[Smaug] Web site maintenance (was: scruz.org re-design)

[Jacob Hunter]

I think your proposal is the best I have heard yet.  The sf.net
arrangment was meant to be only temporary when I set it up 5 years
ago, in fact alvin oga was poised to offer us a free server of our
own, we just needed rackspace.

I think the conscept of a general announcement "CMS" along with
extension personal blogs for members is an excellent idea.

I agree on the state of the website.  It does the job.

Anthony did make it clear that all he would want in return is a simple
backlink for the design.  Not something any of us have ever taken.

I appreciate you stepping up to the table, and I am sorry I was never
able to attend SCLUG meetings, as I wasn't in the area for the
existence of it.  Also has sluglug more or less been merged with us?

Anyhow, thanks Jay.  Sounds like a plan..... now I am sure this will
stir up more mixed emotions, but I think this will make the website in
fact more "accesible" since editing will literally be idiot-proof...

I say go with it... but i am sure there will be naysayers



On 11/8/05, Jay Campbell <jay at got.net> wrote:
> > Hi Jay -- Welcome to the flamewar!  8)
>
> Well if I'm *invited* to flame, here are some random points.
>
> 1) I would describe the current scruz.org web site as "typical".
> Nobody expects geeks to have a sense of style; I'd also call
> the site "passable".
>
> 2) The redesign in question isn't an improvement. And Rick
> does have a point about it looking like a ploy to leverage
> SMAUG's googlejuice. It's unclear whether the link to
> Anthony's site was meant to stay there if that layout were
> to be adopted; *Everyone* involved in SMAUG should have
> their links on a members listing on the site if they want one.
>
> 3) I do agree that accessibility is key, and a redesign of
> at some level may required as a result. We have some stellar
> geeks locally that happen to have a disability or two, and
> any efforts to keep them included in the group's activities
> can only help everybody.
>
> 4) The biggest improvement to the site would be for folks
> to add more content. What was learned from the last meeting?
> What are we doing next time? Who has job openings? Did anybody
> take pictures?
>
> 5) A CMS (I obviously like Drupal) would make it much easier
> for folks to post content. Register, log in, select image,
> publish.  The current setup involves SourceForge, not the
> friendliest site to work with, and CVS, a tool that requires
> learning a whole new way of thinking about files if you don't
> have a programming background.
>
> In short, participation might go up, and so the site might be
> more useful, increasing participation ad infinitum, if it were
> easier to post content. The blogging phenomenon demonstrated that.
>
> Enh, I don't have any flaming left in my it seems. Argue amongst
> yourselves some more.
>
> j
>
> --
>
> Jay Campbell
>
> _______________________________________________
> Smaug mailing list
> Smaug at lists.svlug.org
> http://lists.svlug.org/lists/listinfo/smaug
> Smaug home page: http://www.scruz.org/
>