My first comments are congrats, because I like the fresh feel I get from the site, rather unique set of features, some cool surprises, like the intelligent search for words already in the topics field for blog posts.
I am surprised there are not more users, most of the sites in the 120 +/- groups do not show a lot of activity. That should tell us something; their needs are not being met; or just starting up; or they use a privately hosted site for most internal communications; or?
I am trying to use relocalize.net for all our group communication needs, other than face to face and phone.
I like a web handle that is easy to tell someone, 'just look for us at burlingtoncan.relocalize.net would be such a handle.
I like a place where I can park URLs like a directory and send people there, rather than emailing tailor made lists for inquirers.
I like a place where I can host meeting minutes and agendas, announcements and files, my virtual office for our local postcarbon group.
I like a place where it is clear what goes in what section:forum or news or directory or community blog or group pages.
I like to be able to subscribe people to my group, or invite them to subscribe themselves.
I like to know that when I post something it goes to each mailbox subscriber, with at least the first 20 words of the content, not just a 'Ian G has posted to the burlingtoncan site'.
I like to have an 'announcement' override setting to contact a subscriber who does not take emails, only reads when he goes to the website.
I really like rollover 'helpful hints' which i use to remind myself how to use each section, especially helpful for new members.
I like to have the capability to have pages for members only, such as taskgroup or executive 'rooms' for documents and discussions we are not prepared to have in the open. (How many committees anywhere would let anyone in the world walk in and listen, add info, contribute, read past history?)
I like being able to post to other postcarbon groups I belong to, but would rather have that as a deliberate choice not the default option.
I like being able to keep calendar events off the main calendar if they are just local ones, it seems to me to be clutter otherwise.
So, all in all, I like what you've got started, but I worry that the site is not designed for running groups' virtual offices and being effective tools for repolitizing people. I wonder if you have linked to www.techsoup.org for ideas, techie talk among NGO type organizations? Except for the fact that we are a continental network with a shared focus on ending globalization and empowering relocalization, yahoogroups does a better job imo, except for the ads. I like the fact that you are committed to doing this in open source, with an affordable budget for us groups. I know that can't go on forever.

fwiw,
Ian in Burlington

"Respect all Life. Reject violence. Share with others. Listen to understand. Preserve the planet. Rediscover solidarity."
www.unesco.org/manifesto 2000

Zoë -

Yours was an excellent posting for the geeky among us! And it has immediate application for me - here's how.

I'm the founding architect for a new kind of urban developer: GREEN VILLAGE PHILADELPHIA. The other founders had come to know one another over the years via our local branch of BALLE (the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies ). We're rooted in the principles of the Earth Charter via 'triple bottom line' accounting et al.

Our GVP website is lousy, not interactive, barely one page. We absolutely need a web presence that is engaged & engaging, but doesn't require much maintenance (or none at all). So we use a yahoogroup: several levels of control-openness, built-in data tables, calendar, emailing, moderately-sized server storage space, and the right cost (not much!).

However, even that tool is not widely used by our 20-35 subscribing members or our 10-person board.

Before we go off seeking a new web tool, I'd like to survey the field: perhaps relocalize did so prior to settling on Drupal? Did you look at any others for features & attributes? Did you create a comparison table or list - one you could share?

One pet peeve I have is wanting one that auto-wrap to a monitor size, or at least allows design with all significant tools in a minimal window size? (e.g.on a laptop I use 600x800 browser page views to manage several tabbed and tiered visible webpages at one time) but some don't support this (Drupal for example).

I think anyone reading this blog thread might also be interested in what you saw enroute to Drupal, or they may be willing to share their own experiences.

ummmm... our kitchen is starting to smell like Thanksgiving cooking so its time for me to roll up my sleeves too!

Best wishes from an original Moosewood Restaurant and White Dog Café afficiando (ok, so now you can guess my age GRIN)!

Bill Marston, AIA & LEED AP
Philadelphia
arfitact@mac.com