Meeting Information

Reminders

Main Program

RGS Web Site Make Over

Paul prepared a handout the features of RGS's web site & the web site of the Dallas (TX) Genealogical Society. (Dallas Genealogical Society was chosen randomly.) Paul's handout is shown below

#	Feature	RGS Web Site	Dallas Gen Soc
1.	welcome message	Y	Y
2.	meeting info	Y (RGS & CIG)	Y
3.	membership	Y	Y
4.	Society publications	Y	Y
5.	Hear Ye archives	Y
6.	audio tape list & order form	Y
7.	Surname list	Y
8.	officer & volunteer photos	Y
9.	Bylaws	Y
10.	Neighboring Societies	Y	Y
11.	State of the Society Report	Y
12.	Links	Y (to NY Gen Web & Surrounding County Sites)	Y
13.	Advertising
14.	Search	Y	Y
15.	Tourist Info		Y
16.	Professionals		Y

to Top of Page

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At the end of the meeting 19 people in the audience provided their comments regarding RGS's web site. These comments are tabulated below.

#	comment
1.	home page should be uncluttered, large type and color that are easy to read tabs & drop down menus are a good way to accomplish this
2.	more colorful site picture of Rochester site tabs for general topics, and so on to specific topics news flash line advertising our products; ex. Mt Hope Books & CD's
3.	explain abbreviations first time used do we want people to contact officers & committee chairs? use color especially on homepage usage counter graphics on homepage & other places
4.	maybe add a "contact us" that would lead to a page with: mailing address telephone voice mail (with note of limits) email address (may require Society getting a new mailbox)
5.	website: like to see: add a counter: get data on usage add NY to homepage add a guest page (with security)
6.	Rochester Genealogical Society - title - indicate the state - NY prefer homepage that is one page in size - no scrolling needed on "medium" size monitor use button or tabs to initiate drop down menus on home page
7.	I keep a file of genealogy web sites, but I've found that all my sites and thousands more are listed and categorized on Cyndi's List - I suggest providing a link to her list can the name of our society be found easy by someone using Google? - (ans. = yes - try it)
8.	links to CIG notes: perhaps limit number of years to keep on web site, perhaps only 4 years worth of information before that would probably be for out of date systems pictures are worth 1000 words, they draw attention - useful if they obviously show what a topic will be
9.	first thing you see on site is links - this is fine if you are familiar with site - but, have to get past all these links to get to text explaining the site might be better to have links along edge - with text starting at top of page on first page, links adjust for width of window, but text boxes do not adjust, must have page opened to full screen width to read text, text should be readable without scrolling left & right, even with less than full width window. Identify Rochester - map/picture/etc. drop down tabs can be good, but be careful that they don't drop down too far & cover up other text (drop down should go away immediately as soon as mouse passes over tab - only stay open if mouse stays on tab) - tracfone.com site is terrible because of this
10.	link to what's new guest book for inquiries
11.	website homepage: change "other links" to "other pages" or "other topics" master TAB display of major subcategories - drop down menus from each tab
12.	CIG - on homepage spell out that it is "computer interest group" home page should focus on helping everyone - not just RGS members need good information about the library docent program - should be very easy to find need a better contact system guest book (?) to capture questions mouse over for drop down menus map of Rochester/Monroe Co. picture - new bridge with library in background
13.	guest book tabs with drop down for contacts home page - should include Rochester, NY - background picture
14.	history of RGS in ONE place on the web page updated officers etc. tape librarian Carter no longer lugs the audio tapes back & forth - he has the list at his table & takes orders & brings tapes to the next meeting or mails them map - locate Rochester & Monroe Co. townships
15.	included featured website of the month from CIG on the RGS/CIG site could rename "other links" as "other pages", "internet links", or "content" change "NY Gen Web" - "external links" or "links" put search engine up at top table of content - (box down the left hand side - clickable), use the list Paul had listed down the "feature" column home page - more general - 1st page/one screen - no scrolling home page - have map of Rochester with Monroe Co. in NY tab to table of contents (drop down) tab to search box tab to contact info (drop down) - to RGS voice mail #, web master. membership secretary add usage counter
16.	future CIG discussions - Thunderbird show the new audio rules for Tape library printer friendly - (?) current meeting - easy to find home page - box called "other links" - are really RGS pages - title should reflect that - how about "RGS resources" box "NY Gen Web" - links to our neighboring groups "CIG" box - label it "Computer Interest Group" home page - colorful, "NY", counter (page), contact information, CNNYGS (CNYGS) web page easy to navigate, use tab navigation
17.	if we add a query section to the web site - we need to determine how the queries will be handled now we tell people we have no library & no staff & then give them names of genealogists to search for them (for a fee)
18.	things to add - tabs things to add - contact info things to add - map things to add - picture things to add - counter things to add - menu
19.	add to the list of links - a link to a map add link to Rundel Library in web page links (outside links) important to Rochester genealogy