Website performance

[TN2Wheeler]

Re: Electronic delivery.  Yes that's the way it works. But the WordPress (srblog) website automatically sends those emails, not me. Almost 3500 of  'em to all the people (both members and non) who have registered there. All I have to do is publish the newsletter and then WordPress sends the emails and provides the download service. It would be a major effort to do that manually. It also posts the availability and link on the forum and twitter. Jay did a great job of setting all this up originally.

[stevegrab]

Jim,

I guess I'm just confused, are members going to the SRBLOG site to read the newsletter? Or is that site just a side benefit process in place (Wordpress). Maybe non club members are reading the newsletter there since they don't get the link emailed nor can they download them.

It also seems strange that there is no real MSTA page anymore, its all Forum or SRBLOG, but then it has been that way for quite some time. I think that is part of what makes basic info like event dates hard to locate for those not familiar with the sites. They're not looking for forum interaction or reading STAReview, but basics about the club.

I have an old bookmark for the MSTA home page, http://www.ridemsta.com/ and if I use that it redirects to http://ridemsta.com/srblog/ 

Sorry, not trying to be a pest about this stuff, just kind of curious.

[TN2Wheeler]

Some people probably do read it online - particularly non-members who don't subscribe. I don't know how many but it is offered as an option in addition to the download.

FWIW www.ridemsta.com/srblog IS a website. I wouldn't have called it a blog but it is what it is - can't easily change that now. If you click on "Events" on the menu bar:




The site will display the Events page with locations, dates, contact information and if there is online registration a link to the registration page. Right now the page shows only 2015 events because the 2016 schedule had not yet been released. When it is, I'll update the page and the map with next years events. Seems pretty straight forward to me but I'm open to suggestions.

I do think we can do a better job of describing what MSTA is all about. Maybe we need a "mission statement". Write one up and I'll submit it to the EC for approval.

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[stevegrab]

Thanks again for the feedback Jim.

[Brick]

I too don't know why it's called a blog?? Looks to me like a web page that you can blog from IF you select that option. I've been trying to get used to that being my go to page to start with my MSTA stuff.

Thanks for your work Jim! AND all MSTA volunteers! You Rock!

[TN2Wheeler]

I think there was an expectation (hope?) that others would blog on the site and would provide content in the form of ride reports, product reviews, etc. Frankly that just didn't happen and, in fact, that's the purpose largely served by THIS forum now.

I've been slowly transitioning ridemsta.com to more of a read-only website although it's still possible to comment there. For awhile (seems to come in waves???) there were MANY attempts to hack the site. We still block brute force logon attempts almost daily mostly from other countries, Russia, Germany and the Caribbean islands being the most common. At one point I deleted over 200 .ru (Russia) based user IDs. They can still read the website but can't post there. There may have been some legitimate users in the lot. If so, I'm sorry but I have to believe that most of them (many of which used American-sounding names but had .ru domains) were up to no good. I'm really not sure why they think there's something valuable there - it's not like we're Citi-bank or something. Maybe it's just attempts at cyber-vandalism. Ass-hats.

[Brick]

This is great Jim... keep on them!

As a past President to this day I still get applications to open credit cards and such in the name of both the MSTA and HSTA (I was Pres during that transition) Amazing... it keeps my shredder running smoothly! :-) Also they want us to be listed in all kinds of places. 99.9% have nothing to do with motorcycles!
 

I think there was an expectation (hope?) that others would blog on the site and would provide content in the form of ride reports, product reviews, etc. Frankly that just didn't happen and, in fact, that's the purpose largely served by THIS forum now.

I've been slowly transitioning ridemsta.com to more of a read-only website although it's still possible to comment there. For awhile (seems to come in waves???) there were MANY attempts to hack the site. We still block brute force logon attempts almost daily mostly from other countries, Russia, Germany and the Caribbean islands being the most common. At one point I deleted over 200 .ru (Russia) based user IDs. They can still read the website but can't post there. There may have been some legitimate users in the lot. If so, I'm sorry but I have to believe that most of them (many of which used American-sounding names but had .ru domains) were up to no good. I'm really not sure why they think there's something valuable there - it's not like we're Citi-bank or something. Maybe it's just attempts at cyber-vandalism. Ass-hats.