MAJOR update to the boards

I have read this thread with interest, as I do some web design myself, and I wish to make an opinion with reference to the points expressed:

I think that there should NOT be 1 person calling all the shots on how this website should be run, or designed, just because they say so and think is best. I believe there is enough room, and software design talent (excluding myself), to allow 2 or 3 persons to actively partake in the running, upkeep, and design of this site.

No offence to any 1 person, or taking sides, but this is NOT Barts site, so I believe that it should be open to discussion to those who are willing to spend time and resources in making this website enjoyable to all. Again, not any 1 person should really be having the final say (whether to do with the use of so-called proprietary software, 'my design tactics are better than yours' views, or 'I'm right because I teach it'/I'm right because I'm qualified' stances). A lot of the views on whats best in web design terms can be successfully intermingled, and the 'end-user' viewing the site won't give a flying toss about how neat it looks underneath! As long as it all comes together, and works, THATS ALL ANYONE CARES ABOUT, really.

If the energy that has been put into this thread in the past 48 hours in terms of typing, reading, rehashing, and redefining 'whats best', then this site, which was to be completed by September 2003, could have been fiished by now since the php update last week.

Lets try and get things done around here guys!

Seanie.

Does anybody know where I put my good shovel :

Johnno

Al, that's your responsibility right now- the steps above are best practice. ... Stop micro- managing.

Ok thats definitely the first time I've ever been accused of micro managing

As for my responsibility, I'm perfectly happy to have Bart as webmaster with full authority over IFAS's web presence, he is the only person here with a broad enough skillset to technically manage it. How he manages that is up to him, if he wants to get help with things as he has in the past (including setting up a focus group on the boards) thats fine, I am not going to impose a team on this. In Barts second post on this thread he said "I'll take help from anyone", others then decided for whatever reason, rather than to offer help, to criticise technical decisions that Bart is by far the best person here to make. If people want to actually offer to help on the website and have expertiese to help, please talk to Bart, if you just want to criticise the site, its webmaster, and its users, well...

I want to micromanage the website about as much as Bart wants me to

When I have polled people about their thoughts on this site, the main issue people had was around content, or lack of it and lack of a way to easily add it. This is something that Bart has taken on board for the next revision of the site. Implementing this involves more than just the design of a final page, which is partly why I suspect Bart has proposed the things he has.

Micromanaging...

involves more than just the design of a final page

You're right. I'll stick to colouring between the lines with my crayons and joining the dots. :roll:

I honestly don't know wheather to laugh or cry. What I do feel exceptionally like doing is telling IFAS to stuff their website up thier ******

For this web site to work there needs to be a person who makes the call in the end. That is the job I volunteered to do and that is the job the committee have appointed me to do.

I have laid out my logic exceptionally clearly and that logic is behind the exceptionally simple design decisions I have taken to allow this project to move forwards. If I am not allowed to make such decisions then you now have my resignation. I cannot be expected to make this place work if I cannot even make the MOST ELEMENTARY of design decisions.

Now, these are the design decisions:
1) The site will adopt the latest web starndards (i.e. XHTML 1.0, CSS2.1 and WAI).
2) The site will not be dependent on any OS specific or non-free software.

If I am not allowed to make those ELEMENTARY decisions so that coding can begin then I'm outa here. I would be exceptionally sorry to be driven out like this but if I can't make elementary basic descisions like this then it is physicsally impossible for me to develop this site and I am NOT going to take the blame for nothing happening when the reason that nothing can happen is that my hands have been tied.

I have asked for feedback on a very regular basis, I have set up focus groups. I take all input on board and I accept help that will actually be helpful. all policy decsiosn are made in a open way and I would like to think the IFAS members have a lot of say in the actual user-affecting aspects of this website. If that is not good enough then the possition of WebMaster is an un-workable one and hence one I must give up.

It really is so nice to see one's hard work and dedication so utterly and vicuiously thrown back in ones face.

Bart.

If I am not allowed to make such decisions then you now have my resignation.

1) I have never criticized this site. Quite the opposite. I have often thanked you for the work you have done.
2) I dispute your approach- you have not taken one single thing I have said on board. Even though it is born from 10 years experience at a professional level. That does not mean I dont respect your opinion.
3) I'm sorry, but the resignation card is a low card to play. Frankly, I expected more from you. If you feel the argument has been personally defaming just say so, there is no call for your resignation.

Fundamentally I believe everyone has the best wishes of IFAS at heart, but guys, you make it very hard for the rest of us to contribute with this autocratic, technical approach. The process you are using is restrictive by nature and I believe it is too narrow focused and individual oriented to make use of the wide array of disciplines that make a website a great website.