website thoughts
Ted Kubaska
Just some thought on the website.
I think we should realize that it's just a tool. It's one method we
have to implement our mission, but we have lots of others. I focus on
it because it's what I know and can do.
The "build it and they will come" plan does not work. Members will use
what they find useful. And I think we've tried to give them useful
tools on the website ... articles, ads, the forum, the mailing list,
e-commerce support. But none of these methods are useful unless they
are used. And I dont know how to get them used ... unless it's just
top start using them ourselves.
email does seem to be the preferred method. Not for me ... but for the
majority of our members. email that goes directly to my inbox is not
primarily where I communicate. Over the last few years I communicate
mainly through forums and mailing lists (lately even bugzilla) ...
not on a one-on-one or one-on-many (depending on the cc list). That
why I copied the google group on this mail.
But for some specifics ...
1) the search box is broken. I can fix this but haven't had the time yet
2) open logins dont work (too many spam accounts). I can also fix this
but haven't had the time. Thinking of prospective accounts sending
email to the site describing why they want an account and then I send
them a code that they enter to create an account. Creating accounts
for people is just wrong. Member need to do it themselves. Personally
sending the code can work because the number of people wanting
accounts is small.
3) we need to integrate with calagator. This is possible but
non-trivial and again I haven't had the time to investigate that.
4) the beeep ... if we get an html I can put it on the "latest
newsletter" link. For January I converted pdf to html myself, but this
is not something I can do every time. Was there a Feb beeep? ... I
didnt see it.
5) now that e-commerce is working we can easily set up buying ads once
we decide what the rules are. The link on "Your ad can be here" goes
to Justin's email, but I dont know if he has gotten any ... I suspect
not.
6) setting up a video for our meetings is straightforward I think. The
Java group uses http://www.mogulus.com/pjug ... you can go there and
look at the last Java meeting. It's free (with ads, expensive
without). The last time I watched the java presentation, the ad was
for flattening stomachs. I hope that wasn't targeted. What does it
need? ... a good camcorder (about $300) and a good microphone (about
$50). The XP programming group tried it out with a cheap mike and the
camera built into the Mac and ended up trashing the recording because
it was not good enough. And probably an hour or so to fuss with
setting it up the first time. If we have trouble (which I doubt)
there's probably someone in the java group that can help us out. Tan
may have a better solution. Most of our meeting can certainly be
public ... we may want to turn off the camera for budget issues and
votes. You can make the video private (login required but that's where
it stops being free). If we do something like mogulus we can link to
it on the website.
7) what I've learned is that the section is often a place where people
come seeking funding for good causes. I would recommend that such
people start by participating on the site and then if interest
develops come and present at our meeting ... rather than just come to
the meeting. It's nice to meet people in person after you know them on
the web not before. Works both ways ... they get to know us too.
--
-Ted