AOET (aoet.org) had a website that hadn’t been updated for years. The volunteer that set up the system was hard working and talented, but real life crept in and before long, AOET had no way to communicate their growth and the details of their mission to the connected world. That’s where HFC stepped in. Our first order of business was to give them a voice (quickly) within the limitations of their existing web host. Eugene pointed us towards Simple PHP blog, which was a perfect solution for portable no-frills blog software that didn’t rely on a back-end database. Before jumping in with a bit of unknown and possibly insecure software, we ran it through it’s paces. AJ Dexter performed a beginning-to-end app test of the blog software and found that it was secure enough for our use. He documented the post-login vulnerabilities he uncovered and reported them to the developer and we installed the blog as a bolt-on front-end for their existing site. AOET was thrilled to have a voice, and they began posting immediately, but the blog looked piecemeal, especially when visitors wandered beyond the blog page to the older site behind it. (See the contrast in the photos below.)

Our next goal was to take the site to the next level. That meant three things: the system needed a unified look, AOET needed to be able to update any part of the site easily, and we had to get the site moved to a more open, less restrictive server (our own). WordPress satisfied our first two requirements. Installation was a snap, but moving the old web site’s content into our server’s WordPress install would take a bit of work. Nandeyanen volunteered to do the work and moved over all the content within a couple of days (!) giving us a really nice rendition of the site in WordPress. I found and applied a decent looking theme (feather pen 10), and Blake Watson smashed many of the bugs Internet Explorer caused in the rendering of the theme. I nearly missed Blake’s email responses because his work was completed so quickly! AOET.org didn’t look half bad transferred to WordPress, but it took a few more theme adjustments and the cformsII plugin to handle the contact forms to round out the presentation.

I’ve glazed over the fact that we even had a test server. This is a Big Deal(TM), requiring not only hardware and bandwidth, but also rack space and tech support, all of which is generously donated by Malcolm Mead and Pat Myrto over at meadgroup.com (our permanent hosting partner).

We’re not done yet. Email services (Google Mail for Domains), a professional web redesign (to be applied over the WordPress backend), and an online child sponsorship system are next in the pipe, all of which will be built on the solid foundation provided by Eugene, AJ, Nandeyanen, Blake, Malcolm, Pat and all the others who volunteered their time to make this happen. Whether they meant to or not, their efforts have created a legacy that will outlive them. Because for the desperate children that find sponsors as a result of this work, it’s about more than a web site.

Although all the attention wigs me out personally, it turns out that Sunday’s (front page) Baltimore Sun article is creating quite a bit of buzz about us, and that’s not a bad thing. Here is the first link (to the online article), and a second link to Christopher’s blog about the photo session.

I’m proud to announce the release of No Tech Hacking from Syngress Publishing! I’m even more happy to announce that 100% of the proceeds will be going to charity. In fact, each purchase through this Amazon link will feed an African child for one month!

What’s the story with the proceeds?
It’s simple, really. My proceeds from this book are going to AOET (aoet.org), an organization that provides food, education and medical care to children left in the wake of Africa’s HIV/AIDS epidemic. More than an aid organization, AOET aims to disrupt the cycle of poverty and hopelessness in sub-Saharan Africa through empowerment programs and job training, enabling children and adults to be self-sustaining, restoring not only their health but their pride and hope for a brighter future. A single book purchase made through my Amazon associates account (linked from any of my websites, or though http://tiniuri.com/f/Xpc) will generate enough income for AOET to feed a child for an entire month. Other retail purchases (which generate half as much income) will provide either medical services or educational supplies and funding for a single child through a donation pool set aside for those purposes. Why bother? Because I am called to “look after orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27), and I know from personal experience how mutually transformative it can be to take that calling seriously. Hamlet was onto something when he wondered, “Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them.”

Shmoocon is coming, and we’ll be well represented. I will be speaking on the closing plenary panel (tentatively titled “hackers for good”), we will be a recipient of proceeds from the T-Shirt sale (along with the EFF and OLPC), and we’ll have a drop-off for our “Swag for Charity” campaign right next to the registration desk. So if you, or someone you know is attending Shmoocon, load them up with swag (especially pens, pencils and bags) so we can get them to kids tha need them. Thanks forall your support!

Here’s the announcement for the T-Shirt sale:

You’ve got your share of con shirts, but how many of your con shirts have made a difference in the world? The Shmoocon T-shirt drive lets you do just that. Pay your money, get your shirt and toss a chip to the charity of your choice. On Sunday we convert the chips back into Hamiltons, and three great causes find out we’ve got their back. This year we’re supporting One Laptop Per Child (OLPC), the EFF, and Hackers For Charity. OLPC aims to provide children around the world with new opportunities to explore, experiment, and express themselves through the use of low-cost (”$100″) laptops. EFF (http://eff.org) is the leading civil liberties group defending your rights in the digital world. Hackers For Charity (http://ihackcharities.org) provides hackers with job experience while leveraging their skills for charities that need those skills.

So whether or not you care about being all altruistic, stop by and grab a cool shirt. Your kind nature can be our little secret.