I suspect most of you are like me and have
index.php bookmarked rather than
http://ncfiero.com . So...if you haven't gone to ncfiero.com lately, I suggest you check out the new website.
It is certainly in its infancy. The database is working properly...so from here it is just deciding what we want on it and getting things formatted properly.
Member status. Every site has moderators, and this one will be no exception. But there are several other levels here, and we can make more and modify permissions of each quite easily.
Anonymous User - This is the general public. Someone who is not registered or not logged in. They will be able to see all content, but will not be able to make any changes to anything.
Authenticated User - This is anyone that has registered and logged in. We do not restrict who can register, but have reasonable security against spam-bots. These people can add comments on most things and can add (and edit) their own build thread.
Trusted member - This adds the ability to add content to the How-to Tech articles and the events calendar....perhaps other things as well. You can add it, and edit your own additions...but you still can't edit other people's stuff.
Paid Member - We aren't collecting club dues, so this one isn't used right now....but the infrastructure will be there should that change in the future.
Moderator - This adds the ability to add or edit any content, as well as block and ban users by name or IP.
Administrator - Has full access to the site including the ability to make template changes.
Here are some details on the different sections, where we stand with them, and where we are going.
Forums
In the future, I plan to integrate the forums into the Drupal format...but that will only happen when everything else is done and assuming I can transfer the information also (I refuse to start the boards over again). So in the mean time, the site has it's own registration. Please, please, please register with the same name you use on the forums (and hopefully the same email address). If you register a new name, then you will have two names registered once I blend them together.
How-to Tech articles
Fully functional...but may still get some formatting tweaks. Trusted Members and above can add a How-to article...feel free to start adding any tech articles you want. I have two of them there to give you an idea of how things will work. The form to add an article includes a full WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor, so it should be similar to adding a post in the forums. You can upload images directly though. Let me know if you have any issues....I can either help you individually, or write some tutorials, or make changes to make it more user-friendly.
Project Cars
Here is where we will have some history on everyone's car. This is kind of like the "Construction Zone" at Pennocks. It's technically functional. Will definitely have some formatting tweaks, and may (probably will) have some changes in what fields are available. But, the database is functional. Although header fields may change, the main content will not...so feel free to add your project. Just be aware that you may have to edit it later to look pretty again. Anyone that has registered for the site can add their project. It uses the same WYSIWYG editor as the How-to articles.
Links
Links to other resources. Fully functional, but again they may get some formatting changes. Right now, Moderator or above can edit them using the WYSIWYG editor. Feel free to let me know if I am missing something important in the list.
Downloads/resources
Not yet functional. This will be a collection of resources such as manuals and wiring diagrams. I assume Moderator and above will be able to add or change them...but that kind of depends on how I end up implementing them.
Events Calendar
In theory, the groundwork for this is done, but the database isn't set up yet. So...not yet functional, and not yet determined how exactly it will work.
Photo/Video gallery
Not yet worked on. Really, not much thought put into it yet. Will probably work similar to the ones on the forum...but I don't see the need for two of them, so this may wait until just before I integrate the forums.
Things I need:Banner pic. I currently have a photo from the Lincolnton gathering...and I am fine with it, but I am open to putting in a new one. Needs to be very wide to accommodate various screen widths.
Title graphics. Basically, the logo and/or "North Carolina Fiero Club". These could be integrated into the Banner pic, or float above it (like it is now). Needs to be a transparent gif if we want anything fancier than a single color text to float above the banner.
Content. It is hard to anticipate how to format the pages without knowing how people will build the content. This will be a symbiotic relationship where the members and administrators will work together to create a very dynamic website.
Some nicely written info about us to be displayed on the front page...replace the "welcome to the new site" crap.
Members of all levels. Simple...register. I am going to leave it mostly to Trinten and Chug to decide who is getting what permissions...but the version control and admin features are pretty robust, so I don't see why we can't trust people until they have proven otherwise.
Link back to the main page from the forums (this is aimed at you, Trinten). Can we change the main logo at the top of the page to aim back to ncfiero.com rather than the forum index? I can edit the config file manually...but it is probably safer if you use the control panel.
So...I am open to constructive criticism. How data is being displayed is changing still. However, I am very receptive to ideas on how to change things to allow you to enter the needed data.