the more technical side of things, hopefully adding journal posts, updating alter info, etc moves quicker now that database queries are more effecient.
Currently looking into a bug where Lighthouse occasionally hangs when adding a new mood or a new icon, etc.
Alter Information is now available
Posted on 23 April, 2023
Lighthouse has received a major update:
- Alters can now log information on themselves. Information includes: age, type (like Non-Human, Little, etc.), triggers (negative & positive), likes, dislikes, internal job (role), safe place, accommodations, and other notes.
- The list for this will expand as needed. Email [email protected] or send an ask to our tumblr if you have suggestions!
Changing Skins
Posted on 18 April, 2023
Not a big update this time.
- Users can now change what skin their journal is using.
- "Ocean" and "Space" skins added. More to come: Flowers, Cat, Dog, Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn.
- Some skins will be "hidden" or only seen after a journal is made. This is to keep it from getting overwhelming!
Added a changelog.
Posted on 11 April, 2023
Took long enough. This page will show the 50 most recent changes.
Lighthouse is now about 1.5k lines long! That's no laughing matter, but that's nothing compared to various big name platforms who are millions of lines long.
Looking Pretty
Posted on 10 April, 2023
Anyone who was looking at the journal creation page probably agreed: The page was horrendous. It was very difficult to see what journal colour was selected, and once a password was made, that was it.
Now, the journal page is more user friendly, allowing proper visual cues on what journal skin was selected. The journals can also now have their passwords reset.
Finally writing some jQuery into this site.
Terminology
Posted on 5 April, 2023
Rather tiny update. Wording of the website has been changed to be more professional.
New disclaimer added to index: Lighthouse is not a replacement for therapy and is not designed by a professional.