Minutes of the Meeting of October 16, 2002
Dana Porter Conference Room, 1:30 p.m.
Present: Chris Gray, Esther Millar, Bill Oldfield (Recorder), Marina Wan (Facilitator), Charles Woods
Regrets: Linda Hastings
- Minutes of the Meeting of October 2, 2002
Approved with minor corrections.
- Business Arising
7. TUGWeb Navigation Bar and Maintenance Issues – Cheryl Kieswetter has expressed interest in learning how to maintain the TUG navbar using Dreamweaver MX.
9. Flash – the URL for the History Project was sent to WebOps members
10. Web Survey – George Loney has performed surveys using ColdFusion.
There is also some ColdFusion code, rich with functionality, which can be purchased for around $800.
Jack Cooper (IST) is evaluating Dragon Web Survey and might be interested in cost sharing.
Erin Murphy has taken her request to ISR.
WebOps decided to wait until our users have decided what they require.
- Agenda Review
7. Flash – item was deferred until Linda Hastings is present.
- Dreamweaver MX, Dreamweaver 4, and Navigation Bars
Esther Millar has been exploring compatibility issues between Dreamweaver MX and our current site maintenance software, Dreamweaver 4. A problem was encountered with the current server-side include file but Esther was able to correct it. It was not a software compatibility issue but a problem with the coding in the existing navbar.
A problem was also encountered where data from a file was lost in the transfer. There are still potential outstanding issues with Mac/PC compatibility. Further testing is being undertaken but the feeling is that a switch to Dreamweaver MX for site maintenance will not encounter any show stoppers.
The TUGWeb will be moved to a text-based navbar system using Dreamweaver MX as the maintenance tool but the need to make the move quickly (A nonfunctional navbar still appears on many TUGWeb pages.) may require the initial use of the existing image system. Linda Hastings is working on updating these pages.
The StaffWeb will also be moving to a Dreamweaver MX created text-based navigation bar.
The CISTI Source Tutorial and the User Services Staff Web menu systems will all eventually be moved to text-based navbar systems created using Dreamweaver MX.
The text-based navigation bar solves a number of technical problems (slow loading, slow disappearing, etc.). It also solves some staffing problems. With the use of Dreamweaver to create text-based navbars for the Library Web, TUGWeb, StaffWeb, CISTI Source, User Services Staff Web, etc. a trained resource base of experts will be available to maintain these systems. Esther will help in the training of staff (Rose – CISTI Source Tutorial, Laurie – User Services, Marian Davies – StaffWeb).
It was learned that User Services (Alex and Laurie) already have copies of Dreamweaver MX and some concern was expressed that until the WebOps testing is completed it should not be used for site maintenance.
The possible use of SSL for Dreamweaver ftp connections was discussed. This is in line with the Library’s eventual move to secure systems for all telnet and ftp activities. Chris will collect some information on the issue which will be raised at a subsequent meeting.
- Web Management Structure and Other Issues
Mark Haslett joined the meeting for this discussion.
WebOps and other committees operate in a collegial environment and in most situations this works well. However, in some cases because there are no clear lines of authority, problems can arise. For example in some situations a quick response by WebOps to a service problem may be required which will introduce significant changes to work on WebPages originally developed by another group. Where does the authority lie? In other cases a staff member may request some action of WebOps and the question arises, Should WebOps respond or should the request be vetted first by another group? In the incident noted in Item 4 above, User Services started to use tools that had not yet been determined as completely compatible with existing web pages. This could lead to problems.
The WebOps group sees the tools and techniques for the creation and maintenance of the Library’s websites as the primary area where WebOps authority should be established. WebOps does not see itself as involved in the content of web pages except where it impacts upon tools and techniques. The distribution of the tools is a responsibility of the Systems Support manager, Linda Teather who along with Carl Nagel can help ensure WebOps monitoring of the distribution of web maintenance tools.
A new group has been established by the Library, the Community Needs Assessment Committee (CNAC). The mandate has changed from the group they are replacing. They will be responsible for monitoring Library services through use and usability studies. It was suggested that their first task should be an evaluation of the Library’s Staff Web.
WebOps is sponsored by Mark Haslett and Susan Routliffe. It was suggested that if ever a quick response is required by WebOps, where a question of authority arises, the sponsors should be consulted. The possibility of a Web Advisory Group of DLCC or DLCC itself to provide some of the request vetting that WebOps requires was suggested.
Based upon these discussions, some adjustment to the WebOps Terms of Reference may be required.
- OLITA Award 2003
Possible candidates for the 2003 OLITA Awards were discussed. The ColdFusion based OCUL Staff Search system was suggested for nomination. Bill will prepare a submission.
- Flash
Issue deferred until Linda Hastings is present.
- Around the Table
Some image problems were identified in the new navbar. Charles detected the errors in the error logs of the web server and Bill mentioned a broken image icon appearing at some points in the display. Charles will send more information to Esther.
The Google update will wait until the image problems have been solved.
Linkbot has been run and some people respond and some do not. Some strategies were discussed to encourage people to deal with the problems identified by Linkbot. Problems were noted with the Cartography web pages.
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July 15, 2005
