[Beds] Proposal for new LUG web site structure

[Neil Darlow]

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Hi All,

Following the recent arrival of new LUG members with ideas for development of 
the LUG, and consideration of requests from existing members for new features 
to be added, I am proposing changes to the web site structure.

The proposal is that the existing static HTML page and YaBB Gold forums will 
be replaced by the Geeklog Content Management System (CMS) and some of it's 
more useful plugins e.g. File Manager, Forums and Image Gallery.

The features offered by such a transition can be broken down into two 
categories, Member and Administration, the capabilities of which I will now 
outline.

Member Features
- ---------------
Personal Details Profile
Site-wide and Personal Calendars
Shared access credentials between CMS and Forums
Ability to contribute stories and comments
Ability to upload files and documents to the File Manager
Ability to upload images to the Image Gallery
Notification of Story updates by E-mail

Administration Features
- -----------------------
Sophisticated permissions control for administrators
Flexibility in granting members administrative rights without access to server
Seamless integration between CMS, Forums and Image Gallery
Submission queues for Member-posted content
Ability to handle abusive postings and irrelevant material i.e. trolling
Built-in database backup and restoration management

These are but a few of the features available. The main reason for choosing 
this new structure is to permit the development of the LUG web site resources 
for access by non-members without compromising the interactivity we enjoy
with the current design. Allowing the CMS to generate the pages frees us to 
concentrate on the quality of material presented on the site.

For myself, it allows the LUG to have a resource that members can contribute 
to without giving out administrative privileges to the LUG Server wholesale. 
As a contributor to the Geeklog project, I am aware of it's strengths and have
the necessary knowledge of it's workings to fix any bugs that show themselves.

Lee has already volunteered to work on the web site, as has Stanimir, and I 
believe that Geeklog will allow us to develop the site in a professional and 
well managed manner.

I hope that we can discuss this new development at Wednesday's meeting and 
amend the proposal, as necessary, subject to your feedback both at the meeting
and via the list (for those who are unable to attend).

Regards,
Neil Darlow M.Sc. -- Beds LUGmaster
- -- 
ICQ: 135505456  E-Mail, Jabber and MSNM: <neil at darlow.co.uk>
Free Software and Open Standards Consultants.  WWW: http://www.darlow.co.uk/

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