[Seattle-editorial] New website codebase

[Jason Reep]

Ok,

so as far as I can tell, there is a consensus that we need to adopt a
new code base for the Seattle IMC web page. There has been a welcome
increase in editorial participation in recent weeks which could make NOW
a good time to initiate the process of switching to a newer better
codebase.  There are many good reasons to switch, including, to name a
few in no particular order: categorization, ratings, more 
readable/appealing color schemes, better organization of comments, 
editorial flexability, etc..  Also, I am beginning to hear murmurings 
that the status of Stallman (IMC web server that hosts ours and many 
other IMC websites) may be in question.

Basically, I'd like to poll for consensus on one of the options.  The
global IMC tech team has offered (or is preparing to/considering 
offering?) assistance in migrating IMC websites, including archives, to 
certain among several options for new a codebase. While this will 
undoubtedly create some technical problems that will require theirs and 
our attention, I think that we need to jump on the offer before it goes 
away.  Let's encourage them in their work by volunteering to be a test case.

Please take a look at the wiki that lists the current codebases being
used by IMC's and have a look at some of the sites that are using the
different ones and make your opinions known.  The tech collective is not
interested in helping support all of the different code-bases.  The top
options seem to be Dada, Mir and SF Active, though spip (Perl based?)
has had some mention too.

I'm not sure where the appropriate place to continue this discussions. 
There is a Seattle Code base wiki page already built but so far wiki use 
doesn't seem to have taken off for Seattle collective members and I 
wouldn't want the question to wallow there for lack of eyeballs. 
Personally, I think that the editorial list is an reasonable place to 
discuss it.

If not now, when?

code base list:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Devel/WebHome

other IMC's opinions and experiences with code migration:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Devel/OpinonsExperiences

Seattle Code base evaluation wiki page:
http://docs.indymedia.org/view/Local/SeaTechCodebaseEvaluation

What sites are running what code:
http://www.bandwidthcoop.org/imc/tech/WhatSitesAreRunningWhat

jonathan's redesign sandbox
http://www.deepmedia.org/imc/

some recent discussion (read the threads):
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/seattle-editorial/2003-August/003380.html
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/seattle-editorial/2003-April/003228.html
there was a lot of discussion about features and design back in the 
spring of 2001 as well, but I'm not going to spend the time right now to 
find the archived emails.  Anyone have that info handy?

draft offer of tech collective assistance (unsure of it's official-ness):
http://lists.indymedia.org/pipermail/imc-tech/2003-August/011658.html