Dear webeditorial list,<br><br>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.<br>
<br>I work as a web developer for amnesty international where we exclusively use drupal so I am a little bias towards it. <br><br>The problems you are having with drupal are quite common ones, but can be solved.<br><br>- easy
URLs not automatic – onus is on editor to manually add them<br><br>The pathauto module (<a href="http://drupal.org/project/pathauto">http://drupal.org/project/pathauto</a>) 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)<br>
<br>-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>User
permissions system is based around page types rather than website sections –
making limited access for working group editors difficult to implement<br><br>This is a downside to the drupal permissions system, but it can be worked around using the taxonomy_access module (<a href="http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_access">http://drupal.org/project/taxonomy_access</a>) this allows to to restrict (or grant ) access based on taxonomy terms ( you could set up a term per working group )<br>
<br>- Admin
user interface is very awkward with no WYSIWIG for HTML format and possibly
prevents wider participation in maintaining the website <br><br>Although drupal doesn't have a WYSIWIG editor out of the box, it does support FCKeditor, tinymce, WYMEditor, Whizzywig etc, I recommend fck <a href="http://drupal.org/project/fckeditor">http://drupal.org/project/fckeditor</a> , and when coupled with IMCE (<a href="http://drupal.org/project/imce">http://drupal.org/project/imce</a>) for file system browsing you have a robust system for editing text and images and embedding flash etc.<br>
<br>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.<br><br>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 ; )<br>
<br>Sorry for poking my nose without any previous involvement in your working group.<br><br>Cheers<br><br>Dom<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jul 7, 2009 at 12:13 AM, Alistair Alexander <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:alistair@ali303.net">alistair@ali303.net</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><div style="word-wrap: break-word;">Here are my minutes from Sunday. May well have missed some vital points - if so, please let me know.<div>
<br></div><div>Alistair<br><div><br></div><div>
<div><br></div><div><b>Website Group Meeting – 5 July 2009</b></div><div></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Present: Alistair, Jon, Neil, Tim</div><div></div>
<div> </div>
<div> <span style="font-weight: bold;">CMS</span></div><h1></h1>
<div> </div>
<div>Proposal to re-develop website on new Browser CMS</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Main isues with current Drupal CMS:</div><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>easy
URLs not automatic – onus is on editor to manually add them</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>User
permissions system is based around page types rather than website sections –
making limited access for working group editors difficult to implement</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Admin
user interface is very awkward with no WYSIWIG for HTML format and possibly
prevents wider participation in maintaining the website </p>
<div> </div><div>Browser CMS is based on Ruby on Rails</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>– highly regarded app
framework</div><div><span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Far better interface, relatively quick to build</div><div></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Possible concerns with switching CMS:</div>
<ul><li>WYSIWIG, Easy URLs, and permissions could be added to
Drupal, but would probably require significant development work</li><li>Browser CMS has far smaller user base</li><li>Will be difficult to fiund others with technical skills to
develop</li></ul><div></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Group agreed to develop on Browser CMS contingent on finding
a satisfactory RoR hosting solution</div><div><br></div><div>Jon will do workshop sessions on technical development, Web group to arrange workshops on using new CMS before and during Camp.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Action: Jon to begin technical development of new Browser
CMS once a suitable host is found</div>
<div> </div>
<div><br></div><div><b>Development schedule and process</b></div><h1></h1>
<div> The current schedule for redevelopment is very tight and ambitious.</div><div></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Main constraint is not technical development, but liaising
with wider group and getting wider agreement at all stages of development.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Agreement that current website requires a facelift prior to
new site being launches. </div>
<div>Recently added banner should be replaced as soon as possible
– Tim to raise issue on networking list.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>New designs from Torchbox (see below) to be adapted for
current website masthead.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This should alleviate pressure on new website development
project.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>New website project should also include re-evaluation of
website processes to ensure wider participation in website development and
maintenance.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>At least one person from each working group required to
develop working group areas of website.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><b>Action: </b>Alistair to produce questionnaire for working groups
on what they want from the website prior to next gathering.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Gathering should get a full progress report from website
group with schedule.</div><div><br></div><div><b>Action</b>: Web group to meet on Saturday 18 July at london gathering</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Web group should make more use of crabgrass for
collaborative working.</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<h1><font size="3"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Design brief</span></font></h1>
<div> </div>
<div>Main website sections:</div><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Next
actions</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Past
actions</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Get
involved</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;">- <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Blog</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;">- <span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Press</p>
<div> </div>
<div>View that brief should give more direction on look and feel.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>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</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Agreed that website design should be high-impact with strong
emphasis on photos.</div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Actions: </div><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Alistair
and Tim to suggest detail on look and feel for design brief</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Jon
to send Torchbox selection of photos</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span>Tim
to compile archive of previous publicity material for Torchbox</p><p style="margin-left: 54pt; text-indent: -18pt;">- Jon to send amended design brief to torchbox monday and get estimate date for initial design work </p>
<div> </div>
<div>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.</div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div>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?)</div><div><br></div><div><div>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.</div>
<div> </div><div>Conference call for web group to be arranged to discuss initial design feedback.</div></div>
<div> </div>
<h1><font size="3"><span style="font-size: 12px;">Hyperactive CMS</span></font></h1>
<div> </div>
<div>This is a new open content platform developed by Indymedia
for public to publish news and video content.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>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.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Jon to investigate further and to contact CC photographers and film makers for views. <span> </span></div>
<div> </div>
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<br></blockquote></div><br>