PLUG website (was Re: class this Wed!)

[David Uhlman]

I agree that I would like to see the PLUG website not take on a "canned" or
homogenized look, but I think that this is possible with postnuke. For
version 7.1, earlier versions lack some important and useful new features
and older themes do not support them, there are, at my brief count more than
400 themes. There really isn't a lot we could do about the links on left,
itemized scrolling content down center, links features on right layout. I
don't personally mind that because I find it effective and I don't think
PLUG is in the web design business, its job is to empower community
contribution and provide information, self generated content, and links to
resources.

It would be far simpler for PLUG to create its own theme than to program a
content management system, though I would prefer not to do that if at all
possible. I am trying to be realistic and also trying to improve the amount
of impact PLUG has, I don't personally think that web site design and php
coding is at this time the best route. Maybe to plan a transition a year or
more from now and to actually solicit an organized program to recode a site
is an idea, but again to me it just looks like reinventing the wheel. At
this point everyone one plate is full with IF2, IF3, classes and a never
ending lists of other commitments, let alone day jobs.

I can say that postnuke allows for a very nice, multi site, multi themed
setup on one server (or virtual host) and without a lot of database fuss. I
don't want to make it sound like I am 100% postnuke, it just appears that
postnuke currently fits the bill and I haven't seen an alternative that
would work better yet.

I think that if we make a concerted effort to take on a more professional
appearance and to make strides lowering the barriers to volunteering and
contribution, we will see a huge difference (increase) in our ability to
promote linux and free software.

Sincerely,
David Uhlman
CTO 50km Inc.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Thoreau" <ARader@supportbeam.com>
To: <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2002 12:14 AM
Subject: RE: PLUG website (was Re: class this Wed!)


> If PLUG is looking for an out of the box solution, postnuke works.  I have
> developed qutie a few websites with the features you list and have found
> that it's more convenient, more scalable, and more controlled to develop
> it yourself.  Prime example, would be having forums and postnuke on the
> same site.  If you wanted them to share the user database and
> authentication tables, that would require re-writing one of the other (or
> both
>  if you want a clean database.)  I know absolutely jack about PHP (aside
> form making it create files ont eh server, list them, delete them, and
send
> email) so I wouldn't be the person to build such a site.  If ASP were an
> option, I could have it built in a week.  =)
>
> To clarify my reasons for opposing postnuke:
> I have seen waaaaaaay too many sites using it.  Very much a 'canned'
> website, yet still effective in many applications.
> Seems a little bloated in my opinion with a lot of features that nobody
> will ever use, and customizing it seems to be a bit of a hassle
> (yet again, this is probably since i know nothing of PHP coding.)
>
> Other than that, postnuke would fit the bill, but depending on PLUG's
> future,
> may not scale well with the needs and desires down the road.
>
> As far as...
>
> <snip>
> There has also been some discussion about being able to manage similar
sites
> for other local user type groups and consolidate or at least integrate
them
> to avoid information reentry.
> </snip>
>
> I personally can't say if that would be very feasible with postnuke, as
> I'm not exactly sure how it handles user demographics and authentication
in
> it's database tables.  I can say that building a site from scratch would
> allow
> PLUG to incorporate basically anything they want, without any overhead of
> having
> extra features that never get used (backend.php, AvantGo, etc.)
>
> If you can find me the coders, I would be more than happy to head a
project
> along these lines, as it's very similar to what i'm currently building for
> another website.
>
> Bottom line is getting people away from mundane tasks like updating the
> site (also providing visitors with out-of-date info) and getting them back
> into production
> on other tasks.  Volunteer resources are scarce enough these days, no use
in
> wasting them.  =)
>
> Adam Rader
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> [mailto:plug-discuss-admin@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us]On Behalf Of David
> Uhlman
> Sent: Sunday, September 01, 2002 12:00 AM
> To: plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> Subject: PLUG website (was Re: class this Wed!)
>
>
> Can you elaborate on what you hate about postnuke or perhaps propose an
> alternative. It seems that the goal is to reduce maintenance overhead,
allow
> multiple layers or roles of permissions for different forms on
contribution.
> Must be free software, php based, work with mysql or flatfile, "news type"
> content management and ideally a calendar. Also if it can be attractively
> themed that would be nice. Should work with IE and Mozilla and hopefully
> Konquerer.
>
> There has also been some discussion about being able to manage similar
sites
> for other local user type groups and consolidate or at least integrate
them
> to avoid information reentry. I don't think anyone expects that out of the
> box or to happen for quite some time though. Personally I also would like
> some type of forums system for certain types of information, especially to
> contribute and comment to plug based projects.
>
> I am not looking for a flame war,or an I like this, I like that type
> discussion. Nor I am voicing my personal opinions about postnuke. I
mention
> postnuke because my company recently conducted a very in depth consulting
> evaluation on open source cm systems (of which an excerpted report will be
> available free soon) and post nuke fills adequately many of the criteria I
> listed.Given the criteria above or revise them as you see fit, what would
> best benefit the plug site, what do you think is a workable solution?
>
> If you are willing to write it from scratch I sincerely doubt that anyone
> would mind but if not I don't think realistically that that could happen,
so
> some sort of existing project would have to be used. Personally I think
the
> main reason a cm system would be so beneficial is that a tremendous amount
> of the organization that goes on is centralized to a few people and occurs
> in person to person, private email, or as a sort of best individual
effort,
> in addition to the list. By introducing a system to organize the
information
> and processes going on everyone gets a better chance to contribute and
> contributions take less time to work into the process. These people can do
> more for the community as a whole if they don't have to do grunt work
> updating times on websites and such.
>
> Sincerely,
> David Uhlman
> CTO 50km Inc.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Thoreau" <ARader@supportbeam.com>
> To: <plug-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us>
> Sent: Saturday, August 31, 2002 9:26 PM
> Subject: RE: class this Wed!
>
>
> > As far as the website....
> > Hate postnuke (with a passion.)  If PLUG wants something similar to
> > postnuke, i think the best bet is to write it from scratch.  But that's
> just
> > my opinion.  =)
> >
> > Adam Rader
>
>
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