Your ability to do things on digital.brynmawr.edu is dictated to a large degree by the limits of your imagination. That being said, there are some technical requirements and limitations that you should be aware of and may want to review.
Here are some ideas that might help you get started:
Install a Web Application in Your Space
Digital.brynmawr.edu makes it very simple to install certain web applications. Web applications are special software that run on a web server and help you to build and manage a website. The type of site you build depends on the type of application you install. Here are some examples of applications that you can install within the Digital Bryn Mawr web hosting interface:
WordPress: WordPress is a blogging application. Installing WordPress allows you to quickly and easily set up a blog, but you can also use WordPress to set up any kind of basic website. We have resources available that are focused on installing and using WordPress.
Mediawiki: If you’ve ever browsed or edited Wikipedia, you’ve already used Mediawiki. It is the open-source wiki software that runs the online encyclopedia, and you can install it in your web space. It’s a good choice if you’re interested in publishing documents and then collaborating with others on them. We have instructions for installing Mediawiki.
ZenPhoto: This application is a good choice if you’re looking for a way to share images in your web space.
OwnCloud: If you’ve used DropBox, the concept of OwnCloud will be familiar. It allows you to upload and access files from anywhere with web access. You can also share those files and sync them to your devices.
These are just a FEW of the open-source applications that are available to you in your Digital Bryn Mawr web space. We encourage you to read more about what web applications are and which ones are available to you through this project.
Organize Your Site with Subdomains and Folders
Through this project, you’ve set a domain name that you can subdivide and organize anyway you like. One easy way to organize your domain is to create subdomains, in which you can then install other applications. In addition, you can set up subfolders for your site (which can also have their own applications installed in them). Here’s an example of how you might organize your site (using the subdomain vs. the subfolder approach)
| Subdomain Approach | Subfolder Approach | |
| yourdomain.com (“root”) | Install WordPress as your “main site” | yourdomain.com (“root”) |
| course1.yourdomain.com | Install a second WordPress instance for a course you’re taking | yourdomain.com/course1 |
| photos.yourdomain.com | Install ZenPhoto for a public photo gallery of your photos | yourdomain.com/photos |
| docs.yourdomain.com | Install MediaWiki for a club you belong to that wants to collaboratively edit its bylaws | yourdomain.com/docs |
| files.yourdomain.com | Install OwnCloud so you can access your files on your laptop and at work | yourdomain.com/files |
This is just an EXAMPLE of a way to organize your site and then use different sections to do different things. There is no one solution to this challenge, and what you do should be driven by what makes sense to you. To start, you may just want to install one application at the “root” of your domain, and then let the rest evolve as you get to know more about what’s possible.
Map Your Domain (or a Subdomain)
If you already have a digital presence that you’d like to pull into your digital.brynmawr.edu space, domain mapping is an option you may wish to explore. Domain mapping, simply put, is deciding where visitors should be directed when they visit various pieces of your website. Domains and subdomains can be mapped directly to folders located within your webhosting account, where you may have installed WordPress, Omeka, MediaWiki, or other web applications. Domains and subdomains can also be mapped to some third-party providers. Some services that work with domain mapping are:
When you map a domain, users who visit your URL will automatically see your space on one of these services. It’s a great way to incorporate your activity elsewhere into your domain, and it might be a good first-step if you’ve already established a presence somewhere else and just want to point your new domain to that space.