One Week and Counting...

The website re-do is almost done. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's been a long process and I am very thankful we're almost at the end of the beginning. Yes, I did say the end of the beginning. One week from today, we will be up and running.

When you take on a new project like this one you find out just how much more work it is going to be to have a new, up-to-date website with all the bells and whistles. The re-do and building of the site was just the beginning. Now, we have to make a commitment to keeping it current.

Our new website has a different admin panel than our old one. It seems like there are a lot more "steps" to posting stories, pictures, etc. One of my co-workers pointed out that this isn't going to be any picnic. I totally agree. But what is the price for taking the next step up?

When we took this on, I'm not sure we all knew exactly what we were in for. But I did know it was going to be a lot more work than the old one. You can't have podcasts, video, blogs, photo galleries and lots of other interactive features without more work. I'm not sure what some of us were thinking...would this new website just run itself?

But I am excited. I think all the hard work will be worth it, but yes, I do have to remind myself this is only the beginning.

In the Throws

A while back I mentioned we are switching website providers. And it has been a process. I can see the light at the end of tunnel, but it hasn't been without blood, sweat and tears.

Technology can be frustrating. I don't think you ever know enough to be truly comfortable. Just as I was figuring my way around the old website admin panel, now we have a new one to navigate. Even though I'm fairly comfortable with my old admin panel, now I feel like I don't know anything. Isn't it amazing how another look at the same function can just throw you off? It used to take me just a minute or less to post a story I had written. Now, it takes me about five minutes.

I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end, but right now it is mind-numbing.

Verified Accounts on Twitter

Don't you just love social media? But, with every good thing comes a dark side. When our sports information department decided to enter the Facebook world, we spent several weeks trying to get a renegade Facebook page down--someone running a page pretending to be the "official" page of Montana State athletics. There were some profile pictures that definitely didn't reflect our philosophy.

At that time, Facebook wasn't real fast at getting back to you if you had a problem. We asked them (with the imposter's blessing) to transfer all the friends to our new account. They did take the renegade page down, but we never got the thousands of friends. Oh well...Do you know who is trying to impersonate you out there? With the wonderful freedom of Twitter, Facebook, etc. goes a small glitch of security and confidentiality.

There are quite a few Twitter accounts out there with some form of our school name and athletic department mascot. It is bothersome for sure, but now Twitter is offering a solution for credibility. They have what's called a Verified Accounts application. You can fill out the form and ask for Twitter's checkmark of verification that you are officially who you say you are. Twitter has no way to keep up with impostors, so it is up to us to watch the twittersphere for pretenders.

So, I filled out the application and we will see what happens. There are no guarantees for the magic checkmark--I'm kind of wondering what the criteria is as it wasn't described. But, if you do get chosen, you will get the checkmark on your home page, for what it's worth.