In 1999 the internet landscape was very different from what it is today. In the absence of free services for things like weblog hosting, photo hosting, group collaboration, etc. Google had started the year before and was at the time merely a search engine (one the blew yahoo and altavista out of the water, but still a search engine).
It was in this environment that I envisioned a website to try to keep this community of people (my friends and theirs) in contact despite physical separation as people moved away to colleges and other towns. I happened upon the site design that I made in 1999 (before implementing it a couple years later) and thought I’d put it up here. At the time there was no cementhorizon and the provisional name was “Tree Group” because that was the name of the group of people in high school (we all hung out at lunch around a specific tree). These are just notes laying out ideas for what would go on the site and how it would work.
Tree Group Conceptual Layout
POP and Web Based Access to Email Addresses
- First Letter of first name followed by first 7 letters of
last name - jdoe@domain.com
dsmall@domain.com - 10 additional addresses available per person
gene_wood@domain.com
djsmall@domain.com
jfranethornbeck@domain.com
eew@domain.com
Hosted Web pages
- www.domain.com/username or sitename.domain.com (with
FrontPage server Extensions)
Monthly Newsletter
- Note from me
- updated What’s Up pages
- upcoming Calendar Events
- For Sale Listings
- Movie/Book Reviews
Databases
-
User Database (#201)
- username [INDEX VALUE]
- password
-
Group Database (#202)
- Global Group number [INDEX VALUE]
- Owner’s Username
- 0 : unmasked [set owner to nobody]
- 1 : masked (from everyone) [set owner to nobody]
- 2 : group mask (group 1001)
- 3 : group mask (group 1002)
- etc.
- group 1 is the first group saved by any user
- Groups from group mask consist
of list of unchecked (masked) usernames - Groups from the photo gallery consist of the
members in the photo - groups 100-1000 are single user groups (e.g.
group101 : gwood / group 102 : dsmall / etc) - Multi-User groups begin at 1000
-
Contact Database (#203)
- Each Field has and associated mask value from Group
Database (#202) - UserName [INDEX VALUE]
- First Name
- Middle Name
- Last Name
- Home Phone
- Parents Phone
- Home Address
- Parents Address
- Work Phone
- Work Address
- Secondary Phone Number
- Tertiary Phone Number
- Primary email address
- Secondary Email address
- Tertiary Email Address
- ICQ Number
- AOL IM ID
- Yahoo Messnenger/Pager ID
- Pager Number
- Cell Number
- Other Wireless Number
- College Name
- Homepage
- What’s Up Text
- PGP Key
- Default Prefered Address Book Format
(Netscape/WAB/Outlook) - Default number of Thumbnails per Page
- Each Field has and associated mask value from Group
-
Event Database (#204)
- Event ID# [INDEX VALUE]
- Event Title
- Begin Date
- Begin Time
- End Date
- End Time
- Owner UserName
- Description
- Post it in the Newsletter? [True/False]
- Mask Value (Who’s Invited)
-
Photo Gallery Database (#205)
- Photo ID# [INDEX VALUE]
- Owner username
- Date
- Date Accuracy [True/False] (True : Accurate /
False : Guess) - People in the picutre as a Group ID# from Group
Database #202 - Total Number of Ratings Votes
- Total Value of all Ratings Votes
-
Discussion Group Database (#206)
Web Site Universal Pages
Event Description Page (#100)
- Event Title
- Begin Date/Time
- End Date/Time
- All Events (Listed By Title and Linked to Each Event
Description Page (#100)) on the same day as Begin and
End - Event Owner (Linked to mailto:)
- Event Description
Create Virtual Group (#101)
- Every Member Listed In a List
- CheckBox Next to each Name
- For mask group default is everyone
checked (checked means you can see the information and
are considred unmasked) - For derivitave of mask group photo
gallery member search : default is everyone is unchecked
(checked means that you will have to be in the picture to
return a hit) - Save Virtual Group [give it a name and it's saved,
associated with the user that created it] - Clearly stated privacy information so that the user knows
that only he/she will see/have access to the saved mask
group
Date Description Page (#102)
- List of all events Beginning or ending on the date [each
one linked to Event Description Page (#100)] - This day in history link
User Page (#103)
- Homepage
- Contact Info [phone,email,icq,etc]
- link to search photo gallery for user as member
- link to search photo gallery for user as owner
- link to mailto: for all email addresses + wireless pager
email address + ICQ pager email - current picture
- what’s up text
- user owned Schedule Events
- ICQ online/offline graphic
Schedule : Events
- Event – Post in the Newsletter?
- User events – Variable
- Group events – Variable
- This Day In History – No
- Concerts – No
- Holidays – No
- Solctices – Yes
- Sunset / Sunrise – No
- Art Exhibits – No
Mission Statement (#104)
- To provide a means by which everyone can have the ability
to stay in contact with those that they wish to at the
same time limiting contact to those they wish to avoid - To enrich the members lives by providing event
information for gatherings, concert information, birthday
notification etc. - To provide easy access to information concerning means of
staying in contact, including long distance companies,
calling cards, cheap flights/transportation, etc. - To provide a location to call home on the web by
providing free web site space, and free email accounts - To provide access to pertinent information concerning
members protection of thier privacy and anonymity on the
internet through introduction to personal encryption
technology, anonymous remailers, and masking firewalls. - To provide a clearinghouse for group related pictures so
that everyone can have access to a giant photo album
Meta Tag Mirror Index Pages (#105)
- Multiple ancillary main pages containing Meta Tags filled
with the members names that auto refresh/redirects to the
main page - Members Names formated as John Doe / Doe, John / J. Doe /
John Middle Doe / J. M. Doe / etc.
Display Page (#106)
- Image
- Rating 1..10 radio buttons
- Email Owner link
- Members
- Date of Picture + Date accuracy
- Event Name [linked to Event Description Page if
the event exists
Web Site Public Hierarchy
- Mission Statement (#104)
- Meta Tag Mirror Index Pages (#105)
- Public News [pertaining to web site business]
- List of hosted web pages
- Request for admission form (voted on by current members)
- Link to Members Area
- Hosted Web pages [www.domain.com/username or
sitename.domain.com] (with FrontPage server Extensions)- How to build a homepage, links to help and
software
- How to build a homepage, links to help and
- Portal Search Fields [yahoo, excite, lycos]
- Keeping In Contact
- Long Distance Carrier’s Cost comparison, how to
save money - Calling Card cost comparison
- Airling Ticket advise, how to book, special price
email listservs - Amtrak costs
- Bus costs
- Long Distance Carrier’s Cost comparison, how to
- Description How to set the Tree Group Web Site as your
browsers default HomePage - Public Key Encryption Information
- What it is
- Why to use it
- How to use it
- ICQ Information
- What it is
- Where to get it
- For Sale Listings (classifieds for crap)
- Incest Court ?????? (Members Area?)
- Spy Stories
- Movie Reviews
- Book Reviews
- Sunset / Sunrise Data
- Cool Links Page
- Yahoo Cool Picks
- Slashdot sites
- Other Cool Listing compilations
- Allmusic.com
- IMDB.com
- webmuseum
- propoganda / mirrored in BMP format for windows
- Recipes
- Voting Questions
Web Site Members Area Hierarchy
- User Database Personal Settings [default [mask/unmask/mask
group] setting is unmask]- Email Address
- Linked to mailto:name@domain.com
- Primary Phone Number [mask/unmask/mask
group] - Parents Phone Number [mask/unmask/mask
group] - Primary Address [mask/unmask/mask group]
- Parents Address [mask/unmask/mask group]
- Current College Name
- ICQ Number [mask/unmask/mask group]
- Linked to ICQ Personal Communication
Center
- Linked to ICQ Personal Communication
- AOL Instant Messenger ID [mask/unmask/mask
group] - Yahoo Pager/Messenger ID [mask/unmask/mask
group] - Current Picture
- Linked to Gallery Search on Self
- Secondary Email Address
- Linked to mailto:name2@domain.com
- Pager Number [mask/unmask/mask group]
- Pager Email Address [mask/unmask/mask
group] - Cell Phone Number [mask/unmask/mask group]
- Birthday [data placed in Shedule Database]
- Schedule Page
- Listing of upcoming events that you
control [leaving school / returning to
school / BBQ your setting up / your
birthday / etc]- Each Event is linked to Event
Description Page (#100)
- Each Event is linked to Event
- 8 Fields for School Schedule
- Drop Down Box [Go back to school
/ Leave School] - Date
- Drop Down Box [Go back to school
- Personal Events
- Begin Date / Time
- End Date / Time
- Radio button description
[Birthday, Anniversary, other
(fill in field)]
- Group Events
- Begin Date / Time
- End Date / Time
- Description [BBQ, movie etc.]
- Notify [No / Whole Group / Mask
Group] - If [Whole Group] or [Mask
Group] Then Notification
Design (Directions, Time, What to
bring, etc.) - If [Mask Group]
Then Goto Create Virtual Group
(#101) Check box selection of
names
- Listing of upcoming events that you
- What’s Up [Current wrap-up of what is going on in
your life]- classes
- signifiant others
- religious epiphanies
- piercings
- current musical tastes
- current plans for school, job, love, life
etc. - Date of most recent update
- PGP Key
- Homepage [link to homepage]
- Link to Audio file for addition to email program
["You've got mail", "I just sent
you an email, Bizo"]
- Email Address
- User Database View List
- Default Category Display
- Check Box selection of columns to display
- Pull down menu of common display settings
- everything [all fields]
- phone numbers [fields with phone numbers
in them] - snail mail [Physical Addresses]
- internet pressence [email addresses,
homepages, ICQ etc]
- Title of each column linked to sort by catagory
- Search for Text in Field/Fields
- Listing [for Masked Entries Leave Blank]
- Name [Linked to User Page (#103)]
- Email Address [Linked to
- Phone Number
- Address
- Parents Phone Number
- Parents Address
- ICQ Number [linked to ICQ Personal
Communication Page] - AOL IM ID
- Yahoo Pager/Messenger ID
- User Database Download Address Book
- radio box / submit selection of format [Netscape
1.x/Netscape 2.x/Outlook 95/WAB/etc.] - Link to form for requesting a new file format
- radio box / submit selection of format [Netscape
- Photo Gallery [Database FileName / PictureOwner /
PictureMembers]- Top 10/25/50 Pictures based on Ratings from Display
Page (#106) - Search by Members
- And / Or
- Check Box Member Selection (Derivitive of
Create Virtual Group (#101) for mask
group)
- Thumbnails per Page [Number]
- ThumbNail linked to Display Page (#106),
Under thumnail is Source that is
linked to the image file (for download) and the
file size [eg Source 148kb] - Information On submission howto
- Specs for scanning images (resolution,
color, etc) - How to mail them to me to scan for you
- Specs for scanning images (resolution,
- Top 10/25/50 Pictures based on Ratings from Display
- Web Based Email Send / Recieve [username@domain.com]
- Discussion Group
- Read Discussion Group
- Create New Thread
- Post to Discussion Group
- Current Calendar
- Generate Calendar from Database
- Current Months Calendar
- Layout in Basic Calendar fasion 7X4
- Number 1-30 in each box links to Date
Description Page (#102) containing
verbose listing of that dates events - Each Day Containing Title of Event Linked
to Schedule Event Description Page
(#100) - For Days containing more that displayable
[more...] which links to Date
Description Page (#102) - Each Event contains Begin Date/Time and
End Date/Time ,- If Event has Different Begin/End
Dates it is displayed twice, once
on the beginning date and once on
the end - If Event has same Begin and End,
it is listed once on that Date - Specific Begin End Date Time is
contained on the Event
Description Page (#100)
- If Event has Different Begin/End
- Security Description and Privacy Information
Written By Eugene Wood Date : Aug 9 1999
