Beta introduction and process for beta testers
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mute http://metamute.org/
January 2006
Welcome and introduction!
=========================
As a friend of Mute, we would like to invite you to be involved in the
relaunch of our web site Metamute. With technical help from OpenMute,
the Mute team have been working on a replacement for Metamute.com for
the whole of 2005 and we are finally ready to bring you its progeny,
Metamute.org. We hope you'll like the new Metamute's mixture of
OpenPublishing, commissioned content and Print on Demand features and
that you'll be an active part of its evolution over the next year.
The site is now pretty much ready for release, but before we open it to
the public we need your help taking it through its paces. To do this,
you'll need you to register on the site, after which you can post
content, try out different features and test facilities like our POD
park. For those who watch out for these things, Metamute.org is based on
FLOSS content management systems Drupal and CiviCRM. A number of site
features are still under construction, but these should be completed
before the site is publicly launched at the beginning of February 2006.
Below you can find a list of areas you can post to as well as details on
areas that are still under construction. We have also described a
variety of channels created for your feedback.
Your help is much appreciated – Mute
Web addresses and contact details
=================================
Main site – http://metamute.org/
Public Library BitTorrent – http://pl.metamute.org
Agent Network – http://dev.metamute.org and http://crm.metamute.org/
Bug tracker – http://3d.openmute.org/
Email lists – http://lists.metamute.org/
IRC irc.freenode.net #metamute
Contact us, Email: webmaster AT metamute.org or Tel: +44(0)20 7377 6949
Site features
=============
NB, this section of the beta text is a straight replica of what new
users will be receiving as 'What's New?'. We have not edited it, so
excuse any lack of brevity.
**Membership**
Metamute.org is a membership based site where you can log in to submit
articles or upload media. There are a variety membership categories,
reflecting levels of involvement and usage. These are: anonymous,
authenticated, subscriber, agent and editor.
**Free to share magazine content**
Simultaneous to its publication in print, Mute will be making its
magazine content freely available online for non-commercial use,
reprinting and translation.
**OpenPublishing**
The following areas of the site are open for members' contributions:
News & Analysis, Public Library (P2P file sharing service), Calendar,
Forums & lists
**POD and User POD [*]**
Print on demand is a high quality, low cost form of digital book
printing, through which one or 1000s of copies can be printed in several
locations throughout the world. Mute has opted for this technology for
reasons of cost, but also so we can be more responsive to developments
on our website. Outside of our regular magazine run, we will be
producing a variety of other POD imprints.
As a user, you can recompose any content items from the site and have
your own book printed and delivered at low cost. The digital print
process also means you can leave a PDF of your book online to share with
others, in our POD Park.
**Public Library (PL)**
Media based works can be uploaded/ downloaded by any user at our P2P
file sharing torrent, the Public Library. At the PL, you can also share
your opinions on the files available and we encourage users to regard
this reviewing as integral to the uploading and downloading of their
media warez.
**Content filtering [*]**
The Mute site is vast and will become even more so. To make its content
more accessible, we have added a system of classification which helps
you sort the content of the site. We feel strongly that the new Mute
should be about your view of things as much as ours; to make this happen
we invite you to expand on the subjects we've included in our category
listings. Help guides will soon be available on how to do this, and we
will also keep our own classifications constantly under review (the
present listing is definitely just a beginning!).
**Shop**
We have opened up our shop to allow users to sell their cultural
products and digital downloads next to ours. In line with this, we have
also enabled multi-currency transactions via PayPal or credit card to
make it easier for users to make associated financial transactions.
**Agent network, the Networked Distribution Services/NDS [*]**
Mute invites site users to join our agents scheme, which rewards the
local distribution and sale of Mute with 30% of the cover price. The
system - whose working title is NDS (Networked Distribution Service) -
is made possible by software which allows orders, deliveries and
payments to be tracked online. Mute's agent network is also open to
users offering their publications for distribution and sale: through
this process of mutual support, we aim to contribute to alternative
distribution networks globally. See http://crm.metamute.org and
http://dev.metamute.org
**Translations [*]**
Users can translate articles on the Mute site into a variety of
languages through a simple online editing process. Volunteering to
translate can be done without contacting the editor, as the site
provides an easy to use text editor and automated submission process.
Mute is still working on the protocols involved, as multiple
translations in (likely) varying degrees of completion will need to be
categorised systematically and original authors consulted on their
preferred relationship to new texts.
**Banner monitoring**
Metamute.org allows web advertisers to have greater levels of control
over, and awareness of, the activity of their ads. Information relating
to banners' performance can be viewed and analysed by day, week and
month, and banners can be switched on and off for specific periods of
time. As in other areas of the site, this activity is contained in a
personalised work area which automatically responds to members' status
and registration details.
**Project commissions**
Metamute.org has a projects area where we will regularly feature new art
and cultural commissions.
[*] Items accompanied by this sign are still in varying stages of
development, although they are a full part of our project planning.
Reporting back to us
====================
We have created a variety of feedback channels for the beta testing
group to ask questions, take part in discussions and report bugs or
feature requests.
* Lists - we have a discussion list called that you are welcome to
join. This can be done at
http://lists.metamute.org/mailman/listinfo/mute-beta1 . Mute and
OpenMute team members are on this list and you can see it archived at
http://www.metamute.org/en/forum/3413
* Bug tracker - the bug tracker is a web based system for reporting bugs
or feature requests. Within it, we have set up a project called
MetamuteBeta. At the bug tracker you'll find a list of all currently
reported issues and you are welcome to add a bug note if you think it's
required. You will need to register at http://3d.openmute.org and
navigate to the 'Development' area of the site, visible on the left menu
bar.
* IRC - We have an active IRC channel on irc.freenode.net called
#metamute. Please join us here to chat about the project.
How long will the beta test period last?
========================================
We are planning to run the Beta test of the Metamute.org site over
January 2006, unless we encounter major problems. Fingers crossed :-)
What we'd like you to do on the site
====================================
* Post to the site - there are a variety of OpenPublishing areas of the
site including 'News & Analysis', 'Public Library' (a P2P file sharing
service), Calendar, 'Discussion' (forums & lists
* Become a PL seed - we need beta testers to upload to the Mute
BitTorrent and also act as seeds on the file sharing network. Full
instructions can be found on the PL site, http://pl.metamute.org/
* Troubleshoot POD - the POD features of the site currently allow you to
create your own personalised collection of Mute site content and have
the collection stored in our POD Park area as a downloadable PDF file.
At present, the PDFs created only have extremely basic styling, but we
are working on a version of the facility to jazz it up. Either way,
having people test it will be very useful
* Feature suggestions - if there are things you think we should add to
the site or that we could make improvements on, please don't hesitate to
make your suggestions.
* Text corrections - if you see any errors or typos, corrections are
appreciated.
* Moderation - over the period of the beta test we'll be introducing a
set of features that allow users to vote on articles, in effect
'moderating' them to higher priority positions. We will make an
announcement on the beta email list when they are available.
Known problems
==============
A number of features on the site are still in development or proving
problematic. These have been listed below so you are aware that we are
working on them and don't waste your time informing us.
* Pay on account - at present this service for 'agent' members is not
functional.
* PODs timeout - large PDF documents that are created as part of the POD
process time out when you click the 'view PDF' button, the result of
which is that a single page blank document is returned to the user.
* Contextual menus - the contextual menu is the two-layered grey/white
menu that runs horizontally across the top of the site. The menu system
is meant to give the user and indication of which part of the site they
are in by highlighting it in red. Occasionally, the menu system loses
its highlighting.
* Agent network - currently the agent network is uncompleted. We will
make announcements on the progress of the system on the beta email list.
* Site information - some written site information is still under
construction (including projects and other), so please bear with us...
though comments are still appreciated!
Be aware!
=========
* PayPal is live - our PayPal transaction system is live so if you make
a purchase your account will be debited. Any questions regarding
payments should be sent to
* Data loss - since the site is in beta testing mode it is possible that
articles or any type of data added to the site could become lost or, in
an extreme case, we might have to restore the site to an earlier backup
version.
The roadmap
===========
06/01/06 --------- Version BETA
06/02/06 --------- Release 1
2nd Quarter 2006 - Release 2
2nd Quarter 2006 - POD
2nd Quarter 2006 - Agent network
