APA CIO's Blog: Keeping IT real...

Launching a new community site soon!

2009-10-16T16:48:00Z

I have been pleased with the use that this site has seen as a test project. I know that we have been slow to update the site from time to time, but we've been working hard on sorting out ways to improve on the ways that the site can be used. Very soon, we'll be launching a new version of psych:communities. Some improvements in the new site: Integrated login. With the new site, users will be able to use their APA Member's Corner username and password, so you won't have to keep track...(read more)

Taking business meetings online...

2008-09-06T18:04:00Z

This week we procurred licenses for Microsoft LiveMeeting Professional. This is an online meeting system that will allow the APA to host meetings over the Internet. Presenters will be able to share meeting materials such as files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint or other applications with meeting participants. It has many features, but its key value will be in its potential to lower meeting costs for the association. Traditional conference calls cost around $.32 per user per minute. At that rate, a five...(read more)

Every cloud has a silver lining. (or so it is said)

2008-08-28T17:55:36Z

One thing that the IT industry excels at is finding new meanings for old words. Over the past few years, the term "cloud computing" has been popping up with an increased frequency. Cloud systems are essentially distributed applications provided as a service. The principle benefit of the cloud approach is that all of the infrastructure is supplied in an online redundant system that allows customers to have confidence that the system is more resilient than systems that are installed on individual...(read more)

MacAttack at Microsoft's TechMentor and VSLive events...

2008-05-12T15:16:00Z

Among the many regular events that I find myself attending are Microsoft's TechMentor and Visual Studio conferences. These are usually held in wonderfully tropical cities where you can be cruelly trapped in windowless conference rooms for hours on end. As I write this post, I am on a brief break from a session on the evolution of Microsoft PowerShell and the nitty-gritty of modifying outputs for redirection, while just 30 feet away, a slight breeze is forcing the many palm and fern trees dance...(read more)

What's that? A Mac at the APA?

2008-04-24T19:28:00Z

Yes, it is true. I have been using a Mac for a couple months now. Those of you who know me well enough will be familiar with my long held disdain for many Apple products, but over the past year, I have been (finally) won over. I started with the iPhone last spring. After nearly convulsing from seeing Dr. Hales with one and the thought of trying to make it work with our systems, I was swayed by the simplicity of many of the iPhone's applications. True, it is woefully inadequate for business email...(read more)

Upgraded to Community Server 2008 and other news...

2008-04-23T16:28:00Z

As you may see from the look of the site, I have completed the upgrade of the system to Community Server 2008 from 2007.1. The site is also now living on its own hardware and in its own environment. We are getting closer to closing the pilot phase and rolling the system into full production. Some things remain though, and it is not yet integrated into the AMS, but that is coming......(read more)

The quest for DB websites: SharePoint, Joomla and LAMP...

2008-02-28T18:59:00Z

For well over a year we’ve been working on finding ways to help our district branches with website hosting. Initially, we sought out to develop a lightweight content management system for smaller branches who have limited or no websites. What we come up with was a nice little application that was quite easy to use, but never caught on. It suffered from being too limited and lacked many features that DBs want. Last summer, several branches submitted infrastructure grant requests for web design and...(read more)

Working on moving this project out of pilot status...

2008-02-21T16:10:00Z

Now that our website has been updated and we are passed our recent planned power outages, I am focusing more time on getting this community project into full production. Currently, this system is running in a virtual environment (emulated hardware) and has limited resources. I hope to have it fully moved to a new server by the end of next week. This should provide some improvements to the login speed and page loading speed. I am working on a change in the "join" form that will require the...(read more)

Psych.org was completely updated this week...

2008-02-08T03:59:00Z

After nearly fifteen months of planning and development, the joint project between Information Technology and the Office of Communications and Public Affairs is finally out of the box. The APA now has a new website and for the first time in its history, the site is backed by a full--featured content management system. The previous site consisted of more than 30,000 files and all content was managed individually by staff. All pages were "hand-coded" and all content required several iterations...(read more)

www.psych.org is getting a much needed update...

2008-02-04T19:11:00Z

We have been working hard over the past year on updating our primary website. Many have noted the site's various shortcomings and we have gone to great lengths to provide a fresh image and new features to the website. From the Office of Communications and Public Affairs: On February 6, the American Psychiatric Association will debut its new association Web site (www.psych.org). The redesigned site will feature a user-friendly and updated format, better search capability and new and updated content...(read more)

Announcing psych:Communities

2008-01-07T22:42:00Z

After many months of evaluating different systems, I decided to go with Telligent's Community Server as a platform for the American Psychiatric Association's online community system. This platform is quite versatile for hosting multiple discussion groups for the organization. Once we go the system, it took several weeks to author a tool that would import users from the APA's association management System. This now allows members to login using their existing Member's Corner login...(read more)