Two main reasons lead me to develop GuppY. I wanted a small portal for my own personal web site (aldweb Site) that would allow:

- a native bilingual management of the content, the user only having to choose his language when getting on the site. Only Minicontent answered to this constraint... but it required to install a MySQL database and few functionalities were available apart from the standard CMS (Contact Management System).

- a simple script that would not require a database. I then looked at Portix and Phortail. The first one, Portix, is in great development but it is starting to become quite complex and, last news, it now comes with a user management which I did not want of. The second one, Phortail, was much more simple, even too basic, but it was healthy. Therefore, it was a source of inspiration for my own development of GuppY.

So, at the end, I decided myself to write my own script, with the idea of sharing it with everybody that would be interested, so I tried to get it as "user friendly" as I could. And this is how GuppY was born

From all the little web portals that I could find while looking for the perfect web portal, Phortail is by far the one that had the user interface that I prefered. Furthermore, the concept and architecture of Phortail were good. But the PHP script of Phortail needed a serious remastering.

So, Phortail was for sure a source of inspiration for GuppY, but you have to know that the PHP coding of GuppY was written at 100% "from scratch" to be more efficient, more flexible and more secure.

To sum up, here are the inspiration sources on GuppY of the 3 tools Phortail, Portix and Minicontent:
- Phortail : the general concept (with the non use of an external database) and the general look & feel
- Portix : the concept of not using an external database, the quotations... and the willing of doing things in an easier way...
- Minicontent : the bilingual capability and the categories in the papers menu

Upfront Reggae Report was a paper printed magazine that was edited since november 2001. Composed of 32p. essentialy in B/W with some color illustrations & pictures, it was published to around 250 ex./number during 10 numéros.

The Goal was to introduce & start a Root awakening to the youths about the values of Rasta culture in all aspects... Arts, Musics, Food, Historical & Social Consciousness... and the knowledge of Ethiopia, being the crade and pride of all judeo-christians civilisations. That Revelation came to us in the holy personality of Haile Selassie, King of Kings and Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Juda.

Early 2003, it was clear that UPfront as paper fanzine was done. Technology & new possibilities were leading UPfront to express itself on the web...
After few months, Alex Littlecountry reach in the project for the Flash Developments and helped at lot in making what is UPfront now. Instead of being a simple paper fanzine, it was now a innovative & frontline technological media. Yes a big step in the future...

Since june 2003 and the launching of the web platform www.upfront.ch, the projects came one after the other with always same enthusiasm & esteem successes...

- June 03 : Starting of the Web Flash Magazine and the first French speaking prototypes.
- November 03 : Launching the Web Online Radio UPfront with his weekly 3 hours live programs.
- January 04 : Launching of the first bilanguage web Roots & Dub Magazine... a worldwide perspective & exclusivity !
- June 04 : Launching of the UPfront Portal in two languages as well... now the barreer is bussed ... Unity is the way !

Before we start to big up all those who contribute to UPfront, we have to remind the foundation time in 2001...
Bredrins Lionpaw & Trifinga, Sista C-Line, Mans, Stuf, Jil, Juicy, Igas, Yvan & Dub Soljah

Since moving to the web, the faces have changed and we have now to make first a gigantic huge royal shout for Alex Littlecountry, constant & crucial upkeeper since more than one year.
By the way, the bredrin Zaba who contributed to make this migration to the new platform. Big UP Bredrin, Stay Strong !
Large & continuous bigups now to the contributors like Neeko Rise UP, Kikou and those to come in the future...
Large UP to the labels & artists, producers & musicians of the Network striving to produce good music for the body, mind, soul & our ears... Jah Music !

And before, after all and forever, all prayers & thanks to the Almighty Creator, Jahovah, Ruler of this World & Universe... Hail Haile Selassie I the Conquering Lion of the Tribe of Juda.... Light of this world !