[FCARC] advancing the website with new functionality

[Craig Szczublewski]

Hi folks,

We've been discussing the addition of a self-service area of the website
which would allow club members to post items they have for sale.  The idea
is not that we just keep things in the club, but that it might make it
easier to receive equipment without the hassle of shipping and handling. I
am sure this is going to evolve significantly over the next few months, so
this may not be its final form.

You will notice a subtle link on the right side of the https://k8bxq.org/
site now called "Swap & Shop". For the gory web details, I am simply
repurposing the "forum" module from the Drupal 9 CMS engine the site is
based on (using the K.I.S.S. model).  So, how does it work?

1. you need a login and password for the site.  I'll eventually enable the
login request portal, which is technically enabled now, but drops the
requests to /dev/null (any Unix geeks out there?), so I will create an
account for you and link it to your email address.

2. this is intended for club members to post their items to sell, your call
sign needs to be in our membership list (i.e., a dues-paying member), this
is subject to change based on the will of the club.

3. Yes you can post pictures, but try to crop them to 400 pixels or less in
width to format on the page properly.  The rest of the text area is pretty
free-form.

4. You also need an account in order to comment on an item for sale,
although I am not sure how useful this feature will be.

5. you do not, however, need to be a club member to see items for sale.  At
the present time, it is open to anyone.

6. I don't have "categories" defined yet, it is all one bucket.
Eventually, we might need to do that if it gains popularity.

7. when listing items, make sure they are relevant to amateur radio, also,
in the subject line, please list the asking price.  Last, in the body of
the listing, please put some kind of contact info so people know how to get
a hold of you.

8. Last, be courteous. when an item sells, please deactivate the post.

As I said, this is a work in progress.  I am open to suggestions but do
keep in mind that while I work in I.T., I don't have a lot of free time for
custom coding, but I will try to accommodate changes needed.

For now, let's have some fun with it and see if it generates any interest.

The summary page of items listed can be seen here:
https://k8xq.org/https:/forsale

There is an RSS feed suitable for getting notices on new items
https://k8bxq.org/taxonomy/term/6/feed

The main URL for the summary listing is
https://k8bxq.org/forum/6

I have one listing up at present time (yep, it's a real radio for sale), so
take a peek.  You do not need to use that format, it's just suggested.

Last, email me direct to craig.szczublewski at gmail.com if you want me to
make an account for you. I'll try to get it created in a timely manner,
although I can't guarantee I won't be off playing Borderlands 3 when the
message comes in, so be patient.





-- 
Craig Szczublewski / KD8KBU