Portfolio

kaminski.pl

Kaminski.pl is a website created for traveler and blogger Michał Kamiński, who shared his experiences from exploring the world, inspiring others to discover ...

#logotypes #websites
kaminski.pl

Kaminski.pl – Technology for the Travel Enthusiast

Kaminski.pl is a website created for traveler and blogger Michał Kamiński, who shared his experiences from exploring the world, inspiring others to discover new places and cultures. The platform functioned as a digital travel journal, presenting reports, photos, and practical advice for tourism enthusiasts. As a programmer, I designed and implemented this site, integrating the technologies available at the time of its creation to provide simplicity, aesthetics, and functionality. Below, I present the details of the implementation and the technologies used, considering the historical context of the site, which no longer exists.

The Purpose of Kaminski.pl and Its Audience

Kaminski.pl was born out of Michał Kamiński’s passion for traveling and his desire to share his adventures with a wide audience. The website aimed to create a space where users could find inspiring travel stories, practical tips for planning trips, and a photo gallery documenting visited places. The platform was aimed at travel lovers – both experienced globetrotters and people just starting their journey to explore the world. My task as a programmer was to create a solution that effectively combined the creator’s passion with the needs of the travel community.

Technical Features of Kaminski.pl

For the project, I used technologies typical of the time when the site was active (circa 2000-2010, assuming no exact data), adapted to the web standards of the time:

  • Compatibility: The structure was based on HTML 4.01 and CSS 2.1 with a table-based layout, optimized for browsers such as Internet Explorer 6-8, Firefox 3, and early versions of Chrome.
  • Travel Reports: Blog sections built in PHP 5 with a MySQL 4.1/5.0 database, rendered server-side with a simple category structure (e.g., Europe, Asia) and pagination.
  • Photo Gallery: A simple image gallery in HTML/PHP, generated from folders on the server, with thumbnails and basic zooming using JavaScript (e.g., Lightbox).
  • Basic SEO: Optimization for contemporary search engines with meta tags for title, description, and keywords, without advanced sitemaps or indexing APIs.
  • Backups: Manual database backups on the FTP server, exported using phpMyAdmin with a cron-scheduled routine.
  • Performance: Caching at the Apache 2.2 server level with mod_expires for static assets (JPG, PNG), tailored for shared hosting capabilities.
  • Contact: A PHP form with basic validation and email sending via the mail() function, without advanced anti-spam protections.

Technical Challenges and Solutions

During the development of Kaminski.pl, I faced challenges resulting from the technological limitations of the time, which I solved as follows:

  • Slow Image Loading: The large number of travel photos slowed down the site. Solution: I manually compressed the images to JPG and reduced their resolution.
  • Browser Differences: IE6 and Firefox had different CSS rendering behaviors. Solution: I used CSS hacks (*html) and conditional comments for IE compatibility.
  • Content Management: Lack of modern CMS made updates difficult. Solution: I created a simple PHP admin panel with a WYSIWYG editor (e.g., TinyMCE).
  • Server Load: Increased traffic overloaded the hosting. Solution: I optimized SQL queries and limited the number of posts displayed per page.

Technologies Used

To build and maintain Kaminski.pl, I used technologies typical of the period when the site was operational (around 2000-2010):

  • PHP 5 – Server-side language for site logic, form handling, and content generation.
  • MySQL 4.1/5.0 – Database for storing travel reports, categories, and user data.
  • HTML 4.01 – Markup standard for the site’s structure, based on tables.
  • CSS 2.1 – Styling with basic support for float and position, tailored for IE.
  • JavaScript – Simple scripts (e.g., Lightbox, prototype.js) for galleries and form validation.
  • Apache 2.2 – Web server with mod_php and mod_expires for caching static resources.
  • FTP – File transfer and backup management on the hosting server.
  • phpMyAdmin – Tool for managing the database and manually exporting SQL.

Management and Technical Support

Kaminski.pl was a project that evolved with the times, requiring ongoing management in the technological environment of the time. Content and code updates were done manually via FTP, testing changes on a local environment using WAMP or XAMPP. Performance was maintained with simple caching at the Apache level, and stability relied on manual SQL query optimization and server log monitoring. The site had the potential for expansion with features such as a newsletter, a map of visited places, or a comment system, but the limitations of shared hosting and the lack of modern frameworks (e.g., WordPress became popular later) would have required significant development effort. Kaminski.pl played the role of an inspiring travel journal by Michał Kamiński, reflecting the early phase of travel blogs in Poland.

If you’re planning a website for your travel passion or recreating a classic blog, and you need support with modern technologies, contact me to discuss the details and create a solution that meets your needs.

Summary

Kaminski.pl is an example of a professional website that effectively communicates the technological expertise of Michał Kamiński and supports travel enthusiasts by sharing inspiring stories and helpful advice.

Back to Portfolio