WEBSITECORKER
By Ket Majmudar
For those o f y o u l u c k y e n o u g h to have a c o m p u t e r w i t h internet access, y o u will k n o w w h a t a difference it is making t o the w o r l d o f c o m m u n i c a tion today, and e v e n i f y o u don't, I am sure y o u have heard the w o r d s internet, or email. It can appear bewildering but it is fascinating t o think that w e are part o f a global chain, the w o r l d w i d e w e b . T h e w e b is increasing in popularity every day and can b e a force for the benefit o f people, animals and the e n v i r o n ment.
assessed and considered to b e t o o
T h e Vegan Society has m a d e major and serious changes t o its website, and since last year m y main role as webmaster for the site has b e e n t o change the f o u n d a t i o n structure o f the site. T h i s i n v o l v e d bringing the c o d e in line w i t h an organisation called w 3 c (world w i d e w e b c o n s o r tium - w w w . w 3 c . o r g ) ; this is the group that steers the course and d e v e l o p m e n t o f the internet. O n e particular project they are k n o w n for is the W A I ( W e b Accessibility Initiative); this gives internet users w i t h disabilities access to a website regardless o f the type o f c o m p u t e r device they are using to v i e w the i n f o r m a tion, it usually also i m p r o v e s the f u n c t i o n i n g o f a w e b s i t e for ableb o d i e d users. And that's just w h a t we've d o n e ; w e r e - w r o t e the c o d e from the b o t t o m u p and are c o n t i n u ally a m e n d i n g and i m p r o v i n g it. N o w that w e ' v e achieved the goal o f accessibility, w e are c o m m i t t e d to improving f u n c t i o n and information, w h i c h y o u will have n o t i c e d (if you've b e e n f o l l o w i n g the site's e v o lution). M a n y changes are still t o be i m p l e m e n t e d and 1 am o f t e n up till the early hours bashing away at a k e y board with the help o f a nocaf. A most important step forward was to register our site w i t h child safe search e n g i n e w w w . s u r f s a f e l v . c o m by making o u r site compatible w i t h the I C C S (International C o n t e n t C e r t i fication Standard) and the I C R A (Internet C o n t e n t R a t i n g Association) - organisations that strive to provide a safe space for the y o u n g person and all p e o p l e using the internet. It is n o t o n l y responsible and ethical but essential that the Vegan message is available to the young.
b e c o m i n g , w i t h use o f the search
c u m b e r s o m e to use and the results w e r e n o t as accurate as w e w a n t e d .
S o w h a t is the i n t e r n e t p u b l i c l o o k i n g at o n o u r site: From July to October 2001
S o w e installed a different search e n g i n e facility o n the site and i m m e diately saw a huge i m p r o v e m e n t in locating d o c u m e n t s and information. T h i s helps y o u find w h a t y o u n e e d quickly so reducing y o u r t i m e o n l i n e and those p h o n e bills. T h e search facility n o w appears o n every page and makes quick decision searches possible. O u r statistic chart b e l o w s h o w s y o u h o w popular it is e n g i n e increasing m o n t h l y . B y far the m o s t g r o u n d b r e a k i n g i n t r o d u c t i o n to the site m u s t b e o u r O n - l i n e s h o p facility. W e have
T h i s chart g a u g e s P a g e P e r f o r m a n c e , i.e. t h e n u m b e r o f specific pages v i e w e d in a m o n t h as a trend.
b e g u n w i t h the V e g a n Society p u b l i cations and merchandise,
O v e r the past t w o years the w e b site
from a r o u n d t h e entire planet d u r i n g
www.vegansociety.com/shop.
has s h o w n a dramatic increase in
the p e r i o d J u l - O c t 2 0 0 1 .
a l l o w i n g y o u to s h o p in the c o m f o r t
activity from around 4 0 0 0 hits a
o f y o u r h o m e , b u y gifts for friends
m o n t h to an average figure o f
and relatives and at any time o f the
2 0 6 , 1 1 4 hits per m o n t h ( J u l - O c t
day or night y o u like. W e h o p e to
2 0 0 1 ) . T h e trend is firmly upward.
place our entire catalogue range o n
July
20172
Sep
17493
Aug
19470
Oct
22309
A n d all these from a p p r o x 1 2 , 0 0 0 u n i q u e different p o i n t s o n the planet.
the site, whilst m a k i n g it a fun e x p e -
H i t s o n l y represent the n u m b e r o f
S o i f y o u ' r e n o t o n l i n e o r y o u are b u t
rience.
'clicks* m a d e o n o u r site, it d o e s not
h a v e n ' t visited o u r site, please d o
a secure server certificate, w h i c h
give a true reflection o f the sites
w w w . v e g a n s o c i e t y . c o m , there are
means y o u can part w i t h y o u r credit
overall f u n c t i o n i n g i.e. pages v i e w e d
o v e r 2 0 0 pages o f i n f o r m a t i o n , fact
card details in c o n f i d e n c e . M e m b e r -
and visits made. S o the f o l l o w i n g
a n d products. A great w a y t o share
ship subscriptions and donations can
i n f o r m a t i o n is g i v e n t o s h o w y o u just
a n d learn the c o n c e p t o f v e g a n i s m
also be m a d e safely online.
h o w m a n y visits the site received
t h r o u g h o u t the U K a n d b e y o n d . . .
W e have, o f course, obtained
A n o t h e r overhaul has b e e n to the Search e n g i n e facility for the site. T h e original search e n g i n e was
23 The V e g a n , W i n t e r
2001