#81 Super user and multiple "site" hosting

[KosherJava]

Hi,
I am not sure that the title is fully explanatory so
here goes.
I have had requests from friends who having seen my
site want one of their own. I do not want to make them
full administrators of the site yet do not want to be
the one to have to add all their users etc.
What I would like to be able to do is make them an
admin of their own "site". I would give them a username
and password that would allow them to login and
administer their own site including all functionality
that an admin currently has, but only for their own
"domain". This would in effect involve creating another
layer of user.

SuperUserAdmin
|_ Domain/Site Admin
|_ Registered user
What this would do is allow someone like the typical
current phpGedView user who is highly technical to set
up one site and allow many other people to enjoy
phpGedView without the technical headaches that is
involved in using phpGedView (the product has evolved a
lot recently and isn't really a headache :) ). The
potential Domain/Site Admin user can be someone who has
no idea what php is or even what FTP is for that
matter. This would broadly expand the phpGedView user
base, while easing the burden on the SuperUserAdmin.

[John Finlay]

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I am still debating whether to do this or not. I'm not sure
that I want to take PhpGedView down this direction.

I think it would be better for you to just install and configure
PhpGedView for them, but then allow them to have admin
access as well so that they can administer users and do the
other configuration things that they need to do.

--John

[Jans]

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Hi people,

I don't want to go that far as KosherJava, but I like the idea
that there would be a level above "normal" admin.
Of course, the site-owner has to be careful with choosing the
people who should have admin rights.

But on the other hand, maybe it would be nice if certain
settings can not be changed by others.

I am thinking of a kind of "limited admin rights". That person
could add new users, but not delete existing and f.e. add new
privacy rules, but not overrule or delete existing.

Maybe an extra option like "only to be changed by owner (and
site Admin)" could be a solution.

Greetings,
Jans

[John Finlay]

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I think that I have decided NOT to do this. I want to keep
PGV in the 1 site model instead of expanding it to an
enterprise model where there can be multiple gedcom
administrators.

If someone needs to have admin access but you don't want
them to have admin access on your site, then you should
install and setup their own site for them. It only takes a
couple of minutes to do the main configuration and then they
can go in upload the gedcoms modify the privacy and be
happy as a clam.

The thing I might do is more as Jans suggested, which would
be to have a user based setting that would allow someone
who is not the admin the ability to import the gedcom,
approve changes, and edit the gedcom configuration and
privacy settings but they wouldn't be able to change the
main configuration parameters or setup users.

I've thought a lot about this and I think that based on our
user community breakdown and the amount of work to be
done in other areas such as reports that moving to an
enterpise system model would be more detrimental and
complicated for the majority of the PGV users.

--John

[KosherJava]

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Fair enough. Thanks for giving it consideration.
If things are slow before 4.0 I might resubmit this :)
It would certainly help keep multiple sites up to date (and
up to date means secure)

[Thomas Gail Haws]

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There is a real problem with new users who are not
personally known to Admin. A means is needed to cut short
the Admin's task of hunting for new user approval.

I hope you will keep the idea of a GEDCOMMaster level open
as John suggested.

Here is how I view an implementation of a GEDCOMMaster:

-Admin gives a user GEDCOM Master status on selected GEDCOM(s)s.
-GEDCOMMaster can approve new users for his GEDCOM(s),
approve edits, and set privacies for his GEDCOM(s).
-Any user who has approval for more than one GEDCOM could
(for initial ease of coding) be editable ONLY by admin.
Only single GEDCOM users could be editable by their
GEDMaster(s).

The user edit form could be simply changed so that the main
admin gives rights to admin by GEDCOM instead of global
(with attendant coding).

Would this be a small change with good effect?

[John Finlay]

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I have just added the first stage of being able to do this.
There is now a new gedcom access level called "admin" This
will allow users to be administrators for a gedcom meaning
they can change privacy and configuration settings for a
gedcom, accept changes, and modify the welcome page for
any gedcoms they are admins of.

The next stage is to allow them to administer users who have
access to the gedcoms they can administer. This is a bit
more difficult and I will wait for another verison to add this.

--John