permaculture

[Bill McDorman <bm@seedsave.org>]

Keith:

I too am amazed at the hard work you have done.  Thank you.

I would be happy and honored to help you with something.  Shouldn't be too
difficult to monitor volunteer web site helpers.  Their work will be
immediately transparent.  Either it works, or it doesn't.  Just make sure
you back up frequently.

bill

> Hello Keith,
> 
>> ... 8 years (and about 2000+ hours) of managing the site without pay,
> 
> MANY THANKS for the volunteer work you've done on Permaculture Activist site
> and magazine.  It was one of the sites I first used when I was discovering
> permaculture and I'm sure it's helped many others.
> 
> Feedback on the site:
> 
> 1. Reduce the download times of the pages.
> 
> For those of us using 56K modems, each page on the site takes a couple of
> minutes to load.  Because the pages take so long to load, I tend not to
> browse, but to go only to the page of interest (e.g., "Books and Videos").
> 
> I'm guessing that the reason for the long download times is that pages are
> typically filled with graphics.  There may be other reasons as well.
> Re-structuring the pages to be shorter or being selective about graphics
> would probably reduce the download times.
> 
> Presumably the download times aren't a problem for people with fast
> broadband connections to the Internet.  However, not everybody in the US and
> certainly not everybody in the world have fast connections.
> 
> 2.   More back articles!
> 
> Reasons: a) brings people to site b) spreads the word c) content has already
> been created d) if articles are in digital form, they would be easy to put
> online e) encourages people to buy back issues
> 
> "Permaculture Magazine" (UK) has about 40 articles online
> http://www.permaculture.co.uk/mag/Articles/Articles_Menu.html
> 
> "Hopedance" magazine (San Luis Obispo, Calif) seems to put most of their
> articles online.
> http://www.hopedance.org/new/backissues.html - click on the Issue Number
> (e.g. "Issue 47") for online access to the articles.   I notice that
> Hopedance sells back issues and subscriptions online via Paypal.
> 
> 3.  Content is more important than color/graphics/bells-n-whistles.
> 
> The strong point of Permaculture Activist is the content -- very few places
> have anything like it.  If resources are limited, then I would like them
> devoted more to content.  A simple format is refreshing to read and is
> easier to create and maintain.
> 
> I admire ATTRA for their simple, effective format, as well as for the
> quality/quantity of information. ( http://attra.ncat.org/publication.html )
> 
> 5. Separate content into different sections.
> 
> The menu bar has a variety of different items in it (e.g., "Intro &
> Definitions", "Books and Videos", "Ad Rates," "Permaculture and Energy" ).
> It is a little confusing as it is, and if you add more items, it will get
> more so.
> 
> Could some of these items be organized into separate sections?
> 
> For example, create new pages like "Online articles" or "Permaculture
> Background"... these pages would contain links to online articles, etc.
> 
> 6. If you update the site frequently, have a "What's New" page which lists
> anything significant that you've added.  Such a feature motivates people to
> check your site for new material.
> 
> 7. Unless you have a budget of $50,000 and a score of employees, keep
> processes and formats simple.  Complicated pages are a real time sink.
> 
> 8. Is there a way to apportion some of the work to other people, so you
> don't get burned out?
> 
> - Bart
> 
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> 

---------------------------------------------------------------
Bill W.  McDorman
Seeds Trust, High Altitude Gardens
4150 B Black Oak Dr.
Hailey, ID 83333
208.788.4363
bm@seedsave.org
http://www.seedstrust.com