I was thinking, if Cep likes this idea, that Gatchamania could be moved to a place like City District, where people who were interested in helping get the site built could construct the pages themselves. This company (where I have my store hosted) has a really simple webpage builder. A free webdesign is included in the host price, and once it's designed, anyone that wants to build a page can ask for the password from the administrator, and then go off and build it. Seeing that I know how to make pages in it, I thought it'd be a good idea for making Gatchamania more than just a messageboard, and for making it a real community site. Anyone like this idea? Katse

So it'd be like a Wiki, sort of thing?

Exactly! Katse

City District looks like a template system. I've had some bad experiences with those -- they're very easy to set up, but by the third time you change your mind, they break down. I don't think there's a wiki system out there that would suit all our needs, but PmWiki would work for the showcase. (I'm moving my personal site to PmWiki, and learning it rather well.) Easy to install and customize. Each user could have a subsite, but any customizing would have to be done by the admin. (Write an HTML / CSS template, add in a few extra tags, then upload and change a line in the config file.) A CMS such as Drupal would meet most of the needs as I see them. It's got integrated forums and stories and blogs. Cep, take a look at Drupal's features, then contact me for an in-the-trenches view. I'm not sure if you can customize the look of individual pages. Cricket

I don't know how good any pages I created would look, but I know that I would spend a lot of time on them anyways.

The City District template system works wonderfully. It's not one to crash like most. If you can make a page in Word, you can make one in this program. If you like the idea, I've tons of content (all the photos, screencaps, music, etc) to dole out. If anyone wants to take it off me and start working on it (and be responsible for passing it around to everyone else) I'd be more than happy to zip it up and move it along. Time to bother Cep about the idea--if anyone sees him, or can get in touch with him, let him know! Katse

Can somebody tell me more about this? I'm looking to set up my fic website - and whilst I'm pretty good at doing a website, I'm always interested in hearing something easy! Megs

All I can say is go to the CityDistrict website. It has most of the info you'd need. They also have a toll free number. It's in Canada, the Atlantic time zone. The man who owns the place, Phillip, is absolutely amazing. He's very helpful--he'll do the initial webdesign with your input, and tweak it until you like it. Then he'll explain how to use the program, and direct you to the tutorials. He's prompt at answering emails--it's wonderful because you actually deal one on one with someone. He comes highly recommended--I've been working with him since June and have nothing but praise. That's why I'd love to see Gatch move there and become a community-made site--it'd be so cool! Katse

Hes not met me yet I see Tengu the computer illiterate

Katse, Am willing to help how useful I would be is another matter. But I can play quite well with word

I've had a look - but it won't be for me. I already pay for a domain and site hosting for my embroidery site, so wouldn;t be interested in payng for yet another one. I thought it was a community site or something. Tengu - if you do want to set up a website I am quite happy to do the design for you (I'm not bad) - if you want to see some of my work, my own site is www.embroiderybasket.com, the one I did for work is www.az-tech.com.au Megs

So that's where I can get the multi-coloured threads! And in all sorts of nifty blends.

No sorry I dont like the idea I have used wiki's before and they do break quite easily, Plus if they arent set up correctly people can access your work and ruin it completely. From looking at the code produced by citydistrict its not even XHTML compliant, doesnt appear to use CSS and its very blocky. I am guessing from the output they must be using GoLive or Dreamweaver to create the basic templates. However I can offer another option for you all I am happy to host your websites for you on subdomains here at gatchamania In fact I would be happy to build an admin panel for you to contruct your pages online from a mysql database. In fact if I talk to our hosting service I might see if its possible for you guys to register your own domain names elsewhere and point them to my subdomain names *grin* However even if thats not possible I can create subdomains and I was in fact intending to offer this service to you guys. I have seen so many gatch sites on horrible tripod, lycos, geocitie sites covered in banner adverts etc that I thought "Hey why not let people add up their sites here" After all I do have unlimited subdomains and ftp accounts to giveaway.

Just promise me you'll check out PmWiki before ruling out all wikis. (Unless you already have a perfect non-wikiproduct.) PmWiki doesn't break. And it's easy to set up so that folks can only read / write / upload where you want them to. Hugely flexible in terms of whom you let do what. My new site, www.cricket.onebit.ca, is on it. Dad's got a subsection. Once the move is over, I'll do up a skin for him. And the skins! Forget templates and engines and forms that don't ask the right questions. You write the HTML/CSS page, then stick in a few lines to tell the wiki where to put its stuff. You can have pages within pages, so the sidebar is edited just like any other page, and you can have as many sidebars (and topbars, middlebars, whatever) as you like. I can set you up on mine if you like, let you try to break any but your own pages without the admin password.