[imc-scotland-discussion] debate on new site

Mon May 5 16:09:13 PDT 2008

+1 on new site.

It's still got some rough corners but Tom is clearly putting time and 
energy into working it out.

I'm just going to add my two cents: the main problem is that since the 
dada codebase is more or less unmaintained, keeping the site with dada 
was going to lead the site to be old-fashioned and hacked more and more 
often. By moving to drupal, the site is sticking with a well-developed 
code-base that has frequent updates.

So, while the user interface probably will need some more tweaking to 
get right as Ulla points out, I think the effort and the move by Tom is 
well worth it.

Sorry I don't have time to participate. In homestretch of Ph.D.!

       thanks,
             harry

Mike92 at riseup.net wrote:
> 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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>>     
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