Your HackThisSite: HTSv5 Suggestions!

[thedotmaster]

Hi everyone.
You may or may not be aware that HackThisSite has been planning a full site recode for quite some time. The new version of the site will be HTSv5. It'll feature a brand-new design, new missions (and updates for the existing missions) and a generally more modern feel to the site, which is starting to feel a little dated. Also, all those problems with logging in, registering, etc - they should be gone.

However, we need ideas! Every suggestion in this thread will be discussed by me, Kage and the other developers.

Here are the features that I would like to appear in HTSv5. They haven't been discussed yet, they're just my personal opinions. Feedback from you lot would be much appreciated as we'll take this into account.

• Video tutorial system (this is definitely on the way, but maybe not in time for HTSv5 - not certain)
• Use of AJAX. Say what you will about it, it makes for faster and more slick navigation. It shouldn't be used for everything, but some things are much nicer with it.
• AJAX chat. Not only can this be used potentially as a replacement for the HTS message centre, it could also be implemented as part of the missions. (See description below**).
• Knowledge or information bank for specified topics, such as SQL Injection, TCP/IP, etc. Potentially a wiki-style thing. Would need to be discussed but it'd be slightly different to the article system (or even a replacement for it).
• Code snippet section for hosting of cool scripts, apps, etc. Exploit information too (when found by the user, not just reposted from another site) - encouraging security research to be posted to HTS instead of other sites.
• Better system for filing bugs, submitting ideas, etc. Regular polls on the homepage.
• Mission logs that let you save progress. So, say you find a particularly significant URL, then this would be recorded in your mission log. Of course, it would have be done properly so it didn't give things away.

**AJAX chat as part of the missions would be used to give you certain bits of information as you go along. This would create a more interactive feel. For example, when you first start a realistic mission, the URL and brief description of the goal is sent to you by "another user" on HTS. Of course, that user wouldn't really exist. But it'd seem it.
AJAX chat would not be a replacement for IRC, please note.


So then, those are my suggestions. Please discuss them and add your own. The contents of this thread will be taken into account. Got some ideas for the interface/design.. do some sketches and post them here, or PM them to me. Alternatively, email dotty@hackthissite.org with any suggestions you may have.

Please observe the following:

• Think your idea through before posting
• Make your post legible (punctuation, spelling, spacing, etc.)
• Be as detailed as you feel necessary
• Stay on topic (this thread will fill up quickly)

[Monica]

Thanks for posting this! We also discussed bringing back the Logic missions (Thanks to our very own Comperr.) However, it'll consist of brand new ideas. Here are a few examples:

Code: Select all

104 116 115 45 105 115 45 102 117 110
hts-is-fun.

They're alt keys.

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689f02f0c48b0000
7538747534354350348

Hexadecimal.

Many more will be based off of MD5 vulns, WEP vulns, etc. Please let us know what you think.

[thedotmaster]

Many more will be based off of MD5 vulns, WEP vulns, etc. Please let us know what you think.

Yeah, that's an awesome idea.

Monica.. why no IRC or MSN?

[Goatboy]

[Merged threads and moved topic]

[sanddbox]

On Dotty's thread, it mentioned Ajax Chat. Would that mean a live chat similar to Facebook chat, a shoutbox, a comment section, or what?

I would be against a type of chat like the one implemented here - it's got that annoying bar at the bottom, and as modern as it looks, I find it quite irritating. Dotty made the note that it wouldn't be a replacement for IRC, but I don't really see a need for the chat in the first place.

Another suggestion, if possible, would be to tie in the forums with the site better. Other than the design, the forums are really like a separate site - the forums even ask you to register even though your account is automatically made. There's definitely some work I could see being done on the forums.

[thedotmaster]

Yes, similar to Facebook chat. It would be done in a non-intrusive manner, if done at all. That bar, in my opinion, is a little large.
But regardless, it's just an idea. One that I think would be good, but not all would agree on.
Also.. perhaps tutoring could take place through it, with people being able to mark themselves as "up for tutoring", so they can be contacted.

I also agree with the forums comment. I'd be interested to have custom-coded forums, but for the moment that would be too much of an undertaking.

[sanddbox]

The main page needs to clean up - there are a lot of broken/down links. For example, a lot of the sites under 'Partners' are down (I'm assuming they're paying for a page rank boost).

Also, the alt text of the link to firefox says 'firefox 2'.

[thedotmaster]

Take a look at iGoogle. What would your views be on a drag-n-drop interface for the various modules on the homepage?
RSS, IRC, news, etc. The BBC usually has a similar feature (that's more what I was thinking of) but it seems to be down at the moment.

[msbachman]

My suggestions:

1) An exploits section, where people can post their own 0days and be rewarded with points like they now are with articles.
2) Hidden, easter egg challenges hidden around the site itself. It would be something to the effect of realistic 17(?) and would reward people that go beyond the bounds of strictly delineated challenges.
3) I think a more crucial suggestion would be to restructure the points system to reflect the sum of contribution and skill together. This could be done by providing more points for site contributions of all kinds.

-- Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:46 pm --

Moar!:

4) "thanks system": where people can gain like a point or something when they are thanked by another forum member for a helpful response.
5) challenge: a moderated challenge where people can bet other members can't solve a given problem. For instance, someone posts a 'realistic'-like challenge, and it's checked by a mod to see if it's fair or not. Then, for every person who attempts the challenge, the author of the challenge receives one point (or 10, 20, etc.) from the challenger. For every person who completes the challenge, the author loses a set number of points. The proper bet:reward ratios could be found from data collected from the challenges that already exist!

[sanddbox]

My suggestions:

1) An exploits section, where people can post their own 0days and be rewarded with points like they now are with articles.
2) Hidden, easter egg challenges hidden around the site itself. It would be something to the effect of realistic 17(?) and would reward people that go beyond the bounds of strictly delineated challenges.
3) I think a more crucial suggestion would be to restructure the points system to reflect the sum of contribution and skill together. This could be done by providing more points for site contributions of all kinds.

-- Sun Jun 20, 2010 6:46 pm --

Moar!:

4) "thanks system": where people can gain like a point or something when they are thanked by another forum member for a helpful response.
5) challenge: a moderated challenge where people can bet other members can't solve a given problem. For instance, someone posts a 'realistic'-like challenge, and it's checked by a mod to see if it's fair or not. Then, for every person who attempts the challenge, the author of the challenge receives one point (or 10, 20, etc.) from the challenger. For every person who completes the challenge, the author loses a set number of points. The proper bet:reward ratios could be found from data collected from the challenges that already exist!

I like the first three and the last. However, the thanks system sounds too much like reputation, which often ends up with people rep bombing eachother and people posting "please +rep" after every post.

As to the fifth one, I like it, but what if someone makes a challenge intentionally hard just to get points?