I was going to volunteer my web development and design experience for the good of the club.

First thing first, do we need a website? Probably.

Ok the next question is where are we going to host it and how are we gonna pay for it?

<<HERE'S WHAT I SAID IN ANOTHER POST>>

I (we) don't need the box I have got lots-o-computers (I'm an MCSE on the side, it payed the bills once) what I need is a host to put the server for a co-locate or we could do a virtual server, shared server somewhere. The one's that come to mind are Easystreet (which is right here in town), Verio, Hostway, Fatcow...............whatever you get my point. I can't host it here on my cable connection is my point and I can't host it at work so........if somebody has the stuff we need at work then cool. We'd need a location with a DNS server of course, somebody that would give us one of their IP's, preferably on a Linux RedHat box running Apache, we may need an SQL server, or if you wanna get really cool and fancy we could just do the whole in Flash and host it on a flash server (just like MINIusa.com).

I have the skills and the software, all we need is a host w/ a box to put the stuff on. Like I said if anyone's employer has a fast connection (T1 or better) and they would let us host a site off of it then cool, I have enough computers and components to "frankenstein" a server if needed.

The only other way would be to collect dues and pay for a host.


Ciao

 

I'm totally fine with paying dues and doing an Easystreet site if we need to. I don't think we need email off the site, so that will save money, just the domain name. What, http://www.pdxminicooperclub.org or .com?

Since we are having a cruise-in in a couple weeks, it could be a good time to do a bit of minor voting and elect some club officers. Then we can get a unincorporated association bank account (I'm an ex banker, I'd be happy to take care of this) and collect dues.

R

 

Oh, and in case I never made it clear,

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LENDING YOUR SKILLS RACEGUN!!!!!



R

 

I am happy to do this. It will help me to keep my "chops" up to date to be a web master again.

By the way most web hosting accounts come with email accounts.

It looks like Fatcow is the cheapest host so far @ $99 a year. Easystreet would be around $240 a year (we wouldn't qualify as a 501c3 charitable organization). Verio would be around $275 a year.

I'm Still holding out for that person that has a fat pipe, an IP they can spare at work or what ever and I can supply the box for the server and the software.

ANYBODY?? C'mon there has to be somebody that has what we need so we don't need to spend the $.


Ciao

 

I would be surprised if someone had a spare IP and a T1 to share off their network. However, $99 a year breaks down to only $8.25 a month. Even if we only had 12 people I would hope that those interested would be willing to part with $8.25 a year (think of all the money you saved by buying the MINI over some other fancy-schmancy sports car!)

I don't have my car yet (late March- ouch) but will be the first to get the ball rolling. Where do I send my $8.25?

 

Try doteasy.com if you don't use Front Page it is basically
just the reg fee. servers are faster than some I've paid for.

 

Hold on to that money PDX, I think we're going to collect dues at the A&W Cruise-in December 8th. All we need to do is elect a couple officers (a pres and secretary if nothing else) and then we can jot down some meeting notes and use that as our resolution. This allows us to open a bank account in the name of PDX MINI Cooper Club and have people make checks out to the club.

How quick can we get a site up and running, Racegun, assuming we can pay for the site by the end of the first week of December? Would love to be able to use the site for the upcoming rally in January.

R

 

>>Hold on to that money PDX, I think we're going to collect dues at the A&W Cruise-in December 8th. All we need to do is elect a couple officers (a pres and secretary if nothing else) and then we can jot down some meeting notes and use that as our resolution. This allows us to open a bank account in the name of PDX MINI Cooper Club and have people make checks out to the club.
>>
>>How quick can we get a site up and running, Racegun, assuming we can pay for the site by the end of the first week of December? Would love to be able to use the site for the upcoming rally in January.
>>
>>R


Well that depends, I don't think I would have the time to pump out a very quality website in that amount of time. But I could certainly put something fast together in that amount of time to give ourselves an internet presence. Mind you it would be quick and dirty. The act of mastering web site is that they're always a work in progress and they get better as time goes on. I think we should discuss what types of elements we would want on the website Ie; a discussion board such as this one, do we want to host pictures of MINI's, do we want sponsers or advertisers, have a links page, a club calender etc.

Once we buy a domain name and point it to what ever hosts DNS server that we settle on, I can have a couple of pages (ugly) in a weeks time.


Ciao
--Racegun

 

>>Try doteasy.com if you don't use Front Page it is basically
>>just the reg fee. servers are faster than some I've paid for.


This might be a viable option if we don't run scripts, which we probably will but who knows. I don't need Front Page extensions, I code everthing by hand or use Dreamweaver.


Ciao

---Racegun

 

Kim sent me some questions............here are the answers.

< <Hi there..thanks for all your work on this. We REALLY appreciate it. Too
bad you won't be able to attend more of the MINI events but its understandable
given your schedule. > >

< < I had a few questions about the site.> >

< < 1) Would we be able to have an on line application available for people to
fill out or just an email addy for info?> >

** Yes we could set up any number of "auto-mailer's" that would respond with a form reply to an inquiry about the club, membership..........whatever **

< < 2) Are you you going to set up the website and someone else has to "maintain" it? I noticed you said someone has to be in charge of artwork etc.> >

** Like I said before I will do my best to find time for the "care and feeding" of the website, that means that I will build the site with the elements you request and provide to me and I will update and maintain it as my schedule allows, as I said before I am not much of a digital artist, I can do some things ie; make rollover buttons etc.. but I can't write copy or make logo types of things**


< < 3) I'd like to be able to have links/profiles/application/rally info etc. on
the page and anything else you think we may want or need.
Thanks for your help!
Kim> >

** Yes we can have a "links" page of course, we could set up a different profile page for each member as space allows, we could easily set up a online application form that would email the info contained in the form to anyone that we designate....larger websites do this by setting up a database and writing a script for it (PDX_Mini may be able to do the Dbase if needed, for Rally info I thought just a simple calander page would the trick .......We could just set up a table/grid and swap out the months as needed**

I hope this answers some of the questions out there.


Ciao

Racegun

 

Ok, so I had a LENGTHLY conversation with Mark Ferguson yesterday about using MCO as the "host" for our site (please excuse my lack of web lingo abilities, ha!) and I truly believe that this is going to be the best option out there for us right now.

As much as I am enamoured by Jason's willingness to help, I want the site to be able to be taken over at any given time by a new club web person. As we all know, people come and go. I don't want a beautiful site that no one knows how to manage if Jason were to ever leave. And I wouldn't want Jason to feel like he has to stay on working with the site. That's not fair to anyone.

Mark is willing, able and ready to get us a site up and running. For the time being he is building http://www.pdxmini.minicooperonline.com for us to use. When we have our site name registered, http://www.pdxmini.org, he'll switch the site over to that. This gives us something immediately as well as the easy ability to rehost it under our true site name. And with the rally quickly approaching in January, we need to consider "easy and quick" as big things.

Since this is a new feature to MCO, club sites, it is still in it's infancy. The cool part is that Mark is TOTALLY willing to work with the clubs on creating a format that will be acceptible to us. His goal is to have the ability for people to log onto MCO and get connected to local clubs/officers/events. By making a "template" for club websites, it retains the same "look" from club site to club site, making navigation easy. Also, it allows us to link our club callendar to the other club callendars and create a national event callendar. That is a HUGE plus.

Since it will be a customizable site, but with the same core features as other club sites, it won't be a bland cookie cutter look. We will have full control of the logo banner, the background graffics, etc. It's merely the underlaying template that will be the same from club to club.

He can also program it for electronic club registration, pdf newsletters, group mailings, officer email (ryan@pdxmini.org), direct links to pac nw forum on MCO for chat, etc. He is also ready and willing to change things based on club request.

Basically, the Denver club under DaveInDenver's guidance, the South CA club under CMINIGO's guidance, and our club will be the first to use this service as we are the three most far along clubs out there right now. So if we determine we really need to have X on the site, we simply need to let Mark know. This is a really great opportunity for us, as we get to shape the look of the regional MINI club website format.

For an idea of what this is going to be like, check out http://www.mini5280.org. A club site is not usually an "end" site. Meaning you usually go there for info, not chat or whatnot. That's what MCO is for. We just need a clean and easy format to address future/past events, club info and whatnot.

Perhaps in the future as the club grows we can address moving away from the MCO format. But for the time being, I really belive it gives us the best connectivity with other regional clubs, as well as being linked with the largest North American MINI Cooper website. Not to mention, as a startup club we just don't have the funds to run a website that could cost us $20-30 a month. This would be a free service, other than paying for the site name (www.pdxmini.org) which is like $20 a year.

Mark is really excited about making this work for us and is very open to our suggestions on how to make it better. I jusst don't think we are going to find a better option right now. Like I said, in the future as we grow, a true site of our own may be the better choice, but for now it doesn't make sense to spend the money and time on something that's not even interconnected to the community we are trying to attract.

So what this means is that whomever is our webperson, they won't have to be a web god in order to update and maintain the site. That means alot to me, as I wouldn't have a clue what to do should I ever need to. Mark is making more of a simple interface for changing these elements. And again, he's open to changing how this works.

Ryan

 

Well by far this sounds like the best and fastest plan yet. We need to get this going right away especially with the rally coming up soon. I agree that a website that isn't too much trouble would be the best option..not wanting to burden any one person would be ideal. Thanks so much to Mark for helping us out! It sounds like the template will have what we need for right now and customization abilities for a later time. Sounds good..thanks guys!

 

Everyone,
Thanks for the interest in the services we putting together. I did want to clarify a couple of things:

- moving forward with PDXMINI we'll first provide the URL pdxmini.minicooperonline.com at no charge

- if you register a domain we can have it resolve against the above mentioned URL

- MCO can provide domain registration services as well for $20 for two years. I'll simply register the domain and bill you the $20 via Paypal (you can use a credit card as well). This actually makes it easier for me as I'll be notified when the domain is to be renewed..therefore keeping the site up.

- Once I've gathered requirements and gotten the first three sites up and running there will likely be some type of yearly cost but I it will be low (not more than $50 per year). This will help defer the cost of bandwidth (primarily from email use) and the time required to configure/maintain each site. The first three sites will receive the service at no charge for the first year. I'm happy to work with clubs that are just forming as well since I realize you need to start collecting membership dues before you can afford to pay anything :smile:

Let me know if you have any questions or if I've confused things even more :smile:

Mark

 

Thanks for the clarification there Mark. I was paraphrasing you from our conversation last night.

Personally, I have no problem with using MCO to register the site name as well. We discuss it and let you know asap.

And I was wondering if you were going to charge us! I couldn't believe it was free. Obviously I heard the "free" part in relation to the first year. I see NO problem in a sub $50 fee to keep this running. Thank you for clarifying this.

Oh, one thing I'd like to know more about is how the "user interface" would work for when we want/need to change/update info?

R

 

Ryan,
Regarding the user interface....

I plan to implement a system that will ad permissions to your existing MCO account. If you have a "club" admin permission you'll see an additional menu appear in the Main Menu when you visit the site. When clicked you will likley see functions which allow you to post/edit/delete events to a calendar, update the contact list of officers, change the price of membership (if there is one at all), view/edit your membership list, notification preferences, etc. There will be a multitude of options we'll come up with but initially I'll provide some basic interfaces like this to get everyone operational then we'll continue to refine them based on the operational needs of clubs and organizations.

Thanks!

Mark

 

Ohhhh!! That would be slick. I'm liking this more and more with each bit of new info. You rock Mark!

R

 

Cool

 

Looks like the wheels are definitely in motion. Nice work everyone!