[imc-scotland-discussion] debate on new site

Mon May 5 09:24:00 PDT 2008

Personally I feel that Indymedia Scotland is in a stronger and more positive 
situation than for a long time.  The new site I feel is already a 
significant step-forward, and will only get better as it develops.  I think 
Tom should be thanked for all the hard work he has put into it.

The regular monthly publication of the news-sheet is a big step forward, and 
is something which could have aan even bigger impact if we can sort out the 
fiinance to greatly increase the print-run, and organise more distro, 
especially beyond edinburgh.  Again I think all the efforts by Tom and Jon 
in putting the news-sheet together should be appreciated.

I am completely at a loss to understand why Ulla is uttering dire 
predictions of doom.  We all appreciate the hard work you have put in over 
the years Ulla, but I think your outburst reflects very badly on you.

I know very little about the technical side, but to my layperson's eye the 
new site seems more interesting and attractive than before, sure the banner 
could be improved, but I am sure everyone recognises it is a work in 
progress.

Questions such as how to display comments, and how much prominence to give 
them, are open to debate of course.  Indymedia Scotland holds regular 
monthly meetings, and if people have any suggestions that have not been 
resolved on the e mail list, then the meeting is the place to come to , in 
order to discuss them.

It would be much more positive Ulla, if you came along to the meetings and 
discussed things, rather than threatening to split Indymedia.  The meetings 
are the last tuesday of every month at 7.30pm at ACE, 17 West Montgomery 
Place, the next one is scheduled for tues 27th May.   I appreciate the 
sentiments expressed in James' message about the positive need for 
face-to-face discussion, though whether folk want to take up the offer of a 
special meeting in the Forest or not I dont know, given that we are already 
meeting monthly in ACE, which also has computers on line.....

Whatever the case about that, it would certainly be a good idea to publicise 
the meetings more, to try and get better attendances.   Perhaps it would be 
a good idea to take up James's suggestion and make a positive effort to 
invite regular contributors to the next meeting, which could especially 
focus on the new site?

in solidarity Mike (Edinburgh)

ps I think we should keep the current links to other groups and campaigns - 
they are important I think - but also make a point of having an agenda item 
at the next meeting to discuss which additional groups should be linked to.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James" <james at doubtlesshouse.org.uk>
To: <imc-scotland-discussion at lists.indymedia.org>
Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 10:47 AM
Subject: Re: [imc-scotland-discussion] Changes to the site/ Indymedia 
Scotland dieing a slow death

>
> Ulla, Tom, (Others)
>
> There's obviously a need to get as many people as possible to meet up
> and go over this issue in person. Clearly noone wants the sites to split.
>
> It can be easy to get tempers inflamed over Email, where someone's tone
> of voice and intentions are unclear. Meeting in person would help this.
>
> Also, it would be good to get some regular contributors and users of the
> site to come along and offer their views. Usability on the web is a
> notoriously tricky subject, and what one person wants from a site varies
> a lot from what another person wants. Having as many view-points as
> possible would be a good thing.
>
> A meeting could help us go over the issues, get feedback from users on
> the site and help us recognise that despite our differences on site
> features in the end we all just want the same thing - a working site.
>
> I can book the meeting room in The Forest, where we would not be
> disturbed and there are 4 good computers on the internet for us to use.
> What time would suit everyone?
>
> James
>
>
>
> Anarcho Babe wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> It is my strong belief that if the site stays as it is now you will loose 
>> half
>> of the readership by the end of the summer, and most likely up to 2/3 by 
>> the
>> end of next May - basically narrowing it down to the hardcore anarchists 
>> who
>> will also visit the site less regularly - maybe once a week/forthnight
>> instead of every day or so.
>>
>> I do think that drastic measures are needed right now in order to avoid 
>> that
>> the Indymedia Scotland project is killed off by how the new system is 
>> used.
>>
>> Editorialwise the site is a disasterzone at the moment,  apart from its 
>> grey
>> boring colour scheme, it is very hostile to user contributions such as
>> posting and viewing comments, posting and viewing other press, turnover 
>> of
>> features/middle column too slow, archive not accessible enough, lack of 
>> image
>> gallery, not updated quickly enough and the publish form is even worse 
>> than
>> the one we had 8 years ago under Active!
>>
>> As any suggestion made in a polite way is ignored, it seems only logical 
>> to
>> try different means.
>>
>> At the moment I am intending to standby watching whilst you destroy the
>> project over the next three months, then I will start a little counter
>> project in autumn after my dissertation to try to keep the social 
>> movements
>> in Scotland together, and am then going to pick up the pieces of the site
>> next summer when you all deserted it and given up on it.
>>
>> Alternatively we could also split right now and I could do a counter 
>> indymedia
>> site - however, given that you then won't recognise that it was your 
>> actions
>> which destroy the project I prefer seeing it die a natural death without 
>> you
>> having the excuse to say that the competition killed it off.
>>
>> Yours Ulla
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sunday 04 May 2008 01:46, Tom Morton wrote:
>>> Ulla,
>>>
>>> You might notice that I reverted some changes you made to the site. I
>>> should explain why i did this:
>>>
>>> - You placed syndicated content from other IMCs above basic components
>>> of our own site. For example, why did you put the anarchoTV feed above
>>> the 'publish' button and above the IMC scotland newswire? Why move the
>>> 'sections' menu down?
>>>
>>> - You moved the menu right to the bottom of the site making navigation
>>> slow and annoying.
>>>
>>> - You cluttered the site with loads of syndicated content
>>>
>>> We need to discuss next meeting what feeds we should take from other
>>> sites, and what  links to other sites we have. I'd like a return to
>>> normal process where changes to the site are discussed at meetings. In
>>> the mean time, since I have a mandate to set up the new site I'll revert
>>> bad changes made.
>>>
>>> Also, playing with different themes on the live site is bad. The test
>>> site at scotland.imcscotland.org is for that kind of experimentation.
>>
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>
>
> -- 
> James Baster
> Theatre Photographer
> http://www.doubtlesshouse.org.uk
> +44 (0)776 497 0336
>
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