Plainedge Goes Hi-Tech

[Go Plainedge!]

As per the school district website......


We are experimenting with podcasts at Plainedge. Each month we are going to create a podcast on a topic that is relevant to what we do! This month the topic is the transition to ninth grade. To see and hear this podcast, go to Itunes and browse for Plainedge. It is a good one - check it out. If you have any ideas for a future podcast, please contact me, Cynthia LaPier

[Go Plainedge!]

ok...it's actually a video Podcast. I just watched it. Interesting concept.

One critique...if i may....The camera shot is too wide. They need to zoom in a little more. Remember, this is being viewed on a very small screen. Close up shots are better for video Ipods.

Hey TECHIE!!!! They also have the Meet The Candidate's Night as a podcast! Ask and you shall receive!

[techie]

Thanks for the news "GO!",

Now I guess it shouldn't be a problem to do the BOE meetings?

I also noticed that the school's Web site has a mention of changing email servers in September.
Not to beat that old dead horse up again, but, what has been the result, (if any ;D) of "EMAIL-GATE"? Is the rug THAT big in Plainedge that this can still be swept under and hid?

[plainedgewatcher]

Techie,

"email gate" has shown itself to be the "normal practice" of the administration and BOE no matter who is there.

The community has asked for answers, none given, except for it being a former employee with no last name. No one is accountable, not the administration, the BOE or the administrator of the website.

The BOE members who first brought this to the attention of the community at a BOE meeting have gone silent.

It must change... we must make it change.

[justfacts]

plainedgewatcher & techie

In response to your latest posts the Hi-Tech Plainedge masters did make a change!

They too, have made the site go silent over the the Labor Day weekend! It may be back on line today - then again, why bother? Aren't those other "rumor mill" sites keeping the public better informed anyhow?

No need for them to use that expensive equipment and high paid Hi-Tech staff to post any more recent Minutes of Meetings than those in June - Let's see now, June to September ~ ~ ~ isn't that a little longer than the two week period allowed to make minutes available to the public after a meeting occurs?

OH! Of course! They don't have to be available via Hi-Tech! Good old typing and leaving a copy in the District Office is good enough to reach out to all of the District and keep them informed! Let's just buy the Hi-Tech equipment and not use it, or not keep it up!

Just what in heck did you two expect from the recent elections? A change In the running of the Plainedge School District? The buzone (big pot-bellied boss man) is still in charge - telling all what to do, even to the point of when he's going to get his butt out of here before his mess hits the fan!

Ed.

[Go Plainedge!]

It wouldn't surprise me if it was 'hacked" again.

It's so much better and more cost effective to use outside hosting companies....IMO

[justfacts]

THE Web Site!

The District site seems to be back on line - although it is very content limited.

It has a fresh new look and Cynthia herself has the first posting.

But - here's all you'll get no matter what sub-page you want to go to:

Home
create content
You are not allowed to create content.


Bear with it though - it shows some promise.

AND (of Course) the reason for it being down is "someone hacked into it!" Any of you IT experts out there that want to give her a clue how other sites are easily made more robust?

Meanwhile, Lot's of success and beautiful development wishes to you Cynthia - we are looking forward to you making a site that carries the latest and greatest information about the District to the Community.

Ed

P.S. Can you get the latest minutes of meetings posted as early as possible?

[Go Plainedge!]

justfacts said:

Any of you IT experts out there that want to give her a clue how other sites are easily made more robust?

Robust can be defined many ways. IMO.......

Step 1: Get rid of anything that takes too long to load. Slice photos and graphics (in Photoshop) so that they are minimal in byte size and optimized for websites.

2. Remove unnecessary Java scripting and applets that slowdown the site from completely loading quickly (for example - the Weather applet).

3. Have the main page (not splash page) give quick blurbs of information. The blurbs can then be linked to the full story on subsequent pages.

4. Make the site navigation clear and concise so that even people who are less computer savvy can manage their way through everything.

Each page should be analyzed as if people were using a 56k modem. Yes, most people in this area have broadband. However to maximize the loading speed a 56k modem speed should be used.

[Say What Again]

takebackmyschools said:

...Each page should be analyzed as if people were using a 56k modem. Yes, most people in this area have broadband. However to maximize the loading speed a 56k modem speed should be used.

That's impractical. with the widespread availability and relatively low cost of running ANY company's broadband, optimizing for 56K go-slomo-dems is overkill in design these days.

Granted, there is no need for extraneous applets or huge photos, backgrounds, flash, or music and the like, but there is no practical need for a developer to consider deprecated technology that decided to shoot itself in the foot and stop at 56K.

For what people are paying for phone access compared to what they can pay for broadband access, its a rather sensless waste of time and money on their part. I remember when I first made the switch from 56K to 372kbps ADSL around 8 years ago - I swore I would never go back, and have only gone forward since then and am not paying much more for it now as I did then either

as far as Javascripting goes...well as a developer myself Im wondering if you practice it at all and can appreciate how much simpler a developer's job is thanks to active and client scripting?