[Linux-aus] Error with conference web site

[Jonathan Woithe]

On Mon, Feb 24, 2014 at 04:16:43PM +1100, Michael Cordover wrote:
> On 24 February 2014 16:00, Steve Walsh <steve at nerdvana.org.au> wrote:
> 
> > On 02/24/2014 03:19 PM, Jonathan Woithe wrote:
> > > It's great that there's a workaround, but it seems that
> > 2014.linux.conf.au should nevertheless point to LCA2014 as well.
> >
> > The YYYY.linux.conf.au was never an agreed URL between everyone involved
> > (ie - teams, LA admin team, council, etc), it was always
> > 'lca20YY.linux.org.au'

Ah.  I myself never knew this.  That at least partly explains the current
confusion.

> > For some reason, there was one created for 2011, and then the
> > expectation somehow arose from delegates that it would exist for future
> > years, which leads to the confusion we now have.
> 
> This expectation (whether intentionally created or not) I would think is
> exactly the reason to ensure it works, at least on a "from now on" basis.

Yes and no.  If for whatever reason the overheads of doing this are too
great then I get that and don't have a problem with it (we have only so many
resources).  If lca20YY.linux.org.au is what it should be then great. 
However, in this case my personal view is that YYYY.linux.conf.au URLs
should be removed to remove confusion among users, or they should all point
(via a mod-rewrite line or something) to an index page on linux.org.au.  Or
the existing linux.conf.au URLs remain so search engine results don't break
but no linux.conf.au URLs for future years be created.

At the lowest level, I think the current problem is that 2014.linux.conf.au
gives you 2013's conference.  This could be fixed by removing this URL
completely.  Having nothing is probably better than displaying the wrong
conference.  A broader debate could then be held as to whether linux.conf.au
URLs were deemed useful and practical, although I would be happy to defer to
the recomendations of the sysadmin team in this instance.

> FWIW the name LCA sounds like a domain name and that's where I expected to
> find info when I was someone who'd only vaguely heard of LCA.

I must admit that I quite like the name/domain duality of linux.conf.au.
However, if there are operational or administrative reasons as to why
parking new content there is not feasible then that's fine in my view.

Ultimately it all comes down to ensuring that whatever the situation,
everyone understands what it is.

Regards
  jonathan