Q: How can I get a copy of the software?

A: Visit the Software & Downloads page to download the software. In order to obtain the software keys, you must contact Nathan Reimer, the Cornell CommonSpot service owner.

Q: What training is available for CommonSpot?

A: CIT training, train-the-trainer program for units installing their own instance of CommonSpot, direct from PaperThin, from PaperThin or partner FigLeaf.

Q: Who can answer my technical questions?

A: Service Points. Service owner, peer-support (SIG, web site, user groups, experts directory)

Q: Will there be a demo?  How can I attend?

A: CommonSpot Overview Sessions are available. Weekly open demos at PaperThin.

Q: What are the key features of CommonSpot (response from PaperThin website)?

A: Integrated WYSIWYG editor for HTML, fine-tuned security model, ease of use for contributors, extensible via ColdFusion and Java, extremely flexible site design possibilities, rich metadata support,

Q: What kind of database applications will CommonSpot support?

A: CommonSpot’s native content is stored in either Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, mySQL, or Microsoft Access. Additionally, custom elements can, through ColdFusion programming, interact with data in any of the large number of databases to which ColdFusion can be given access.

Q: Do I need to install ColdFusion?

A: Yes. You can purchase ColdFusion through the campus store at education prices.

Q: Do I need a dedicated server?

A: The CommonSpot authoring server requires ColdFusion, a database, and web server software be installed. Whether or not a dedicated server is required is a complex question and depends upon both the capacity of the server and the expected load. Best practice for a production server serving a world audience is to dedicate a server to web hosting and separate hardware to a database server.

Q: Will CIT host the sites?  What is the fee structure?

A: CIT provides CommonSpot to units on campus wishing to host all or part of their sites on CIT’s highly available, secure, and redundant servers. After initial site configuration, administrative accounts are supplied to unit staff to manage their CommonSpot sites and users to facilitate development. Contact the Service Owner or CIT's Hosting Services unit for more information.

Q: Will there be templates developed for Cornell?

A: One of the goals of the CommonSpot project is to provide a standardized approach to content management and code reuse at Cornell. In the spirit of this goal, there are many opportunities for sharing templates and elements developed within units with other units across campus. In addition, CIT’s Instructional and Web Services (IWS) provides a gallery of simple sites for project and departmental use. Some of these reflect Cornell’s main web presence, while other provide useful alternatives. Finally, IWS provides design services for those units requiring custom solutions.

Q: Shall I move my existing websites to CommonSpot?  How do I make this decision?

A: Good candidates: Large number of contributors (over 5), many pages based on same template (news site, digital  collection, course catalog, directory, etc.), extensive metadata.

Less Good: Ephemeral, highly customized “exhibit sites”, one-time-only grant proposal sites, event/conference sites, etc., sites that will only ever have one contributor who is skilled with traditional web development techniques, sites that are dedicated and highly complex front-ends to proprietary administrative or database systems – i.e., stand-alone “web applications.”

Q: How can I be kept informed about the CommonSpot developments? 

A: Subscribe the the CommonSpot mailing list by sending a message to lyris@cornell.edu with nothing in the subject and the in the body of the message the line:

join commonspot-l "your name"

where your name (include the quotation marks) is the name you want to be available to the list's administrators.

Attend the monthly SIG meetings.