Dear HarmonySite Administrator,
Here are the latest changes / new features for your HarmonySite...
We figured out a way to have the system automatically tune your mailing lists!
This may not sound like a big deal, but tuning all your mailing lists was the biggest headache when setting up a HarmonySite. Creating a mailing list has always been easy, but once each mailing list was created, it then needed to be "tuned" (optimised for proper functioning), using the "Mailman" software's nightmare user-interface - trawling through thousands of configuration options for each list, trying to find the right options, and then set them to the right values. A horrible, daunting, user-vicious experience. But we were stuck with it because the mailing list software (Mailman) was the most powerful, flexible and robust mailing list software available. It was basically the only tool that would do the job we needed, so we had little choice but to use it. We wrote a help guide for the process, but it didn't help much - tuning a mailing list was still an ordeal.
Whilst doing some research, we discovered a way that we could get our HarmonySite software to automatically adjust all these settings for us. This has now been integrated into your HarmonySite software. Yippee!
Unless you know for certain that your mailing lists have been optimised/tuned, I recommend that you check each one now, by doing the following (don't worry, it takes about five seconds per list)...
1. Log into your HarmonySite members area
2. Click the "Mailing Lists" icon/link
3. For each of your mailing lists, click the "Administer" link in the right-hand column
4. If you see a red/pink warning message about your list needing tuning, then click the link below the warning. Otherwise return to Step 3 for the next list...
5. On the "Tune Mailing List" page, complete the 3 simple questions, and click "Submit". Two questions should be already filled in for you, so all you probably need to do is select which type of mailing list you're tuning. If you don't know the answer to that, then email me. After clicking "Submit", your list is tuned! Wasn't that easy!
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for each list
Other recent changes
· Public events and posts (e.g. news items) now have a Facebook "Share" button on their page. Clicking this button will share the details of the event/post to your Facebook timeline. It will intelligently pick the event's/post's title, feature-picture and description.
· (for singing groups) Voice parts are now easily configured, meaning that you can add, update or delete voice parts in the same way that other aspects of the system are administered. To do so, simply select "Lists" from the drop-down list in the "Administration" box on your main Members page. On the "List Items Administration" page, locate the voice part you want to update/delete it, or click the "Add new list item" button (top-right) to create a new one. NOTE: It is VERY dangerous to delete an existing voice part that's already being used. If you get the urge to delete a voice part, please check with me first that it's safe to do so.
· (for singing groups) The Assessments page now has summaries at the bottom of the page, showing the number (and percentage) of members that have been assessed at various levels on each song.
· (for singing groups with multiple ensembles) If you manage multiple ensembles in your HarmonySite, then you may be aware that it's possible to specify which ensemble(s) each song is for. We now have a new option that prevents members of one ensemble seeing the songs of another ensemble (perhaps for copyright purposes). This option is found via Members -> Administration -> Website Setup and Configuration -> HarmonySite -> Configuration -> Privacy.
· You're probably aware of the existence of the Member Search box in the top-left corner of your site (visible only when you're logged in). If you want to do a member search, and you can't be bothered reaching over for your mouse, you can now simply type Alt-S on your keyboard to begin the search. Woohoo!
As usual, if you have any questions about these new features, please don't hesitate to contact me.
In harmony,
Mark Virtue
HarmonySite
Australia
+61 2 8005 4277 (Australian number)
In North America, call: 1-415-651-7009 (San Francisco number)
Skype name: mvirtue
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