Genesis of the Ananda Resource Web project

At the annual Ananda Minister's Retreat, in January 2006 , at the Ananda Meditation Retreat in California, the Minister's Bookshelf (MB) offering was brought up and discussed. A successor and/or assistant to the original and esteemed author of the MB, Satyaki, was sought. Comments from the audience included Macintosh users who felt "left out" and others wondering where they could get the CD. In addition, many praised the MB as being an integral part of their ministerial efforts.

ACSR IT services, led by Kent Williams, stepped in to head up the effort to come up with the next version of the MB. Skillman offered to assist with some technical issues. A small group met with Jyotish on 1/31/06 and it was decided that the next full step is to redo the bookshelf as a web-based application that which will:

1) eliminate the dependence on an "expert" that is a person who would need to compile,etc

2) Offer total cross platform capabilities

3) eliminate the physical distribution system

In other words reduce the "friction" by enabling sevaka members world-wide access this vital spiritual tool via a web interface.

Ananda Sangha is about to launch its own Windows Webserver 2003 co-located in Sacramento area that will host the Ananda Resource Web Application . In addition, a "Google-Mini" (http://www.google.com/enterprise/mini/index.html) will be acquired. The "Google-Mini" will be located at Ananda Bell with public IP and provide the engine for indexing what will be thousands of files and objects .

This "state of the art" architecture will enable Ananda to:

a) Have Savitri (and/or others) be the person who puts up new material after it is edited (simple as saving an attachment to a folder which is then automatically FTP'd to the webserver (aka "Mukunda"). Then the Google engine, once per day, will spider these specific folders and update its catalog.

b) A development team is forming to create an ASP.NET 2.0 authentication front end which will tie to a SQL database which will be updated daily from our Sales Logix Database with information on Sevaka order members, etc. We will set up userID's and passwords which will periodically be changed and use SSL for access to the Google search engine by authenticated users.

c) Then Sevaka order members and other interested Ananda "family" members with Internet access anywhere in the world can have up to date information at their fingertips in a safe and secure website. All they need is Internet access!

Expanded Vision
Since that initial meeting held in late January, the vision of providing a web based version of the MB has expanded greatly to include an authenticated "Portal" for Ananda devotees worldwide that provides easy access to a variety of resources including photos, Minister teaching resources, meditiation group support, the History of Ananda, threaded discussion forums moderated by a team of ministers ,the MB and much, much more!

Jyotish becomes a Web Goober/Designer
Jyotish has expressed enthusiasm for this expanded vision and is actively guiding the development of what is now being called the "Ananda Resource" website as well as acting as the lead designer! (His painting skills and knowledge of color and composition are being "digitized"!)