life.dcu.ie is now dcusu.ie

Cid-Highwind

public_enemy wrote: »

Sure it's nice to have your own site and your own look, but they might have designed a theme instead of a whole site. I guess we'll see eventually how much it cost them and whether or not it stirs up some juicy controversy.

From reading their website it appears that Webtrade have written their own asp.net cms that they use for all their projects. Since there's plenty of well known and mature free CMSes I doubt they'd get away with charging much more than they would if building the site from drupal/joomla etc.

I'd be shocked (and horrified) if this site cost anything like what life did.

Art_Wolf

XPS wrote:

Well there are two possible people for that - The Campus Ed or Campaigns Deputy President, take your pick really.

Well I would see that as adding to another position which I am pretty sure are already pretty busy.

XPS wrote:

I dont think they should put a board on the site - this is a much better forum and its independent enough to allow free discourse without having to tie up an officer or staff member constantly having to mod (I know people can volunteer to be mods, but really can imagine the people who would volunteer for that job as it's an SU thing?)

I think a single forum is far too little if it became popular. I would still love to see every class have it's own forum - I would login to see all the classes I am in plus some general SU forums and links/forums to any clubs/socs I am a member of. Make the class reps mods for all their year forums, clubs and socs have their own.

Landa2 wrote:

It is probably cheaper to just give it to a company who is doing the same for many sites..

Plus with the security issues around accessing student information, having a contracted third party who you can hold accountable would be much better and who can provide on-going support.

john.needham

Art_Wolf wrote: »

I think a single forum is far too little if it became popular. I would still love to see every class have it's own forum - I would login to see all the classes I am in plus some general SU forums and links/forums to any clubs/socs I am a member of. Make the class reps mods for all their year forums, clubs and socs have their own.

I really like that idea myself.

Art_Wolf wrote: »

Plus with the security issues around accessing student information, having a contracted third party who you can hold accountable would be much better and who can provide on-going support.

Makes sense, wishful thinking on my part maybe.

[Edit] Having said that, without a forum there isn't really any student info on the site.

Urizen

Art_Wolf wrote: »

I think a single forum is far too little if it became popular. I would still love to see every class have it's own forum - I would login to see all the classes I am in plus some general SU forums and links/forums to any clubs/socs I am a member of. Make the class reps mods for all their year forums, clubs and socs have their own.

That could actually be epic. Wouldn't be difficult to do either. And spreading the work of modding around would mean that it's very little work for each individual. I like.

XPS

Art_Wolf wrote: »

I think a single forum is far too little if it became popular. I would still love to see every class have it's own forum - I would login to see all the classes I am in plus some general SU forums and links/forums to any clubs/socs I am a member of. Make the class reps mods for all their year forums, clubs and socs have their own.
QUOTE]


In theory I suppose it would be great, but I just don't think it will generate enough of an interest amongst students - most classes have a FB page these days and the hardly use that - and each class does have a discussion forum on moodle - but then again lecturers may be able to read that, so possibly not the best place for it.

I just think if you set up a forum and it has bugger all use it just reflects badly on the Union, may indicate a lack of interaction with the membership even more than not having one at all - why put the doubt into people's head when students are already facilitated by boards, facebook and whatever else.

Also can I just also say that there would be a real danger of creating an atmosphere of hostility in the class -we know how these message boards get and if things get out of hand it could destroy the atmosphere of the class and nobody wants that - no matter what moderation is done once something is said it is said even if its deleted - I think the class community is just too small for this, but it may be just my experience in these matters - I've seen this happen before.

Urizen

You have some good points there, one out of place thread or careless comment could ruin a class' sense of comradery. Especially since the meagre degree of internet anonymity that we have on Boards would be essentially removed if there was only 25 or so possibilities of who it could be.

I don't think it'd reflect on the Union if the forums weren't heavily used, though. As I see it, the Union would be providing the forum for academic and social purposes of individual classes. Lack of use would reflect on the students, not the Union.

I still maintain that it has great potential, if people would use it maturely.

andrew163

The pages seem to be slowly becoming more and more populated with content. This is good.

I agree with the external company thing to a degree. It's easy (well, relatively) to develop a site, but the process of handing over maintenance to someone year on year becomes a right mess. Look at how much trouble some societies have keeping their websites running each year. Not because it's difficult, but because its not seen as a priority with the new management.