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Foundation was designed from the ground up to create beautiful, functional, feature-rich sites for alt-weeklies. The platform includes hundreds of features for readers, editors, and publishers, all focused on leveraging an alt-weekly's strengths, providing useful and fun tools for readers, and making your website profitable.
- All-in-one print and online solution
- Flexible, extendible templating system
- Hundreds of included components - create custom components or layouts anytime
- Robust multi-server database cluster, web server cluster, and caching server
General Information pdf 
FOUNDATION EASE-OF-USE SUMMARY
- Website structure comes fully loaded with all admin tools and user-features ready to use.
- Intuitive administrative and data-entry interface, specifically evolved for publications needs over 10 years and hundreds of publication staff.
- Multiple staff can be in the system simultaneously, working on different data.
- Web-based access to your database from any computer, anywhere (home, work, on the road).
- Living website structure enables you to add components, or change configurations at any time.
- Ability to add 3rd-party widgets, or basic HTML components wherever/whenever you want.
- Choose from any of the system-standard data-driven components seen among any Foundation sites, or have us custom program new data-based components for your specific goals.
- General FAQ for system basics reference.
- Custom FAQ for managing your homepage.
- Development Blog/newsletter for keeping updated on the latest enhancements and new feature rollouts.
- Support-email for reaching staff with questions anytime.
SETUP INCLUDES
- Analysis of your homepage-mock.
- Consulting for best-practices in your data organization, to attain your presentation goals.
- Data-archive import where applicable (story archives, blogs, and Locations), with mapping appropriate to your new goals.
- Guidance for coordinating materials and questions through the setup process.
- Development of:
- Custom-homepage structure, components, and design to your mock.
- Custom navigation and footer links established in a way you can manage post-launch.
- Style implementation site-wide to match your desired homepage design.
- Standard section-landing pages chosen appropriate to your content needs. Choices as seen among other clients. Further customizing available.
- Placeholder pages for your static-page needs (advertising info, staff info, etc.).
- Basic forms for user email submissions of events, letters to editor, news-tips, contact-staff inquiries.
- Import-rules customized to your InDesign story exports.
- Print-export format refinements for your events, dining listings, location directories.
- Filespace access for any pdf, flash, plain-html, or other non-data-oriented files you may need to link to.
- Training for standard system usage of all the above mentioned.
- Standard Foundation site (data structure, website structure, and all features).
Foundation System Features pdf
ARTICLES AND BLOG CONTENT
- Browsable categorizing:
- Bi-level assignment for articles (you define). ex: Music/Reviews, Music/Interviews, etc.
- Topic-driven categorizing for blog posts (you define). ex: Environment, Local Politics, Transportation, etc.
- Multiple searchability options (see "Search, Archives, Browsability").
- Cross-link automation to your related Polls, Locations, Events, Stories, Films
- Tagging for all content (loose-entry, or choose-from-existing).
- Popularity rankings
- Images, slideshows, video, audio — Place in-line within story wherever desired.
- Teaser-image customizable. Macro and other inline or default placement options as well.
- Multi-page option per story, or universal setting to break by word-count.
- User-options include:
- Print friendly
- Share via (facebook, twitter, etc.) social bookmarking
- Email friend
- Add to custom list (best restaurants, Funny columns, etc.)
- Article admin tools include:
- Batch-importing convenience from post-production InDesign or Quark exported files (tagged text). Automates image and category assignment, data-field-population, custom style conversions, and more.
- Schedule release per issue, and/or per article
- Review scheduled or offline content
- Reviewing your category sequencing and import-mapping names
- Standard components per story page include:
- More by this author, in this category or Topic, etc.
- People who like this also like...
- Most popular/most read/most emailed in this section/category
- Standard components per Section landing page include:
- Latest stories by category, or overall
- Featured story (optional choice)
- Related blogs (optional)
- Recent comments in this section
- Top commenters in this section
- Top viewed stories in this section
- Most emailed stories in this section
- Upcoming Events per category associated to that section.
- Recommended staff pick Events appropriate for that section.
- Popular Events appropriate for that section.
- Favorite/Top-rated venues categorically associated to this section
- Archive search box by author, category.
- Blogging admin features include:
- Schedule release per post
- Flag posts as Pending Review
- Offer comments as 'pop-up' or standard in-page/full page.
- Enable non-staff to blog through separate (non-admin) interface.
- Blogs can be fully custom 'skinned' if needed, to create the appearance of their own 'site'.
IMAGES AND SLIDESHOWS
- All images can be uploaded w/large dimension (500px wide or bigger).
- In-line placement within story offers flexibility, sizing/usage options
- Resizing to various usage per page is automated by the system
- In-screen cropping option for Admin ease.
- ‘Click to enlarge’ option for each.
- Images can be linked to another URL, instead of ‘enlarging’
- Image ‘alt’ tag can be customized if needed.
- Unique custom teaser image option.
- Create ‘Slideshows’ for inline or stand-alone placement as well.
- Browsable image archives, with full related data linking.
VIDEO AND AUDIO
- Supports any standard embedded video from your 3rd party of choice (YouTube, Vimeo, BrightCove, etc.)†
- Supports standard MP3 file upload
- Inline-placement of video and audio.
- Browsable archives of content with audio or video
- Video-specific additional format for better user experience.
LOCATIONS
- Robust browsing via your custom categorizing:
- Bi-level assignment of categories for locations (you define). ex: Restaurants/Italian, Arts & Culture/Museums, etc.
- Neighborhoods — Customize your bi- or single-level neighborhoods, sequence them, and narrow the ez-browse choices.
- Features per location for browsing (you define). ex: Patio, Handicapped accessible, Green business, family friendly, etc.
- Multiple searchability options (see “Search, Archives, Browsability”).
- Dining guide offers additional values/options (price, menu, dining-specific features)
- Cross-linking via a single ‘master location’ for chains or compound/related locations.
- User-options include:
- Commenting/review/rating
- Sort others comments by date, or rating
- Same User-option tools as with story content (saving as favorite to profile, custom list, email friend, etc).
- Admin tools include:
- Upsell options for paid-description, images, coupons, etc.
- Icons — Customize your icons for various location features
- Twitter-feed include option per location
- Magnum-size image placement, slideshows, etc.
- Export Dining capsules, or other location directories for print (see “Print Export” section)
- Standard side-components include:
- Upcoming events at this location, Past events, Related stories, other related locations.
- ‘Nearby’ component shows locations ‘near’ whatever location you’re viewing.
- Automated Maps, small and large view, and “Directions” tool
- Map default to your city center if address is unmappable (admin option)
- Friends of this location
- Popular locations, most-viewed locations, top-rated locations, staff-pick/recommended locations.
EVENT/CALENDAR LISTING
- Robust browsing via your custom categorizing:
- Bi-level assignment of event categories (you define). ex: Arts & Culture/Museums, Music/Rock, etc.
- Neighborhoods (browsed by location event is held)
- Features per event for browsing (you define). ex: Staff Pick, Free, Family-friendly.
- By-date (today/tomorrow/weekend/week, or per date)
- Multiple searchability options (see “Search, Archives, Browsability”).
- User-options include:
- User commenting
- Same User-option tools as with story content (saving as favorite to profile, custom list, email friend, etc), plus:
- “Remind me” text or email per event
- Add to iCal option per event
- Bookmarkable page for each current event and past event.
- Admin tools include:
- Enter events easily, at any time.
- Fields for all needed data (phone, url, price, description, etc)
- Date/time/frequency settings flexible and easy to enter any time.
- Relationship between events and stories, locations, other events, easy to set.
- Featured-description for longer story-like web display option, including author-field and special ‘featured date’ for homepage assignment.
- Export for print (see “Print Export” section)
- Standard side-components include:
- People who liked...
- Popular events, staff-pick/recommended events.
- Map of location with automated geocoding and inline driving directions.
- Nearby locations
FILMS AND MOVIE TIMES
- Import movie times, poster-art, MPAA rating, runtime, and other data via your Cinemasource or Tribune/TMS account (3rd party arrangement)†
- Manual entry option available.
- Movie ticketing links integration (opt-in, varies by city depending on Cinemasource or Tribune/Fandango data)
- Connect your full reviews to capsules/filmtimes and vice-versa.
- Export your capsules for print (see “Print Export” section)
LOGGED-IN MEMBER ADDED FEATURES
- Commenting on everything (non-member option available)
- Enhanced review-comment w/rating for locations
- Saving favorites (stories, locations, events)
- List-making (best punk venues, cheap eats, etc)
- Text-message or email reminders for events
- Newsletter preferences (option per publication)
- Profile page
- Username
- Bio
- Interests
- Image/avater (shows alongside comments site-wide)
- Recent comments, saved favorites, etc.
- Privacy settings
MOBILE
- Mobile-optimized version of the site for browsing all data (included/standard).
- Easily “discoverable” to notify mobile users of the option when landing on your regular site.
- Default interface browse options for Locations/Restaurants, Events, Best Ofs, Blogs and Articles.
- Custom landing pages arrangable for development addition.
- Apps-development ready. (Apps are specific niche-concepts for specific devices. They can be develop by 3rd parties, in addition to the add-on ones offered by our partnered developers. See our ‘add ons’ page.)
NEWSLETTERS
- Standard “off the shelf” newsletters to offer are “weekly content” and “upcoming events”.
- Custom newsletter concepts and development also can be arranged.
- Automated sending to site members
- Scheduling flexibility
- Members manage their newsletter options through their profile.
BEST OF
- For voting, we have a Survey module:
- Create multiple choice or fill-in blank questions.
- Categorize questions
- Choose multi-page (one per category), or all-in-one-page format.
- Options to collect “reasons” for users answers, and/or have them choose from your location database.
- Schedule survey start and stop dates
- For awards/results, we have a “Best Of” module:
- Enter each winner as a story, grouped by desired ‘categories’ in a “Best Of” section. Enter an introduction as its own category/story.
- Link stories to related locations
- Customizeable landing page.
- Users will be able to browse all categories and winners per year.
STAND-ALONE/STATIC/FORM PAGE NEEDS
- Create any non archived one-off pages using the ‘page’ class at any time.
- Embed anything you like (Google docs, I-frames from 3rd parties, etc)
- Have custom forms created as needed for users to fill out to be emailed to your chosen address.
- Opt for users to have to ‘login’ prior to viewing particular pages.
ADS AND STATS
- Supports your “Google Ad Manager,” hosted “OpenX,” or similar ad code (3rd party arrangement)†
- Integration, section targeting approach, etc. coordinated with you as part of site setup
- Site structured to optimize standard IAB ad size placements. (Total width = 980)
- EZ addition of standard java-script statistics tracking code (Google Analytics, Quantcast, etc., 3rd party arrangement)†
PRINT EXPORTS
- Export your Events/Calendar, Dining Listings, Film Capsules, and Location Directories for print use.
- InDesign (or Quark) export is ‘placement ready’ for direct use in InDesign (or QuarkXPress). Will flow in fully styled, to your InDesign or Quark stylesheet definitions.
- Pre-poof the export onscreen with edit links per item, using our proofing/editing tools.
- Standard organizing options are combined with customized per-listing formatting to build these proofing and export tools to meet your needs during setup.
SEARCH/ARCHIVES/BROWSEABILITY
- Google Search embedded in your site, Google’s weighted results for any keyword from your entire site’s pages. Aided by your Google tools (3rd party arrangement)†
- Article archives
- Issue/cover archive
- Author archives
- Comment archives
- Image and slideshow archives
- Video archives
- Location directories
- Events browse/search
- Dining guide
MEMBER/COMMENT/SOCIAL TOOLS MANAGEMENT
- Commenting management tools include:
- Review recent comments anytime
- User-policing enables users to ‘report’ concerning comments to you for review.
- Comment review can email-notify you when a comment is ‘reported’ as a violation
- Review user-reported comment violations, pull offending comments, ‘block a member’ from posting again.
- Filter (auto-hide, or email-notify you about) comment postings by IP, or text-phrase. Silent-mode default, or error-notify member option. Able to exempt members, or per-member.
- Arrange unique styles for staff comments.
- Captcha spam-bot prevention on login, forms, email-friend, etc.
- Member management tools include:
- Review membership count, and newsletter sign-ups.
- Export list of Member emails, for use with 3rd-party ‘email blasting’, like Constant Contact.
- Social dynamic features include:
- Share-via-Social-Site icon links (facebook, twitter, etc) configurable/expandable.
- Facebook activity components (friends activity, commenting activity, etc.)
- Polling (single-question/multiple choice) with graphing of results, and user commenting.
- Recent comments
- Top-commenting members
- Top viewed (stories, events, locations, blog posts)
- Most emailed
- Most commented on
- Readers who liked this story/event/location also liked...
- RSS feeds — All categories of your content are easily accessible to users via an RSS Syndication page, and via their browser’s address bar for the related pages.
SEO
- Automated rich meta-data on all pages as appropriate.
- Customizable meta-data enhancement fields for various ‘levels’ of page types: general site, stand-alone-pages, sections and categories.
- Microdata support for aggregate sites’ easy ‘data-slurping’ of reviews (like Google maps does)
- Google ‘site maps’ and ‘news maps’ available (you must enable them in your Google Webmaster Tools).
- Reader-friendly URL permalinks.
- Automated story-relationships display your links with same-tagged categories in the papers’/cities’ sites via AltWeeklies.org.
- AltWeeklies auto-posting tools, to expedite link-back mojo.
- ‘Visitor’s guide’ to provide crosslink mo-jo with other Foundation publications.
OTHER SYSTEM CONVENIENCES
- Edit any data directly from the admin-view of the website (one click edit, so to speak).
- Crop images from site admin-view.
- From Data entry interface, ez-link to each story, location, event, section landing, or stand-alone page from atop any updated item, for preview or reference.
- Override content teaser link destination if necessary to go elsewhere besides the story (rare).
- Link each author to their archives/author info, or to email them or your general “editor” email.
- Special concept-link handling include:
- Latest issue archives
- Latest story flagged with any particular ‘Feature’ or ‘SpecialPlacement’
- Short URLs by ID # auto-supported (https://yoursite.com/cityname/ID#)
- Short URLs by reader-friendly phrase of your choice easily created/managed in your database through the ‘Redirect’ class.
- Weave ads, or other components, within other multi-item pages (like blog posts), with Interstitial placement and insert points.
- Standard section-landing pages targeted to your content size/nature.
- Customizable landing layouts for Event search, Location search, best of, and Movie times
- Exports of your data to XML format usable by 3rd party developers to create ‘mobile apps’ for iPad, iPhone, Android, etc.
- Digital edition compatible — Add links per issue to any 3rd-party hosted digital version, or PDF you may create in your filespace, etc.
- Flexibility of many site features built-in for EZ-customizing, such as:
- Email-a-Friend pop up window size customizable via variables in the relevant components: Article Tools, Events Tools, Location Tools, Film Tools.
- Content pages can have a ‘previous/next’ linking option (as blog posts often do). Choice of linking via headline, or date, controlled through variable in the component.
- Member’s profile default ‘status statements’ are customizable through the “Message” class.
- Special layouts available for unique categories (like: cartoons, video-only, slideshow-only, etc.)
- If necessary, RSS feeds from 3rd parties may be imported into your site as well, using the RSSFeed and RSSAggregate classes. For use with custom components/arrangements.
Technical Server/System Info
INFRASTRUCTURE
- Gyrobase advanced queueing infrastructure
- Robust multi-server database cluster, web server cluster, and caching
- Time-based caching and on-demand page cache busting
- Fully managed hosting and system administration
- MySQL, Apache, FreeBSD (Unix)
HARD SERVICES
- 24x7 monitoring and incident response
- Redundant web servers
- Redundant caching servers
- Redundant database cluster
- Gigabit connectivity
- Off-site database and filesystem backup
- Site-wide UPS and generator with fuel supply arrangement
- 2N+1 cooling
- Dedicated, enclosed, secured cabinets
- Site security with biometric access control, alarms, police response, and DVR
- Urgent-email address in case of need to notify team 24/7 of a system crisis.
Optional Add-On Modules
Cocktail Compass - Happy Hour Finder app for iPhone
Ticketing - Sell event tickets
Perks - Gift-certificate, ad exchange program
more details »
† Indicates a feature that’s designed as an integration, dependent on your additional arrangements with a 3rd party.
Foundation™ is a product of DesertNet™. Contact Us.