This is the planning and discussion page for setting up the http://wiesefam.org website. Brian has the domain name, server, and tech skills to set the website up but needs family consensus and participation. Note: This page is dynamic - content and layout may change often!

• Planning
  • Decide website requirements and what software to use
  • Brian needs to point wiesefam.org in DNS to his server IP address again

• 2005.08.28 - Roger and Brian discussed wiesefam.org website (revival) in Lindsay
  • brian - Started wiki discussion and posted initial ideas on site features

Brian does not plan to write software from scratch to meet all of the family requirements in a website - but rather to find already available software packages to meet the need. It is good to define the requirements first though: What do we want Wiesefam.org to be? What would help the family keep in touch? Let’s start with the goal in mind. (Defining use cases may be excessive work - but please note any features you would like to see for the record.)

• Newsletter: A way to share immediate family updates with the whole Wiese family
  • Also plan to have a hardcopy sent out, so a printer friendly view would be nice
  • Use cases:
    • 1) User adds their own content and publishes individually their news to the “newsletter”
    • 2) User sends their content (via email) to someone who publishes the “newsletter” about everyone
    • 3) User sends and receives notices/updates when newsletter has been updated
• Family Tree: A way to view and update the Wiese family tree online
  • A standard GEDCOM file (description of family tree) can be imported to most Family Tree software programs
  • Use cases: To be defined
• Photo Album: A way to share digital photos and comments with the family
  • Use cases:
    • 1) User can easily upload photos to share, as well as view others photos
      • Speed issues: (upload) dialup is slow → should email photocd to user with cable/dsl internet. should also use smaller size images. (download) thumbnail images used
    • 2) User can send a URL link via email/etc of where to view the photos
    • 3) User can easily edit comments of files uploaded and add comments to others photos
    • 3) User can easily order photos to be printed or downloaded for printing

Some of the software applications to consider running on the server. Many web applications serve a single purpose very well while others provide a complete package (CMS) of several component applications that provide a consistent look, feel, and user management system to the website. Applications to consider:

• Gramps software for editing geneology information on desktop computer
• phpGedView for viewing a family tree on a website
  • Note: Mike Hosteler used Ancestery.com free 14days and downloaded gedcom files, matched them up with Gramps and put them online with phpGedView

• Mailman Mailing List manager for users to send mass emails to the entire family, e.g. “announce@wiesefam.org”
  • Each user can manage their own subscription, change their email address
  • Could also be hosted online for free in some places, but with fewer features and no “@wiesefam.org” address
• Horde webmail possible to setup, possible for username@wiesefam.org email addresses and other features
  • Other features to add: spam protection, antivirus, secure SSL imap/pop access, quotas, etc