Websites and Domains, Oh My!
For the record, I'm an average Joe. (Josephine? Hahaha. Maybe that should be Jo, like "Little Women.") I'm not smarter than the normal guy/gal. I have no particular genius. But I know what I know. I believe in education -- and by that I mean, I believe in CONTINUING to educate ourselves every day of our lives.
When it comes to websites and domains, I do know a thing or two. If you've been working me on any given site, it might be to your benefit to engage me and listen to me, as I can help you. That's all I'm sayin'.
The Roosevelt High School Alumni Association had me set up their current website/domain back in 2011. Specifically, in September of 2011 (which is part of my records -- and easy to find at the domain host website, too). When the organization wanted to go another way with the website, I didn't fight them. It's a lot of work, and if they wanted to spend the time and money in a different way, good for them. However, it might have been to their benefit to at least consult me about the decisions they made.
Now they want to dump their current VERY EXPENSIVE provider and go back to the website I created for them. No problem, right. Wrong. The company they've been dealing with actually MOVED THE SITE (!!!) to a different host. Yikes! Did anybody know this? I have a feeling either that they didn't know, or didn't know they should care. But they should care, very much! Because this is one of the ways you lose control over your domain!
We had to create a totally NEW domain back when I helped set up the site for the Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association. Marilyn and I both STRONGLY AGREED that it should actually be: www.portland-sapporo.org (and not www.pssca.org, which it used to be!). But we didn't have the CHOICE to keep the old domain. Because the organization had allowed the webmaster to CONTROL domain ownership -- and once they were no longer willing to pay him, he decided to keep it! This all happened back in 2011, for the record.
Happily, I should be able to regain control for RHSAA of their website/domain. And I think that will happen rather quickly, actually. I wouldn't be surprised if it's done today, though it might take another 24 hours to propagate...
I just logged in to PSSCA, for the hell of it. I think we're close to losing that site. Marilyn has been trying for ages to get somebody else to take responsibility for it, now that she's no longer on the board. But she's still down on the domain! And GoDaddy is far more expensive than Doteasy, by the way...
Making website decisions without having someone to advise you? Not good. That's all I'm saying. I never charged either of these organizations (nor the festival, of course) a dime for my help. Why not use what I know? I'm out to protect people and save them $$$.
RHSAA got taken to the cleaners by the company they've been dealing with recently. Little wonder they now want to dump them! Hahaha. And once I have control (again), it will be quick work to re-load the old site and turn over maintenance to Megan.
I just need to make sure she knows how to FTP, as that's really the only way to do this stuff.
It does get me to wondering: how many organizations (companies, churches, non-profits, etc.) lose their website/domain because of poor management? Or spend way more than they should for a basic website?
Or worse, decide a basic site isn't 'good enough' for their purposes, and get taken advantage of because they are ripe for the picking? Be reasonable: you probably don't need a lot of bells and whistles to have a good website. The idea is to convey information. This doesn't have to be 'interactive' or fancy to work well.
That's my mini-rant for today, anyway. I feel bad when non-profits are hurt because of these choices. Because it really shouldn't happen.
And I've always shared my knowledge willingly and without strings.
I think there are lots of people who do the same. If you can locate them, of course. Not always easy...
When it comes to websites and domains, I do know a thing or two. If you've been working me on any given site, it might be to your benefit to engage me and listen to me, as I can help you. That's all I'm sayin'.
The Roosevelt High School Alumni Association had me set up their current website/domain back in 2011. Specifically, in September of 2011 (which is part of my records -- and easy to find at the domain host website, too). When the organization wanted to go another way with the website, I didn't fight them. It's a lot of work, and if they wanted to spend the time and money in a different way, good for them. However, it might have been to their benefit to at least consult me about the decisions they made.
Now they want to dump their current VERY EXPENSIVE provider and go back to the website I created for them. No problem, right. Wrong. The company they've been dealing with actually MOVED THE SITE (!!!) to a different host. Yikes! Did anybody know this? I have a feeling either that they didn't know, or didn't know they should care. But they should care, very much! Because this is one of the ways you lose control over your domain!
We had to create a totally NEW domain back when I helped set up the site for the Portland-Sapporo Sister City Association. Marilyn and I both STRONGLY AGREED that it should actually be: www.portland-sapporo.org (and not www.pssca.org, which it used to be!). But we didn't have the CHOICE to keep the old domain. Because the organization had allowed the webmaster to CONTROL domain ownership -- and once they were no longer willing to pay him, he decided to keep it! This all happened back in 2011, for the record.
Happily, I should be able to regain control for RHSAA of their website/domain. And I think that will happen rather quickly, actually. I wouldn't be surprised if it's done today, though it might take another 24 hours to propagate...
I just logged in to PSSCA, for the hell of it. I think we're close to losing that site. Marilyn has been trying for ages to get somebody else to take responsibility for it, now that she's no longer on the board. But she's still down on the domain! And GoDaddy is far more expensive than Doteasy, by the way...
Making website decisions without having someone to advise you? Not good. That's all I'm saying. I never charged either of these organizations (nor the festival, of course) a dime for my help. Why not use what I know? I'm out to protect people and save them $$$.
RHSAA got taken to the cleaners by the company they've been dealing with recently. Little wonder they now want to dump them! Hahaha. And once I have control (again), it will be quick work to re-load the old site and turn over maintenance to Megan.
I just need to make sure she knows how to FTP, as that's really the only way to do this stuff.
It does get me to wondering: how many organizations (companies, churches, non-profits, etc.) lose their website/domain because of poor management? Or spend way more than they should for a basic website?
Or worse, decide a basic site isn't 'good enough' for their purposes, and get taken advantage of because they are ripe for the picking? Be reasonable: you probably don't need a lot of bells and whistles to have a good website. The idea is to convey information. This doesn't have to be 'interactive' or fancy to work well.
That's my mini-rant for today, anyway. I feel bad when non-profits are hurt because of these choices. Because it really shouldn't happen.
And I've always shared my knowledge willingly and without strings.
I think there are lots of people who do the same. If you can locate them, of course. Not always easy...