Any webmasters out there?!

[chideltjen]

axotiger - i am gonna PM you... I don't know if everyone wants to know about color theory...

DOH i forgot some stuff in the novel i wrote earlier...

Images should be 72 dpi. If you have photoshop, go to "save image for web." make sure the photo is about 2x3 or so inches on screen. 200 dpi images are what i have on my site. they are ok, but they take forever to load. If you have many many photos, use 72 dpi. But at the same time, you lose quality, hense me using images at 200 dpi. It's kind of a no win sitch.

Try to stay away from animated GIFs. If you enlarge them on screen, they can become very pixalated. Messy... And they can just be plain cheesy as well.

Stick to a neutral background and either black or white text (depending on the background) for body copy. Headlines can be bright colors but again, clarity is an issue when reading hot pink text. Also stick to a default text for body... avoid comic sans, etc for typing your history out... and so forth.

last but not least... SPELL CHECK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nothing is worse when trying to read about an organization and it looks like the webmaster failed remedial english.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally posted by WhiteDaisy128
Well here is the update. I am going to resign as webmaster for my chapter. They brought me into the chapter management team meeting and basically told me that I had to redo the entire page. I have worked so hard on it and I'm not quitting because I didn't get my way, but instead because they are making it too hard really for anyone to be webmaster by requiring approval for everything on the site, meaning announcements and everything. I am going to have 19 hours of classes next semester and I can't handle both of them at once. The current content management system that I am using is easy and functional, but not what they want. It's so simple to keep up with on my behalf. I do not have time to fully develope a regular HTML site and then constantly be waiting on premission to put things on it. I'm very frustrated at this point. Needless to say.

I have been doing web developement for North Carolina State University since my sophomore year in high school on their distance education pages. I know what a good page is and what one is not. I do not want to put a page on the net that I am not proud of. With what they want, I would not be proud of.

I'm not sure what else to do.

That is crap! Your page is so so awesome and I will adopt you as my assistant webmaster...I was so impressed with your page, you have no idea. You did an awesome job and them bossing you around like that is soo sooo uncalled for!

[kateshort]

Originally posted by WhiteDaisy128
The chapter management team ONLY wants pictures and history on the page. No sister list, no calendar, no announcements, no message board (whether it is private or public), nothing like that.

I can see both sides of where they're coming from, but I think you're right-- you definitely need more on your site than just photos and history!

That said, I agree with what other GC'ers have mentioned-- you need to have *direct* links to the info, and not have to go through tons of screens to get to a list of the sisters.

On my page, I have an index page, then a home/news page with direct links to:

* National History
* Chapter History
* Current Events (includes calendar, past activities, philanthropy)
* Recruitment (includes formal recruitment and COR info)
* List of members (includes name, offices, hometown, major)
* Symbols & Creed
* Chapter Awards
* List of All Chapters
* ADPi alumnae
* Delta Chi Epsilon and Phi Omega alumnae (we changed in '98)
* Greek Links
* Photos
* Guestbook and Contacts

Do you need *all* of that? Nah. But you need direct links to a history page, your current events or calendar, your recruitment info (for campus and for informal recruitment), your list of members, your photos, and your contact info. Each of these is something to link to *immediately*, not four menus down.

History page and symbols/creed give your PNMs info about your org in general. Current events tell PNMs and members what your chapter is doing now. Recruitment tells PNMs how they can join your org. List of members is great for recruitment because then PNMs can see if your sisters are from the same town or in the same program of study (study buddies!!!). Photos show your chapter in action, and create some interest in your org, and your contact or guestbook page allows visitors to contact you. It should have your address, chapter email, national web address, chapter/house phone, advisor's name, president's name, and their email or phone.

I don't think you really need a message board, and you don't need to show a list of registered users to your web page. The first is nice, but not necessary; a yahoogroups mailing list works just as well. The latter doesn't really seem necessary unless only sisters can register as members, and even then, the rest of the world probably doesn't need to know their usernames! -grin-

That said, I *love* the color scheme! You worked hard on the design, and it's pretty great stuff overall. Just make sure you have direct links to the stuff that's important.

[Little E]

Your sites are amazing!!!!!

Ok I need help!
I am doing my chapter's site, which i managed to crash two days before i left for italy. Go figure. Good thing the other groups on campus don't have sites!
green and gold...???horrid on the comp!!
i am having the hardest time getting it to all look right. i need a lot of help with the photo part. i just have trouble getting the photo album feature of dreamweaver to work. how can i change it and stuff. do you know any good manuals that don't cost a ton of $$??
i found out some of the problems with it and they are my stupidity. but blah! so frustrating. I would appreciate help. i'll be back in um...yea 5 days!!! eek! so i'll be putting some long! hours in then...
Tau love!
Lil E