CLS - Website Introduction

Address: www.district1kin.a (after July 1st)

Technical Overview

• Built on a "content management system" (CMS) using an open-source wiki script
• Capability to add and edit text, documents, images
  • YouTube videos and Flash files can be added with a single line
• Capability to tag pages to highlight news, upcoming events, etc.
  • Content on main page, news page, and Zone pages will be updated "automagically" based on tags and recent edits
• Text-based editing interface with GUI (graphical user interface) buttons for basic text formatting - "about as easy as writing an email"
• PHP-based script allows virtually unlimited features to be added to the site - "future proof"
• Website Resources page will include documentation for editing District1Kin.ca, as well as resources and advice for Clubs to get the most from their own websites
• Social bookmarking widget allows easy sharing of pages through email, Facebook, Twitter, and other popular sites

Goals for 2008-09 Kin Year

District Council members will be responsible for adding their own content - "teach a man to fish ..."

Each Deputy Governor and District Executive member will receive a username and password once the site goes live. Once logged in, additional editing links will be available at the bottom of the page. Each DG will be able to edit pages within their Zone's section.

Club Pages

There will be a page created for each Club within the Zone.

If the Club does not have a website, they can use this page as a "mini site" and point a domain name to their page. The Club would forward any content, news, events for the page to their Deputy Governor for addition to the page.

If the Club does have a website, this page could be used as a brief overview of the Club and provide a link to their page. It would still be helpful for the DG to add timely content to the site ... accurate, current, comprehensive content will help make District1Kin.ca a relevant communications tool for Members.

Institutional History

In addition to current information, the site has the capability to build an institutional history that will grow and evolve year after year.

What was the FLC registration fee in 1998? What membership programs were initiated the year before membership growth in the District? Have any Clubs been successful with a project that your Club is considering?

The ability to create multiple levels of access, i.e. a section only for District Executive and/or Deputy Governors, allows us to build a resource library but protect it or open it up to members or the public as appropriate.

Editing Tips for District1Kin.ca

• Remember, YOU are responsible for content, photos, news, upcoming events ...
• Commit to learning something new every time you edit the site
• Basic editing review
  • Pages are organized as Groupname.Pagename or Groupname/Pagename
  • Adding and deleting pages - will add "Create page" page
  • GUI buttons are convenient for basic text editing, but the available features are endless: font styles, colour, alignment, floating boxes and images, frames, tables ...
  • Bold, italics
  • Lists, indents
  • Text styles - alignment, color; "inline" and "block" styles
  • Links - internal and external
  • Images - Attach: and Img: (may change)
  • Attachments - adding, tagging, replacing and deleting
  • Images and attachments from other groups: Group/name.ext
• Site is pretty much goof-proof. "History" link keeps 90 days of edit history, can restore to a previous version with one click.
• Use Headings to organize and break up large pages
  • Page Table of Contents available for long pages
• For attachments, indicate the size of the file (many users still on dial-up)
  • PDF files are preferable to Word or Excel files; use a free PDF creator or OpenOffice
  • For Excel spreadsheets, "Save as" oldest version
• Spell check - using Firefox, spell check is built-in for text edit windows

Features / Suggestions /Feedback

Over the Kin year, additional features will be built into the site. Possible features include:

• Gallery script for improved photo management
• Events calendar
• Private District Council-only section for "administrivia"
• Improved editing window to highlight page title, "News" tag, pre-defined templates, etc.
• Online convention registration option for host clubs
• Open (Kin only) discussion forum for promoting club events, tickets, etc.
• Ability to subscribe to pages or sections using RSS feeds and email notification
• Expansion and more effective use of District 1 email list
• Online Status indicator for Yahoo! messenger and Skype users

Next Step

• You will receive a username and password in early July
• Download the Editing Reference package from the Website Resources page
• Your profile will be uploaded to the site; you will be able to edit and update your profile
• Contact options
  • Email hidden behind CAPTCHA
  • Email form (no attachments, limited links)
  • Yahoo! instant messenger
• Begin uploading content, news, events, reports
• As the site evolves and new features are added, the documentation will be updated amd Council will receive an email outlining the new features
• Feedback is important - not only for new features, but ease-of-use and general site navigation. The site must be user-friendly to visitors, and user-friendly for editors too!

Thank you to our sponsors!