Web Planning

Intro
This space has been set aside for discussion of what the WWW website and the Wiki website should look like and do. It has been set up post-launch, as the website had previously been deveoped mainly around marketing the launch. At present there is a reasonably clear distinction between the WWW being the public face of SSF, with the wiki being an area for more internally focussed work (in progress). To challenge this assumption, put suggested alternatives in the relevant section below or the associated discussion page.

If anything on this makes you want to write text for the main site, send simple text files with no formatting to the [mailto:ssf-tech@email.lists.org tech list]. If it makes you want to contribute to the wiki, go to the help page.

WWW Site
As the first information point for most people new to SSF, the main site should have the following virtues:
 * 1) It should be informative;
 * 2) It should entice people in, encouraging them to follow links for further information, join the mailing list, or contribute to the wiki;
 * 3) It should be easy to use, allowing for the full range of skills and technologies.

Informative
Information includes the following:
 * Meeting dates (via link to wiki).
 * Contact details.
 * About the wiki.
 * Links to other SFs and things we generally approve of.

Information could also include:
 * Our history. This leads us to question how that should be presented: stuff we have achieved by date and our own report?  articles about us or events we've been involved in? stuff we've argued about?
 * General useful information for people active in Sheffield. This could include lists of venues, printers or caterers with their prices; news sources with thier biases, and so on.
 * Some pages on Sheffield's Radical history, with links to relevant resources.

(please add here - via Edit Page link, discuss here - via talk link, or send to [mailto:sheffieldsocialforum@yahoogroups.com list])

Enticing

 * The use of the logo in the navigation system, with rollover action to encourage people to look at page titles, is intended to be enticing.
 * Text should be written in a way that sparks interest and encourages participation.
 * Creation of an 'us and them' between authors and readers should be avoided as far as possible.

Ease of Use
The navigation titles at the top of the screen should be visible in any browswer, and link to pages which have the same titles at the top - please report problems to the [mailto:ssf-tech@email.lists.org tech list].

The WWW-Wiki Relationship

 * At present there is a reasonably clear distinction between the WWW site being the public face of SSF, with the wiki being an area for more internally focussed work (in progress).
 * Links are currently encouraged from the main site to the wiki, but this means that the wiki pages linked to should be kept tidy, clear, and free from polemic debate. Naturally, the wiki will link to the WWW when necessary, though by the time readers are in the wiki we would guess they already are aware of the intro material on the main site.
 * In order to ease the browsing transition between the WWW perhaps we should have a couple of sentences at the top of every page, introducing the wiki and linking to more information about wikis, and about how to use one.  Perhaps this could be part of the script for the page so that it need not be manually added (though this obviously has implication for links).

Brainstorming
Go on, go wild!

Social Mapping
Loosely inspired by the Sheffield Green Map project, it would be good to see an attempt to bring together a list of social resources (positive projects, campaign groups, issue foci, free stuff) in one place, presented in a geographically relevant way. This could be backed up by a database (like the council's help yourself database only with a filter of social concience and radical politics on the way). As well as being an information source for people this would graphically represent the 'reach' of SSF by, perhaps, highlighting groups and organisations we've been in contact with. We can then identify weak areas for further outreach work, etc.

Literary Texts
It would be good to see a space where activists are allowed to post their own creations (copyright and privacy notices to be provided again). Closely inter-related to the Writing Workshop, but not strictly journalistic in nature. Creative, artistic approach to political issues and social events. A link has been created in this website Literary Texts. It would be cool to hear your views and read your own poetry, fiction, lyrics, songs... You may compose your own Christmas Carols, chants for G8 and many other... Or your ideas could feed a future script, TV interview, radio program...

Cultural Events
We are also a bit short of feedback on cultural events to be announced at our bulletins...