Starting a WEB Page

[Weekender 10]

I'm considering starting a web page for our troop. Does anyone know of a web page host that would let Scouts put a page on line free of charge?

 

Thanks

[Bob White 20]

Try checking with your local newspaper, many offer community pages on their web sight. Ask your local ISP they might donate a site. Learn the resources of the adults in your unit. You might have a parent with the connections you need.

[Mike Long 10]

Do a websearch for Free hosting. There are MANY places that will provide free hosting to anyone. The kicker is that you are required to allow their advertising on your site. Be sure to see that you have some choice over what gets displayed so you don't get stuck with inappropriate ads on a scout page. Also be sure to have a backup of your site on disk as they do not promise anything regarding data integrity or 24/7 uptime. (Short version= They might lose your stuff)

 

A troop site is the biggest information tool you could have but ONLY if you update it CONSTANTLY. It has been a great help to our unit. It also doesn't hurt to have a Scoutmaster that does web development for a living.

 

http://www.troop623.com/

 

[berkshirescouter 11]

I put a web page up on geocities.com for free. I will move it soon because of the ads but it is a good place to start. We have had it for about a year now. Its at:

www.geocities.com/troop12dalton

[Mike Long 10]

Its Trail Day I really liked the photos. I bet the boys got a kick out that climbing tower.

[SCOUTER-Terry 129]

SCOUTER.com already provides free web hosting to more than 2,000 Scout units.

 

http://www.SCOUTER.com/hosting

[k9gold-scout 10]

Our Venture Crew started their own website, two 16 year old scouts did everything; the adults only review it.

 

www.crew765.com

[Chippewa29 13]

Weekender-

 

I consult with small businesses and non-profit groups on developing web pages to help them avoid the pitfalls most groups fall into. Get me your email address and I'll be more than happy to get you the information I usually give clients (you get it for free, of course).

[Weekender 10]

Thanks for all the input everyone. I love having this group of folks to come about scout stuff!!

 

Chippewa29,

My email is p_coupal@hotmail.com...Thanks.

 

Scouter-terry,

Thanks for the info on socuter.com. That will be the first place I check out.

 

Thanks again everybody.

 

God Bless,

 

YIS

 

 

[Weekender 10]

Scouter-Terry,

 

With 1Meg of space is there enough room for much in the way of pictures? I would like to put up a couple galleries of campout pictures so folks could see what we are doing.

[SCOUTER-Terry 129]

Photos on web pages are usually JPEGs at 96dpi. At that resolution you have room for dozens of photos within the 1 meg limit.

 

But, ask and you shall receive... I just doubled the free space allowed to 2 megs, so now you have even more room.

 

TERRY HOWERTON

SCOUTER.com Publisher

(This message has been edited by SCOUTER-Terry)

[Weekender 10]

SCOUTER-Terry

 

You're Awesome

 

[dan 10]

BSA now has a policy for scout web pages/sites.

I have not seen it yet.

But for a heads up, I have heard that it says a BSA website should not have ads on them, meaning the free web hosting sites are really not allowed!

Only put the 1st name of a scout or leader or the webpage, not last names.

I will share more when I learn more.

[scouter 10]

Our site first started through geocities. There they offer 20MB of space and an easy upload page to load your files onto the web. Later, we purchased a $8.95 a month service through geocities that now allows us NO ADS and our own domain name.

 

http://www.troop700.com

[dan 10]

Here is a readers digest version of the 50 page policy for web sites from BSA.

 

Unit, District, and Council Webpage Standards & Guidelines

Districts can develop their own Internet website as long they observe the rules and regulations of the BSA.

Do have a unit webpage/site. It is a great way to advertise and keep in touch with the unit membership.

Dont advertise anything in the BSA name.

Dont try to create secure areas on your website. This would be password-protected areas with Personal or private information. Even if you believe you have secured the data for your website users, the information is still available to ISP personnel, anyone that has the password, or knows someone with the password.

Dont use the web as the primary or only means of communication in your unit. They should be supplemental to email, traditional mail, unit newsletters, and calling trees.

Do allow the youth to build the website. This allows them to learn web technology and to take the load off the adult Webmaster, who has the final control over content of the site.

Dont allow any youth to change the webpage. Only the adult Webmaster should have the password to make changes to the website.

Do have only one person, or only a very few, making changes to the website. This helps eliminate the whoops, I overwrote your changes problem, Make sure, however, that there is more than one person with the password to the site.

Do check with Council website committee before changing website, to insure the site always meets National Rules, and is up to date in everything, forms, policies etc...

Dont use free web hosting providers, like geocities and intripod in services, especially those services that put up banners ads of any type, or ads that may be against BSA policy and could be offensive. Also dont use personal web space from unit or others members; its better to have the website in a place that will not go away when someone leaves.

Do post only the first name or the first name and last initial or salutation and last initial of any youth or adult member on a unit site/page: Jack O or Mrs. BlM. Refer to adult and youth by first names only and title: Scoutmaster Howard or Patrol Leader Jimmy.

Dont post the full names, email addresses, postal addresses or phone numbers of ANY youth. Only post the names of adults with their permission.

Dont post your units or districts newsletter or calendar without cleaning it of full names.

Do put pictures, graphics, silly songs, troop histories, permission slips, and other fun stuff. Keep pictures

to 100 dpi or less resolution. Make sure all files to download are small.

Dont identify any youth members, either in-group shots or individual shots by last and first names.

Do use links on council site to gain information and to supply you with the needed forms from National.

Dont put up ANY copies of official BSA forms on your website; link to these forms through the council website. This is the only approved way to get these forms.

Dont put up ANY images that may have been copyrighted, BSA or others; this may include images,such as OA lodge flaps etc. This isnt any harder than emailing the council website committee, or the items/logos source in question.

Do put up council approved advertising, such as popcorn and other BSA sanctioned events. If there are any questions as to what are and are not BSA events, ask. Always use Unit

Dont advertise any other sales on any website that says BSA. In general, make a separate site with a different URL for a site that sells wreaths, candy, or other non-BSA items. Remember that you and your

chartering organization could be liable for any problems with an e-commerce server. Do not sell from or

link to vendors that compete with the BSAs National Supply Division.

Dont put up BSA National Supply or any links related to same. Use the council website links to

connect for this information.

Do link to non-BSA websites, but make sure to only link to sites that are Scouting appropriate. Each link should open in a separate window. Also, occasionally test that the links are valid and pointing to the correct sites.

Do register a unique memorable domain name for your site. Scouting is an organization and therefore rates an in.org domain name. To prevent unscrupulous or malicious people from putting up inappropriate content in your sites name, you should register the domain name as well.

Do post general contact information (email address) for Scoutmaster, Committee Chair, etc., for units; and District Key Three, etc. for districts. It can be handy to have mailboxes set up to get incoming mail;

i.e. i.scoutmaster@mytroop.orgl. etc. Also, make sure that someone reads that mailbox on a daily basis.