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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1298 Posts |
 Posted - 28/08/2024 : 09:57:35
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The Norway Heritage website was originally developed using Classic ASP (Active Server Pages), a server-side scripting environment designed to create dynamically generated web pages. While Classic ASP was a cutting-edge technology when it was first released by Microsoft in 1996, it has since been largely replaced by more modern frameworks such as ASP.NET and PHP. Microsoft has officially declared the end of life (EOL) for Classic ASP, meaning that the platform is no longer actively supported or developed.
The Norway Heritage website was launched in 1997, making Classic ASP a contemporary choice at the time. However, now that Microsoft no longer provides support or security updates, websites running on Classic ASP face increased vulnerability to new security threats. Without patches for any newly discovered vulnerabilities, these sites are at risk of attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and other common exploits. In recent years, hacker attacks have increased, and the Norway Heritage website has been targeted several times.
Furthermore, as server environments and browsers continue to advance, there are growing compatibility and performance issues with Classic ASP. Newer versions of server software, databases, and browsers do not always fully support Classic ASP, potentially leading to functionality problems and a degraded user experience. This is evident in several features of the Norway Heritage website that no longer function correctly, such as the search functionality for emigrant records.
Given these challenges, it is critical for the Norway Heritage website to migrate to more modern technologies, such as ASP.NET or PHP. However, this migration process is complex and time-consuming, involving extensive rewriting of code, database restructuring, and potentially a complete redesign of the website’s architecture. While necessary for the website's long-term sustainability, this transition requires a significant investment of time and resources.
I am currently exploring various options for migrating to newer technologies, as well as the potential costs involved. Maintaining the website's independent operation, as it functions today, will likely require fundraising and sponsorship efforts, which may not be feasible. Considering these factors, the organization Slekt og Data might be well-suited to undertake this important work. But as stated before, the future still remains undecided.
I welcome any feedback and ideas from the Norway Heritage community on how best to navigate this transition. Your input is invaluable as we explore the future of the website and seek solutions that will preserve this important resource. What do you think?
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Børge Solem |
Edited by - Borge on 28/08/2024 10:12:55 |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9301 Posts |
Posted - 29/08/2024 : 17:27:22
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| Thanks for the info. |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9301 Posts |
Posted - 01/09/2024 : 21:32:39
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| I guess my thought at present is that the usefulness of the data base you have on your servers is worth selling the web site to Slekt og data even if they put the web site behind a pay wall. |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7791 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2024 : 19:44:00
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There are so many moving parts, useful parts on this website that I would hate for it to end up as a way for someone else to be making money off.
It does sound that transforming the site to a more modern version will not be easy nor free either. The fund raising done in the past on the page is very understated. Buy a graphic of the ship your ancestor came on or whatever? Maybe that aspect needs to be more upfront. To that end, may a suggestion be for a GoFundMe page?
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9301 Posts |
Posted - 03/09/2024 : 19:55:12
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| It is not just the transforming of the web site to a more modern operating system, it is the cost of daily and yearly upkeep. I know that yearly subscriptions are not cheap and one can end up with a lot of them just trying to keep up but this is the way that web sites are going. I am not surprised that Slekt og and Data would want to go that way with this site.. |
Edited by - AntonH on 03/09/2024 19:56:21 |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9301 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2024 : 03:57:00
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I am not a member of Slekt og Data and have not felt that I would gain much by becoming a member. But in this discussion I became interested in the organization and what it would be like if it should happen that Slekt og Data should purchase this site.
Looking at the overall site, I found it a little hard to navigate. but it does have a fairly decent set of pages in English that cover the topics of How to find your Norwegian ancestors. That would be useful to a beginner in Norwegian genealogy so that is a plus. I think they would have to do more in English in order to attract English speaking members.
https://slektogdata.no/nb/start-med-slektsforskning/how-find-your-norwegian-ancestors
It appears that the current membership cost is 600 Kroner which is about $56 American. It looks like I could join online using a Visa or other credit card by filling out this Norwegian form. I think it could be filled out with use of Google translate fairly easily.
Bli medlem i Slekt og Data
Stjerne (*) betyr obligatorisk felt.
https://zubarus.com/znewmember.php?publisherId=198
There is a very extensive Forum section in Norwegian and a short four part section for use of only English
FORA DER DU MÅ SKRIVE ENGELSK
https://www.slektogdata.no/slektsforum
It does not appear that many English users have used this part of the Forum in recent years. Of the Forum topics for English users the newest is from 2018. That was a question from Leo Van de Pas a noted genealogist who asked the question How Far Can we Go Back?
A section that is especially interesting to those on this site would likely be
Emigrasjon og andre land USA/Canada
https://www.slektogdata.no/slektsforum/viewforum.php?f=2510
In conclusion the site looks like it is at present overwhelming used and useful for people with Norwegian language skills and some general knowledge of Norwegian Genealogy. Most of the queries seem to be from Norwegians about people and events in Norway not emigrants and their Norwegian families.
I would think that if Slekt og Data purchased this site it could be of great value to Slekt og Data but some level of work would have to be put in to make it useful to its current users,
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Edited by - AntonH on 04/09/2024 04:21:39 |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1298 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2024 : 08:57:53
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Thank you for your input so far. I'd like to provide some additional details.
The discussions with Slekt og Data have focused on their organization taking over the Norway Heritage site, rather than purchasing it. My main condition has been that the site should remain accessible and not be placed behind a paywall. They have offered me the opportunity to continue as a project manager on a voluntary basis.
However, I’ve decided to explore migrating the site to a new programming platform. Specifically, I’m considering building it on the free and open-source WordPress software, which is based on PHP. WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) in the world, powering over 40% of all websites. It offers a vast array of plugins and add-ons (over 50,000) for features like forums, e-commerce, galleries, and more.
I’ve been in contact with a tech company that can migrate the forum to a WordPress plugin called wpForo at a reasonable cost. Their basic migration package includes Categories, Forums, Topics, Posts, Attachments, and Users. Additional components can be migrated if needed, though I haven’t yet identified all the potential parts that should be included. Please let me know if you have any suggestions.
The basic migration process is expected to take 3-4 days. During this time, the old forum will need to be set to "read-only" or temporarily closed, as data added during the migration cannot be transferred. While I’m not entirely sure how the new forum will compare to the old one, it should offer similar functionality, with the potential for added features. We will back up the old forum, so in the worst-case scenario, we can always revert to it.
The most challenging aspect will likely be migrating the emigrant database. This may require custom programming to transition it to PHP. Alternatively, it might be possible to run the emigrant database as a standalone ASP.NET application, which could involve less work. I’m still determining the best approach. |
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AntonH
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
9301 Posts |
Posted - 04/09/2024 : 19:30:24
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That sounds like a good solution.
After looking over Slekt og Data, it seems to me that the user base is quite different than that of Norway Heritage
Norway Heritage users are in the main English language users looking for information on family members who migrated from Norway to US or Canada.. Where did they emigrate from in Norway, Locaton, farm, family left behind etc.
and Norwegian folk looking to find out where there ancestral family members ended up in America. Married children etc.
Slekt og Data seems to be Norwegian natives seeking information on their ancestors who lived in Norway. Family information, farms, etc. There is an occasional interest in family members who emigrated to America but it is not the main focus as it is on Norway Heritage.
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1298 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2024 : 11:13:00
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Here’s a small update:
I have started working on upgrading the website. Initially, I am tidying up the structure and underlying code. Some of you may have already noticed that certain pages have been upgraded and have a slightly different appearance. Behind the scenes, there are also changes that are not visible but focus on security aspects of the source code. As part of this update, the pages will become more responsive and better adapted for viewing on various devices, such as mobile phones.
At the moment, I am working on this alone and in my spare time, so the progress may vary.
Upgrading the databases and the search functionality requires significant assistance, and I will likely need to hire external help for this, which involves some costs. Therefore, I have created a page to request donations for this work. Once I have raised sufficient funds, restoring the search functionality will be a priority. I would greatly appreciate it if you could help spread the word to potential donors within your network. See: https://www.norwayheritage.com/support-us.asp.
As previously announced, I also plan to convert the forum, but I am holding off on this because the technology for the search functionality has not been finalized. It would be advantageous to use a unified technology for all parts of the website. It seems that .NET could be a good solution.
I will provide more information as the work progresses. If anyone has thoughts or suggestions for improvements and the future development of Norway Heritage, they are very welcome. |
Børge Solem |
Edited by - Borge on 02/12/2024 11:14:03 |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7791 Posts |
Posted - 02/12/2024 : 22:27:22
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| Thanks for the update. I have enjoyed the "refresh" so far and look forward to future. Good Luck with it! |
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End of Life for Classic ASP and Its Consequences
