Hi Mark,
I'm not sure I understand what you're talking about.

> I agree with David, if its the firebird web site, it should be
> basically hosted within the firebird infrastructure, which is
> currently at sourceforge.

I understand you mean it should be at sourceforge so that the project
leaders ultimately have control over what happens with this site and
what is its content? I agree this is important.

But it's no real reason to have all hosting at the same place. The
only thing important is, that the project leaders have ultimately
control over the server, where ever it is.

Well, anyway, the most important is, that the webmaster is conscient
that he maintains the core website of the project and that his must
be done in close coordination with the team of active contributors
who have ultimately the right to decide about content of the site.

Damian, who proposed generously to give his time to look after this
site, wears an IT-Manager signature in his emails and I think he
understands that coordination and communication with the developers
is important. I think some confidence is reasonable here.

If hosting at SourceForge is possible, why not. But it doesn't seem
necessary. If hosting is elsewhere maybe some other member (e.g.
Mark) can also get a password for that server, just to give the
feeling of the site being ultimately under control of the developers.

> It looks like this is going into a design, experement and
> build phase with a new web site, which I think when finished we can
> host from sourceforge with perhaps the current one there, but
> perhaps one click away from the main page.

Yes. But the development site of Pavel is absolutely independent from
this new website, which is to become the "public site" of the
community, with content of interest for "the rest of the world",
there is no real need to have them on the same server. If it's handy
why not, but it's not a necessity.

> Ah that would be an IBDI site :-)

What do you mean here? No, it shall not be an IBDI site but the main
site of the Firebird community.

> No really I don't think we can draw the boundaries that easily,
> and Helen and Jason are important community leaders/members in the
> FB/IB community (Helen of course is a member and (vocal :-),
> advocate of Firebird). I know Jason also is a strong supporter,
> (Although I don't want to comporomise his "independance" here :-).

Please explain what you mean. To me the distinction between the new
FirebirdSQL site and IBDI is clear: FirebirdSQL is the home of the
Firebird community and project, whereas IBDI continues their site for
general FirebirdSQL _AND_ InterBase related information and advocacy.

>
> I've posted a note to firebird-devel to come and have a look at
> the discussion here. I know most of them are already here, but
> there are also others, and I think it's importnt they are aware of
> where this discusion is heading.

True. I'm sure the Firebird active members will be able to organize
themselves with Damian to determine the content of the site, and
still leave him some freedom for how he wants to do it. I think
having confidence in Damian and give it a try is a reasonable
approach.

>
> I think we all agree, (there may be a bit of extra stuff over from
> firebird-devel people soon though). Currently Pavel is the person
> (self) nominated as we all are :-), to look after the Firebird web
> site, I think keep in touch with him and when it's finished he can
> help move it to the sourceforge site. As he suggested he's happy
> to have help, and I think let others take the leed in designing the
> new web site.

In my opinion, Damian will not be helping Pavel, because he has an
own job, independent from Pavels. Pavel is looking after a developer
site. The new site needed is something completely different, the
platform for communication not with developers but with the rest of
the world. Also the two sites will have different design, since Pavel
uses PHPNuke for the developer site and for the new site PHPNuke
makes no sense and would only set superfluous constraints for page
layout. Also Pavel said he had no time to look after yet another site
and so I think Damian shall be in charge for this new site.

Since the two things are absolutely independent, I suggest not to
create hierarchies where there shouldn't be any. Damian is not a
helper of Pavel, he will do the new site on his own, in coordination
with active community members like you Mark, who have the final word
about content related questions.

For that same reason I think it would not be the worst to have two
independent virtual servers for the two sites. Is it possible for the
project to get more than one website account on SourceForge?

Markus.