As many of you know, recent decisions by some local Canadian internet
providers to ally themselves with US conglomerate companies such as Yahoo,
GeoCities, AOL, MSN etc has had a very bad effect on the various web sites
operated by the Regimental Family across Canada. The Association and Guild
sites, for example, would be subjected to banner pop-up advertisements for
such things as lovelorn commercial organizations, all outside our editorial
control. As well, the functionality we have grown to expect, such as
guestbook entries and the like are given the look and feel of the US
company regardless of what style we, the clients, have evolved.
As well, complaints have been surfacing about the ineffective web site the
Regiment is forced to operate if it is to keep to the mandatory template
imposed by DND.
In addition, it was recognized that the Regimental Family has
unintentionally exploited the willingness of volunteer Dragoons to provide
internet resources they pay for to provide a service to the Family that
rightly should be the responsibility of the Guild.
As a result of these unacceptable conditions, the Guild has decided to
assume the responsibility in time to replace the current suite of web sites
operated by volunteers before they come under the purview of the American
companies, and also to expand it to provide whatever services we think are
needed by the entire Family. The Guild Board of Directors has recently
approved the acquisition of a registered domain name (
<
http://www.dragoons.ca/> www.dragoons.ca), authorized and paid for a
contract with Magma Communications to host the Regimental Family of web
sites, and ordered the creation of the necessary software.
The concept can be described in part as follows:
1. Generally speaking, internet activity conducted by the Regimental Family
will be the financial responsibility of the Guild.
2. A series of sub-webs will be created that will allow for the independent
creation of separate Regimental, Guild, Association, and Chapter web sites,
or in the case of several Chapters, the porting over into the new structure
their existing web sites, with independence of design and maintenance
remaining under Chapter control.
3. Several activities previously thought of as only Regimental activities,
yet designed to provide service to all Dragoons serving or retired, such as
the Kit Shop, the Archives & Museum, etc are to be included in the web site
is such a way as to be seen as Family resources.
4. Many key email addresses will be converted to generic addresses and mail
would be automatically forwarded to the appointment's current incumbent so
that we do not have to dig to find out what the current correct appropriate
email address is. For example, email addressed to <mailto:pres@dragoons.ca>
pres(a)dragoons.ca will automatically be forwarded to the President of the
Association no matter who he is.
5. Local organizations, such as the regional chapters, would retain full
control over the design and structure of their sub-web.
The web site is now up and running on the Internet at
<
http://www.dragoons.ca/> http://www.dragoons.ca It is not yet complete
since there are some regional web sites that have yet to be included and
some individual pages are in need of updating. Discussions are in progress
with the Chapters to carefully orchestrate their inclusion without degrading
their service to their members.
In summary, we can say that the Regimental Family is now developing a
professional presence on the Internet, fully intending to exploit modern
means of communicating with our members. We sincerely hope that we will be
improving the cohesion we enjoy as a Regimental Family.
Please visit us and bookmark our new location. We would be pleased to
receive your comments and ideas for improvement. We want to have as complete
a web site as is possible.
Audax et Celer,
Norm Ashton
The Regimental Family Web Master