Boyink! - Spring Forward on the Web

So I keep having these conversations where ExpressionEngine 2.0 comes up and I struggle with a metaphor to explain the changes to people. 

If you’ve looked over the changes and watched the preview video you know the biggest changes are that EE 2.0 is based on CodeIgniter and that the control panel has been reorganized and redesigned.

So first I thought of describing it like a sandwich - where the meat is the same but the bread is different…but that doesn’t quite get it.

I often think of houses and architecture when it comes to websites and applications, so next I thought about a house where the foundation is being revamped.  But EE 2 has more than just redecorating happening in the control panel - it’s also been reorganized which doesn’t quite map to the house metaphor.

So my working metaphor is that EE 2.0 is like taking your current CD/ DVD collection, buying a much nicer/sturdier/more expandable rack to store them in, and then re-organizing them while moving them into the new rack.  Same music that you love - just better organized in a better environment.  And maybe a few new CD’s to boot.

That’s better…but it still seems like there should be a better way to describe the changes that EE 2 is bringing.  How about it - any better metaphors out there?

Comments are closed, but you can read the comments other people left.

1. Ty (tzmedia) on March 18, 2008

   What about a Top 10 derived from this list:
   http://metaphorobservatory.blogspot.com/2008/01/top-ten-metaphors-of-2007.html

   1) troop surge - EE regrouped and ready to rumble!

   2) perfect storm - My favorite: “it’s the perfect storm of EE and Ci, watch for subsequent tsunamis”

   3) meltdown - Now with so much power at it’s core it’s liable to create a nuclear meltdown -oh yeahhhh…

   4) explosion - “Pizza Hut’s 3 Cheese Explosion”
   It’s like a Super-supreme… now more cheese!

   5) fusion - “Crayola Model Magic Fusion”
   Fusion of Ci and Ee now available in more then 24 million colors!

   6) Nintendo Wii - (creates metaphoric space)
   It’s like the Nintendo Wii on steroids!

   7) boxing - eg “Vajpayee, Sonia slug it out in Lucknow”
   All new kung/fu ninja powers, including kick-boxing.

   8) fuel - Ee gone green, not unlike when the “Hulk” goes green to pulverize his known adversaries.

   9) addicted to oil - More mpg from the git go!!

   10) fallout - More energy without all of the fallout

   Hey welcome back from Austin Mike!

2. Derek Allard on March 18, 2008

   Someone on the forums, or in a discussion (or an IM or email… or conversatln… man my mind is going…) suggested “Same Expression, different Engine”.

3. T3min8tR on March 19, 2008

   I had already been thinking:
   “EE has grown legs…” - or - “EE has sprouted roots…”

4. Ty (tzmedia) on April 14, 2008

   Where would MacGuyver have been without his hand-dandy Swiss Army Knife and some good ‘ol duct tape.

   What CodeIgniter is to EE will be like MacGuyver with an all-new and improved Swiss Army Knife and Duct Tape:
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGyver
   Or MacGuyver with multipliers, a lethal combo!
   :)

5. nat on April 14, 2008

   I tend to explain web stuff in terms of architecture, too. I might say it’s like moving into a new, better home. You’re still going to have all of your current furniture and stuff, but you’ll have more room and better, more usable, flexible spaces.

6. lebisol on October 30, 2008

   How about…
   “I can’t believe it is not butter”?
   :)

7. Crssp-ee T. on December 22, 2008

   @lebisol—It may not be butter but it is butter-ee!

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