Date: Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:50:15 -0500
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>
From: Elspeth Kovar <ekovar at worldnet.att.net>
Subject: [WSFA] WSFA online [WAS: Re: More problems with the WSFA website]
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net>

At 04:45 PM 3/4/04, Keith F. Lynch wrote:

>At tomorrow's meeting I will propose that we immediately move our
>website to Panix.com.  The cost is $350 per year rather than the $300
>we're paying now, but Panix has been around since the 1980s, has never
>been bought out, and is known to be competent and reliable.  It will
>also give us wsfa.org email addresses for each member, and for this
>list, and for new people to contact us on.
>
>See http://www.panix.com/corp/cweb.html#cweb for a description of the
>service package I am proposing we get.

I agree that even though we still have time left on our contract with our
current host it's time to make the move, and the package at Panix looks
good.  There have simply been two many problems with the old site.  Since
we can afford it it makes sense to spend the money points to move rather
than keep spending the people points to deal with it.  According to the
February WSFA Journal (I really wish we had proper financial reports, darn
it) we have $1,278  in the general fund.  We'll have a lot more once the
WFC books are closed but that is enough to pay for a year at Panix.

People may argue for cheaper hosts but as Keith says Panix is reliable,
doesn't seem likely to change owners, and the only time I've known it to be
down for any length of time was 9/11 (since it's out of New York).  They're
also the site and address used by a lot of long-time fans, which I take as
a good sign.  The only question I would have would be about the amount of
space but I'm not a good judge of that.  Keith, I assume that you've
figured that 150 MB storage and 5 GB of transfers is sufficient?

It says that we would have 10 mailboxes and unlimited aliases.  The latter
will be useful for those of us who need to be contacted because of duties
for specific conventions but prefer to not have our personal address up on
too many websites.  Capclave_Programming_04 at panix.com, for example, could
be used just for that and then go away.

I'd also like to see about setting up two WSFA mailing lists.  Currently
this one is both social and handles some WSFA business but I sympathize
with those who don't want, or don't have the time for, keeping up with the
social traffic and thus don't subscribe. There will be some discussions
that might wind up better moved from one list to another but I believe that
it's worth it to have more people connected to a list that discusses
substantial matters.

Since this one is already established as both keeping it for social things
would make sense -- and the social things are the real business of WSFA.  A
second list, perhaps WSFAWork, could be used for the smoffish stuff.

One thing to check with Judy is if we're tax exempt yet.  My recollection
is that filing the paperwork was going to cost several hundred dollars and
when we weren't hosting conventions and didn't have any money anyway it was
decided to put that on hold.  Now that we have the funds to do the paper
work it would make sense to do so.  But that will take some time and we
shouldn't wait on it to make the move over to Panix.

Keith, I'll second your motion.

Elspeth