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From: Hugh Messenger
Date: Sun, 24 Nov 1996 17:06:46 -0600 (CST)
Subject: ADMINISTRIVIA - the web pages

Now that a few folk are using the new web pages, I'd like to lift the ban
on discussion of them, at least for a day or so.

I'd like to ask a few questions, and ask for replies to the list rather
than just me.

Please retain this subject line for any discussion, so that a) I can
filter it into a specific mailbox to make my life easier and b) anyone not
interested can skip this discussion.

The first question is just ...

Random Stuff
===========

Do you have any comment which isn't specifically covered by another
question? Random thoughts.

Automagic Messages
=================

One of the purposes of the new web pages is to "formalize" some of the
traffic on harp-l. For instance. If you have a cool harmonica web link,
you'll obviously want to let harp-l know about it. In the web pages, as
many of you know, you can add your new link to a suitable category on the
web page (Musicians, Recordings, Equipment, etc). We are building up a
nice collection.

Links aren't the only things you can add. You can put up a "classified"
ad , or a FAQ entry (not ready yet), you can add/change essential
details about yourself (email address, teaching details, etc).

A lot of these actions are things which you would generally want to
announce to harp-l anyway. My email address has changed. I found a cool
harmonica web site. I've added a new FAQ section. I now teach chromatic
harmonica, but I've moved to new York. Etc.

I'd like to add a feature to "automagically" post an announcement to
harp-l (probably with a manual over-ride button) about a new/changed item.
These messages would be brief, have a standard format/subject, "appear" to
come from the person who made the update, but clearly indicating that it's
a robot generated message.

I think this approach would have some major advantages. I guess my
question is ... would the list mind having such robot-generated messages?

Here's an example - fjm just put a rather nice amp up for sale in the Ads
section. I could have a checkbox on the "Add an Ad" form, which says
"Announce this to harp-l". If checked, when the ad is added, a copy of
the advert is posted to harp-l. Likewise, when he sells the amp, and uses
the "delete" button, I could have the scripts automagically send a message
saying "SOLD".


GOING PUBLIC
===========

So far the new web stuff has all been "members only". You have to go
through the /harp-l/home "door", which needs a name and password. I'm
working on the "public" entrance, which will just be through /harp-l, or
/harp-l/public.

The public entrance will not require a username or password. It will look
much like the members only version, but will be a "read only" version.
You still see the Links lists, for instance, but you don't see any "Add"
or "Delete" forms/buttons. You still see the list of "members", but you
don't get your own page. You see the Ads, but you can't Add an Ad. You
get the picture.

Once we go public, I'm expecting a lot of traffic through the pages. I'll
be adding the new "structure" around the existing archive structure, with
every archive message having a header/footer setup much like the members
only pages.

The existing public stuff gets several thousand hits a day, and I think
most of that traffic will probably drop by the new "public" stuff, as soon
as I put links in to it.

If you have any questions / issues to do with making the new web system
"world readable", you need to raise them now.

For instance, some of you may not wish to have your "home" page made
public - you don't mind other harp-l players seeing it, but would rather
not open it up to the world. Stuff like that. Speak now.


That's about it for now. I have more questions, but I'd like to see some
discussion first.

Don't be shy - make any comments you want to make, including criticism
(I'm used to it!), and make them on the list.

-- hugh