WOW! What a Difference a Week Makes! Where to start.... Since I began this blog and really launched my serious research into what WYSE needs to do to get our new web presence and WYSE Community Communication System (I just made that up...but I like it) in place, so much has fallen in my lap and I am energized and inspired. Day 1: I did an orientation with two new board interns who were recruited from RVLDP. http://www.lajcc.org/rvldp/index.html They are both women, although we tried to recruit men. These women are like walking/talking gifts to our organization. One of them has extensive web marketing and development experience and connections.

Over the last few months, I have been researching blog software. I have narrowed it down to two options:

www.drupal.org or www.wordpress.org

WordPress support other options besides just blogging. I am looking into this.

Drupal is connected to NetSquared. That's a plus. It is actually a CMS program Content Management System. This means I could actually build an entire website ustilizing this program. I am very tempted to do so. I will need one or two volunteers to assist me though.

The problem is that the WYSE website is currently hosted on a Windows NT server at www.prohosting.com. Both Drupal and WordPress are built on PHP. Our website is currently built on ASP. Don't ask me to explain. Bottom line: we have to switch to PHP in order to have a blog at www.wyse.org. OK, maybe we don't HAVE TO, but my vision for the site can only be actualized if we are on a Unix server.

This blog will cronicle the process of building a new and innovative web presence for Women and Youth Supporting Each Other.

We have a website. www.wyse.org However, it is outdated and our forums are under utilized becuase they are too static.

The goal is to create a modern website for WYSE that incorporates a blog, chat capabilities and many other available social networking tools to bring us into the 21st century.

My vision is a mutli-level web community that serves the needs of our constituents(girls in 6th through 12th grade), our volunteer networks(ranging from college students to professional women), sponsors and foundations as well as other non profits who have a cyber footprint.