March 2002: Reformatting the web site into the new style (designed by Will Courtenay) is completed.

February 2001: The Website Manager (Will Courtenay) finally pulls his finger out and the redesigned website appears on line!
October 1999: Simplified navigation and content overhaul
July 1999: Revised navigation system
June 1999: Revised front page and site map
April 1999: Site validated to HTML 4.0
February 1999: Sponsor's logos added to all pages; Churchill Boat Transport Co. page added
February 1999: Churchill Boat Transport Co. page added
July 1998: Heavily revised site map
July 1998: Calendar added
July 1998: Noticeboard added
May 1998: New web site address: http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/boatclub/
May 1998: Instant updates are now possible, more storage space for images
April 1998: Accessibility for users with classic browsers improved
April 1998: Site validated to HTML 3.2

Site history

The Churchill College Boat Club Web Site was originally conceived by Robert Oeffner in 1996. At that time, there were few boat club web sites in Cambridge. Robert's results and photographs of Churchill crews proved popular among present and past Churchill rowers. An excellent history of the Boat Club and a transcript of the May Board were later added. Control of the web site was passed from Robert to David Sampson in September 1997, and a major upgrade applied a uniform page style across the site. The main content innovation was the latest news section, updated regularly ever since. David also updated the section on how to become involved in the Boat Club, enhanced the results archive, added crew lists, and has ensured that the photo gallery has continued to grow. Boat Club annual reports from throughout the 1990's were added in early 1998. Another major upgrade was undertaken in April 1998, to improve site accessibility and compliance with HTML 3.2. The site moved from its original location, http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/home/chuboat/, to its current home, http://www.chu.cam.ac.uk/boatclub/, on 1 May 1998. Andy Jardine took over from David as the Boat Club Web Site Manager in August 1999. The web site won its first award in March 1998. At the CCBC AGM in March 1998, the Club's constitution was amended to incorporate a reference to the post of Web Site Administrator. Some brief biographies of Web Administrators past, present and future...

Robert Oeffner from Denmark has recently completed his Ph.D. He has been conducting research at the Cambridge University Chemical Laboratory into the simulation of molecular dynamics. He is now working in Cambridge for Molecular Simulations Inc. Robert learned to row at Churchill in Michaelmas in 1994. He was a member of the Second VIII in Lent and May 1995, and graduated to the First VIII in Michaelmas 1995. He then rowed in the Lent Boat and May Boat in 1996, and came back after a break to make the 1997 May Boat. These days, Rob is one of the most competitive scullers on the Cam, and he also coaches Churchill crews from time to time.

David Sampson is a fourth year Ph.D. student from Australia. He conducts research at the Cambridge University Engineering Department into using active suspension, steering and braking systems to improve the performance and safety of heavy vehicles. David learned to row at Churchill, in Michaelmas in 1996. He was a member of the First VIII in Lent 1997, and of the Second VIII in May 1997. Since then, he has been a member of the First VIII. David was the CCBC secretary for 1998-99. He is also a U.K. correspondent for a U.S.-based rowing web site, Rower's World.

Andy Jardine is a second year Ph.D. student from England. He is a member of the Surface Physics Group group at Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory. He learned to row at Churchill College in 1998. Andy took over as Boat Club Web Site Manager in July 1999.

Awards

The Churchill College Boat Club web site was rated a TopNotch Site by Rower's World. Rower's World awarded the site top rankings in all five categories: graphics, content, photography, regular updates, and simple navigation. CCBC is one of just five sites worldwide to be awarded top marks across the board; the others are Harvard Varsity Lightweight Crew, University of Colorado Crew, North Carolina State Crew and Simsbury High School Crew.

Tools of the trade

HTML is produced and maintained using the editor UltraEdit-32

Intelligent uploading is performed by The Homepage Upper

ComponentSoftware RCS tracks the revisions of all documents in this site

Image processing is performed using Paint Shop Pro and LView Pro

All pages at this site have been validated to HTML 4.0 using the W3C HTML Validation Service

Link testing is courtesy of NetMechanic

Submission forms are powered by AnyForm

Graphics are sourced from the enormous V2 Icon Collection, and managed using IconShop

Site statistics are courtesy of NedStat (U.K.)

This site is served up by www.chu.cam.ac.uk at Churchill College in Cambridge, England

The Best Viewed with Any Browser site features information on how to design and implement web sites that are useable by everyone.