Website Design

DreamHost now hosts more than 1 million domains and is focused solely on providing a quality customer experience backed by the absolute best web hosting technology in the industry. DreamHost provides free hosting services to our team, supplying a sturdy foundation for our website to build upon.

Joomla is a free and open source content management system (CMS) for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranets and a model-view-controller (MVC) Web application framework that can also be used independently. Joomla provided our team with an impressive back-end editing system for our students and mentors to use. Through the system we were able to manually edit and control all aspects of the website producing for you the website we have today.

World Best Website's is a website where you can see exemplary award winning websites that are pursuing "best practices" in website design & Internet communications. These websites represent sites that are redefining standards of website excellence & challenging existing paradigms of world best practice in Internet communications". This is rigorous competition between high quality sites at the "leading edge" of website design. These sites are judged by independent industry experts with substantial expertise in website evaluation and design. FIRST Team 2168 has used some of these websites as reference when desigining our own website. If you are looking for exemplary websites to model some of your website ideas after, we reccomend you visit the 'Worlds Best Websites'.

Mentor Webmasters:

BrianChidley
Joshua Miller
James Corcoran
Kevin Harrilal
Everett Wilhelm

Student Webmasters:

Nathan Kowalski
Kyle Dollaga
Nigel Mills

History

Team2168.org was first created under our old team name the "Cyber Falcons" after WPI 10 back in 2009. The original purpose of this website was to record team events and provide the public with a basic source of knowledge about the team. Our website went through several experimental phases, gradually progressing to the site that we have now. In 2010, the website saw little activity as FIRST Team 2168 was busy transitioning from the "Cyber Falcons" into the "Aluminum Falcons". After relative stability was returned there was a rebirth; the website began to enter a new period. Team2168.org revived for the same reason that it was created, "to record team events and provide the public with a basic source of knowledge about the team", except this time it also became our goal to help educate the community about FIRST through this new powerful media. Team2168.org was soon being filled by student and mentor written articles, and basic information about the team's associates such as our current sponsors. However, this was not enough. Our 2011-2012 season is the season in which we are witnessing the explosive growth of Team2168.org. The website provided to you today is the product of months of work starting in September 2011 and countless hours by our web team. The Aluminum Falcons would like to welcome you to "www.team2168.org" 2.0.

Website Content Management System (CMS)

Our website is based on Joomla's 1.5 content management system. Joomla 1.5 is a free and open source content management system (CMS) for publishing content on the World Wide Web and intranet and a model–view–controller (MVC) Web application framework that can also be used independently. Joomla is written in PHP, using object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques and software design patterns. It stores data in a MySQL database, and includes features such as page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, search, and support for language internationalization.

Joomla can be installed manually from source code on a system running a Web server which supports PHP applications, from a package management system or using a virtual appliance, from sources such as the TurnKey Linux Virtual Appliance Library, which comprises the application and its dependencies as a ready-to-use system. There are numerous web hosting companies who provide a control panel which automates the deployment of a basic Joomla Web site. FIRST Team 2168 uses DreamHost as our website host. We want our website to provide a middle ground for our team so that team members of all web designing experience can contribute to its development. Our website is not about the individual but the team, and FIRST community.

Website Template

FIRST Team 2168's website is based on the Tesla J51 template. This template provided us with a highly stylish and professional design. Tesla 51 is suitable for a wide range of applications from an online brochure for businesses to a personal portfolio or blog of your work. Tesla 51 is packed with versatile features. This template includes 28 collapsible module positions, multiple layout and style options, and is fully compatible with Joomla 1.5, Joomla 1.6 and Joomla 1.7. To see the template please click the image below:

Copy Right Information & Acknowlegdement

FIRST

FIRST, FRC, FTC, FLL, JR.FLL, COOPERTITION, GRACIOUS PROFESSIONALISM, REBOUND RUMBLE, LOGOMOTION, BREAKAWAY, LUNACY, FIRST OVERDRIVE, RACK N' ROLL, are registered trademarks of United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology AKA US FIRST CORPORATION NEW HAMPSHIRE 200 Bedford Street Manchester NEW HAMPSHIRE 03101. USFIRST trademarks and logos used with permission as a USFIRST team.

Other FIRST FRC Teams

Any content used from other FIRST FRC teams is used with permission or is not copyrighted and the team from which it originated is acknowledged as the creator.

Organizations & Team Sponsors

Any organization other then FIRST or company who's logo or name is used in the content of this website has given express permission for FIRST Team 2168 to use their logo or name. Or there company/organization logo and name is being used in association with FIRST.