Modified
31/7/02
The GWR Webring
What is a Web Ring?
A Webring is a series of websites with a common theme, which are linked together using facilities provided (in this case) by Webring. Visitors to one site can use the navigational bar (see bottom of home page for examples) to move from that site to either the previous or next site in the ring (and so on), or can access the ring hub to get a list of all sites in the ring. When the end of the ring is reached, the navigation system will take you back to the first site in the ring. This means that each site in the ring effectively gains a link to all other sites in the ring, and the more members there are in the ring, the more publicity each site gets.
The GWR Webring
To qualify, your site must be partly or wholly dedicated to an aspect of the Great Western Railway, the companies that formed it, or an aspect of British Rail Western Region up to privatisation. Model Railway sites that use any of these as their theme are also welcome. Preservation companies/railways are also welcome if they are running on GWR lines, or have GWR locomotives or rolling stock in their inventory (this also includes narrow-gauge or scale replicas).
Commercial sites are welcome to join, provided that there is some GWR-related material available for purchase, and it is reasonably obvious where these items are on the site. Any commercial site where I cannot find GWR-related material within six or so pages will be denied membership on the basis of content.
Sites should not contain any material that may be deemed to be offensive, and meet any terms that Webring may set on content etc. Sites should also be reasonably fast to download; I have experienced slow servers myself which led to having to change URLs to requalify for the GWR webring. The ring listing should not be misleading in any fashion; misleading entries may lead to suspension of the site, or be re-written by myself.
It is also a requirement that your Webring ID has a valid email address submitted. I will test the email address supplied during the application procedure; if the message is rejected, the application will be declined, regardless of whether or not the other criteria have been met. I will also decline any application where it appears that the email is not being responded to within 30 days; please ensure that the email submitted is one that is checked on a regular basis.
The Application Process
Important : Joining the webring will require you to insert code (in either Java or HTML form) provided by Webring which will display a navigational bar as shown on the home page of this site. If you are unable, or unwilling to do this, then please do not submit an application to the ring.
Cost
A basic application to the webring is free; your only commitment is to set up a Webring ID. However, Webring are introducing extra promotional facilities which they do charge for; more information can be obtained for Webring on these.
The application procedure is in several stages :
Stage 1
Clicking on the "Join" link below will take you to the joining page on Webring. You will need a ID to be able to join the webring; if you do not have one, click on the "Create ID" option on the left of the "Join" page. You will be asked submit a URL
Please ensure that if you are creating a new Webring ID, that the email address you submit is valid. This is essential in aiding maintenence of the ring and applicants will be sent a test email upon submission of a site to the ring. Applications will not be processed onto the ring until a reply to this test email is sent.
Which page should I submit?
It is preferable that the page submitted can be returned to by using links on the site; if this is not possible, then a warning should be added onto the page to state that this is not possible. Failure to do so may result in the site being treated as though it was a break in the ring and appropriate action taken.
I would recommend that the page submitted is either the home page, a links page or a dedicated webring page. If you are not sure, use the email link below to send me the URL of the page you wish to submit and I will check it over and advise.
Important : if the page is already a member of a Webring webring, you must submit your application using the same Webring ID as previously used. Failure to do so may invalidate all webring submissions made; if I spot this at the application stage, I will automatically decline the application, and request a resubmission under the correct ID.
I will normally process submissions within 7 days. If for any reason, I expect to be unable to manage the ring for any period longer than this, I will place a note on this page to that effect.
For information on other "Big 4" related webrings, click here.
Stage 2
[If you have installed the Javascript version of the Webring navigation bar on the page submitted, your submission will be covered by that code, and you may skip this stage. If you are using HTML versions of the code, you will need to insert the code for this webring into the page submitted].
As Webring has now installed facilities to allow testing of navigation bar code before a submission is accepted, I have decided to implement a policy of not fully accepting a submission until the nav bar code is operational (by this it gets a "Pass" rating) on the page submited in stage one as this makes management of the ring easier.
Which code to use
If you intend to submit to several webrings then I would recommend trying the Java version of the code as this only needs to be installed once for the site, and will cover all applications. For one or two rings, I would suggest the HTML version, but separate code is needed for each ring you apply to. If you wish to custom-design a nav-bar, the core elements are listed below.
Instructions for Navigational Bar Installation
1 ) Sign in to Webring and click on the "My Rings" option at the top right of the page.
2) Click on the link at the bottom where it tells you to go to manage/edit your sites
3) Click on the title of the site. This will take you to a page where the site can be edited. On the left, take the "Get Navigation Code" option.
You will also notice that facilities for self-testing your code are provided. If it says "Passes", then you have installed the code correctly and should not have problems with your submission. If it says "Fails", then you are running the risk of either having your application denied, or if already accepted, then you run the risk of being suspended. Clicking on "Test" will run a current check on the status of the nav bar code.
4) The code for the bar will be displayed. Copy all the code and insert onto the page submitted in stage 1. If you wish a HTML version, click on the link at the bottom of the page and perform the same process.
5) Insert this code into the page submitted.
If you have difficulty finding your code, please email me, specifying which version of code you require and I will email it to you.
Use of Non-Standard Code
I would advise the use of the nav-bar code as supplied by Webring (either Java or HTML version) and I would certainly not recommend tampering with the Javascript version. However, custom designs using the HTML core elements as a basis is possible, and I have installed custom nav bars on "Railways of the Vale of Evesham" to demonstrate this. There are five core elements to the code which are listed below :
"Join the ring"
http://G.webring.com/wrman?ring=gwrwebring&addsite
"Ring Hub"
http://G.webring.com/hub?ring=gwrwebring&id=*&hub
"Previous Site"
http://G.webring.com/go?ring=gwrwebring&id=*&prev
"Next Site"
http://G.webring.com/go?ring=gwrwebring&id=*&next
Random Site
http://G.webring.com/hub?ring=gwrwebring&id=*&random
These need to installed as hyperlinks on the page submitted. Note that the "*" must be replaced by the site id; if you do not know your site ID, email me and I will tell you. The ring logo is optional and I would suggest that a copy is made of the one below and installed locally. Do not simply install a copy of someone else's nav bar, as it is almost certain that the site id wil be wrong.
Stage 3
I will review the site (if I have not already done so). At this point one of four things will happen.
1) If I am satisfied that the site meets the criteria for entry to the ring, and the code is working, then I will send a test email requesting a response. Upon reply to this email, I formally accept the submission and you will go onto the ring. You will receive a formal acceptance email confirming this. I may request some minor modifications at this stage, but these should only be of a cosmetic nature.
2) If I am satisfied that the site meets the criteria for entry to the ring, but the code is not working, I will send an informal email acceptance requesting you install the nav bar code. Once the code is working and the email has been acknowledged, I will formally accept the site as detailed above.
3) If I feel that the submission requires some more serious changes to in order to qualify for the ring, then again I will email with a list of the required modifications.
4) If I feel that the site does not conform to the above criteria, and cannot meet the criteria without major modifications, then I will decline the site and you will receive a formal email detailing the reasons for my decision.
I will allow 30 days for a submission to reach the state where I can accept it fully onto the ring; any pending submissions greater than 30 days will be automatically declined.
Please note that as of July 2002, a "Pass_L" rating on a site will not be accepted as working code on new submissions, although I will honour existing submissions with this rating.
Ring Order
In light of suggestions that the ring hub page may generate a bias to towards the first 20 sites listed, I have decided to randomly generate a new order every so often, either once a week or when a new site joins the ring. I hope this will eliminate, or a least reduce the bias.
Withdrawal from the Ring
In the "edit site" facilities, there is a "leave this ring" option. This should remove you from the ring. Failing that, please email via my Webring ID or the link below and I will delete your site from the ring.
Please note that if at any point your site stops meeting the criteria for ring membership, or your navigational bar stops working (i.e shows a "fails" rating) I may suspend or remove the site from the ring until the problem is corrected.
If you have any further questions, please use the email link below.
