In September of 2007, we launched the very first version of the website, simply titled "Russell Publications." Though graphically the site was crisp and pleasing to look at, it was extremely simple and limited in its capability to handle anything more than text and images. Many of the 'static' pages were never finished (such as about us), and updates were infrequent as we struggled to find the best way to integrate the newborn website in the everyday work flow of the newspaper. Though undoubtedly pretty, the first version of the website would be dismantled and replaced only a few months later, in December.
Just before the New Year, we released the second edition of the website, codenamed "RP2007." In many ways, it was an improvement over the original site. It had a number of features not found in the first site, such as content submission forms, a page search, video support, and web exclusive material. It was also a visual improvement over the previous version (although, in retrospect, I think it was absolutely hideous). Also, for the first time, photos from the newspaper were used as a main element of the design.
Unfortunately, despite these improvements, the site was extremely difficult to update. The use of graphic fonts and a table-based layout, coupled with a still-inconsistent work flow between the online and print products, meant that the site would suffer from chronic delays and incomplete updates. Moreover, the site was developmentally unable to keep up as we became more interested in offering special features such as video, blogging, and podcasts. In early Summer of 2007, we decided that Russell Publications' web presence needed to be completely reassembled.
Several long, complicated months followed.
Finally, in early Winter of 2007, just two weeks before Christmas, we launched our newest (and current) website, officially titled Russell Publications Online. Not only does our newest site harness the power of CSS and JavaScript to provide a crisp, fast-loading layout that is absolutely gorgeous, but it also has been designed to draw readers directly to the content that matters most: the top stories, classifieds, and the week in pictures. A new dynamic templating system allows us to update the site quickly and consistently, and keeps the website lightweight and straightforward -- a stark contrast to the cumbersome RP2007 design. It also has been developed to work fluidly with the newspaper publishing process.
Furthermore, the new version is equipped to handle a number of upcoming features, including video, news podcasts, obituary tributes, web exclusive content, and blogging, just to name a few. The site also implements the Google engine to provide users with a much more powerful and accurate search.
In short, Russell Publications Online is a complete revolution in the way we bring you the news of your community. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I enjoyed building it. :)
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