: Posted by Rear Admiral Jack Dipper (Internet Director) in Agenda
: Ladies and Gents,
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: As promised, here is our agenda for the next 7 months. Feel free to comment, but please limit it to comments about the Agenda, rather than going into a discussion about a certain item :-).
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: 1. What does the IDept do?
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: Tony and I have been discussing what exactly the IDept does, and who in the IDept should be the 'owner' for each task. (For example, currently the 2AIDir is the owner for updating the edicts, etc). Whilst we will all band together, it will at least give people an idea of who is responsible for what.
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: 2. MOTD Design Resources
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: There will be a break away from the traditional single template that the IDept provides; there will be no ID5 Template. Instead, there will be modular bits of code which can be strung together to achieve various effects on MOTDs (snippets such as how to hide rosters, make the links at the bottom look like buttons, etc). There will also be examples of complete MOTDs for designers to customise.
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: Additionally, we are planning to create a template for designers to use that will show their MOTD within the code that WeBBspace produces, so that they can experiment with the layout without having to trial it on a live MOTD. With any luck, we'll also see if we can get it to ensure the page is validated.
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: 3. MOTD Design Team
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: Linked to the above, I am keen to get a group of MOTD Designers so that maintainers can either ask for an MOTD to be designed, or just to ask for help. If anyone is interested, please drop me an email.
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: 4. Site Clean Up
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: The last site clean up was done 5 years ago, and the server is starting to look a bit untidy, so another site clean up will be conducted. Additionally, an audit plan for ensuring the site remains tidy will be implemented. Part of this clean up will include the validation of web pages and MOTDs (which will ensure they display properly on browsers and are readable by screen readers).
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: 5. Edict and Report Archives
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: Whilst this is something that will be discussed with the coder, I am keen to get these brought into WeBBspace and to also add some functionality to them, especially the edict archives (such as sorting by type, hiding ones which are no longer applicable).
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: 6. User support
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: Currently there is no guide on how to use the WeBB (with the exception of the Players' Handbook). I am keen to get some 'how tos' written for things like adding a character, etc.
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: Overall, there is not a lot of policy setting that will require lots of discussion, however most of the discussions will focused on what you, the user, wants from the IDept. If you have any comments about the agenda, please reply :-)
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: Jack

Looks good.

Will number 4 (the site clean up ... particularly the validation of web pages/motds) be done in consultation with the maintainer of the resource, or something just completed by the IDept Staff? Is there some way that those of us who don't need to use screen readers can check to see our own pages/motds can be read by them?

My reason for asking is because if mine isn't validating properly, I's like to know why and work on fixing it. That way, I can learn from the mistakes made and (hopefully) not make them again. (As I'm using books that claim they are done with the current XHTML/CSS standards in them, I'd be interested in knowing exactly how I'm stuffing/messing up the coding). I'm also keen for accessibility for my MOTD/webpage to be as wide as possible (for most browsers and for people with screen readers/other accessibility tools). (Are there other accessibility tools that people use?

Also, what about people who might use mobile devices to access the site? Is there any thought given to their possible access needs?

Sorry for discussing that particular item, especially as I don't think it was what you wanted ... but it was something I'm interested in.

Russell