Zcom_simple

Hello,

Blogs are a familiar feature on the internet - where users post content in an accumulating manner, with comments, and search options, etc. They facilitate expression and exploration, and via attached comments, also debate and synthesis.


Reading and
Navigating Blogs

Our blogs are quite powerful. Each writer can post, as is typically the case. Sustainers who have the option can also post, however. All Blogs appear in the blog system, and sometimes also in content boxes the top page of ZNet - and always via the left menu of the top page - and can be found via searches, etc.

Commenting on blogs follows the blogs, attached at the bottom, and blog comments, like all others, are also visible in many places that show comments including in the forum system. In addition, the entire blog system gathers content for everyone - but one can look at the accumulating content in many ways.

  • For example one can look at one writer's efforts - so one is seeing what is effectively a blog system for that one writer, or Sustainer.
  • One can also look at the content by topic, seeing blogs that are tagged as being about a certain topic - or place, as well. Thus, when doing that, it is a blog system about a topic, or a place, with many contributors.
  • One can look at only writer blogs, or only sustainer blogs, as well.
  • One can look at blogs for particular Groups, too.

All this is easily done using the left menu. Searches allow even more variables and refinements.


Creating Blog Posts

If you are a Sustainer with permission, and are logged in, you will see a link in the left menu for you to post a blog - and you can use that to post one, and then tag it various ways (such as with a topic or place, or a group tag), and once you do, it is in the system with you as the author.

You can also use the console button to the left to post a blog - anytime and from anywhere in the site, as long as you are logged in.

Meanwhile, enjoy the blogs - and, by the way, if you are a Free Member or a Sustainer with a ZSpace page, of course you can put one or more content boxes on it, pulling blog links of any sort you may want to filter for, for example, by you or by your friends or by others - and by topic, about places, for groups, etc.

Blogs

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Jonathan Schindler's Blog

Web Address: http://www.zcommunications.org/zspace/jonathanschindler
Bio: I am from Saint Louis, MO.  My left interests mainly include addressing economic injustice, although I think all spheres need to be addressed in the long run.  I am an advocate of Parecon... (More)

All Schindler Blogs

Bugzilla: Time for a bug management system?

By Jonathan Schindler at Feb 19, 2009


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 This weekend I plan on setting up a bugzilla server so that z users can log in their requests in a formal manner.  The advantages of using a bug tracking system are:

1.  A single place for users to log their complaints and issues

2.  A convenient system for organizing feature requests, and grouping together redundant requests (i.e. if issue 12475 is the same as 11623, it allows you to easily merge the two threads together).

3.  A searchable feedback system so that users can follow progress that is being made, and a history of issues.  Bugzilla also allows you to create subsections covering particular areas of the site.

4.  A prioritization system so that users can see what is getting priority

5.  A place for users to put feature requests.

http://www.bugzilla.org/

Bugzilla is used to manage user feedback for quite a few large (open and closed source) projects.  I've noticed that the threads have been quite contentious, and bugtracking systems help to reduce that.  Users can go on to the site, and they can see,"there are two members of staff working on the bugs, and here's what they're doing to address them."  Such feedback does quite a bit to reduce redundant requests, and to assure users that there is followup.  My guess is that it make things much more constructive.

What does everyone think?  I already have a test version set up at home, but have yet to get everything up and running.  If the idea gets completely shot down, then I can put it on the back burner, otherwise, I could try to get something up and running soon.

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Re: Bugzilla: Time for a bug management system?

By Schindler, Jonathan at Feb 24, 2009 11:02 AM

Just a quick reply.  I've added Michael and Chris to the bugzilla web site (they both have accounts).  They will be the default assignee for bugs that are submitted, so they will see anything that is entered into the site now.

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Re: Bugzilla: Time for a bug management system?

By Kreider, Aaron at Feb 23, 2009 16:27 PM

If you have trouble getting the email from the BugZilla, check your spam folder.  Search for "From: bugzilla-daemon@zcc"

It triggered my spam filter (spam assasin) with a medium level spam score.  Hopefully Jonathan can fix this by changing the From address in the email.

I've posted 7 bugs on the site so far.

 

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Re: Bugzilla: Time for a bug management system?

By Schindler, Jonathan at Feb 20, 2009 23:50 PM

I managed to get a rough version of the site running here:

http://zconsumerscouncil.org/bugs

You can also use https for security, but your browser will tell you that the security certificate was self generated, which is true, but the encryption will still work.

Depending on what kind of feed back we get, there are a lot of things we can do.  For now, I would just like people to poke around and see what they think of it.  I'm sure you'll find issues, and have questions.  I'm not an expert on bugzilla either, but if there is interest, we can get it working.  It's set up so that people should be able to create their test accounts right away.  If Mike or Chris (or Marcus or Cindy) want administrative accounts, I can set those up too.  Let me know what you think, and have a good night.

Jon

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Re:

By Kreider, Aaron at Feb 22, 2009 23:36 PM

I agree that this is a great idea. If you wanted to go a step further you could use groupware like Trac. I worked on a software development project that used it. I haven't yet logged in to Bugzilla, so I don't know if it has all the features of Trac. Trac was good for assigning tickets to people, estimating how long they'd take (and tracking how much time you spent on them), and coming up with release dates. You could use it for Znet staff interacting with the paid programmers and also the community volunteers.

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Re: Bugzilla: Time for a bug management system?

By Moorey, Crip at Feb 20, 2009 01:08 AM

Excellent idea. What core is znet based on, btw?

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By Albert, Michael at Feb 19, 2009 10:17 AM

I would certainly like to see a version you think would be helpful - of course!

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