squadron website

[Heather]

can anyone give me any advice to help me start a website for my squadron?

[PWK-GT]

First off, you need to have a handle on a few items:
1) What is your website budget?
2) How many people will have permissions for this site?
3) How elaborate do you require it to be?
4) Do you have the support of your Squadron Staff, and presumably the PAO or CC?

Now having asked those questions of yourself, you may want to Google for 'web hosting' or 'free web development', etc. I am guessing that those involved on your end are new to the web-building experience.......so maybe take some baby steps first, and start with an affordable one that is easy to manage with even the most basic understanding of computers. I can personally recommend www.freewebs.com as a good builder, with a decent amount of bandwidth for storing pictures and files. It costs about $25 a year, and they don't automatically renew the membership (unlike many others).

Also, having a decent dig camera is a must to keep track of those local events and photo-ops! Keep your content current, and have fun experimenting!

[ande.boyer]

It really depends on what your level of "web page building" expereince is.  For hosting, you should be sure and check with your wing webmaster to see if there is any space available on the wing's host.  Chances are they could give you http://www.mywing.cap.gov/mysquadron.

Registering domain names is so cheap these days, I think everyone should be able to go this route.  It's a little harder to get setup, but well worth the hassle IMO.

There are plenty of free hosts out there.  For a few dollars a month, you can get your own host and own domain name.  If you just want to post some flat web pages with just pictures and links, free is the way to go.  If you want an interactive site that is easily updatable, more configurable, and all around more robust, be sure your host provides you access to some kind of web scripting language (ie PHP, Perl, CGI, etc....I prefer PHP) and possibly a database to hold data (rosters, records, etc).

We programming really isn't all that too difficult.  For anyone who knows nothing, go read Web Programming for Dummies and it'll get you up to speed to get a basic site up.

I can answer any specific questions you might have as well....let me know...

Ande Boyer, 1Lt, CAP
IT Officer, ALWG

[dwb]

My standard web site advice: http://syracusecap.org/info/siteinfo.html

Do NOT use a free service like Tripod, Geocities, etc.  They all stink, they put ads on the site, and are often very slow.

Check with your Wing/Group first (through chain of command, of course).  If that doesn't pan out, see if the squadron will foot the bill for hosting.  There are plans that are under $10/month, which is pretty reasonable.

I host my squadron's web site on a plan from 1&1 Internet.  A couple years ago, 1&1 offered free web hosting for three years.  I'm about 2 1/2 years into that three year deal, so I'm not sure what I'm going to do next spring when the offer expires.  I'll probably keep the space, but charge the two organizations I host web sites for to cover my costs.

Web sites can be fun; it's neat to tweak and update and make things look better and have people actually look at your site.  But it's a lot of work to do right, and too many squadron web pages do not project a positive image of the organization.

[cmoore]

As the "webmaster" for my squadron I just have one comment to add:  make sure it's clear who is responsible for the actual content.  It's one thing to put up a web page, and quite another to actually keep it updated with news, upcoming events, current information, pictures, etc.  I frequently remind our membership that I depend on them for the content that appears on the web page, and I've yet to have a single article, event, or photo sent to me.  The web page is only as good as the content.

[dwb]

I frequently remind our membership that I depend on them for the content that appears on the web page, and I've yet to have a single article, event, or photo sent to me.

I just make stuff up to put on my site.  Not literally invent stories, but I've long since decided that no one is going to ask me to put anything on the site, so I either have to take pictures and write the story myself, or just see the need and throw it on there.

Most people don't even understand how web sites work, much less know how to write good content for the web.

[Heather]

well...I'm the only one doing PA and no one is really good at writing so I'm kind of going this alone. You know what I mean?

[Pylon]

well...I'm the only one doing [insert any CAP duty position here] and no one is really good at [insert any basic skill here] so I'm kind of going this alone. You know what I mean?

Sadly, yes, I think many of us know what you mean... it's all too common in CAP.   

[arajca]

Reportedly, National is working on a template for squadrons to use when building a website. This template will not be mandatory, but it will be available. I do not have a release date, yet.

[Heather]

well that's cool but I think it's still going to be hard considering the fact that I've never made a website before.

[ande.boyer]

Reportedly, National is working on a template for squadrons to use when building a website. This template will not be mandatory, but it will be available. I do not have a release date, yet.

I heard Alabama was the only wing to get outfitted with this template.  Nat'l was going to "install" it for all the wings (that wanted it), but whatever program was doing this either ran out of money or got cancelled.

Don't worry, you're not missing anything.  The site layout looks pretty good, but it's a nightmare to maintain and/or modify in any way.

S!
-ande

[arajca]

We were talking about unit websites and how some of them looked like they were designed by a five year old and the impression that would leave on a visitor and potential member. The recruiting folks told us about the template, but didn't mention if it was in a test phase or being made ready or any other details.

[dwb]

If the template was made by the same people who maintain eServices, then I'm not interested.  I could write better web app code in my sleep. 

I do applaud NHQ for looking in to the CAP unit web site problem, because it is a problem.  Most of them look anywhere from so-so to awful, including a lot of Wing sites.

I don't claim my squadron's site is the greatest thing ever, but at least it's clean, up-to-date, and accurate.

[Becks]

Our wing one looks decent:
http://www.scwg.cap.gov/

But the squad leaves much to be desired...
http://www.charlestoncap.com

[mclarke]

I am going to bump this since I am in the same situation. My situation is apparently someone in the past made a website for our squadron and a whole world of, how can I say, manure, came down. This was before I joined the squadron.

I have mentioned it a few times, though, the squadron commander has said he is not interested in a website. I feel this is the wrong approach for various reasons. Any ideas on how to proceed or another approach that may bring up the idea again? I have read all the regulations for building and maintaining a squadron website I could locate, as well as this is required as part of my Senior rating for PAO apparently (please correct me if I am wrong).

[Bobble]

But the squad leaves much to be desired...
http://www.charlestoncap.com
[/quote]

Could you perhaps expand on your comment with some constructive criticism(s)?  I'd like to think that the board participants in general ( and myself in particular) are appreciative of helpful guidance or suggestions.

Add - Sorry, I didn't notice just how much this thread was bumped.  Nevermind.

[vento]

I am going to bump this since I am in the same situation. My situation is apparently someone in the past made a website for our squadron and a whole world of, how can I say, manure, came down. This was before I joined the squadron.

I have mentioned it a few times, though, the squadron commander has said he is not interested in a website. I feel this is the wrong approach for various reasons. Any ideas on how to proceed or another approach that may bring up the idea again? I have read all the regulations for building and maintaining a squadron website I could locate, as well as this is required as part of my Senior rating for PAO apparently (please correct me if I am wrong).

In our squadron, the IT Officer is in charge of maintaining the website. The PAO provides some of the contents for the website. The PAO provides the materials, articles, etc, and the ITO convert the documents into website friendly content and post.

[321EOD]

We've used google apps education edition for the last couple of years - here is the thread:

http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=10989.msg205211#msg205211

Our front page is lame at the moment - as we are suffering the same resource issues you mentioned (I took over as DCC and haven't found someone to take over as web admin!) Check out some of the sub pages

Google apps is free to 501(c)(3) and is more than just a website - it has online document management, calendaring  and email address list management too.

[Huey Driver]

Another good example:
http://capemay.njwg.cap.gov/

[A.Member]

^ No.