Fucking popups!@#$%
I managed to squeeze in a little time to work on the proposed club website:
http://www.sheltered-life.com/blam
I didn't get too much accomplished, but I didn't get to work on it long.
What Works:
The administration interface, which includes addition, editing, and deleting of members and updating news. This interface will be accessible only by those who have the required access level (currently, me).
The list of target URLs. I went ahead and added a username/password authentication for adding URLs to the list. That way, only members can add targets. I found some bullshit garbage in the list only hours after I put the site online. I should have seen it coming.
The auto-updating member list display. This information is pulled directly from the member database and is updated each time the page is loaded. I've formatted it to resemble the current member list scheme.
The auto-updating current member count. Duh. That was easy.
What Doesn't Work:
The auto-updating of the list of targets. This is going to take some serious work. I'm saving it for later, because the site can still function without this feature. Since I planned on adding a "delete target URL" feature to the administration interface anyway, I think we can survive for now.
What Needs To Happen:
The "powers that be" will have to give me a password so they can access the administration interface. In order to maintain some similance of security, I will be the only person who can grant administrative access. This doesn't mean that I'm going to be an asshole about it. I will give admin access to whomever the administration deems necessary. I just feel a little better when I'm the only person who can determine upon whom godlike powers are bestowed. After all, it is my site :)
Member information needs to be loaded into the database. No big deal. It's just a matter of typing names and clicking on stuff. In order to avoid any potential abuse of the site, members can't register themselves - an admin has to add them, including their password. What I might do is add an interface to allow members to change their own passwords. Not that it matters much, since a password for the "average" member allows them to do nothing more than post target URLs.
I've gotten some good feedback from a few folks. Thanks. I think it's a good idea, because it keeps everything more centralized and organized. The target URLs are kept in one place, so you don't miss any. The membership information is stored in one central location, but may be accessed from anywhere and is updated instantly. As I said before, I plan on adding more functionality as I progress.
Some people may question as to why I'm doing this. Well, I don't want any special recognition. I'm not trying to steal anyone's thunder, and I'm not trying to move to the top of the heap. In fact, once everything is in place and working, I'll be a regular ol' member like everyone else. I want to help a worthy cause, and this is what I can do.
I'm open to suggestions, and welcome any feedback.
MI4_REAL_2001...you or another club "officer" should probably get in touch with me soon so we can get some details ironed out.
