ECF Website

[Sean Hewitt]

Apparently, the motherboard has gone pearshaped on the ECF's website PC, meaning they cant update the website at the moment.

Surely this is a critical issue - and as we have an IT committee shouldn't they be purchasing a new machine PDQ?

[Charles W. Wood]

Apparently, the motherboard has gone pearshaped on the ECF's website PC, meaning they cant update the website at the moment.

Surely this is a critical issue - and as we have an IT committee shouldn't they be purchasing a new machine PDQ?

Hi Sean,

As I understand it the PC's motherboard has gone South but is being fixed and should be back shortly. Nothing "Urgent" will be left off the website. So its "quite important" not really "critical", there are no outstanding competitions to update or reports to announce etc.

However, the issue of up-to-date technology always being available is an issue. May organisations that run on 2 - 3 year old equipment get a lot of stick in regard to service levels. Maybe a quick revamp of kit maybe needed. One for the committees maybe a little meeting on Saturday may be in order, through the lunch break.

[Sean Hewitt]

As I understand it the PC's motherboard has gone South but is being fixed and should be back shortly. Nothing "Urgent" will be left off the website. So its "quite important" not really "critical", there are no outstanding competitions to update or reports to announce etc. .

Not true. I sent in details of a congress that I am organising two weeks ago - its not yet on the calendar. I certainly think that that's urgent. When I enquired if there was a problem I was told "the motherboard has gone on our website pc, which means I can't update the web"

I enquired today to see if there was any progress and was told "Urgent items are being updated in my own time on my home pc...They are trying to source a replacement motherboard, if they can't that will mean a new pc. Neither option will be very quick." This is hardly satisfactory, either for the member of staff (with whom no blame, only praise can lay) working in her own time to update urgent bits of the website, or for the Federation as a whole.

Any sensible business would see this as a critical issue and purchase the required equipment as a matter of reat urgency.

Wonder if I'll get a game fee discount because of the delay advertising the event?!

[Charles W. Wood]

That changes things, a stand-in PC should be held in storage for this kind of event. I'm sure the IT team are on it though.

The advertising of events is very important so I stand corrected on that point, when is the event? As for game fee........ I laugh out loud.

[John Upham]

I'm sure the IT team are on it though.

Who are the members of the IT Team?

I don't think I am : I've just built my own 4 CPU 3Gb whizzo box running Vista. Its nearly as fast as one of my Sun twin CPU servers that is two years old.

I wonder what would happen if the BBCs web site updating PC failed?
Do they have any contingency arrangements?

J.

[Carl Hibbard]

I'm sure the IT team are on it though.

Who are the members of the IT Team?

I don't think I am : I've just built my own 4 CPU 3Gb whizzo box running Vista. Its nearly as fast as one of my Sun twin CPU servers that is two years old.

I wonder what would happen if the BBCs web site updating PC failed?
Do they have any contingency arrangements?

J.

Aren't you a member of the IT committee then John?

[Sean Hewitt]

John,

Your strapline says you are on the ECF IT committee!!

[John Upham]

John,

Your strapline says you are on the ECF IT committee!!

As I have mentioned previously, there has never been a meeting of the ECF IT Committee that has included myself.

I did fire off emails suggesting that it would be a good idea to meet.

It did have a potentially very good chairperson in Peter Sowray and Peter and I did have a number of productive conversations but, unfortunately he resigned.

There might be some movement post October maybe?

I had a meeting with four members of a significant Association this week : they liked my League Management s/w and hope to use it for the new season. So, I have plenty to be getting on with apart from managing three 4NCL teams and various other teams.

[Carl Hibbard]

I have to say it's rather fundamental if a non-exec director and member of the IT committee just shrugs

[John Upham]

I have to say it's rather fundamental if a non-exec director and member of the IT committee just shrugs

If I was asked to provide advice for the office IT requirements I would happily do so.

J.

[David Clayton]

I have to say it's rather fundamental if a non-exec director and member of the IT committee just shrugs

If I was asked to provide advice for the office IT requirements I would happily do so.

J.

John, if your waiting for some one to ask, then can I be the person to ask you to provide advice for the office IT requirements? But seriously I think you want somone from the office to ask you, which is the correct approach. Who do the office go to if they need IT support? Sounds like your a willing volunteer do they have your contact details?

There are others, like Carl Hibbard who supports all the grading computer applications and Steve Connor who has designed the British Chess Championship web site who are volunteering their IT skills to the ECF and just doing it. Perhaps someone who we don't know is providing IT support to the office?

David

[John Upham]

David,
I believe that David Thomas / Bruce Holland look after the office combined with an SLA with a local supplier. I might be wrong of course.
J.

[Carl Hibbard]

David,
I believe that David Thomas / Bruce Holland look after the office combined with an SLA with a local supplier. I might be wrong of course.
J.

As a director you could of course check and "offer" to provide assistance

[John Upham]

As a director you could of course check and "offer" to provide assistance

I'm not an ECF Director Carl : what made you think that I was?

John

[Greg Breed]

Battle is a fairly long way from where I live, but if they wanted me to turn up and fix their pc I could do in half an hour. Just give me the money to buy a new mother board and replace it.