Re: Passing ring code

Gunnar Hjalmarsson wrote:

Consequently they should provide a link to "Site admin" on the ring
homepage, accompanied with possible additional guidance where to find
the site ID, and encourage their members to log in when needed. I
want the Ringlink design to keep encouraging good ring management
practice. :)

SandridgeFarm@xxxxxxx replied:

Why ask the Ringmaster to do all this?


"All this"? Having a ring homepage? Providing a link?

Why not have the default ring homepage be a part of the program, that
is replacing the Login pages for both the ringadmin and siteadmin
pages.


There is always a need for a ring homepage IMO, describing the nature of
the ring, requirements for joining, etc.

The Siteadmin login page would then display all that Ring's Site IDs
in 2 categories 'Active' and 'Inactive' with the message: 'Click on
your Site ID to get the Code for the Navpanel that is to be displayed
on YOUR website'.


That is close to what I'm thinking of. However, I'm not convinced that
it would be appropriate to display all the site IDs, though. It might be
appropriate for a ring with 8 sites, but not for a ring with 800 sites...

Beside each Site ID with a message from the Ringmaster would be a red
 *.  The page would also provide guidance, with the suggestion that
they Login to edit their Info, or if a red * beside their Site ID,
click it to read and respond to all message/s.


*That* would obviously require that they log in.

Personally I think that emails is the superior way to send simple
messages to each other. Posting messages on the web, requiring peple to
visit/log in to a web page in order to check whether there are any new
messages, is inconvenient IMO.

I won't turn Ringlink into something I don't believe in.

This would be great for Ringlink Systems not using mail, or who are hosted with web hosts who have sendmail/SMTP disabled or all screwed up


There are very few Ringlink Systems that don't use mail. Basically,
email sending possibilities is a requirement; Ringlink was never
designed for free hosting accounts with such limitations.

For those few systems that cannot send emails, the preferred replacement
IMO is manual email messages from email clients.

As you know I'm playing around with all these possibilities at a proposed new ring system.....


Well, good luck.

Ringmasters like me who offer their members not one Navpanel, but 3 options for the navpanel (I've had countless new members who instead of displaying just one option, display all 3 on their website, because the Ringlink program displays the code for all 3 in the same text area. :-( My suggested alternative being: http://lor.sourceforge.net/templates/navpanel.html


That's an idea worth considering, IMO. However, note that you can well
include an instruction in the Ringlink textarea that only *one* of the
provided options should be copied.

As I see it the more options in navpanels you give your members, the
more likely they will join your ring.


Maybe. But, at the same time, the less chance that people who surf the
ring will recognize the navpanel. After all, the navpanel should work as
a mark of the ring, shouldn't it?

/ Gunnar