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Technology

technologyGeek-speak Alert!

Our site uses Drupal, a free, open-source Content Management System (CMS). A CMS typically stores different kinds of information items, e.g., menus, events, topics, stories, newsfeeds, sermons, blogs and forms in a database; it then applies a theme (via a template/style sheet) for fonts, colors, layout to generate web pages automatically.

powered by Drupal
PHP
jQuery
mySQL
Since the Drupal interface for updating the web site is entirely browser-based, it's relatively easy (once everything has been setup) for anyone (with the appropriate access role) to add/edit stories or events, add comments, or even administer the web site (change menus, appearance, modules, settings) -- just by filling out forms. No HTML (or programming) experience is required, though it does come in handy sometimes; those with CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), PHP (PHP Hypertext Preprocessor), JavaScript (jQuery, a JavaScript library), mySQL or graphic design experience could help us customize the site even more.

Valid XHTML 1.0 Strict
Valid CSS!
Drupal (and RVUUF's webadmin) generate standards-compliant HTML & CSS; some of these validation logos are included in the page footer; see Browsers page for more acryonyms & jargon.

Green Web Hosting


apache
Although a lot of functionality comes built-in with Drupal, our site adds many (free) 3rd-party modules; many themes are available for page layout/appearance -- our site uses the (boring) built-in Garland fluid-width theme. We are currently using Drupal version 6.x in a multi-site configuration. We plan to upgrade to Drupal 7 once several necessary modules are available and stable. Hostgator.com provides our certified green web hosting using Apache web server software.

emailE-mail lists are handled separately via Google Apps, for non-profits: Groups.

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