In early 2000, eyetext was just a good idea. It didn't take long
for it to spread to a motivated group, and we set about building
a site and some content. Initially, eyetext was simply a skeleton,
with locations to place information, and a primitive search engine.
The whole site was using static pages, each of which required
manual changes and updating. We built a suitably qualified, able
and enthusiastic team of section curators who organise authors
and provide an editorial function for incoming articles.
However, as more monographs arrived for posting on to the site,
and it became apparent that there would be many more, the prospect
of manually handling each one (as well as updating the required
parts of the site) was daunting. We needed a way to handle a big
site, with lots of articles, and interactivity. In July 2001,
the database-driven dynamic new eyetext.net website was launched.
Thanks to some clever technology and programming , the site now does automatically
things that we had not even
thought of in 2000. We have been able to incorporate many new and innovative
ideas, including the wonderfully useful and intuitive iNotes,
the image database, a very sophisticated user login system, rating
systems for iNotes and Monographs, an interactive calendar (which
will output to your palm PDA!), and much more that you will discover
as you use the site.
And there's more to come ...
We are very grateful to Pharmacia and Haag-Streit
for providing us with sponsorship to get us started, to the ophthalmologists
and academics who have agreed to write for the site (especially
when it was little more than an idea), and to the many others
who have provided emotional and technical support along the way.
We hope you enjoy the site !
Dr Tony Wells and the eyetext team.
Are you interested in contributing to eyetext.net?
This global ophthalmology community - based project runs on the
interest and passion of its contributors. Users can become involved
in many ways, from the very small (posting a discussion board
comment or question) right up to assisting with the editing or
curating of a section, or moderating a discussion board.
|
