[Ansteorra] Event Websites

[Haraldr Bassi]

That tool already exists. And is already available to multiple kingdoms, should we decide it 
would be good to use for our purposes. Much like ACCEPS is a great solution that is made 
available to multiple kingdoms, so too is GINGER, the East Kingdom's event database system 
available.

It checks all submissions to ensure that all of the required minimum data elements are listed, 
it also feeds the information to the kingdom chronicler to include into the next issue of the 
kingdom newsletter. Each event can have it's own URL by referencing the eventID in the URL. 
Items don't get displayed on the site until approved, which would allow the calendar deputy to 
continue to manage things.

Granted, it isn't a "pretty graphically intense website", but frankly, I appreciate the 
simplicity when I want to print an event announcement or look up a location etc via cut/paste. 
I've wasted many pages trying to print event websites that didn't render correctly on the 
printer due to excessive graphics.

There is a very simple web site 'creator' tool available called OpenOffice3. It is available for 
every platform and is free for all users. It can create a word compatible document which can be 
exported and saved as an HTML file, which makes the page to be published identical to the word 
style document that was the original.

One method people can use to identify what a website would look like to a visually impaired 
person would be Opera where you can turn off display of all graphics with a simple button.

Thanks,
Haraldr

William Meriic wrote:
> Making a website graphically pleasing and capable of catering to people
> disabilities is an extraordinarily difficult task.  Web-based technologies
> have grown in an ad hoc fashion over the decades and are currently an
> absolute disaster.  While work is being done to improve this situation one
> can no longer "quickly throw together" a website and expect it to meet our
> ever growing expectations.  And by no means can anyone expect anyone less
> than a professional in web development to be an expert in the various
> technologies that must be delicately balanced to make a website meet the
> needs of a large community.
> 
> If the kingdom were to come to me as a client with this problem my
> recommendation would be to set up a kingdom wide content management system
> specifically configured to collect and display information about events.
> All events would be required to supply a fundamental/comprehensive set of
> information about their event.  Here are the benefits:
> 
> - A standardized structure would guarantee that all pertinent information
> about an event would be made available; nothing would be forgotten.
> 
> - Instead of having to worry about developing an entire website, the steward
> would simply fill in a few forms.  Features such as directions and maps, the
> formatting of complex schedules, anti-spam protection for e-mail addresses,
> embedding of multimedia, etc. would all be taking care of automatically by
> the software.
> 
> - By using a quality off-the-shelf content management system the information
> will be displayed in a reasonably attractive fashion, and would support
> printing, disability technologies, and the quirks between different web
> browsers.
> 
> - Users of the system would not need to know anything about web development.
> 
> - Information about all events could be found in one place.
> 
> - The structure and layout of the information would be consistent from one
> event the next.
> 
> - Event information can easily be exported into a variety of formats (e.g.
> PDF) for use in other materials such as event handouts and newsletters.
> 
> - Over time an archive of historical event information would be created.
> 
> By using a standardized system, event sites would all look the same.  While
> I suggest that this is a benefit some might want to be more creative.  They
> can create their own additional event site if they so desire and include a
> link to it from the kingdom wide event database.
> 
> There are a number of freely available open source content management
> systems that would be a perfect match for this effort.  Really, if there is
> an interest in this it would require coordination with our kingdom web host
> and support from the kingdom itself.  If anyone is interested in taking up
> this task I be perfectly happy to offer my assistance.
> 
> Will Meriic
> 
> MKA Ted Young
> CTO BNet, Inc.
> CTD Digital Towpath
> IT Consultant and Software Developer
> 
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