Website Tools

The website tools are a collection of Perl software programs and HTML files that allow users to build real websites with massive functionality needed within many organizations. It is not a trivial content management system to house marketing brochures or shopping carts. This is a serious set of tools for those that need serious websites. The websites must be hosted on UNIX / LINUX platforms using the Apache webserver. We minimize the use of Java because if its instability and maintenance issues. We rely on the massively stable HTML and Perl roots that gave birth to the Internet. While the content includes Home Owner Associations (HOA), it applies to anyone wanting to build and maintain a website.

When you become a member you gain full access to all our website software and tools.

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Getting Your Computers In Shape

Most computers today are in terrible shape. They are essentially useless as users wait and wait and wait for everything. The following are some tips to help manage your computer and keep it in shape.

You must keep the computer plugged in so that Windows 10 and 11 can be updated.
- It happens on a daily basis.
- If you miss a few days of updates it will take 24 hours for your computer to update and become usable again.
Check your computer RAM (memory).
- Windows 10 takes 4 GB to run, which means you don't have enough memory to do anything else if all you have is 4GB of RAM.
- Your system will be constantly paging the Harddrive, which is thousands of times slower than RAM. It will work better with an SDD but it is still a problem.
- You must upgrade to a minimum of 8 GB RAM.
Windows 11 does work better than Windows 10.
- It is a bit faster.
- The touch pad on labtops tends to work better.
Go to Windows Update and press the Check for Updates Button, you have no choice because your computer will bog down when it decides to do updates
- It will Download, then Install
- Some times you will need to press the Install Button, press it
- Some times it will need to Restart, press the Restart button
- Keep doing this until all the updates are installed
- Go to the Power Settings and select the option to Never power off during install, other wise your computer will be useless for weeks as it powers down in the middle of updates
- If your computer was off for 3 day be prepared for the Updates to take 12 hours
You need to ensure your drive is optimized (defraged or defragmented) daily.
- Turn on that option to optimize daily.
- Manually optimize the Drive after each windows update.
- This is needed because everytime windows updates it leaves the drive massively fragmented, which seriously damages performance.
Make sure your taskbar does not stack the running programs. It is impossible to see what is running and how to find running programs if the taskbar stacks similar programs.
- Right click on the taskbar
- Look for the option to Stack the tasks, select Never for the stacking option.
There are some useful keyboard shortcuts that you must use to manage your computer.
- Windows Symbol + e opens windows explorer listing all the files on your computer.
- At the top of windows explorer is the current location where the files are located.
- CTRL + c is the copy command.
- CTRL + v is the paste command.
- CTRL + ALT + Del starts the Task Manager, select the Task Manager option, sort the CPU and memory, look at what is taking the most resources.
- If your memory is more than 50% on average while doing work your need to upgrade your memory.
To find out your computer details
- Open windows explore (press Win + e)
- Right click This PC
- Select Properties
- All your computer info will be displayed including the RAM
To optimize (defrag) your drive
- Open windows explore (press Win + e)
- Right click C:
- Select Properties
- Select Tools
- Select Optimize
- Pick the C drive
- Press the Optimize button
- Let it run, minimize the screen
- Make sure the Daily option is selected for the Optimize Schedule
Remove TEMP files
- These are various artifacts from installations and programs that run
- They will slow down the computer even though they are no longer needed
- This is an artifact of terrible programming practices
- Go to C:\Windows\Temp
- Delete all the files
- Some files are being used, you will be prompted, let them stay

Organization Maturity Levels

Levels

Named

Typical Evidence

Failure Risk

Description

1

Chaotic

None

Very High

There are no processes other than weak paper trails. Everything is random, you don't know what anyone will do next, things are very political, lots of liars and bullshit artists, and honest folks are afraid, management prays on the innocent. Failure risk comes from no documented evidence and conflicting statements from people.

2

Repeatable

Tribal Knowledge

High

Things tend to get done in a repeatable way, everyone knows what everyone else is doing and how their part fits into the collective. Failure risk comes from no documented evidence.

3

Documented

Documents

Medium

There are documented processes that people follow and the documents are maintained, in other words they always represent more or less what is happening no matter the time of the year or what year it happens to be. Failure risk comes from poor documents because there are no reasonable automation tools.

4

Measurable

Computer Tools Internet Website

Low

The organization actually starts to measure stuff that matters, everyone knows those measures and are not afraid of the measures because everyone is enlightened enough to not hurt anyone in the group, so it's not about shallow productivity asset stripping schemes by poor management. Failure risk is low because there is documented evidence.

5

Predictable

Computer Tools Internet Website

Very Low

Based on metrics the organization evaluates new techniques, technologies, tools and it is able to make qualitative and quantitative predictions about their introduction into the process. Failure risk is very low because there is documented evidence and the organization is constantly thinking about improvements rather than ignoring issues as they arise.

* Failure risk is a the risk of a negative event.

HOA Website Maturity Levels

Levels

Named

Rating

Failure Risk

Website

Email

Storage

HOA Docs

Defect Database

Description

1

None

Very Low

Very High

-

-

-

-

-

No website. No company email accounts. HOA data is not being archived in an online service. This usually i.s the state when the builder is still in the community. Once the builder turns the HOA operation over to the HOA non profit company it must move to Level 2. Failure risk comes from personal email accounts used for official HOA business.

2

Rudimentary

Low

High

X

X

-

-

-

Website and company email accounts. Website is rudimentary splash page with no real content that is helpful to anyone. Failure risk comes from lost data such as meeting minutes and unreasonable access to old paper documents

3

Casual

Medium

Med

X

X

-

-

-

Level 2 plus. Website has events, meeting minutes, and HOA documents on file at the state level. It is primarily for the casual resident. While most of the important non personal identifying data is archived on the website, the other HOA business is not archived except on the management company computers which may withhold the data after contract termination.

4

Professional

High

Very Low

X

X

X

X

-

Level 3 plus. Includes HOA documents like budgets, policies, procedures, and HOA data is archived on web server non public area. It is a serious tool for the engaged resident, the board and committees. Both the public HOA data and the private HOA data is preserved and will not be lost.

5

Professional

Elite

Very Low

X

X

X

X

X

Level 4 plus. There is a defect and communications submission mechanism with reporting that is an electronic online database. There are procedures, forms and training for Quality Management, Vendor Selection, Board Training from the resident perspective, Budget Analysis, Technology, and Conflict Of Interest.

* Failure risk is a the risk of a negative event.

Members Access

Labs . Support . Software

Levels	Named	Typical Evidence	Failure Risk	Description
1	Chaotic	None	Very High	There are no processes other than weak paper trails. Everything is random, you don't know what anyone will do next, things are very political, lots of liars and bullshit artists, and honest folks are afraid, management prays on the innocent. Failure risk comes from no documented evidence and conflicting statements from people.
2	Repeatable	Tribal Knowledge	High	Things tend to get done in a repeatable way, everyone knows what everyone else is doing and how their part fits into the collective. Failure risk comes from no documented evidence.
3	Documented	Documents	Medium	There are documented processes that people follow and the documents are maintained, in other words they always represent more or less what is happening no matter the time of the year or what year it happens to be. Failure risk comes from poor documents because there are no reasonable automation tools.
4	Measurable	Computer Tools Internet Website	Low	The organization actually starts to measure stuff that matters, everyone knows those measures and are not afraid of the measures because everyone is enlightened enough to not hurt anyone in the group, so it's not about shallow productivity asset stripping schemes by poor management. Failure risk is low because there is documented evidence.
5	Predictable	Computer Tools Internet Website	Very Low	Based on metrics the organization evaluates new techniques, technologies, tools and it is able to make qualitative and quantitative predictions about their introduction into the process. Failure risk is very low because there is documented evidence and the organization is constantly thinking about improvements rather than ignoring issues as they arise.

Levels	Named	Rating	Failure Risk	Website	Email	Storage	HOA Docs	Defect Database	Description
1	None	Very Low	Very High	-	-	-	-	-	No website. No company email accounts. HOA data is not being archived in an online service. This usually i.s the state when the builder is still in the community. Once the builder turns the HOA operation over to the HOA non profit company it must move to Level 2. Failure risk comes from personal email accounts used for official HOA business.
2	Rudimentary	Low	High	X	X	-	-	-	Website and company email accounts. Website is rudimentary splash page with no real content that is helpful to anyone. Failure risk comes from lost data such as meeting minutes and unreasonable access to old paper documents
3	Casual	Medium	Med	X	X	-	-	-	Level 2 plus. Website has events, meeting minutes, and HOA documents on file at the state level. It is primarily for the casual resident. While most of the important non personal identifying data is archived on the website, the other HOA business is not archived except on the management company computers which may withhold the data after contract termination.
4	Professional	High	Very Low	X	X	X	X	-	Level 3 plus. Includes HOA documents like budgets, policies, procedures, and HOA data is archived on web server non public area. It is a serious tool for the engaged resident, the board and committees. Both the public HOA data and the private HOA data is preserved and will not be lost.
5	Professional	Elite	Very Low	X	X	X	X	X	Level 4 plus. There is a defect and communications submission mechanism with reporting that is an electronic online database. There are procedures, forms and training for Quality Management, Vendor Selection, Board Training from the resident perspective, Budget Analysis, Technology, and Conflict Of Interest.