Comments on: What Do You Think About the ARRL’s Website? http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/ My personal adventures in amateur radio Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:22:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Zeke Carr http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-305421 Zeke Carr Sun, 01 Feb 2009 19:08:17 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-305421 Yes, the content is quite dated and a lot of pathways on the 1st page. It would be better for me if there was an index page with an access link from every page. This has nothing to do with content, design, or anything else important, but I have always wondered why they thought it was a good idea to lock a lot of the technical articles from non-members. It seems to me a good way to encourage newcomers is to include them in all the activities. However, I do not approach ham radio with an eye for financial advantage. Yes, the content is quite dated and a lot of pathways on the 1st page. It would be better for me if there was an index page with an access link from every page.
This has nothing to do with content, design, or anything else important, but I have always wondered why they thought it was a good idea to lock a lot of the technical articles from non-members. It seems to me a good way to encourage newcomers is to include them in all the activities. However, I do not approach ham radio with an eye for financial advantage.

]]> By: Dan KB6NU http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-305161 Dan KB6NU Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:06:57 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-305161 It's going to take a year before we see this? By that time, whatever they're coming up with is going to be out of date. It’s going to take a year before we see this? By that time, whatever they’re coming up with is going to be out of date.

]]> By: Gary KI4LA http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-305103 Gary KI4LA Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:19:09 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-305103 Good comments. The new design really looks nice (it's still evolving, though, based on comments). The layout is more logical and navigation makes more sense. I don't know to what degree Flash elements will be incorporated, if at all, but I share N8SRE's reservations about glitz over substance. But so far I have seen no animated elements and hope it stays that way. The most exciting parts to me as a web developer are the under the hood elements with searchable xml and integrated enterprise e-commerce. The more sophisticated the code, the better the user experience can be (if it is done well). So far, I have every confidence that it is in fact being done well, and we should see some results in about a year. Gary KI4LA Good comments. The new design really looks nice (it’s still evolving, though, based on comments). The layout is more logical and navigation makes more sense. I don’t know to what degree Flash elements will be incorporated, if at all, but I share N8SRE’s reservations about glitz over substance. But so far I have seen no animated elements and hope it stays that way. The most exciting parts to me as a web developer are the under the hood elements with searchable xml and integrated enterprise e-commerce. The more sophisticated the code, the better the user experience can be (if it is done well). So far, I have every confidence that it is in fact being done well, and we should see some results in about a year. Gary KI4LA

]]> By: Bob K0NR http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-303007 Bob K0NR Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:37:03 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-303007 Good comments from above. First off, I have to give the ARRL credit for a decent web presence, especially early on. More recently, the web site is falling behind in terms of style and content. I agree with the comments about content getting out of date. This is the curse of a large web site...the maintenance burden can kill you. I recently spotted some fundamental errors on the ARRL site concerning auxiliary stations (the FCC rules had changed) and reported them. It has been months and these errors are still not fixed. On any web site, I think you need to consciously decide which docs are the foundation that need to stay updated and which ones can be let go over time (blog style). It is easy to dismiss the style issues, but some attention to keeping the site up to date is important (without the overdone whizzy java scripts, etc.) Style can't overcome crappy content but it can certainly enhance it. The logical side of our brains will argue that it is only content that matters but given the way humans are wired, style can have a positive effect. Just don't get the priorities reversed. (See Pig, Putting on Lipstick.) More aggressive use of blogs would be a really smart move for the ARRL, sending the message of reaching out to the ham community. I would allow comments but keep them moderated. If necessary, restrict comments to members only, registered on the web site. (This will provide a degree of accountability....often missing in the trashed out web sites.) In the extreme, any bad boy members can be permanently banned from the comment feature. The ARRL is pinging out content via twitter: http://twitter.com/arrl This is a good example of using the web infrastructure that exists without having to invent it. (Isn't that always the smart move on the internet? Leverage, not invent.) We need to do more of that. 73, Bob K0NR Good comments from above. First off, I have to give the ARRL credit for a decent web presence, especially early on. More recently, the web site is falling behind in terms of style and content.

I agree with the comments about content getting out of date. This is the curse of a large web site…the maintenance burden can kill you. I recently spotted some fundamental errors on the ARRL site concerning auxiliary stations (the FCC rules had changed) and reported them. It has been months and these errors are still not fixed. On any web site, I think you need to consciously decide which docs are the foundation that need to stay updated and which ones can be let go over time (blog style).

It is easy to dismiss the style issues, but some attention to keeping the site up to date is important (without the overdone whizzy java scripts, etc.) Style can’t overcome crappy content but it can certainly enhance it. The logical side of our brains will argue that it is only content that matters but given the way humans are wired, style can have a positive effect. Just don’t get the priorities reversed. (See Pig, Putting on Lipstick.)

More aggressive use of blogs would be a really smart move for the ARRL, sending the message of reaching out to the ham community. I would allow comments but keep them moderated. If necessary, restrict comments to members only, registered on the web site. (This will provide a degree of accountability….often missing in the trashed out web sites.) In the extreme, any bad boy members can be permanently banned from the comment feature.

The ARRL is pinging out content via twitter: http://twitter.com/arrl
This is a good example of using the web infrastructure that exists without having to invent it. (Isn’t that always the smart move on the internet? Leverage, not invent.) We need to do more of that.

73, Bob K0NR

]]> By: Martin AA6E http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302977 Martin AA6E Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:51:07 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302977 Dave Sumner K1ZZ already has his monthly editorials posted on-line, if you know where to find them. That's kind of a comment-less blog. They show up at http://arrl.org/qst . Some of the "News & Features" items on the arrl.org front page are written in the first person, like blog entries. Handling comments would be tricky, but waiting 6 months for your letter to the editor to appear in QST is not what I call interactive! It's all a matter of priorities -- the resources could be found. Blogging is really different from writing editorials and other print articles. Ideally, it's all about a rapid-fire exchange of ideas that is fairly informal. I really appreciate what Ed Hare W1RFI has done with his many posts to the BPL reflector and elsewhere. He's one guy you can sort of get to know through his Internet activity. Not everyone is cut out for this or has the time. I wouldn't want to pressure all the senior League folks to commit to blogging actively, but it should be encouraged as a good way to reach out to the world - and the membership. Dave Sumner K1ZZ already has his monthly editorials posted on-line, if you know where to find them. That’s kind of a comment-less blog. They show up at http://arrl.org/qst . Some of the “News & Features” items on the arrl.org front page are written in the first person, like blog entries.

Handling comments would be tricky, but waiting 6 months for your letter to the editor to appear in QST is not what I call interactive! It’s all a matter of priorities — the resources could be found.

Blogging is really different from writing editorials and other print articles. Ideally, it’s all about a rapid-fire exchange of ideas that is fairly informal. I really appreciate what Ed Hare W1RFI has done with his many posts to the BPL reflector and elsewhere. He’s one guy you can sort of get to know through his Internet activity.

Not everyone is cut out for this or has the time. I wouldn’t want to pressure all the senior League folks to commit to blogging actively, but it should be encouraged as a good way to reach out to the world – and the membership.

]]> By: Dan KB6NU http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302975 Dan KB6NU Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:26:45 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302975 btw, I just received an e-mail from the person who interviewed me yesterday, and she is indeed going to monitor this item. btw, I just received an e-mail from the person who interviewed me yesterday, and she is indeed going to monitor this item.

]]> By: Dan KB6NU http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302974 Dan KB6NU Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:26:01 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302974 I think blogs without a comment feature is OK, but if you don't allow comments, you're really missing out on the power of the blog. What I do think would be OK is for the blogger to moderate responses and simply delete those that are simply rants or flames. Yes, it takes time to do this, but I think it's worth it. I think blogs without a comment feature is OK, but if you don’t allow comments, you’re really missing out on the power of the blog. What I do think would be OK is for the blogger to moderate responses and simply delete those that are simply rants or flames. Yes, it takes time to do this, but I think it’s worth it.

]]> By: David Brodbeck N8SRE http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302972 David Brodbeck N8SRE Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:00:23 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302972 About the comments problem -- I think we need to reach a point where it's considered OK to have a blog without a comment feature. In a small community like the one that reads this blog, comments are OK, but on more heavily-traveled sites the comments section almost always becomes a playground for the socially maladjusted and a huge time suck for the site administrator. Look at any newspaper's comments section -- it's all flame wars and the same people spouting the same political screeds over and over again. It doesn't build community in any useful way, in fact it often tears it down. About the comments problem — I think we need to reach a point where it’s considered OK to have a blog without a comment feature. In a small community like the one that reads this blog, comments are OK, but on more heavily-traveled sites the comments section almost always becomes a playground for the socially maladjusted and a huge time suck for the site administrator. Look at any newspaper’s comments section — it’s all flame wars and the same people spouting the same political screeds over and over again. It doesn’t build community in any useful way, in fact it often tears it down.

]]> By: Dave NT6AA http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302966 Dave NT6AA Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:13:58 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302966 Yep, keeping content updated is the key, my website suffers the same issue. I agree with the comments, the ARRL site is hard to navigate at times, but once you know where you are going, it works! I would not like to see the site redesigned.... JUST to redesign it. I would bet the complexity of navigation increases rather than decreases. The ARRL is based on volunteers; I am puzzled why they would not accept your gracious offer. I use the technical sections quite often as a repository of good ideas, especially about antennas, looking up contest rules and contest scores, DXCC info and read the odd article here and there. I am neutral on social networking on the web, I guess I have profiles on a few of the major services, but they are not complete, I do not use them for actual networking, more just curious as to what they were. I do read this blog regularly! Yep, keeping content updated is the key, my website suffers the same issue. I agree with the comments, the ARRL site is hard to navigate at times, but once you know where you are going, it works! I would not like to see the site redesigned…. JUST to redesign it. I would bet the complexity of navigation increases rather than decreases. The ARRL is based on volunteers; I am puzzled why they would not accept your gracious offer.

I use the technical sections quite often as a repository of good ideas, especially about antennas, looking up contest rules and contest scores, DXCC info and read the odd article here and there. I am neutral on social networking on the web, I guess I have profiles on a few of the major services, but they are not complete, I do not use them for actual networking, more just curious as to what they were.

I do read this blog regularly!

]]> By: Dan KB6NU http://kb6nu.com/what-do-you-think-about-the-arrls-website/comment-page-1/#comment-302965 Dan KB6NU Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:09:33 +0000 http://kb6nu.com/?p=1442#comment-302965 OK. I can' t resist commenting on one of AA6E's poins: staff blogs! Can you imagine the reaction those would get? I'd love to see staff blogs, but I just don't see them blogging. I think that they would be afraid of the comments that they'd get. OK. I can’ t resist commenting on one of AA6E’s poins: staff blogs!

Can you imagine the reaction those would get? I’d love to see staff blogs, but I just don’t see them blogging. I think that they would be afraid of the comments that they’d get.

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