Shouldn't the New Website Be Subsidised?

Wed 24 Jan 2007, 09:38

Oops - well spotted. I'd missed out the closing angle bracket. Thanks Craig.

Tue 23 Jan 2007, 22:38

Think I may have found the problem with the image Gallery.

There is a missing a href closing tag on each of the images in the table. Not sure if the HTML code below will post...

a href='http://www.zen29402.zen.co.uk/charlburypics/riverside_2005/HPIM2215.jpg' rel='lightbox' **missing tag** img src='../galleries_thumbnails/riverside_2005/HPIM2215.jpg' //a

Tue 23 Jan 2007, 07:27

I want to thank Richard and all those people in Charlbury who set us this web -site and are trying hard to make a sustainable eco friendly community, if we had any spare funds, we would love to help your budget, currently we are a new business and have little spare funds ....Anyway Thank you. I am sure all the other small businesses in Charlbury who are trying to survive appreciate the efforts. If the Web site increases revenue for small businesses in the town it must help the local economy and generate jobs and cash flow for Charlbury......Does'nt it?

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 20:47

Ok, I'll take a look next time I get access to a Windows machine.

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 19:37

I'm currently using IE6. I've cleared my Cache and reloaded the page a few times but no luck.

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 19:10

Certainly am!

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 19:06

Hm, odd.

John and Craig, do I presume you're also both using IE 7? I've just applied a patch that claims to make it work better in IE 7. (You might have to reload the page a couple of times before your browser cache catches up with the latest version.) Let me know if it fixes it or not.

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 18:47

The Gallery was working recently in IE7 now I can not see the pics.

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 18:40

The Gallery appears to work fine in a browser like FireFox but doesn't work with Internet Explorer. Compatibility issues?!

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 18:24

Unfortunately NONE of the photos are appearing now, although the various titles that appeared below the photos is still there!

Mon 22 Jan 2007, 17:36

I've installed a whizzy bit of programming called Lightbox 2 which should make the galleries much quicker to operate. It doesn't do Back/Next buttons, but does mean you don't have to reload the pages every time. Hope you like it.

Wed 17 Jan 2007, 16:40

Good idea. I'll tackle that in the next couple of days.

Wed 17 Jan 2007, 16:18

Richard, would it be possible to include some 'next'/'back' buttons in the Gallery section so that you could scroll through any particular selection of photos, rather than having to go back to the Index page each time?

Wed 17 Jan 2007, 12:51

We have 350 registered users now, which I think is over 10% of the town's population - not a bad figure at all.

What new features do people think would encourage more Charlburians to use the site? My next priority is a 'virtual Charlbury' photograph/map tour, but I'm sure others have ideas...

Tue 16 Jan 2007, 18:52

I think there are probably quite a lot more than the 5% who post on this web-site that enjoy the use of it - I look at it nearly every day,read the forum postings most days, check the time of events etc but probably only post a message about once a year ! It's a great resource - thanks, Richard, and keep up the good work!

Mon 15 Jan 2007, 14:24

That's about 1% of the population then!

Sun 14 Jan 2007, 20:30

Are the chosen few those who can use capital letters and appropriate punctuation?

Sun 14 Jan 2007, 17:31

I have not deleted any of your postings, 'Ivan'. I have moved some of them to the off-topic board because (to quote the very first rule) "the forum is for the discussion of Charlbury town issues" and you have posted stuff that does not relate specifically to Charlbury.

I would also ask you please to use your real name as everyone else does.

Sun 14 Jan 2007, 15:04

postings are solely the opinions of their respective contributors' your rules not mine. if you dont agree others might. you have no right to delete peoples postings because you dont agree with them.as the ad ministrator of this web site you are supposed to stay neutral.this site seems to be used by at most five percent of the population of charlbury the same people every week are posting the same eco friendly things that do not interest the majority of the people.this web site is for every body not just for the chosen few.take a look at the chipping norton site gerry is not heavy handed in his aproach ithink you should take some lessons from him and live and let live.freedom of speech is about the only thing that we still have dont let it become out lawed ivan krochek

Sat 13 Jan 2007, 22:09

Michael and Julie - thanks for the support, very much appreciated.

Emma - thanks for the offer! The technology is all Perl and MySQL (2700 lines of code at last count), but more important, I think, is the actual content of the site - the words and pictures. If you have any of either to offer, let me know.

Ivan/Giro - as Michael says, absolutely nothing to stop you setting up another website if you want. If you have a problem with this site please say what it is (I'm not sure what these mysterious "political ends" might be) - I've spent pretty much the last two days solidly on requested site improvements, and am always willing to hear future suggestions. I'm in the Rose & Crown pretty much every Friday night if you (or anyone else!) fancy a discussion.

Sat 13 Jan 2007, 20:18

Hi, I think this is a wonderful site and would like to help out too. I'm a Software Developer but I'm at home with my kids for now. Obviously it depends on the technologies used, I'm currently doing the MCTS as I haven't worked for a few years. Anything I can do just let me know.

Emma

Sat 13 Jan 2007, 19:13

Go Michael, totally agree with you.

Keep up the good work Richard,
It is appreciated by the majority of people.

Sat 13 Jan 2007, 17:49

There's nothing to stop anyone setting up an alternative Charlbury web site. All they need is to devote the energy and time Richard has done - and setting up a committee, or using ratepayers' money, won't provide any of that.

Ivan's post is unnecessarily offensive to someone who's selflessly tried to bring this town's many interests together on one site.

Sat 13 Jan 2007, 16:05

i think this web site should be subsidised to stop richard fairhurst running it. he is using it for his own political ends and stopping people from airing there grieviences.this is a web site for the whole community not for the chosen few.that is why he will not accept help.if this one sided attitude does not change i will set up a rival web site in charlbury ivan krechov

Thu 14 Jul 2005, 21:25

Seems like I went offline just in time. Unfortunately (or fortunately) we had completed on the house at the end of January so I couldn't be put off or couldn't have done anything about deciding to move up here!

Sat 9 Jul 2005, 11:57

Malcolm - to cut a long story short...

An all-singing, all-dancing site with user registration and the like is something I'd been thinking about for a while. Unfortunately the old forum had been getting increasingly bitchy, and matters came to a head with a sudden outbreak of unpleasantness. The best course of action seemed to be to shut it down and start again. Hence the new site.

Because this was actually a little earlier than I was anticipating, not everything's yet been restored - the features and the free ads are the most notable omissions. But everything seems to be back on an even keel, fingers crossed.

Igor - I do understand where you're coming from, but I would very, very strongly dispute the assertion that "you get what you pay for". With the Internet, that simply isn't true.

I head up content and development for a public sector web project, where we've just thrown out a seven-figure website developed by external contractors in favour of one built entirely in-house for a fraction of the cost. The result is so much better than the big-money version... largely because even the largest cheque is no substitute for enthusiasm and knowledge.

That's not to say the Charlbury site has to work on a volunteer-only basis - there's no point being doctrinal about it. But I don't think it precludes good results.

I'll be at the Beer Festival this afternoon if anyone wants to discuss it further. :)

Richard (site admin)

Fri 8 Jul 2005, 21:42

With posts like that Igor, maybe it's an attitude thing and not your "terminology and intellectualism"??
Richard has said he'll find the time for a committee and we've all cheerfully volunteered our help!! Note the world cheerfully..........

Fri 8 Jul 2005, 18:18

During the process of moving (i.e. two months without computer!) the website disappeared, but long live the website.

Nothing on the current one to say what happened to the old one. I assume we lost hosting for some reason?

Anyway, I'm up for being one of a group to maintain the new site when it develops. Let me know when gatherings are, and so forth.

Cheers

Mon 4 Jul 2005, 12:13

Seeing as my "terminology and intellectualism" are proving an obstacle, I'll drop out of this discussion and permit the wiser voices of Charlbury to decide how to run a community website on no funding, no paid advertising one part time volunteer and no project team.

Having worked professionally as an internet strategist for OUP, Christian Aid and local government websites, I know there's no point in imposing a model that is going to be resisted by the users.

I just think you get what you pay for.

Good luck!

Fri 1 Jul 2005, 09:21

Are there any dates set for this meeting? I think the agenda should include ease of use.

Thu 30 Jun 2005, 21:40

I'm still up for a website meeting in July. To see how we can make the website work for everyone. To see how we can best all give Richard the help and support he wants.

Richard, sorry i haven't got hold of you on the phone yet. I will keep trying.

Best to everyone.. Cally

Thu 30 Jun 2005, 10:59

I agree! Ray's website was huge and very good and didn't cost us in donations or funding. I think Richard just needs a team to help him as he obviously has alot of work commitments and other things that take up his time!

Wed 29 Jun 2005, 21:56

I agree with Ray and others in this matter, It should include local businesses, after all they are crying out for support, at the end of the what is Town without a centre

Wed 29 Jun 2005, 21:49

I would just like to add that when i produced the website, it took very little effort and time. At the most 30mins a day to keep it regularly updated. My web program accepted any articles in most word processing programs nad converted it straight to html. So when i received an email from say Chris Tatton, Brian Hodgson, Gareth Epps etc it slotted straight into the site taking maybe 5mins. The longest bit was booting the PC up. I still say that local businesses should get free publicity to help them survive and hopefully the public will support them. I have always said that if the people of Charlbury put as much effort into supporting local businesses as they do into launching campaigns to save them when faced with closure, we would have a shopping centre second to none.

Wed 29 Jun 2005, 15:59

How do you know that Igor? I haven't seen an ad asking for help?
Kate x

Tue 28 Jun 2005, 23:48

I'm sure you'll think think this a very simplistic, un educated/buisness-like, non-capitalistic suggestion but why can't each person that posts any comment to the site just put thier hand in thier pocket and produce £10.00 or however much it costs
I think that, determines a desire to build a community resource.
I'm sorry, I DON'T BELIEVE IN BEUROCRATIC BULLSHIT.
You're terminology/intellectualism seems to be looking outside and confusing the issue.

Fri 24 Jun 2005, 16:58

I understand your comments, Ray and appreciate how you maintained your independance while voluteering to run the website up til 2001. But the issue we face now is that there's no one with the expertise necessary to maintain the site who doesn't have other work committments.

For the website to flourish as a public and business resource it needs to be taken seriously by the community its intended for. That doesn't mean just money; however, money does buy the time and resources a website needs to subsist.

For a community website to reflect the diversity of the community, it needs to be either publically funded with a dedicated webmaster or generate sufficient revenue to maintain itself through advertising and sponsorship. The latter maintains newspapers and many a fine cause without sacreficing editorial independance.

Fri 17 Jun 2005, 19:23

I can understand the hard work Richard puts into the site. With ref to funding and advertising, i kept well clear of both when i ran the website. Firstly it gave me independance to say what i wanted, as the town council will tell you. I felt that to be sponsored would restrict what i could say and do. I also kept clear of paid advertising but put banners on the home page advertising LOCAL businesses for free, but kept clear of non-Charlbury promotions, thus trying to help local companies survive.
For anyone interested i may well be loading up some early editions of the website from when it started and working up to 2001 when i handed it over.

Tue 14 Jun 2005, 19:11

Susie, I'm not pointing a finger at the Charlbury Town Council (although it should have it's own website). I'm juut saying that in Chippy, Chadlington and Witney, there's alot more going on that's well supported by the Chambers of Commerce as well as the councils.

Richard is a volunteer and (as he says below), turned down the money for a very specific and good reason: it wouldn't have been enough to justify the committment he would have to make.

But I wouldn't blame any council for not supporting a website without a specific development plan, statement of objectives and clear agenda usefullness for locals and local businesses. That's what's worth having a meeting about.

For the community, by the community is a good descriptive phrase.
So far it's been by Richard for everyone else, in his spare time.

Tue 14 Jun 2005, 14:07

Igor - please see my post of 6th June - the Town Council had already offered money to Richard, who turned it down. We cant do anymore than that!
Susie

Tue 14 Jun 2005, 12:27

RS:
Other websites are funded by Town Council and Chamber of Commerce funding. In fact, the DTI requires all towns to manage and maintian a website out of rates monies. Somehow Charlbury has avoided adhereing to that law.

Mon 13 Jun 2005, 12:39

Hi Igor and Richard
I'm up for a website meeting in July.
Best, Cally

Fri 10 Jun 2005, 14:55

There are other options to get funding like for example using something Blogads (http://www.blogads.com/index_html) or Google adsense (https://www.google.com/adsense/) which depending on visitor numbers can earn you a reasonable amount for just having an ad strip.

It might also be an idea to search through other West Oxfordshire town/village sites to see who funds them.

Fri 10 Jun 2005, 10:51

OK.
I'm goin gto volunteer to draw up a list of people who want to attend and co-ordinate a preliminary meeting.

So far, there's Richard, me, Jon Carpenter, Susie Finch and Cally Robson.
Let's choose a date in early July and meet either during the day on a weekend or after working hours during the week at either The Bull or the Corner House.

Any preferences?

The agenda will be how to formulate a steering committee to support and develop the Charlbury website 'for the community, by the community'. Specific issues to include:

Fund raising/Revenue generation
Operational logistics
Servicing the Business community
Servicing nonprofit and charity groups
How to sustain the site.

My direct email is : igor@wychnet.net

Wed 8 Jun 2005, 20:48

Hi all
I'm sure there will be a way to make a win-win-win situation here. A win for Richard who's obviously put care and commitment into the website way beyond the call of duty. A win for Charlbury as a community. And a win for businesses in and around Charlbury. I'm happy to put in time to the new website committee if I can be useful in finding this win-win-win.

Before I say more, let me declare my interest. I've volunteered to take over as Secretary to the Charlbury Chamber of Commerce from Roger Watts when he stands down in July. I did volunteer, I wasn't pushed! My hope is to encourage businesses in Charlbury - the retailers, offices and people running businesses from home (like myself) - so that Charlbury can continue to support the thriving, colourful cross-section of life it has.

I don't know HOW we can achieve this yet, but I'm sure there's a way, if enough of us are willing. And I'm somehow sure that the website will play an increasingly significant part in this.

Best to you all. Cally

Wed 8 Jun 2005, 13:00

Can we count on both Susie and Jon at the the new volunteer meeting?

I'd like to get re-involved if there's going to be some serious input beyond Richard.

Richard's done a fantastic job holding the fort but it will take real committment from more of us to make the thing fly.

Wed 8 Jun 2005, 12:55

Jon, I think that if the advertising were presented you you in a professional manner (e.g. rates corresponding to audience) and you were invited to participate in competitions and promotional activites that would remind visitors to the website of yoru bookshop, you'd be more likely to see the return on your spend.

Similarly businesses like John Brain Butchers should be able to se the site as an opportnity to highlight special promotions and draw customers from outside Charlbury.

A website is not an end in itself, but does offer good value for advertising when promoted properly. Getting the Charlbury site linked to Oxfordshire County tourist websites is an inportant part of building the profile.

Wed 8 Jun 2005, 09:44

Yes but surely businessed should be getting the web to work for them. If people are drawn to this website from out of the area, then for instance if the Bell or Bull advertised, then they would know where to stay etc etc.

I also think users (ie. organisations) should pay a nominal amount (say £5/10 a year) to add all their events on to the website. It is a community resource, and things such as domain renewal, hosting etc do cost money. I dont think it should just be for Richard to bear this cost.

Susie

Tue 7 Jun 2005, 16:10

But look at the Charlbury Chronicle and note the businesses that advertise. There are a number from outside the area -- Leafield, Oxford, North Leigh, Witney, Yarnton, Woodstock etc -- and some local services and therapists, but ONLY TWO Charlbury shops advertise. Whether this says something about the shops, or about Charlbury, or about the Chronicle, or about the whole situation with regard to local advertising, I leave it to you to decide. But it suggests that advertising revenue would not be very great for the website.

So given that so many businesses have already decided not to advertise locally, or perhaps use the 'Postal Advertiser' series instead, what chance does the website have of getting significant revenue this way? As a potential advertiser myself, I'd weigh the website against the far greater readership of the Chronicle (which already costs me about £75 a year and goes to 1400 homes a quarter).

Like virtually all Charlbury's great institutions, my guess is that the website should continue to rely on volunteers. If there is a committee in the making, that seems a viable proposition. I'd be happy to help with the compilation of a business directory, and perhaps liaise with the Chamber of Trade, though I'm not fond of committee meetings!

Jon

Mon 6 Jun 2005, 23:54

Maybe so.

At present the website is pretty much run by me alone. To accept a grant, I'd have to give an absolute commitment to spend xyz hours on it every week, keeping it up-to-date and responding as promptly as possible to every enquiry. Though I do try to do this, I don't (sadly) have the time at the moment that I can promise that.

Fortunately, the appeal on the front page a few days ago has generated several offers of help, and it looks like we'll be able to set up an informal website committee again this summer. Coverage of Charlbury businesses and organisations is currently top of the list!

Richard

Mon 6 Jun 2005, 14:28

Richard, you fool!
You could have made millions by now ;-)

Seriously, this and an advertising policy should be top of the agenda for the next website meeting.

Other towns and villages in NW Oxfordshire have made good use of their local websites by supporting it through public stipends and business advertising. The revenue has developed some sites into excellent resources for drawing people to both local events and businesses.

It's time to catch up.

Mon 6 Jun 2005, 12:20

The Town Council had granted the Charlbury Website some money, however Richard then had turned this down. If Richard would like to re-apply before end of October, then I am sure a grant could be made available. However, I do agree that if there was some advertising (not a large amount) then the Chamber of Trade could perhaps donate something towards the website. Also all those users, could also donate a small amount - for advertising their events.

Susie Finch

Mon 6 Jun 2005, 10:57

Thank you Richard for putting in the effort to ensure that the Forum is used in an appropriate and community-enhancing way.

I would certainly support susidising of the site by the Town Council. The site has such potential for helping creating good community networks and action.

Liz Reason

Mon 6 Jun 2005, 09:36

With all the creative means by which revenue is made in Charlbury for everything from huge rock concerts, to church, school, community centres, charities and appeals, isn't it about time the Charlbury website be properly funded and Richard be permitted a budget to maintain and develop the Carlbury website?

Other surrounding towns do this through their Chambers of Commerce and Town Councils, such as Chipping Norton and Witney.

We should count ourselves lucky for having such a dedicated volunteer, but come on (everyone who posts here), isn't it about time we compensated our volunteer for his efforts?

I tried appealing directly to the Town Council 3 years ago and was flatly refused, perhaps someone with more 'residence clout' could pick up the torch?

Igor