*** DOMAIN NAMES *** that could be used.

• Commercial Businesses (in the United States) normally have the .com suffix (the suffix is also called a 'Top Level Domain' or TLD)
• Organizations such as clubs and associations normally have the .org suffix.
• These names are normally registered one year or more at a time.
• Free domain name registration may be included with web site hosting service.
• Search for and select names that can be spelled easily, are as short as possible, and are not likely to be confused with another organization. All letter names (such as AWSC.org) will be known by most insiders or members, but strangers or outsiders will probably get it wrong unless in a link or written down.

Domain name availability search (across several suffixes at once)

Check on ownership of .org Domain Names with the official .org name management entity.

Check on ownership of Domain Names

*** WEB SITE HOSTING and SERVICE ***

theHostPlanet.com Has a guide to low cost web site hosts charging approximately $5 to $10 per month.

Criteria for selecting a web host

• A control panel is a group of tools for you to control (or administer) your account. With a control panel, you can create email accounts, edit/copy/rename/upload/view files and folders, change settings, etc.
• vDeck (a newer control Panel system for Unix web site management)
  vDeck Control Panel Demo After clicking on this link you will have to enter:
  User name: vdemo
  Password: vdemo
• cPanel (an older control panel system for Unix web site management)
  cpanel Control Panel Demo After clicking on this link you will have to enter:
  User name: demo
  Password: demo
• diskspace (how much storage for pages & pictures & forms)
  AveragePageSize X NumberOfPages
• bandwidth (how much web information can be delivered to users in one month)
  AveragePageSize x AverageNumberOfPagesReadPerUser x AverageNumberOfUsersPerMonth
• Free Domain name registration or renewal
• POP3 email accounts (can access mail thru Outlook Express email program)
• CGI/PERL/PHP scripting languages versions supported
• MySQL database support version supported
• Quality of Customer Service and Help information
• Backup and Recovery Support
• Web Page Builder/Designer software
• support for Microsoft Front Page, Windows PC based website creation and uploading software.
• support for web based design tools and web based page editors, which only require an internet browser on the web technician's P.C.
• Web based ftp (to upload files to the web site)
• SSI support Server Side Include commands (the web server dynamically inserts file modification date, file sizes, and includes sections of information into a web page).
• Shopping Cart Services
• Chat Rooms
• Forums

IpowerWeb listing of features $96/year for 1 year, $84/year for 2 years free domain name registration

*** WEB DESIGN REQUIREMENTS/GUIDELINES ***

Once the web site is setup, the biggest problem will be updating with new information and content, on a timely basis.

It is also critical that several people are trained and have the tools to perform each function involving the web site.

It must be easy for people with minimum training and tools to change/add/update content. If the people who are responsible for changing content have to have powerful P.C. based web design tools like Microsoft Front Page or similar, it will become expensive, they will require fairly powerful late model computers, and they will need quite a bit of training and/or experience. It is not reasonable to expect several volunteers to meet such requirements.

Your web site must work and appear consistently with all available web browsers used by members:

• Several Versions of the following
• Internet Explorer Browser by Microsoft
• Navigator Browser by Netscape
• Firefox Browser by Mozilla.com for Windows, Mac and Linux
• Apple Mac Browser (Safari)
• Apple Max OS X Safari Browser
• Opera Browser for Windows, EPOC, BeOs and Linux opera.com

Because of many non-business or rural users, a snowmobile club website must work with lower speed dial-up connections. Be SURE and test your website on a dial-up connection.

The web pages should be easy to read, without a lot of distracting features, graphics, odd fonts. Many of these more unusual features are programmed thru script (such as Java) and there are many versions of these script languages on different computers. For security protection, some people have even blocked their computers from being able to run these scripts.

Try to limit content files to .html, small .gif (graphics) .jpg (pictures) and .pdf print image.

Try to avoid scanning a document, map, picture or printout and then putting that file on the web site, because quality is often poor, a viewer cannot do a cut and paste, and the file size is MUCH larger than the preferred formats used to put information on the web.

There are several products and services available to convert files or print output into the .pdf format.

The .doc format (Microsoft Word or Word Perfect or ???) files can look a lot different depending on what program/version is being used to display it. Convert it to a .pdf before putting on the web, unless you want people to be able to edit and modify it.

*** CONTENT ***

• Club news (elections, events, reminders)
• Newsletters and/or minutes of previous meetings
• Calendar (include scheduled meetings/events)
• Future club events (info and signup deadline, requests for help)
• Legislative information, action requests.
  
  
• club contact info (Officers, Board members, Trail masters, Committe chairs ???) Some clubs have job description email addresses such as President@club.org so that as officers change, the club email info stays the same. The web master can have the web site automatically forward email from President@club.org to GeorgeWashington@hotmail.com, then you only have to change forwarding info when officers change. It also keeps personal email adresses private.
• club member list/email addresses (only for members who are agreeable to this)
• email group names, such as 'Board' (for board of directors) 'Trails' (for all trail section leaders) etc. to allow emailing to them, without the sender knowing their individual email names.
  
  
• how to join or renew membership, including membership applications
• safety class info (schedule/location link to DNR schedules)
• snowmobile maintenance info (prep for the season and off season/storage)
• Awards and recognition for members.
  
  
• bulletin board (to post announcements and sale items)
• chat rooms where people can discuss in real time, by typing in questions or responses, while viewing questions and responses from other online users. Everyone has to be online at the same time.
• forums for general/committee discussions or surveys. Not everyone has to be online at the same time.
  
  
• Trail info (open/close, reroutes, marking, area regulations)
• Trail map to display or download
• Trail map advertiser info
• How to become an advertiser on the Trail map
• Information about raffles, swap meets and other fund raisers.
• Sponsoring/Supporting businesses
• Dealer Open House events
• Community events (parades, fairs, festivals)
• Past club events (story, pictures, thank yous, etc.)
  
  
• links to associated web sites
• weather link
• cam links for club trip locations
  
  
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Web Committee page with tools, procedures, work responsibility, structure of web site, other information
• Instructions on what is necessary to display/print .doc or .pdf files and download Microsoft Word Viewer or Adobe Reader software.
• cam links for club trip locations
• Have a way for users to report problems or suggestions to the webmaster or web committee.