Why Build A Website?

The Internet has become the main way that people research topics and keep track of what is going on in the world. This also includes finding out what's going on in Fandom, learning about things Klingon, Star Trek fan community, and the SF fandom in general. Most conventions, probably all of them these days, have a website. Many fan groups, KAG and many others, also have websites.

Websites are a way of extending the fan community from local to global, and provide a means of communicating ideas as well as news that is of interest to fans.

To that end, the purpose of a website, whether KAG Function, Fleet, Quadrant, or ship, the web site should be regularly updated and maintained.

Web sites for ships should be much more than a "Hi, here we are," and included information on where the ship is located. It should contain details on who and how prospective members can contact the ship's command personnel to get information on how to join; a calendar of upcoming events; some background on the ship and its crew, such as main interests (hey, we're the party ship of the fleet...okay, that's pretty much true of very ship in and out of KAG!); and reports on past events. The web site can serve as your ship's news letter, readily accessible to anyone with an Internet account. You want to brag about your conquests as much as possible to entice potential recruits into joining your merry band of warriors.

Fleet and Quadrant sites can take many forms, disseminating information on the organization of that higher level entity and help new ships get started. It should also contain a means of contacting that command level's officers to help direct new recruits to existing ships in their area, or assist in activating new ships.

Most importantly it should be FUN! If it is perceived as a chore or work, then there is a risk it will fall into disuse and not be updated. In other words, keep it fresh. Plan on updating at least once a year, preferably after each major event (convention). Add photo galleries so people can see how much fun it is to be in your group.

For the ship's GFP, this is also an opportunity to develop some new skills in this tech heavy age. I learned HTML on the fly doing the first web site for the IKV Midnight Dagger and the Ring of Fire Fleet (long before the split with KAG, and before I left California and transferred to the Rakehell), as well as my own personal websites. Okay, I already had a leg up as I was (and am) a working programmer and database developer and architect. Among other technical roles. But you don't have to be a high tech techie with X-Ray eyes to succeed as a ship's webwarrior. All you need is a desire to learn, access to a couple of books on HTML, and some ideas for design, layout and content, and you are set to go!

Or, if you are feeling a little adventurous, try looking at Content Management Systems, which not only makes it easier to update the site on a regular basis, but also enables having a few other willing GFPs, with their own logon accounts, directly provide content, thus spreading the load on several people instead of relying on one person to do it all.

The bottom line is to keep the site fresh and have fun with it!