<div dir="ltr"><div>Starchild,<br><br></div>You're welcome.<br><div class="gmail_extra"><br><div class="gmail_quote"><br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span class="m_5198091235991778278Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>I can understand from a technical perspective why you would classify most of these items as "design" issues rather than "bugs", but to my mind from a lay perspective they are all issues that resulted from the overhaul and that is what matters here. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I understand. But please do understand that I'm working hard to fix bugs. Last week I received a rather hateful email that there were tons of bugs (not from you). I spent time searching for these bugs only to later discover the point was on non-ported pages. While I understand it may be the same, I'm just asking for consideration of the jargon so we can all be on the same page.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div>I don't consider it acceptable for staff or others to make major substantive changes like removing the "Party of Principle" slogan under cover of a website redesign without our prior approval. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I am certain I can't sway your opinion, but since I realize you're a large supporter of process... The effort to re-brand / re-market / re-build the site was voted on by the LNC earlier this year. Mr. Moulton made great reference to it in his email to us all. Whether you agree with those changes or not is certainly your opinion, but there was indeed a process for this and it was executed.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span class="m_5198091235991778278Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>Members of the LNC should also be the deciders when it comes to which photo of themselves they want displayed, and if anyone on staff has an issue with a member's choice, that concern should be brought forward to us as a body <i><b>after</b></i> following the member's wishes. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Again, I'm not suggesting otherwise, but there are certain basic guidelines that need to be met in order to keep the appearance of the site to a standard. If there is really a stubbornness or an outright rejection to the idea that in order for a website to maintain its appearance a photo has to be of a certain quality, I can only BEG the other members of this board that they vote upon this and make it enforceable. Such has been debated in the past and rejected on the idea that people could simply understand why this is important to the consistency of the site. It would be highly unfortunate to me to think that a rule would need to be put in place for people to comprehend this idea. Again, if your preferred picture is that of a nevernude (Arrested Development, anyone?), then by all means. I'm merely suggesting it has to be a high-quality photo that fits a certain technical spec and is of you alone.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span class="m_5198091235991778278Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>If you say the listing of email addresses in plain text attracting spam is no longer a significant issue, I'll take your word on that since it's not something I know much about. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>They should be fine.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><br></div><div>But assuming it eventually works out to general satisfaction, having played a major role in redesigning the website of the country's 3rd largest political party will be a nice feather you can stick in your professional web designer cap, poor timing issues aside, and that should help compensate for the work being unpaid. </div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I appreciate the sentiment. I don't usually worry about such feathers any longer, but more importantly to that piece: if the site is not properly maintained, it will quickly fall into the same level of disarray it once had. I am outlining this in detail in my report.<br></div><div> </div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div><span class="m_5198091235991778278Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>Of course we can't and shouldn't <b><i>require</i></b> anyone to donate their time for this or anything else, but I do think it ought to be our general policy to seek volunteers before paying to have work done, whether the work in question relates to IT or something else.</div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I simply cannot disagree with you more strongly here.<br><br></div><div>YES, there are some lower-level tasks that we can get volunteers to manage. No doubt about this. Editing photos. Writing blog entries. Things of this nature. But to suggest that a volunteer can simply step into the backend and maintain our server pool, the variety of EC2 instances powering it, the complex DNS arrangement we have, the S3 and Cloudfront distributed file systems we have, and the consistency of the server images themselves, is, with all due respect sir, an absurdity beyond absurdities.<br><br></div><div>It is quite honestly like asking a volunteer to step into a courtroom to defend us against a massive suit.<br><br></div><div>We charge hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to accomplish this kind of work. When in fact you get a volunteer to do this kind of work because after all, they've tinkered in some networking before, you are almost guaranteed to destroy the integrity of the infrastructure as it simply requires a particular skillset to do it right. We need to pay people solely on the basis that we can find a person with that very specific skillset.<br><br></div><div>At an absolute minimum, the person maintaining our infrastructure must be a LAMP-stack developer with extensive Linux administration knowledge, a PHP and MySQL background, with full knowledge of Apache. Additionally the person must be intimately familiar with AWS EC2, S3, Cloudfront, EFS, ELB, and all AWS Route 53 DNS configurators. The must fully understand the RDS system and have considerable knowledge of the DR (disaster recovery) mechanisms we have in place to ensure 100% availability. Additional automation experience through Pipeline, Jenkins, or things of this nature would be highly desirable too.<br><br></div><div>I realize it seems like I just tossed out 20 acronyms, but those are exactly the technologies required just to maintain what I've configured this past month alone and that doesn't even touch the mail server or get into the Rackspace configuration or the actual WP backend. Just because somebody knows how to program in Javascript (for example) doesn't mean they have the skills required to maintain this kind of infrastructure. We're following very standard, but very high-level best practices for a high-availability environment with built-in disaster recovery options (aka: near immediate bounceback from a crash or hack). These are not services we have even considered in the past, much less had in place and they've left us very vulnerable to attack.<br><br></div><div>We cannot simply find a volunteer to do that kind of work and I again BEG - BEG this organization not to treat the technology component like it's a kid's game. If this work were easy or meant for college kids in their spare time, I wouldn't be able to charge what I do. We're all supposed to be market capitalists here. Please understand WHY the market charges what it does for this kind of work.<br><br></div><div>/rant<br></div><div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><div> When we simply rush into spending money without first exploring volunteer possibilities, we are not acting as responsible custodians of party funds.</div></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>In regards to technology, I have exactly the opposite opinion. BECAUSE we didn't use professionals, we have wasted many tens of thousands of dollars in needless architecture, over-priced servers, and time wasted fixing what could have been done right the first time. I cannot begin to tell you ow much time I had to spend fixing components that were improperly configured. Starting from the ground up would have been much easier than maintaining the metaphorical rat-nest we have inadvertently created over the years. Please do keep this in mind.<br><br></div><div>Low-level system-administration and development of a highly-trafficked web architecture is NOT a voluntary job. It's very specific and very demanding.<br></div><div> <br></div><div>-Kevin<br></div><div><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style="word-wrap:break-word"><span class=""><div><br></div><div>Love & Liberty,</div><div> ((( starchild )))</div><div>At-Large Representative, Libertarian National Committee</div><div> (415) 625-FREE</div><div> @StarchildSF</div><div><br></div><br></span><div><div class="h5"><div><div>On Nov 3, 2016, at 6:40 PM, Kevin Ludlow wrote:</div><br class="m_5198091235991778278Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div dir="ltr">Starchild,<br><div class="gmail_extra"><div class="gmail_quote"><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">I did want to try and tackle your bullet points one by one here, just so you get a response from me on if / how they're being fixed.<br></div><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div><b>• While the site looks good on the web, it looks terrible on my phone! The "Latest News" boxes show up as long, narrow, unreadable columns of type with a couple letters on each line. Considering how many people access websites on mobile devices, fixing this should be a high priority.</b></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Again, this should be resolved. Let me know if cache clearing fixed it. If not we may have to look into a specific Android fix for the responsive theme, but this will be a low priority right now given the very low Android traffic.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div><div>• I don't see either the "Party of Principle" or "Minimum Government, Maximum Freedom" slogans shown anywhere (a search for key terms doesn't turn them up). Nor do I see the Nolan Chart except buried in a link. Each of these ought to be listed prominently, imho. The brief introduction statement when you click on "Libertarian Party" at the top of the main page is rather weak ("The Libertarian Party (LP) is your representative in American politics. We are the only political organization which respects you as a unique and responsible individual.")</div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Currently a design consideration, not a bug.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><div><br></div><div>• The more detailed description of the party has a conservative leaning. Under "The Libertarian Option" (at <a href="http://libparty.zocalodesign.com/about/" target="_blank">http://libparty.zocalodesi<wbr>gn.com/about/</a> , a URL that like that of many pages should also be fixed so that it doesn't include the web design company's website), it reads:</div><div><br></div><div></div><div><div class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772faq_answer_container"><div class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772faq_answer"></div></div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>Consider voting Libertarian or joining the Libertarian Party because…</div><div><div class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772faq_answer_container"><div class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772faq_answer"><span class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772teaser"><ul><li>We seek to substantially reduce the size and intrusiveness of government and cut and eliminate taxes at every opportunity.</li><li>We believe that peaceful, honest people should be able to offer their goods and services to willing consumers without inappropriate interference from government.</li><li>We believe that peaceful, honest people should decide for themselves how to live their lives, without fear of criminal or civil penalties.</li><li>We believe that government’s only responsibility, if any, should be protecting people from force and fraud.</li></ul></span></div></div></div></blockquote><div><span class="m_5198091235991778278gmail-m_-6363391497854719947m_6410485055449999772Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre-wrap"> </span>The first two points above appeal more to conservatives or people on the right (economic freedoms), while the second two points are more neutral in terms of left/right appeal. There is no balancing appeal to people on the left by explicitly mentioning things like a non-interventionist foreign policy or civil liberties such as ending Prohibition and reining in police abuse.</div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Again, textual consideration, not a bug. Staff can choose to reword or not.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><div><br></div><div>• The URL for the candidate page has changed (hat tip to Thomas Knapp), and entering the former URL (<a href="http://www.lp.org/2016-libertarian-party-candidates" target="_blank">http://www.lp.org/2016-libert<wbr>arian-party-candidates</a>) apparently now results in a page error rather than connecting people to the new page (<a href="https://www.lp.org/2016-candidates/" target="_blank">https://www.lp.org/2016-candi<wbr>dates/</a>). </div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Yes. There were several pages that had their slugs updated. This was one of them. We have a tool for staff to set the auto-redirects. This one has already been done. I've noted to the LNC several times now that if others are found, please email us with them and we'll update the permanent redirection.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><div><br></div><div>• If the information about how to subscribe to the LNC email list as a non-LNC member got ported over, I cannot find it. I would suggest listing this both on the LNC leadership page, and on the LNC meeting archives page.</div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>This is an organizational design consideration, not a bug. We can let staff mull it over.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><div><br></div><div>• The LNC page only lists email addresses. Previously at least a couple LNC members' listings included phone number and/or other info such as Twitter address, but now those listings are gone and only email addresses are listed. I would personally like my phone number and Twitter handle listed, and encourage my colleagues to request their phone numbers likewise be listed, so that our members can readily reach us directly as well as in writing.</div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Right now this is a design consideration of trying to standardize information available. I do personally believe there should be consistency in the approach and more importantly, there is a need for consistency as variation is difficult to maintain -- perhaps not so much in this case, but as a general idea for web design. Again though, something for staff to mull over as it's not a bug.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div>• Where email addresses are listed on the website (for candidates, LNC members, staff, college chapter reps., etc.), they are spelled out. That's unfortunately asking to get us spammed by web-crawling bots that harvest email addresses. I recommend changing this so that addresses are listed in a less literal format such as Nick.Sarwark[at]LP.org</div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>I totally understand the sentiment of this, but to be honest, it's kindof an outdated concern. SPAM filters are generally so effective these days that harvesting at this level is not that common and you'll find that most major organizations display their email addresses in plain text on purpose. I could find dozens of examples, but here is the Wall Street Journal - certainly a prominent and highly trafficked site: <a href="https://customercenter.wsj.com/public/view/contactinformation.html" target="_blank">https://customercenter.wsj.<wbr>com/public/view/<wbr>contactinformation.html</a><br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div>• The page <a href="https://www.lp.org/_2016/" target="_blank">https://www.lp.org/_2016/</a><wbr> mentions Johnson and Weld being our presidential and VP candidates, but the photo next to the text is <i>not</i> a photo of Johnson and Weld, but of Johnson and a woman I'm guessing is his girlfriend (which is fine, but should be labeled as such so as not to give visitors the impression that the images reflect the text).</div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>I can see this one going either way. I don't think it's confusing that the text not match identically what the image is. Still though, it's a design consideration - albeit perhaps one that staff should consider revising.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div>• Our bylaws are referred to in the info at the bottom of each page as "LNC Bylaws" rather than "Libertarian Party Bylaws"</div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>A textual fix that will need to happen with staff, but good catch.<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><blockquote type="cite"><div><div><br></div><div>• A number of people (staff, LNC members) are missing photos. To whom can we send photos of these individuals, if we have them, as well as our contact info updates for the LNC page?</div></div></blockquote></div></div></blockquote><div>Photos can and should be sent to staff. I saw there was a fund for LNC members to get professional shots? I would advise this be done. Photos submitted will need to be of a certain quality (I'm not defining content, but rather photo quality) in order to be displayed. Pictures containing other people, random exterior backgrounds, too far away, blurry, low-resolution, etc. will not be inserted onto the site for the sake of quality control.<br><br></div><div>Hopefully this helps a little bit.<br><br></div><div>~k<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin-top:0px;margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0.8ex;border-left-width:1px;border-left-style:solid;border-left-color:rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><br></div>______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
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