Manager of British Championship

[Adam Raoof]

All of which makes one wonder why the webmaster stepped down, and why this fact hasn't been advertised until now, to the best of my knowledge.

The reason for this is known to me but I am not sure if the ECF have or wish to pass comment on the reasons why?

It is a complete mess on the domain front I agree

Steve stepped down because he had reached the point where he was doing too many chess sites such as the 4NCL, the London Classic and something had to go. At the same time we also decided to register a generic name (http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/) and put the position out to tender, and he made it clear at that point that he wasn't going to be able to continue to do the website. The ECF don't own the sites (we do have our own now) and the job was totally voluntary and self-created. Now we have a vacancy, and will be looking for a new webmaster for the Championships. I hope that they can work with Steve to archive what exists.

We also have a new grading site, http://www.ecfgrading.org.uk/, which is ready and will take over from Carl's site well before the January lists (third week of Jan I think) are published, and again this is now owned and managed by the ECF.

[Ian Kingston]

Adam: do you have the data from the old sites so that they can be restored/archived in some form?

[Adam Raoof]

Adam: do you have the data from the old sites so that they can be restored/archived in some form?

No, I think Steve is the only person who has all that information, but I could be mistaken.

[Sean Hewitt]

Steve stepped down because he had reached the point where he was doing too many chess sites such as the 4NCL, the London Classic and something had to go. At the same time we also decided to register a generic name (http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/) and put the position out to tender, and he made it clear at that point that he wasn't going to be able to continue to do the website.

Fair enough. When is the ITT (Invitation To Tender) likely to be issued, and when do you anticipate having someone in place? I assume the possibility of the ECF webmaster looking after the British Championship website has been considered?

[Adam Raoof]

Steve stepped down because he had reached the point where he was doing too many chess sites such as the 4NCL, the London Classic and something had to go. At the same time we also decided to register a generic name (http://www.britishchesschampionships.co.uk/) and put the position out to tender, and he made it clear at that point that he wasn't going to be able to continue to do the website.

Fair enough. When is the ITT (Invitation To Tender) likely to be issued, and when do you anticipate having someone in place? I assume the possibility of the ECF webmaster looking after the British Championship website has been considered?

You are quite right - that possibility has been looked at and it may be realistic. The managers of the event upload the pairings and results directly. The press coverage and photography can be managed directly. There is a workload peak around the British relating to video and live coverage and that really needs someone with serious web design skills to manage throughout the fortnight. We also need someone who can design the online payment system for the British, one that can cope with the multiplicity of tournaments! They would have to work with the manager of the British to get that right.

I have a draft ITT, and once a manager is in place I will issue it. At the moment it is possible that it would be done locally for 2012, but I would like to see someone do the role every year, and for people to get to know them as the contact for the British, look into getting paid advertising for the site and for the live coverage and work on making sure that the site is a complete and permanent record of the events including the games, building on the work of Alex to compile historical records of winners.

[Ian Kingston]

Adam: do you have the data from the old sites so that they can be restored/archived in some form?

No, I think Steve is the only person who has all that information, but I could be mistaken.

That's a little worrying.

[Adam Raoof]

Adam: do you have the data from the old sites so that they can be restored/archived in some form?

No, I think Steve is the only person who has all that information, but I could be mistaken.

That's a little worrying.

I agree.

[Carl Hibbard]

I agree.

I have a complete backup of the 2011 that I scraped at one point if somebody needs it?

[Adam Raoof]

I agree.

I have a complete backup of the 2011 that I scraped at one point if somebody needs it?

Thanks Carl - once we have a website manager for 2012 I will ask them to get in touch with Steve and yourself! In the meantime I think Andrew Walker is the right person to contact with the backup, as he will no doubt be involved.

[Ian Kingston]

I agree.

I have a complete backup of the 2011 that I scraped at one point if somebody needs it?

Nice work!

[IM Jack Rudd]

The Major Open games from the last however many Britishes are on the Luttons' computers; I don't think they've made them available online anywhere.

[Sean Hewitt]

The Major Open games from the last however many Britishes are on the Luttons' computers; I don't think they've made them available online anywhere.

Which begs the question why?!

[IM Jack Rudd]

The Major Open games from the last however many Britishes are on the Luttons' computers; I don't think they've made them available online anywhere.

Which begs the question why?!

They're worried about its impacting on sales of printed bulletins, and the quote they give for doing the game-inputting factors in an expected number of bulletin sales.

(Yes, yes, I know. I don't agree with their reasoning either, but I understand it.)

[David Sedgwick]

The Major Open games from the last however many Britishes are on the Luttons' computers; I don't think they've made them available online anywhere.

Jack, you have previously posted on this Forum that you yourself had the whole of the Canterbury 2010 Major Open. Anyone can make a mistake, but perhaps you could confirm whether or not that's the case.

And do you have Sheffield 2011?

[IM Jack Rudd]

I think I do have the whole of the Canterbury Major Open on my other computer, yes. I don't have all of Sheffield 2011.