Best and Worst Wing Web pages

[RiverAux]

So, there is quite a range in quality of Wing web pages across CAP.  What is your nomination for the best and worst among them.  I'm thinking of issues relating to design, having "new" news, working links, current information about staff positions, general content, etc. 

If you're going to nominate someone for either category, please provide a link to the page so that its easier for the rest of us to check them out and provide more comments. 

[JC004]

Maryland is high-speed

Florida is pretty good, but some issues on Firefox and Opera

New Jersey could use an upgrade

[Walkman]

<shameless bragging>

I own an award-winning ad agency, www.eurekaville.com , so give me a month to get Level 1 & CPPT in, then look out for UTWG & Cache Valley Comp Sqd! Started on a new Sqd logo last week. I'll post 'er when she's done.

</shameless bragging>

Actually, I'd love to have a shot at cap.gov, too. And the brochures...

[Nomex Maximus]

Here's the best, tell me what you think:

http://miwg.cap.gov/

[flyguy06]

I like websites that have the Commander's picture and bio on the Commander and senior staff

[JC004]

Here's the best, tell me what you think:

http://miwg.cap.gov/

I broke into something on that web site once...forget what it was, though...   

[JC004]

...
Actually, I'd love to have a shot at cap.gov, too. And the brochures...

How about a dedicated CAP recruiting site, like the AF or ROTC have?

[mikeylikey]

^ how about...........getting a recruiting section at the AF recruiting site.   

[RogueLeader]

Iowa's Web Site isn't too bad.  It's functional and has a lot of good information

[JC004]

Iowa's Web Site isn't too bad.  It's functional and has a lot of good information

frames are the spawn of satan.

[RogueLeader]

Contact Cyclone then, last I heard, he was the webmaster, as well as some more mission critical jobs.

[JC004]

Contact Cyclone then, last I heard, he was the webmaster, as well as some more mission critical jobs.

"1995 called - they want their frames back.  Please recode your web site not to include frames."  Naaa...not that important.  There are CAP sites that are much worse off, like those that use MS Word-generated code. 

[mikeylikey]

Ummm......PAWG is by far the worst I have ever been to.  Oh....wait, sorry General Colgan, don't demote me.  What is that website again that shows you what other websites looked like in the past?  We can then compare current websites with their past selves.  Then we can make an accurate determination as to which ones have best improved.  PAWG will surely win that contest.

[Walkman]

frames are the spawn of satan.

They are the spawn of the spawn of Satan.


I've worked with clients in the past and currently where a template based, personalized web site was available to org members for a minimal cost. Anyone ever heard if that idea has gotten around NHQ? With the importance of the web anymore, and with web professionals still a small number, that it would be worth looking into. Canned content & functionality, consistent branding and always professional UX & design would be great for units that aren't lucky enough to have a web pro in the ranks. My 2¢, anyway...
(I'm sure I'm late to the party with this and it's already been discussed ad nauseam.)

[JC004]

frames are the spawn of satan.

They are the spawn of the spawn of Satan.


I've worked with clients in the past and currently where a template based, personalized web site was available to org members for a minimal cost. Anyone ever heard if that idea has gotten around NHQ? With the importance of the web anymore, and with web professionals still a small number, that it would be worth looking into. Canned content & functionality, consistent branding and always professional UX & design would be great for units that aren't lucky enough to have a web pro in the ranks. My 2¢, anyway...
(I'm sure I'm late to the party with this and it's already been discussed ad nauseam.)

It's been brought up, but no action, really.  Canned content is a SEO issue, though.

Ummm......PAWG is by far the worst I have ever been to.  Oh....wait, sorry General Colgan, don't demote me.  What is that website again that shows you what other websites looked like in the past?  We can then compare current websites with their past selves.  Then we can make an accurate determination as to which ones have best improved.  PAWG will surely win that contest.

Keep it up.  I know where you live.  It looked like this when I took it on. (from Archive.org)

It's been a nightmare in recent months because I've been put on hold with getting up-to-date admin and personnel stuff because it's all in a "freeze" as we switch to the new wing commander and he reviews the forms, staff, etc.  That and some of the staff isn't to web savvy (some don't even have computers).  That makes it hard because I basically have to fill in the gaps for them and I don't know what is going on in every department (try asking someone who uses exclusively typewriters about relevant web site content is a liiiittle difficult).  Then there's the positions for which we have no Director/Officer and I just have to make it up.  Pretty confusing.  I hope it goes better as we transition staff.

PAWG should have some really good stuff coming out.  I have some members who have committed to doing various things for the site - some graphics (I am a developer, soooo not a graphic designer), a member area, new photo gallery, and a whooooole crapload of some really excellent member resources.  I'll post the member resources page when I've finished collecting everything.  Now if only I can get the Operations folks to approve some or all of my draft resource page for that... ::sigh::

[MIKE]

www.mawg.cap.gov isn't the best, and the members area has a number of issues also.

[CASH172]

New Jersey could use an upgrade

Reason for that is because we've been concentrating on using this site instead:

http://njwgcap.org/

[JC004]

New Jersey could use an upgrade

Reason for that is because we've been concentrating on using this site instead:

http://njwgcap.org/

decent news site

[Lancer]

Here's the best, tell me what you think:

http://miwg.cap.gov/

Yeah, pretty out of date eh? When I joined up last year I was like "did the developer/webmaster get hit by a bus or something?"

I'm currently working on it's replacement; Joomla based. I'll let ya'll know when the new site is ready so you can pick it apart. 

[brasda91]

I don't agree with talking about a Wing website that you think needs work, unless it's your own Wing.  Instead, if you think your wing has an awesome website, why not just present the link for us to see?

www.kywgcap.org

[Eclipse]

What is that website again that shows you what other websites looked like in the past? 

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

[JCJ]

I don't agree with talking about a Wing website that you think needs work, unless it's your own Wing.  Instead, if you think your wing has an awesome website, why not just present the link for us to see?

www.kywgcap.org

Arkansas (www.arwingcap.org) functional and pleasing to the eye - but designed on purpose to be simple and load quickly since some squadrons are still on dial-up internet access.

[RiverAux]

What is that website again that shows you what other websites looked like in the past? 

http://www.archive.org/web/web.php

Man, its a just a little bit scary that they've got even fairly obscure sites like CAP wing web pages archived there.  I guess that once its on the internet its ALWAYS on the internet is true. 

[Gunner C]

I want to nominate the Middle East Region site as the ABSOLUTE WORST!

http://www.mer.cap.gov

[jimmydeanno]

^hey, they updated it...it used to look like the VAWG webpage.  It was great, you'd link to the VAWG page from the MER page and get frames in frames! YAY!

[Pylon]

http://ner.cap.gov is decent.

http://nywg.cap.gov is terrible.

[RiverAux]

NY is way, way out of date. 
Didn't see anything wrong with Middle East Region -- modern design, recent news.  Whats the problem? 

[JC004]

NY is way, way out of date. 
Didn't see anything wrong with Middle East Region -- modern design, recent news.  Whats the problem? 

Black and dark backgrounds with white or light text are an issue, but not the end of the world.

[Pylon]

An interesting question to pose:

For those of you in a Wing with a pretty sweet, regularly updated website - do you find it to be a regular resource you draw upon often?  (Checking the calendar, downloading documents, visiting for news, etc.)?

I'm curious to know how big a difference a sweet Wing website makes for members of that Wing.

I know that the NYWG website is pretty chunky, often difficult to navigate, and a bit harsh on the eyes.  I don't visit often.

[Walkman]

^^ Any website that has relevant, regularly updated content and usable navigation will get traffic. Since I'm new, I haven't had a chance to study what the best combination of content & functionality is for a Wing site, but that's going to be one of my first priorities when I get down to the ones I'm working on.

Any of you that are working on unit sites and want some good examples of design, here is a good gallery:

http://www.designmeltdown.com/

If anyone needs some help or advise from a web pro, feel free to PM me.

[davedove]

An interesting question to pose:

For those of you in a Wing with a pretty sweet, regularly updated website - do you find it to be a regular resource you draw upon often?  (Checking the calendar, downloading documents, visiting for news, etc.)?

I know that I look at Maryland Wing's site a lot to check the calendar.  As the PDO, it gives me a heads up on training that's being planned.

[JCJ]

An interesting question to pose:

For those of you in a Wing with a pretty sweet, regularly updated website - do you find it to be a regular resource you draw upon often?  (Checking the calendar, downloading documents, visiting for news, etc.)?

I'm curious to know how big a difference a sweet Wing website makes for members of that Wing.

I know that the NYWG website is pretty chunky, often difficult to navigate, and a bit harsh on the eyes.  I don't visit often.

Maj. Blake Sasse, the AR Wing PAO, revamped a useless page to the current one (www.arwingcap.org) which is regularly updated and very simple (but attractive) in design.  Since it was revamped, it has been heavily used for the practical reasons you mentioned.  When I was with AR wing, I used it regularly (sometimes several times/day) after the update.  I think the key was that even though it is attractive, it is functional and easy to use.

Keeping the functional web pages to a reasonable size will be even more important as people use more mobile web applications (mobile web cards, crackberries, i-phones, etc)

[Nomex Maximus]

I want to nominate the Middle East Region site as the ABSOLUTE WORST!

http://www.mer.cap.gov

The Middle East Region... does this mean that CAP has wings in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan? How do they get them to all get along?

[Major Carrales]

http://www.txwgcap.org/

Have at it!!!

[drcomm]

The Oklahoma Wing web site http://www.okwg.cap.gov/ would probably win the award for most bland wing web site.  It is relatively easy to get to the section you need but it is not updated nearly enough.  It's better than it has been, but still has a way to go to make it a pleasing to look at good on-line resource.

[Duke Dillio]

All right, so California, being one of the largest wings with all kinds of software developers, should have a really kick butt website, right?

WRONG!!!

cawg.cap.gov

Have a look for yourselves.  It needs some serious attention.

[♠SARKID♠]

Definitely have to go with Wisconsin.  Doesn't look like it was thrown together in basic HTML like the others do.

http://www.wiwgcap.org/