Harvesting the Web

1
Harvesting the Web
Harvest District Roundtable
Cub Scout/Boy Scout Joint Session September 11,
2007
2
Where to Begin?

• How to start up a web site
• Consider either a free hosting or paid hosting
• Consider communication between leaders and
  families
• Set policies for information provided by web site

3
Choosing a Web Site

• Free hosting site
• No monthly fees
• Limited storage space
• Limited monthly transfer amount (bandwidth)
• May offer limited number of e-mail accounts, but
  not always
• Templates for page set ups may be available
• Web page creation tool possible available
• Banners - host may require advertisement banners
• (provides funding for site)

4
Choosing a Web Site

• Paid Hosting Site
• Monthly fees that can start from about 5 per
  month
• Yearly fees offer savings
• More storage space available and can be increase
  with each
• payment level
• Increased monthly transfer amount (bandwidth)
• Most likely to offer e-mail accounts, but not
  always
• Templates for page set ups may be available
• Web page creation tool most likely will be
  available
• Banners - Advertisement banners may or may not
  be
• required for site depending on terms of the
  contract

5
What Not to Look for

• Do not select a host that is associated to one
  individual in the unit!
• Example a Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, or
  Committee Chair
• who has, for example an AOL or a MSN account,
  should
• not host the site with his or her account. If
  that person
• leaves the unit, the material on the web site
  might be lost
• Do not select a host that has controversial
  material that does
• not conform with BSA policies

6
A Bad Example
The following is from a personal site on the
Welcome page. AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO
INCLUDE President George W Bush is the worst
head of state since Gaius Julius Caesar
Germanicus (AKA Caligula). This is a difficult
comparison to either support or challenge.
Things are different now. It is said that
Gaius appointed his horse Incitatus to the post
of Consul. Bush chose Cheney ( the other end of
the horse) as his VP. . . . Maybe, in comparison,
the Gaius administration wasn't all that bad, no
matter what Agrippina (his mom) said about him. I
mean he never invaded Iraq. OK, he probably
didn't know where Iraq was, but I'm not sure
that Bush knows. Also included on this
Welcome page is a Scouting Pages link, an
endorsement for a congressional candidate
endorsement, and a Presidential endorsement.
While it might not be a direct violation of Boy
Scouts of America policies. It does raise concern
that there is potential for the BSA. to be
implied in the political statements. But
there is a violation of the Scout Law ... A
Scout is courteous. The site is a resource used
by many Scouters, so it should reflect the
characteristics of the Scouting Movement.
7
Some Free Sites

• Yahoo! Geocities (http//geocities.yahoo.com/hom
  e/)
• AgentZ (http//www.agentz.com/scouts/)
• Tripod (http//www.tripod.lycos.com)
• Angelfire (http//www.angelfire.lycos.com)
• Troops and Packs Online (http//cubpack.org or
  http//scouttroop.org)

For more sites, check out http//usscouts.org/netr
esources/freeweb.asp
8
Creation Tools

• Free Tools
• Windows
• Nvu (pronounced New View)
• PageBreeze
• CoffeeCup
• Web Dwarf
• HTML Editor
• AceHTML
• Paid-for Tools
• Windows
• FrontPage
• Dreamweaver
• ColdFusion

• Mac
• Nvu (pronounced New View)
• Limewire
• Mac
• BBEdit
• Dreamweaver
• ColdFusion

9
Communications

• E-mail Provided by the Host
• E-mail accounts might not be supplied
• If accounts are supplied, the host may require
  use of anti-virus and anti-spam software
• E-mail Provided by Individuals
• E-mail account provided by the individual
  leaders may provide a link for spam to your
• normal e-mail address
• If an e-mail link is provided on the site,
  addresses should be encrypted with unicode
• characters (This will be explained at the next
  session)
• E-mail Provided by Independent Server
• Yahoo! Mail
• AOL
• Hotmail
• Mail.com
• Others
• Separates private e-mail from scout related
  e-mail and may reduce spam mail in
• individuals account which allows more privacy
  for individuals

10
FAQ BSA Guidelines

• Are there guidelines for Unit Web sites?
• There are no national guidelines or policies
  regarding Unit Web sites because units are
• "owned" by their chartered organizations.
• While the BSA does provide advice for those who
  operate unit Web sites, which can be
• found here, the BSA does not have the
  ability to compel units to comply with this
  advice.
• Councils that wish to provide links to unit Web
  sites have an opportunity to require units
• to comply with this advice by granting a
  link only to units that meet these conditions
• (and any other the council wishes to apply)
  ... however, even in those cases, the
• council cannot compel a unit to comply by
  any means other than withholding such a
• link.
• Can we acknowledge donated Web hosting from a
  commercial company?
• A simple acknowledgement ("Web hosting donated
  by XYZ Company") is acceptable, so
• long as it is discreetly made.
• Can we promote a product that our Scouts are
  selling as a fundraiser?
• It is acceptable to use your council site to
  support fundraising efforts, including promoting
• the products sold for fundraising purposes.
  However there are restrictions when using
• BSA artwork with such products.
• Are there any policies about using names and
  photographs?
• The (only) national policy on this issue is with
  regards to councils and districts.

11
FAQ BSA Guidelines continued

• Does a person's consent to have their personal
  information on the site have to be in writing,
• or will a verbal "OK" suffice?
• Going on a verbal "OK" is risky - a person may
  later forget that they gave their consent
• or, in the case of youth members, one parent may
  say "OK" and the other may be
• completely against it.
• Can we use national councils logos and artwork
  on our site?
• Units may also use these materials to promote
  the Scouting program. However, a unit
• that needs digital files should contact its
  council for this support rather than attempting
• to contact the national office directly. The
  Graphics and Imaging Service does not
• support units directly, and will respond to
  requests from council offices only.
• Unacceptable uses of registered logos and
  trademarks
• Reproduction of logos in any tint or screen
• Alter the logo in any way including changing the
  typeface

12
References

• scouting.org
• http//www.scouting.org/webmasters/
• http//www.scouting.org/identity/
• usscouts.org/
• http//usscouts.org/netresources/freeweb.asp
• http//www.download.com/Web-Page-Creation/2001-10
  247_4-0.html
• A bad web site
• To protect the individuals freedom of speech,
  the reference has not been included.