# What is with Comd RCN website?



## FSTO (5 Nov 2013)

A whole pile of dead links or links that have not been updated for a year and half.  I sent an email to the webmaster asking when links would be updated and my boss got a phone call  from someone at RCN HQ asking why a certain officer in his ship is asking questions!  I know that many links have gone to a Sharepoint format, but after my encounter with the "centre" I am a little gunshy at asking permission to request access.

Is there anyone in Ottawa who could shed some light on what is going on with L1 websites? Is the same thing happening with Army and RCAF websites?

Cheers


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## CombatDoc (5 Nov 2013)

I suspect it might have something to do with the Government of Canada going to a common "look and feel" standard for all of its websites. Anything that did not meet this standard would have been removed from the web. Maybe someone from the PA or IT worlds can comment?


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## dapaterson (5 Nov 2013)

I am appalled that the webmaster would get his or her knickers in a knot because a sailor was trying to use the site as it is intended.

Apparently someone thinks ignorance is bliss, and is trying to spread blissfulness.


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## dangerboy (5 Nov 2013)

FSTO said:
			
		

> A whole pile of dead links or links that have not been updated for a year and half.  I sent an email to the webmaster asking when links would be updated and my boss got a phone call  from someone at RCN HQ asking why a certain officer in his ship is asking questions!  I know that many links have gone to a Sharepoint format, but after my encounter with the "centre" I am a little gunshy at asking permission to request access.
> 
> Is there anyone in Ottawa who could shed some light on what is going on with L1 websites? Is the same thing happening with Army and RCAF websites?
> 
> Cheers



I find it quite common with links on Army sites, it can sometimes be very frustrating.


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## Transporter (5 Nov 2013)

The CF really lags behind other government depts, foreign militaries and private industry for effective use of the web. Most websites - both DWAN and internet - are a joke. It's sad really in this day and age. I believe the investment required to have more professional web services within the CF would pay for itself by providing more timely, relevant information for Alcon. It is really quite amateurish and an embarasment in most cases. Just my opinion.


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## cupper (5 Nov 2013)

Hopefully they didn't hire the same group that put together the Healthcare.gov website here in the US. ;D


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## rifleman (6 Nov 2013)

That would be an improvement


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## Michael OLeary (6 Nov 2013)

Call the Chinese, they've probably had a programmer design an effective search capability to get past our obviously intentional attempt to use random changing web design and site structure as an information security measure.


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## Snakedoc (7 Nov 2013)

CombatDoc said:
			
		

> I suspect it might have something to do with the Government of Canada going to a common "look and feel" standard for all of its websites. Anything that did not meet this standard would have been removed from the web. Maybe someone from the PA or IT worlds can comment?



I feel like we've been transitioning to the common "look and feel" standard for military websites since the internet was born haha


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## Occam (7 Nov 2013)

Snakedoc said:
			
		

> I feel like we've been transitioning to the common "look and feel" standard for military websites since the internet was born haha



Ah, but this is Common Look and Feel 2.0 (CLF 2.0) they're rolling out now.  Hell, we didn't even get all the pages fixed that were broken from implementing CLF 1.0.


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## gcclarke (7 Nov 2013)

FSTO said:
			
		

> A whole pile of dead links or links that have not been updated for a year and half.  I sent an email to the webmaster asking when links would be updated and my boss got a phone call  from someone at RCN HQ asking why a certain officer in his ship is asking questions!  I know that many links have gone to a Sharepoint format, but after my encounter with the "centre" I am a little gunshy at asking permission to request access.
> 
> Is there anyone in Ottawa who could shed some light on what is going on with L1 websites? Is the same thing happening with Army and RCAF websites?
> 
> Cheers



Huh. Wow. That's shocking. Just yesterday I noticed a dead link on the NavRes HQ website. So I e-mailed the webmaster about it, and she had thanked me for the heads up and fixed it within 5 minutes.


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## FSTO (7 Nov 2013)

gcclarke said:
			
		

> Huh. Wow. That's shocking. Just yesterday I noticed a dead link on the NavRes HQ website. So I e-mailed the webmaster about it, and she had thanked me for the heads up and fixed it within 5 minutes.



With the CRCN there is no explaination of what is going on. Last ROD from the Naval Board was Oct 2012, I know there has been at least 2 boards since then. Float files have not been updated since Sept 2012. The last your Navy today was May of this year.
At least NAVRES updates their float files weekly and every once in awhile a ROD from RCN HQ will make its way through there, but all in all pretty thin gruel. 
I just would like an announcement that the website is undergoing review and updating and when information will become available. As of now it is pretty useless to most people in the Navy.


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## Navy_Pete (7 Nov 2013)

If it makes you feel better there isn't better information flow in Ottawa; we used to get the 'Your Navy Today' weekly when it was distributed through DGMEPM, but haven't seen one in six months or more.

I think the same folks that were doing those taskings previously are now more or less run off their feet trying to deal with the funding cuts and the series of unfortunate events with the ships colliding and alliding with other things.  Still no reason to be a dink about a reasonable question.


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## Kamil_A (19 Dec 2013)

I think its fair to point out that it's not the Web Masters job to create the content per se. 

80% of all IT positions for web management have been cut this year and they rely on CF members (in schools, HQ) to give them content to update. Now that they are forced to update the Internet Websites (not intranet) to follow the new guidelines (CF Common Look & Feel doesn't really exist, it's been replaced by 2 distinct directives by TBS), they ask if the current content on the site is valid and if so they add it. So if the content wasn't working or was already done fast & dirty, no wonder it's all breaking up now. 

So it's actually the CF members, who have a tertiary duty as 'Web Maintenance' that just don't do their work. Not their fault either, how could a NavCom or any sailor actually have Web experience/training??

Garbage in-Garbage out. No resources to keep it up.

If you point the errors, they will be happy to fix them.


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