Blog.iisd.org - Our First Project Blog has Launched!

Posted At : December 7, 2007 11:36 AM | Posted By : Blog Admin
Related Categories: Main

We've just unveiled http://blog.iisd.org it's the called "The IISD Media Blog" and will be IISD's main information blog.

Based on MachBlog on our ColdFusion8 server, we're looking forward to putting the software through its paces!

Some early reporting...

  • Ease of Install
    Nearly effortless, after dependant files were installed, the blog came up with a simple edit of the config file, very nicely done. Updating the skins is fairly strait forward, however there were some glitches in the skin we used as a base for ours, next step will be creating a skin from scratch.

  • Dependencies
    Mach-II – a Framework for ColdFusion and ColdSpring Framework

  • Coding Standard
    Unfortunately it's not XHTML Strict, may be able to update it, but that may also require an actual update to the blog software.

    CSS very clean well executed.

  • Software Rank
    I give this CF8 software a solid 8/10

Stay tuned for more details from the blog admins in the field on how they like the software, problems, improvements etc.

Jason Manaigre – IISDLabs.org

Comments (1) | Print | Send | del.icio.us | Digg It! | Linking Blogs | 613 Views
Comments
[Add Comment]
As a first time blog user I was really pleased with the ease of use for the blog. Postings were very easy to do, including the hypertexting which was automatic. I think this type of blog is one of the best ways IISD can develop a more fluid interactive outreach program with the general publics and the media community. Without it we run the risk of merely posting our research online in a format that is too dense for the non-expert to experience. Allowing for a short update that introduces the topic to ther eader and then can link back to the full pages on IISD for further exploration is the best way I can see to get the information out to those that need it.

One of my favourite features of this blog is the capacity to link it with the feed for constant updates on both the front page of IISD and the What's new box on the media page. To be able to instantly post press releases and information to the web site without having to bother Jay with all our "blurbage" is exceptionally convenient! Care does have to be taken to ensure the suitability of content,
accuracy and a lack of spelling errors! After all it does show up immediately on the front page and when it is a short notice people do tend to read it and will easily spot errors.

I think this experiment is definitely worth it and it should be expanded to a lot of other programs. For example, CSIN has a network of indicator specialists. Rather than sending notices around to this list, Christa could post items up on a public blog. it would therefore be accessible to anyone, not just people on the list. It would encourage more people to be on the list as they find the blog, more people could use the material and perhaps it would attract new funding.

It would be very convenient as well to have a blog specifically for the media hits of IISD. The posts would be kept up there permanently and the media officer could simply upload them each day as they come in.

It seems to me that there are a number of areas on the IISD Web site that could easily lend itself to this sort of automatic posting.
# Posted By Donna Huffam | 12/12/07 2:50 PM
[Add Comment]
BlogCFC was created by Raymond Camden. This blog is running version 5.8.001.