Great idea Rick!!
I think this would be great, and if it could be posted on the VTR site that
would be awesome, or at least a direct link from the VTR site. By the way
a $25 fee for joining the VTR is nominal and it is truly worth it.
Patrick Bowen
At 03:43 PM 8/21/98 -0700, Rick Gregory wrote:
>First I'd like to thank everyone who responded with suggestions and
>information. Especially those who volunteer'd their help--you
>definately will be hearing from me if we go through with this!
>
>I reviewed everything carefully and I've tried to take the best of
>what I read. Here's my proposal:
>
>I don't think we should go with a "helper" application... Such as
>"ACCESS", "LOTUS", etc (I was considering actually writing a little
>DELPHI program which could use a DBF based database file to allow
>users to "query" the database to find the data they were looking for
>such as cross referencing parts, searching by KEYWORDS, etc)
>
>The problem with this is 1) people would have to download and install
>a "HELPER" program and configure it to work on their system. 2) poeple
>would also have to download the latest database file 3) The program
>would be platform specific (Windows 95) -or- program specific if we
>went the route of ACCESS, LOTUS, etc.
>
>My suggestion is this: I can develope an interactive web site to
>actually house the database and the users would simply use their
>browsers to manipulate the database. (This way there is no extra
>software, program specific files, or downloading of any kind required.
>Plus people with Windows 3.1, Unix, Macs, etc, can all participate
>equally). For those of you who are curious I would use a programming
>language called "PERL" to develope the "server-side" software.
>
>Anyway it would work something like this-- You go to a designated web
>page which would contain links to:
>
>1) Search the database for a technical article (by a several methods)
>and display the matching texts.
>2) Submit an article (We can automate this to reduce the huge task of
>system administration) The user handles submiting the article into the
>database which would immediately become available in the database for
>searching. We could password protect this to prevent harm from hackers
>or we could make the administrator review and approve articles before
>posting them.
>
>The database could contain the article itself, the name, email, and
>web site of the author, plus any additional information you guys would
>think important like parts lists & numbers, etc.
>
>Does this appear feasible to you guys? I don't mind programming
>something like this (in fact I actually enjoy it) but if it is not
>something that is needed I'd rather invest my efforts into something
>that is needed. It just seems to me such a service would be great for
>someone like me, who just bought their first triumph and needs access
>to this kind of information. And finding it all in one spot would be
>very nice.
>
>Inevitably I feel this database should probably reside at the VTR
>site, but I don't know if that is possible (I'm not familar with their
>web site, internally, nor am I a member). Either way, it could be
>"ported" about anywhere. (PERL is an internet standard)
>
>Malcolm--> I don't think this effects the FAQ directly. A FAQ is still
>needed to answer the basics. (In fact, I'd put a link on this site to
>refer people over to the FAQ) What do you think?
>
>Some people have also put together impressive web pages with technical
>data such as Tom Shirley's Spitfire FAQs and Tips at
>http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1080/spitgarage.html -- I
>just think a large reference database with "interactive searching and
>cross reference capability" (along with user submission of articles)
>would add more power and more bulk information! As a group we could
>accomplish a lot more in terms of posting the volumous data than a
>individual.
>
>Well let me know what you guys think (again) and I appreciate your
>input one more time.
>
>--Rick
>
>
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