Technology Committee

The Technology Committee solicits input from Masonic webmasters as to revision of our web site policy. The current policy is based on a Past Grand Master's directive from several years ago and is need of updating. The only change that has been made to the policy as found on at attnwebmasters is the replacement of Bro. Dave McMannamy's personal address information with generic contact information for the webmaster. No substantive change can be made without the consent of the current Grand Master, which will be sought for a revised draft directive.

Brother Mike Sukhenko created the new banner graphic you see on our site. We look forward to working more with him to freshen our look and make other changes to return our site to the pre-eminent position it deserves as the web site of one of the world's premier Grand Lodges.

The Technology Committee would like to extend a hearty public "Thank You!" to our former webmaster, Brother David McMannamy! Several years ago, Dave was instrumental in totally revamping our Grand Lodge site, which had grown stale and not kept up with technological change. He then maintained the site, managed our e-mail and various other Internet services. Due to the webmaster links on the site, he also found himself the generic contact on the Internet for the Grand Lodge, frequently receiving anything from genealogy requests to the most bizarre messages from all over the world.
Brother Dave took this in stride and shouldered a heavy load for quite some time. He continues to support other organizations including Camp Turk, and to consult with our new web team, organized to share the load that he bore almost single-handedly.

Patricio Castro, a Syracuse University graduate student in Information Management, has joined the Grand Lodge web team. He will serve as our co-op webmaster for the spring term. Mr. Castro has extensive experience with the Drupal Content Management System (CMS) used by Grand Lodge and many other user-driven web sites. We look forward eagerly to working with Patricio: first to make the many content updates that have been long requested by the webmasters of Lodges in our jurisdiction, committee chairmen and others; and then to embark upon more substantial re-work of our site. Perhaps the most important task we will undertake together is the development of materials for the training sessions soon to be offered to our members.

The Technology Committee will attempt an experimental webcast from the Grand Lodge room at Masonic Hall during the public portions of the 2007 Annual Communication.

To view the live audio/video stream, point your Windows Media capable browser to http://live.upstreamnetworks.com/15605-31667

This committee was charged by the Grand Master in 2002 to use technology to assist Brother Masons and the Grand Lodge of the State of New York to improve operations, attract new members and inform the community of Masonry’s good works. It supports Grand Lodge programs, offices and committees, and assists the Livingston Library & Museum with digital preservation and on-line cataloging of documents and artifacts of our Masonic heritage. It is focused on improving communications and assisting Lodge Secretaries: on-line ordering of supplies; downloadable forms; and the Masonic On-Line Registry Interface (MORI, developed in consultation with the committee and the Grand Secretary’s office).