[IMC-NYC-Tech] Re: playing catch up

[patrick]

Hey,

A quick response: Here's some info below that I sent out to another 
prospective tech recently, with updates.  Mostly I think using irc is the 
most valuable resource, especially when there's a crisis, but also just to 
learn and develop relationships locally and within the network (people are 
incredibly helpful there).

> are you going to have trainings once the new site is launched?

Yes, we will have trainings, details to follow.  I can also make you an 
account so you can start looking at the admin interface now (although I 
will be cleaning it up a bit).

> It's moving to a new open publishing codebase, mir:
>
> http://mir.indymedia.org
>
> That site is a little outdated, if you're interested in looking at the 
> code, I think MIR_1_1 is the latest to grab from cvs (scroll down on 
> that page for cvs login).

If you're not familiar with cvs, it's a version control system, so people 
don't overwrite eachother's code.  I don't know how to use it.

> Here's the staging site, the html is draft, but represents somewhat of a 
> departure from traditional imc sites.
>
> http://nyc.phillyimc.org
...
> Miles <miles at mail.com> is another java coder, but can't offer much of 
> any time right now. He can offer ideas and be a general resource though 
> for adhoc stuff and what directions might make sense.
>
> There was just an install party in philly that some nyc folks attended, 
> as they're moving to mir too.
...
> Myself and Mike Topper are usually at least logging on irc, and there
> is a fairly busy channel for mir stuff:
>
> http://irc.indymedia.org #mir

If you're not familiar with irc, you can just visit that url and logon. 
#tech is the main tech channel.  When we get some mirror servers setup, to 
decentralize hosting of the site, there will be bits of discussion in 
#traven and #ahimsa (FYI everyone: they are up for mirroring and even 
mirroring the production site, once we get the archive of old content 
transferred to mir).

Later on, you can get fancy and use an irc program to connect, and then 
you can do so encrypted, which is urged:

> Please connect via ssl:
>
> http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Sysadmin/SecureIRC

In terms of folks I can connect you to right away, Zapata (nicknames here) 
is the main mir developer right now, somewhere in europe (netherlands?). 
stefani, clara, toya, chrisc, ski, mtoups and gdm are great techies.

stefani, clara and toya are 3 great women techs (but not on mir).  toya 
(and others) is setting up a collective of women to run servers (see the 
#grep|grrl channel):

http://estrecho.indymedia.org/newswire/display/12130/index.php

JoAnarchy and deanna are great too, but haven't been around recently.

Here are 2 lists specifically for women in imc:

http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-women 
http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-women-tech

Also, if you're not familiar with them, genderchangers.org is great, they 
have a a page listing other woman tech groups:

http://genderchangers.org/bin/

I don't know anyone currently from there who works with imc, but they're a 
good resource.  I'm blanking on her name, but if you want I contact there 
I can forward.

> Here's the current todo list for the site, as well as the main nyc page 
> and a link to proposed revisions to the editorial policy:
>
> http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/ImcNewYorkWebsite 
> http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/ImcNewYorkEditorialPolicy 
> http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/ImcNewYork

Some stuff is moot based on the recent mir tech meeting at the imc.

Currently the plan is to launch in 2 weeks or so, Chris will send out 
meeting notes with details.

> I think by the end of next week is a good target. The next big piece 
> from my point of view is the user account feature, spam/hate posts are a 
> huge problem, and I think this could cut down on this significantly (see 
> notes on the website page above).

Feel free to add any thoughts, comments, etc., to the wiki.  Anyone can 
edit a wiki page, and see the past revisions.

Here are the current local lists, but we're moving to one list for the web 
team once we decide on policy, imc-nyc-web:

> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-nyc-editorial 
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-nyc-tech
>
> Also, here are the mir coder lists:
>
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/mir-coders 
> http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-mir-admins
...
> I think I mentioned that I do front-end coding (html), info design, and 
> organize people and hardware. But I am not a backend programmer nor 
> sysadmin.
...
> We're planning on a sysadmin outreach as the new site launches, and hope 
> to host some imc network machines here locally again in the near future.

My thought is that we need 2 sysadmins with indepth skillsets to move 
forward on this.  A couple prospective sysadmins have expressed interest, 
I'll get back to the list on this once I've talked to them more.

Also, part of the preparing for the sysadmin outreach will be to compile 
some intro and todo pages on the wiki.  This will give a standard intro 
for folks, and lay out tasks so people can engage with something right 
away to get involved.

Another is to identify how to reach prospective sysadmins, like the ny 
sysadmin association, etc. (there is such), and craft a good message.

Let me know if you have any questions.


--Patrick


> Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005
> From: ida
> Subject: [IMC-NYC-Tech] playing catch up
>
> Hi tech crew,
>
> I have been haunting this list for a while and am interested in getting 
> more involved with the web based indymedia stuff especially now that the 
> switch to mir is happening.  Problem is i am at least 10 steps behind 
> most of you in terms of tech savvy.  I want to catch up. can people 
> suggest resources to get me started?  are you going to have trainings 
> once the new site is launched?
>
> thanks,
> ida