Creating and administering websites has always been the domain of the so-called "webmaster". CISV-websites around the world have been entrusted technical geeks, who often created masterpieces with state-of the art web-goodness. So much for the "creating". Unfortunately the "administering" aspect of the website went down the drain. The webmaster was usually the only one with a password and the technological know-how to make any changes, and like with GB's ole website, "Latest News" usually refers to something that's a few years old.
Enter the invention of CMS (Content Management Systems), sometimes also referred to as "back-end" as opposed to the "front-end", which the website visitors sees. The idea is, that not the webmaster, but theoretically anybody with basic computer knowledge can update a website, add pictures, even create new pictures. OpenCMS was installed a few years ago on the CISV server, and many CISV websites including the international ones use it. It sounds great, but unfortunately OpenCMS itself is a bit overwhelming with a million features and actually needs some training before feeling comfortable with it.
The next evolutionary step, I believe, iare services like Weebly. Weebly lets you create a complete website without any technological knowledge, you can even set up a blog. A lot of NJRs have set up websites at blogger.com - which is similarly easy to work with - but limits you to a weblog. With Weebly you get all the web's goodness, like including Flickr pictures, download pages, etc...
I have to admit, I've never used Weebly for anything too long, but I set up a website once, and it took less than half an hour.
Enter the invention of CMS (Content Management Systems), sometimes also referred to as "back-end" as opposed to the "front-end", which the website visitors sees. The idea is, that not the webmaster, but theoretically anybody with basic computer knowledge can update a website, add pictures, even create new pictures. OpenCMS was installed a few years ago on the CISV server, and many CISV websites including the international ones use it. It sounds great, but unfortunately OpenCMS itself is a bit overwhelming with a million features and actually needs some training before feeling comfortable with it.
The next evolutionary step, I believe, iare services like Weebly. Weebly lets you create a complete website without any technological knowledge, you can even set up a blog. A lot of NJRs have set up websites at blogger.com - which is similarly easy to work with - but limits you to a weblog. With Weebly you get all the web's goodness, like including Flickr pictures, download pages, etc...
I have to admit, I've never used Weebly for anything too long, but I set up a website once, and it took less than half an hour.
If you happen to be a geek, a junior, reading this, and asking yourself what that OpenCMS thingy is - we are looking for some help in administering CISV International's web pages, also for the one running with OpenCMS (that's resources, for the biggest part). You'd get a password, too - promise! (Contact me!)
Other fields of expertise we look for would include MS Sharepoint, Unix/Linux server admin, Windows server admin.
Nick, sorry for abusing your blog for CISV commercials - if you feel it's inappropriate, please delete my post!
No problem, Flo. FTB is open for job ads in the comment section.
But, I should remark, that it does counter the notion of this post - which is: to run CISV WITHOUT the geeks! :)
My personal website is hosted on WordPress with a GoDaddy redirect. I've been looking for something a bit more functional, especially given my lack of CMS and web design skills. I like some of Weebly's stuff, but I'm having trouble finding imports for all of the social networking tools I'm currently using (WordPress blogs, Twitter, Flickr, etc.). I'm going to tinker around some more.
For what it's worth, another US NJR and I were able to come up with a fairly attractive JB USA site using the CISV OpenCMS. Unfortunately, so much of what's "required" on a CISV page has nothing to do with what we envisioned using the website for. Oh well...all in the name of branding I guess!