[OKDXA] OKDXA Web Site News

[Kim Elmore]

There are some statements here that I need to contradict. First, Gene 
was not dismissed, summary or otherwise: that statement is simply false 
and misrepresents how this process came to be. At an OKDXA meeting 
during the Green Country Hamfest, Gene stated that, because he was now 
managing the W5 QSL bureau, we wanted relief from the duties as the 
OKDXA webmaster. As far as I know, he'd been it since the web site's 
inception. Randy Wing, N0LD noted that he could help with the web site 
and would happily recast in WordPress. Randy offered to update the site 
and it's underlying code. WordPress is the de facto standard for website 
development (it's the underlying engine at the National Severe Storms 
Laboratory, where I work). Gene was satisfied that he would no longer 
have to manage the entire website AND the W5 QSL bureau. During the 
process, Gene provided access to all the code underlying the site and 
assistance to Randy as he developed it.

Gene has been subsequently honored with a Lifetime membership in the 
OKDXA for his tireless devotion to the club and the web site.

Every club depends on volunteer efforts of the members in support of 
that club. The OKDXA is no different in this regard. We exist due to 
countless hours volunteered to the club by members. Unfortunately, every 
one of the officers of the club have day jobs. As such, we all have 
limited time to tend to club affairs. That includes the web site. The 
web site was stood up after the October meeting in Stroud, after a 
rather thorough presentation on the underlying structure and design 
philosophy. It's unfortunate that neither you nor Gene could attend to 
see that.

Here is Randy's latest communication to me about the web site (from this 
morning):
_._._
"We simply didn't re-establish everyone's account information right 
after we established the web site.  We did not KNOW everyone's 
password.  So we had to re-establish userid, name, password, address, 
etc in the database for each user.  This is a time consuming process 
that I was trying to find a shortcut for - I simply gave up and started 
hand-entering the data.

The new site wasn't broken - it just wasn't set up, yet.

The one thing that I can take all the responsibility for - 
rebootstrapping the website was a more difficult task than I had hoped 
it would be.  The good news, it shouldn't be hard to keep up to date 
once I finish.  I have about a dozen members in the system so far.  I'm 
recreating Roger's database and updating it with all the recent 
membership renewals."
._._.

So, it was a big job, bigger than had been scoped. I am deeply grateful 
to Randy Wing, N0LD and Harvey Jones, W0HGJ, for their many hours 
volunteered in getting everything up and running. As President of the 
OKDXA, and on behalf of the OKDXA, I say a heartfelt "Thank you!" to 
Randy and Harvey for their efforts. I also say thanks to Dave Rossbach, 
N5GJR, for his offer to help! It's most welcome!

It is unwise to shoot the volunteers that keep things going. The OKDXA 
is more than a website, by quite a bit. The OKDXA is the people that 
make it up and who help each other make it OKDXA happen. Denigrating 
their efforts denigrates us all.

73,

Kim Elmore, N5OP
OKDXA President

-- 

Kim Elmore, Ph.D. (Adj. Assoc. Prof., OU School of Meteorology, CCM, PP 
SEL/MEL/Glider, N5OP, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph, GROL)

/“People who make music together cannot be enemies. At least while the 
music lasts.” – Paul Hindemith.///