Passing the Torch: Stone Leaves TOC

It has been nearly four years since Tom Stone took over the duties as Webmaster for The Objectivist Center (then IOS). This month he passes the baton to Shawn Klein - also a longtime TOC supporter - who will become the center's full-time Web developer at its Poughkeepsie headquarters.

Content is King

In early 1997, the IOS Web site offered a handful of articles, information about the organization, and details about its events. In contrast, today's site has much more content and it also reflects the look and sophistication of the modern Internet world. A visit to www.objectivistcenter.org now includes: the Web Library, a collection of hundreds of articles, reviews, interviews, event reports, letters, study guides, and more-many of them reprints from prior issues of Navigator and the IOS Journal; The Objectivism Store's complete online product catalog and its shopping cart, a state-of-the-art ordering system; The Scholar's Directory, a database-driven Web directory that allows members to perform searches on nearly a dozen criteria to locate other scholars; The Objectivism and Ayn Rand Cultural Reference Archive (OARCRA), a rich database of information on how the mass media (mostly newspapers and magazines) view Rand and Objectivism; as well as the TOC Speakers Bureau, Local Clubs Calendar, Cyberseminar, Upcoming Events, Related Links, RealAudio Clips, Becoming a Member, En Español, and much more.

Architecture Isn't Just For Buildings

Looking back, Stone reflects, "One of the most interesting things for me has been the evolution of the site from a small, static entity into a large, database-driven site. Sometimes seemingly small architectural changes can make a huge difference in the maintainability of a site. For instance, using a technology called 'server-side includes' allows us to maintain the footer content you see on each page in just one location, instead of the five-hundred-plus pages of the site. When I need to update this content, I change it only once and the effect cascades throughout the site immediately."

And on the proliferation of databases: "Databases now control many areas of the site, including the Web Library, the Scholars Directory, The Objectivism Store, the Local Clubs Calendar, and the Cultural Reference Archive. These databases allow us to categorize our content, and present it to you from multiple perspectives. You can get the same results with a database and a script template that you can from a hundred or more static webpages. Using databases has undoubtedly been the most significant change, behind the scenes, during my nearly four years as TOC Webmaster."

The Future?

"I am very excited about the future of the TOC Web site," says Stone. "It has long needed the attention of a full-time developer, and with Shawn Klein taking the reins, I am confident that the site will only improve."

Klein's most recent position in the Internet industry was as senior Web developer at CSC Onward, where he designed and maintained sites, taught Web skills, and evaluated software. He recently received a master's degree in philosophy from Arizona State University. He has also taught "Introduction to Philosophy" at Mesa Community College and "Academic Success" at the University at Arizona State University. Klein has participated in a number of summer seminars and other TOC activities as a student and conference assistant. Thus, in addition to his technical Web expertise he brings a knowledge of Objectivism and philosophy that will enable him to edit the center's Web content.

Thanks, Tom

For the past four years at one point or another, everyone on the TOC staff has worked with Stone, and his expertise, professionalism, and willingness to do whatever is necessary to improve the Web site have been constant refrains. He is the kind of person who welcomes suggestions and comments-yes, even criticisms-and seems to transmute them into personal challenges to hone his craft even more. He will continue to help the center as a developer on an as-needed basis.

"It really has been a pleasure working with Tom," says Russell La Valle, director of marketing and production. "When I think back on our Web site presence when I first arrived and the sheer amount of material that it represents today, it's nothing short of remarkable. His work on the shopping cart alone was a mammoth undertaking, and reflects an attention to detail, which I think is absolutely necessary in Web work. And the fact that he knows Rand and Objectivism has made him the perfect person to launch and maintain the site. He should be very proud of what he's accomplished here, and I wish him well."

Perhaps the last word should go to Will Thomas, manager of research and training, whose experience with Stone echoes one many of us have had. "Promptitude and competency are virtues we often take for granted in people, but when we really, really need them, how fine they are to encounter! When I, in the midst of updating TOC's Cyberseminar archive, accidentally overwrote the main index files of the TOC Web site, I needed a rescue, and I needed it fast. The Web site was off-line, and it was my fault. But Tom Stone was there in his virtual office, with backup files ready to hand, and disaster was averted, the world was set back on its axis, and all made ship-shape again. And Tom was very nice about it too! And that characterizes the kind of work Tom has done: virtuous work for which I say, one last time: Thanks, Tom!"

We all say, "Thanks, Tom."