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From: "Quanta Webmaster" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2012 10:30 PM
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: [Ql-Users] Fwd: Ql-Users Digest, Vol 103, Issue 10
Hi All (my apologies if this mail has been sent twice but I seem to have
difficulties sending from my main account)
This year I took over as the web master, but I had been working alongside
the previous web master as the web admin for some time before that, so I
have a bit of the history.
The issue started when one person was tasked with maintaining the website
and updates were being passed to the website but the website was not being
updated due to work commitments etc. The committee tasked the web master
and myself with finding a solution. We came up with two main CMS systems,
Joomla and Typo 3 both of which use PHP and MySQL and the committee was
shown these systems and ultimately decided to go with Typo 3 as it
provided
a nice structured format for maintaining the system and allowed users to
be
given different privileges from front end user where a user can log and
see
sections hidden from general users through to being able to edit and
create
pages.
Typo 3 was implemented with the then provider (Continum) under a free
agreement, but they had no experience with Unix, PHP or MySQL (as they
were
a Windows, IIS and .net based company). So we then looked at moving the
service to a paid for provider who would not only support the underlying
platform but also Typo 3, and hence the current provider was chosen.
When the provider was chosen various other options were also considered.
We
could have used my personal space (I use a VPS which I pay less than $100
and can install any services I require on) or we could have used the then
web masters space (which was a reseller space) however both of these were
considered to be conflict of interest as we were both on the committee.
I have no experience with Tony's website as a provider, and had not been
advised it was even an option (though I don't know what facilities he
offers).
As for updating the content, we would love to have more people writing
content for the website and the magazine, I personally work full time and
find it difficult to commit time to writing them (plus I am not the best
when it comes to writing articles, I cannot remember if an article I wrote
was ever published in QL World!!). The CMS makes it easier to do this by
allowing me to create accounts to edit different parts of the web site and
not relying on one person to update the whole site, but if there is no one
to contribute (without re-posting full articles from other publications)
then the site will become stale. The news articles are where we will post
news and links to other peoples websites/articles.
On a personal level I think there are too many fragmented QL websites, and
I feel that all these sites should be brought together into one site, but
I
don't think all the different QL groups/publications would group together
to make a unified resource like that as each would want to have complete
control.
One thing I have been working on is posting all the latest magazines on
the
site. These are there but the emails have not yet been sent out with login
information.
BTW if someone feels that they can run the website better and more cost
effective I will gladly ask the committee if we can co-opt them onto the
committee and they could become the web master next year!
The committee is meeting a week on Sunday (sorry if the committee have not
been notified yet) and I will raise these points with them.
The options I think we should consider are:
1. Move to a static based website to maintain a web presence (if there is
no new content to put on a website then there is little point trying to
maintain it the way we are currently trying to)
2. Find some thing to add value to members on the website - recruit new
authors for new articles.
3. Shut the site down and no longer maintain a presence.
Thanks for this detailed reply and again thanks that we can discuss this
factually and unemotionally.
You have given a very good description of the background, but it does not
alter the fact the CMS is not working, but this seems to be no longer a
technical question. In the circumstances I think the options you give are
very sensible.
Can I suggest that we approach this slowly and tackle one problem at a time?
At the AGM someone pointed out that the magazine content was about a year
out of date - it's now about 18 months out of date. I believe the magazine
should be strongly profiled on the website and that means updating with
every issue.
My first question is who is currently responsible for keeping the magazine
section updated? I suspect that no one knows. And if there is someone what
is his remit? I say this because if I was responsible I would want to
present the magazine section in a different way. For example I think you
should have a summary of the content of each issue rather like I have on my
website, but with more detail. I would like to see some of Dilwyn's helpline
articles published on the section as teasers.
It is no coincidence that Dilwyn is the one person who keeps his section of
the site up to date and he happens to be the committee member with the most
website experience. Maybe there are other people on the committee who are
willing to attempt but are frightened to take the first steps.
Don't forget that Quanta has not had an officer with web skills and
experience for about 8 years, other than your 1 year as treasurer. I think
they need help in understanding the difference between web editing and web
administration and maybe some hands on training with Typo3.
I would like the committee on Sunday week to spend some time on looking at
the magazine problem and attempting to solve that. It may well be that they
then will find it easier to move onto other areas,
Best wishes,
Geoff
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