Hi,

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chayan Ray" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Sunday, November 18, 2001 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: [ilug-cal] Updating the web site


> >However the "about us " link is non essential. We are not a corporate
> entity and people generally do have an idea of what a linux user association
> is. 

Actually, most people (and I don't specifically mean just non-IT folks) have simply no 
clue what a LUG is... I say this on the basis on my personal experience of interacting 
with many people all across India in various IT and non-IT forums... Thanks to the 
media, we have a situation today where many people are aware of the presence of 
something called Linux... but these same people are often unaware of the concept of 
LUG or if there is one in their town. IMO, an "About Us" link is a non-option... its a 
__must__... it should define concisely who we are and what we do... in short, the 
purpose of our existence...

> >The project section is welcome and we need to do something on the lines of
> sourceforge. Let the user list their own projects!

Well... we tried it, but didn't work in past (not that it means it wouldn't work this 
time)... just a word of caution... look at sourceforge itself, there are just far too 
many orphaned projects.... they convey a message of enthusiasm, but they sure don't 
paint a pretty picture of success.... Ophaned projects reinforces the anti-OSS FUD 
(fear, uncertainty, doubt) about non-viability of the OSS model of development... lets 
tread a little carefully with this one. 

> I suggest that we use PHP nuke as the basis of making the website (download
> from source forge) as it more or less all the functionalities we require.

We don't own our own server space... For the last three years, Russell McOrmand of 
Flora and New Delhi based Netshooter has been sponsoring our domain/site/mailing list 
hostings free of any charge. Earlier this year, Netshooter backed out of this 
arrangement. However, Russell continues to carry us along on his own servers even 
without Netshooter's sponsorship. During these three years, it has been Russell who 
has been administering our servers. We never experienced any noteworthy downtime... 
and whenever there has been any hint of trouble, Russell has been very prompt in 
setting things right.

However, to expect Russell to install additional s/w on the server might be imposing a 
little too much on him. I'm not sure about this.... I'm however aware the he has been 
using php-slash on some of his servers.

Personally, I'm against moving our server elsewhere... for the following reasons:

1. Hosting with flora.on.ca has worked for us. Moreover, the level of service from a 
committed volunteer is always by far better than a paid service.

2. The site can be moved to any our (as in LUG members) servers... but I have seen far 
too many ugly incidents erupting on LI and in several regional LUGs over the this 
issue.. inevitably the person hosting the site gets branded as using the LUG for 
personal/commercial gains... :-(

3. If we are to move to a hired space, purchased with voluntary contribution from the 
members, we are not sure of the level of support, we incur a recurring cost, and we 
might be shifting to a server in US (for cost considerations). I'm totally against 
hosting our server in US, whose use-of-technology and privacy related policies I find 
contrary to the values its Constitution claims to protect and uphold.

> I still to know the database and the platform we are using? Can Indra
> lighten me on it.

We are not using any database... its all plain text ASCII flat files... see 
http://www.ilug-cal.org/phpinfo.php for further "lighten"-ing ;-)

cheers,
--indra.

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