Contributors: A-Z Index

A

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Allen Ellis		Founder	Original designer for ocPortal Also conceived and coded the Theme Wizard and Point Store Son of one of the early inventors of Internet protocols (Usenet, aka Internet newsgroups) Token non-brit	View

C

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Chris Graham		Founder	Original developer of ocPortal, former lead developer of Composr CMS Masters degree in Computer Science from The University Of Sheffield Undertaken work for over 15 FTSE-100 companies, as well as many small and mid-sized organisations. Includes a number of banks and major brands.	View
Chris Warburton		developer for ocProducts	Made some key contributions to ocPortal	View

H

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Haydn Maidment		project manager for ocProducts	None available	View

J

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Jim Davidson		contributor	written many tutorials via Arvixe	View

P

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Patrick Schmalstig		Lead Developer	Joined Chris Graham behind the scenes in the development of Composr CMS in 2016. Took on the lead developer role in 2023 when Chris Graham stepped back to attend to his new lifestyle changes. Spearheaded the development of Composr CMS v11 and the new website, Composr.app. Formed the company PDStig, LLC to take on professional support and development for Composr CMS users especially after the discontinuation of ocProducts, Ltd.	View
Philip Withnall		Early Developer	Coded the chatroom, blogging support, the analytics system, and OcCLE (now Commandr) Masters Degree in Computer Science degree from The University Of Cambridge Other work has included helping out with Firefox, and ongoing work on GNOME	View

R

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Robert Goacher		Founder	Ran some of the early websites where ocPortal came from Technically the original developer of ocPortal, in that he wrote the first few lines of code Heavily involved in the feature design process Hosted some of our early meet-ups	View

S

Name	Photograph	Title / Role	Contributions / Notes
Steve Jarvis		project manager for ocProducts	Wrote many tutorials via Arvixe	View

Newest 10 Entries

Question	Can I leave notes for myself or other staff members?
Answer	Yes, the Admin Zone includes a dedicated "Notes" block for you and your staff to leave messages and reminders. This space serves as a shared communication hub for your team.

Question	How can I stay informed about the latest Composr version?
Answer	The Admin Zone dashboard displays information about your current Composr version and alerts you if it's not the most recent one. A link will be provided to guide you through the upgrade process if necessary.

Question	What is the action log, and how can I use it?
Answer	The action log keeps track of administrative and content-related actions on your website. It allows you to see who did what and when, providing valuable insights into site activity and accountability. You can filter the log to focus on specific actions, users, or timeframes. It's also helpful for revisiting previous tasks by providing links to the relevant content or settings. Go to the Admin Zone > Audit > Action logs. A quick action log block is also available on the dashboard.

Question	What is the staff checklist in the Admin Zone?
Answer	The staff checklist is an automatically generated list of tasks that need attention on your website. It includes routine updates like assigning new awards or adding news, as well as less frequent but important tasks like backups, software updates, newsletters, content validation, and periodic content reviews. You can customize the frequency of these tasks in the 'Configuration' section under 'Administrative options'. You can also add your own custom tasks. Anyone with Admin Zone access can see the checklist. So you can collaborate with your highest level staff on it.

Question	I'm lost! How can I find a specific feature or setting?
Answer	The Admin Zone has a powerful search feature that you can access under the Help icon. It searches through various categories, including configuration options, privileges, templates, language strings, administrative modules, and more. You can even refine your search by adding "@sectionname" to the end of your search term to limit results to a specific section.

Question	How do I access the Admin Zone?
Answer	You can access the Admin Zone by clicking the "Admin Zone" link located at the bottom of every page on your website, assuming you are using the default theme. If you are logged in as a staff member, your user menu will also have a link to the Admin Zone or the Content Management Zone. You might be asked to log in again / confirm your session for security reasons.

Question	What is the Admin Zone?
Answer	The Admin Zone is a special section of your Composr website that allows authorized staff members to perform various administrative tasks. It serves as the central hub for managing content, configuring settings, monitoring activity, and maintaining the overall health of your website.

Question	What should I avoid doing in Composr to maintain accessibility?
Answer	Avoid using Comcode tags or other HTML elements that create dynamic effects in the user's browser, such as ticker and jumping. These can have a negative impact on navigation and scrolling. Provide alternate information for multimedia you upload so those with auditory impairments can still understand the content. Avoid creating multiple content items with the same title, as this can lead to accessibility issues and general user confusion.

Question	How does Composr handle forms for accessibility?
Answer	The web standards checker ensures that form labels are properly positioned and explicitly associated with their controls. It also checks that form elements have a logical tab order and are keyboard operable.

Question	How does Composr ensure accessible data tables?
Answer	The web standards checker enforces proper markup for data tables, including identifying row and column headers, and associating data cells with header cells. It ensures that tables are not used for layout (flex boxes and HTML grids are preferred for mobile responsiveness) unless they make sense when linearized. Composr provides summaries for tables to aid non-visual user agents in understanding their structure and content.

Top 10 Entries

Question	What are URL Monikers and how do they benefit SEO?
Answer	URL Monikers replace generic numerical IDs in your URLs with descriptive keywords derived from your content titles. For example, instead of yoursite.com/page.php?id=123, you can have yoursite.com/about-us. This makes your URLs more user-friendly and helps search engines understand the topic of each page, improving your search ranking. You can set monikers in the "Metadata" section when adding / editing content.

Question	What is an XML Sitemap and why is it important?
Answer	An XML Sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website, helping search engines understand your site's structure and content. Composr automatically generates a comprehensive sitemap, including forum topics if you are using Conversr. Ensure your system scheduler is enabled for automatic sitemap submission to search engines. You can also manually generate and submit the sitemap if necessary.

Question	How can I improve my website's ranking in search engines?
Answer	Composr offers various features and best practices to enhance your SEO: Content Optimization: Write high-quality, keyword-rich content using clear headings, relevant links, and descriptive image alt text. URL Monikers: Enable this feature to create human-readable URLs that incorporate keywords instead of numerical IDs. XML Sitemaps: Composr automatically generates and submits XML Sitemaps to major search engines, aiding them in discovering and indexing your content. robots.txt: This file allows you to control which parts of your site search engines can access and index. Composr provides a default robots.txt that can be customized as needed.

Question	What are the primary metadata elements I should focus on?
Answer	While Composr provides extensive metadata options, the key elements to prioritize are: Title: The title tag appears in browser tabs, search results, and when your page is shared. It should be concise, descriptive, and include relevant keywords. Meta Description: This short summary entices users to click on your search result. It should be engaging, informative, and accurately reflect the page's content. Open Graph data: These protocols control how your content appears when shared on social media and other websites. They utilize elements like title, description, and images to create visually appealing previews. Favicon and Apple Web Clip image: These small icons represent your website in bookmarks, browser tabs, and on mobile home screens. They contribute to branding and visual recognition.

Question	What is metadata and why is it important for my website?
Answer	Metadata is information about your web pages that isn't directly visible to visitors, but is used by search engines and social media platforms to understand and categorize your content. Well-crafted metadata helps search engines properly index your site, making it more likely to appear in relevant search results. It also improves how your website appears when shared on social media, encouraging clicks and engagement.

Question	What should I do about offensive or off-topic discussions?
Answer	Decide on your moderation approach: balancing viewpoints, adhering to community standards, or focusing on topic relevance. Be prepared to face criticism regardless of your decisions. Establish clear rules and policies to guide user behavior.

Question	What resources are available to help me navigate these legal and social challenges?
Answer	Composr offers various resources, including tutorials on accessibility, staff management, and general website dos and don'ts. You can also consult external resources like the COPPA website and Wikipedia for more in-depth information on specific laws and regulations. Remember that seeking legal counsel may be necessary for complex situations.

Question	What are some social considerations for running a website with community features?
Answer	Managing a community involves addressing social issues like child protection, free speech, discrimination, and abuse. Establish clear policies on these matters, including content moderation guidelines and procedures for handling feedback. Consider the diverse personalities and potential vulnerabilities of your users.

Question	What are my legal responsibilities regarding illegal content posted by users?
Answer	While "safe harbor" laws offer some protection, you are still obligated to take down illegal content upon becoming aware of it. Implement measures like content checks, clear rules prohibiting illegal uploads, and liability disclaimers. The level of responsibility varies depending on the severity of the content, from copyright infringement to more serious criminal content.

Question	What steps should I take to make my website accessible?
Answer	Website accessibility is essential for inclusivity and may be legally required under anti-discrimination laws. Composr is designed to meet high accessibility standards, but you need to maintain this when creating content or modifying templates. Following WCAG guidelines is crucial, and you can find more information in the accessibility tutorial.

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