[Cc-webedit] Website meeting minutes

Tue Jul 7 11:18:59 BST 2009

Dear webeditorial list,

I know there is nothing worse that someone sticking their nose in at the
last minute when you have spend time and effort working on plans etc., but I
also know the pain you have to endure in redeveloping a website and
retraining all its users.

I work as a web developer for amnesty international where we exclusively use
drupal so I am a little bias towards it.

The problems you are having with drupal are quite common ones, but can be
solved.

- easy URLs not automatic – onus is on editor to manually add them

The pathauto module (http://drupal.org/project/pathauto) addresses this, and
can be configured per content type/ taxonomy term etc and creates clean
URL's based on a pattern of your choice (title, date created, author etc)

- User permissions system is based around page types rather than website
sections – making limited access for working group editors difficult to
implement

This is a downside to the drupal permissions system, but it can be worked
around using the taxonomy_access  module (
http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_access) this allows to to restrict (or
grant ) access based on taxonomy terms ( you could set up a term per working
group )

- Admin user interface is very awkward with no WYSIWIG for HTML format and
possibly prevents wider participation in maintaining the website

Although drupal doesn't have a WYSIWIG editor out of the box, it does
support FCKeditor, tinymce, WYMEditor, Whizzywig etc, I recommend fck
http://drupal.org/project/fckeditor , and when coupled with IMCE (
http://drupal.org/project/imce) for file system browsing you have a robust
system for editing text and images and embedding flash etc.

All of these modules can be installed and configured without having to touch
any code. I would estimate it taking around 5 - 10 hours to get everything
configured and working correctly.

>From Jon's site he looks like a great RoR developer and I'm sure a Browser
CMS solution would work great. I just like to advocate Drupal where I can ;
)

Sorry for poking my nose without any previous involvement in your working
group.

Cheers

Dom

On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 12:13 AM, Alistair Alexander <alistair at ali303.net>wrote:

> Here are my minutes from Sunday. May well have missed some vital points -
> if so, please let me know.
> Alistair
>
>
> *Website Group Meeting – 5 July 2009*
>
> Present: Alistair, Jon, Neil, Tim
>
>  CMS
>
> Proposal to re-develop website on new Browser CMS
>
> Main isues with current Drupal CMS:
>
> -       easy URLs not automatic – onus is on editor to manually add them
>
> -       User permissions system is based around page types rather than
> website sections – making limited access for working group editors difficult
> to implement
>
> -       Admin user interface is very awkward with no WYSIWIG for HTML
> format and possibly prevents wider participation in maintaining the website
>
> Browser CMS is based on Ruby on Rails
> – highly regarded app framework
> - Far better interface, relatively quick to build
>
> Possible concerns with switching CMS:
>
>    - WYSIWIG, Easy URLs, and permissions could be added to Drupal, but
>    would probably require significant development work
>    - Browser CMS has far smaller user base
>    - Will be difficult to fiund others with technical skills to develop
>
>
> Group agreed to develop on Browser CMS contingent on finding a satisfactory
> RoR hosting solution
>
> Jon will do workshop sessions on technical development, Web group to
> arrange workshops on using new CMS before and during Camp.
>
> Action: Jon to begin technical development of new Browser CMS once a
> suitable host is found
>
>
> *Development schedule and process*
>  The current schedule for redevelopment is very tight and ambitious.
>
> Main constraint is not technical development, but liaising with wider group
> and getting wider agreement at all stages of development.
>
> Agreement that current website requires a facelift prior to new site being
> launches.
> Recently added banner should be replaced as soon as possible – Tim to raise
> issue on networking list.
>
> New designs from Torchbox (see below) to be adapted for current website
> masthead.
>
> This should alleviate pressure on new website development project.
>
> New website project should also include re-evaluation of website processes
> to ensure wider participation in website development and maintenance.
>
> At least one person from each working group required to develop working
> group areas of website.
>
> *Action: *Alistair to produce questionnaire for working groups on what
> they want from the website prior to next gathering.
>
> Gathering should get a full progress report from website group with
> schedule.
>
> *Action*: Web group to meet on Saturday 18 July at london gathering
>
>
> Web group should make more use of crabgrass for collaborative working.
>
>
> Design brief
> Main website sections:
>
> -       Next actions
>
> -       Past actions
>
> -       Get involved
>
> - Blog
>
> - Press
>
> View that brief should give more direction on look and feel.
>
> Agreed that masthead should be distinct from any current or previous
> publicity material and should be relatively "neutral" so as not to clash
> with other publicity material
>
> Agreed that website design should be high-impact with strong emphasis on
> photos.
>
>
> Actions:
>
> -       Alistair and Tim to suggest detail on look and feel for design
> brief
>
> -       Jon to send Torchbox selection of photos
>
> -       Tim to compile archive of previous publicity material for Torchbox
>
> -  Jon to send amended design brief to torchbox monday and get estimate
> date for initial design work
>
> There will be a single blog for the whole site with contributions from the
> different working groups. Blog should cover news, development and avoid
> opinion.
>
> There should also be a news feed from Hyperactive CMS (see below) of five
> top stories (question - will these be selected by website editors before
> appearing on cc website, or will they be an automated feed?)
>
> Schedule OK for design, but less time required for feedback – recommended
> 48 hours with advance notice. Schedule to be revised once Torchbox have
> given design delivery dates.
>
> Conference call for web group to be arranged to discuss initial design
> feedback.
>
> Hyperactive CMS
> This is a new open content platform developed by Indymedia for public to
> publish news and video content.
>
> Intention is to develop separate website for this for climate
> action-related content. This could then be surfaced on main CC website, and
> be used as main online media library.
>
> Jon to investigate further and to contact CC photographers and film makers
> for views.
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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> Cc-webedit at lists.aktivix.org
> https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-webedit
>
>
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