Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: common meal signup and $ tracking software available

[Tim Mensch (tim-coho-l]

Sharon Villines wrote:
> I would be very interested in approaching my community about it but I  
> have not a blinking clue what "web based system" it is and who would  
> maintain it. How does it actually work? I understand what it does and  
> it's great.
>
> Can someone who knows Dreamweaver operate this program?
When a system is Web-based, it's usually written behind-the-scenes in 
one of the popular scripting languages (PHP, Python, Perl), and often 
based on something like Drupal (which is how mine works). To operate 
mine, you just need to be able to use a web page--the people at PHCH who 
administer it are not computer professionals. It basically ends up 
having an administration interface that anyone (with the right password 
and permissions) can use, at least if they know how to use a web site.

To install it is another issue--for that you typically need an expert 
(not in Dreamweaver--you'd need someone comfortable with command line 
tools and shells). It sounds like Ken is offering to host his system, or 
at least install it for a community; he'll need to speak to that. I 
might be able to be talked into doing a basic install on a server for a 
community, but I'm not volunteering development time, except to fix bugs.

"On a server" doesn't need to be expensive, by the way, and it doesn't 
need to mean a lot of work. The host we have for http://tumblerock.org 
handles Drupal well (that's what we're using now for the site), and only 
costs $6/month for an account that size, for instance--and they 
advertise that they're carbon-neutral, which may appeal to cohousers. 
You can find them at http://tigertech.net

Tim

--
Tim Mensch

In contract to sell a unit at Pleasant Hill Cohousing (CA), though accepting 
backup offers: http://phch.org/2230

Currently at Wild Sage (Boulder, CO): http://www.wildsagecohousing.org

Founding member of Tumblerock, a Boulder, CO area community in its forming 
stages: http://tumblerock.org