Its gives immense pleasure writing this anniversary issue of our newsletter not just because we have completed another year but for the milestones we have reached and the the present shape the website is in. Before divulging further into the details lets travel down the memory lane.

It all started in March 2003 with a five page site on the Geocities free server with a long address that was neither easier to remember nor to type. As the time flew more pages and features were added. Alumni started joining in and from mere 5 members in March 2003 the figured reached 45 at the end of first year.

On the eve of our first anniversary we purchased a domain name [www.thenobleschool.com] - thus got an address that was a lot easier and meaningful than the previous. But the site was continued to be hosted on the free Geocities server. Moreover a WAP edition of the site was also launched thereby enabling wireless access to the site by means of GPRS/WAP services.

The days that followed saw the introduction of forum and live chat to name a few ( Infact I just cant remember the various small things we did every now and then). Then there was the first Alumnus give away which provided the most sought after GMail invites for free which otherwise were being sold on E-Bay for as much as $150. Last but not the least there was a big E-Mail update wherein we provided free E-Mail service called Alumnus Mail to all our members. The E-mail ID is  in the format yourname@thenobleschool.com.

Things have changed a lot as we approach another anniversary but to our dismay the one thing that hasn't changed much is the number of members. From 45 to just 56, the numbers say it all. While we have left no stone unturned there hasn't been an equal response from the Alumni. Anyways don't want to end the anniversary issue on a sad note. So here we present the updations done on the eve of second anniversary.

• The site has now been moved to a paid server. This translates into no irritating ads on every page from now onwards (except a couple of pages).
  
  
• The interface has been tweaked to be more intuitive and user friendly. Apart from the button and links we now have a bar atop every page having links to some important features that will be mentioned afterwards.
  
  
• The RSS/XML feeds introduced some time back on a test basis are now available on a permanent basis. As an added bonus the bar atop every page has got button to use the feed and also add the same to your My Yahoo! FrontPage. Regular updating of RSS/XML Feeds will  open a window of info about us. You will updated about all of our activities as they happen immediately. We will be using this as our pseudo spokesperson and all the additions to the database, news etc will be delivered to you instantly. For those who are not familiar with RSS/XML Feeds we have a page dedicated for explanation. Here's the link Learn More...
  
  
• Every page can now be viewed in three different languages namely German, French and Spanish by clicking the respective country flag on the bar atop every page.
  
  
• The top bar also has three other links of this, one is for registering a new ID with Alumnus Mail and the other for book marking or adding the current page to the browser's favorites.
  
  
• The third link is for the Alumnus Toolbar, Yes! we have created a custom Toolbar for our members that can be installed in Internet Explorer. The toolbar has direct links to our homepage and is spyware free. Its smart and powerful features informs the user about the other alternate sites of the site category you are presently visiting. For example if you visit an E-Mail site it will provide you with the details of other alternate email providers. The most important feature of this toolbar is that - it lets you decide which search engine to use. At the moment you can choose from more than 15 search engines including Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. More Engines may be added in the future. So what are you waiting for? Download Alumnus Bar now!! No need to install  separate Google and Yahoo Toolbars thereby cluttering your screen. Install Alumnus Bar its like having more than 15 different search bars in 1.
  
  
• Introduction of personalization/customization features that asks the name and then displays it as a salutation on the Top bar on every page. Please note cookies need to be enabled in your browser for this feature to work. Don't worry its completely safe and the information is stored on your computer and then displayed and not on our server.
  
  
• Another important addition is the faculty database. Its the same like the Alumnus Database except as the name suggests it will have all the information about the school faculties/teachers. Presently there are no entries in this database as we are awaiting entries.
  
  
• In our last mail we had asked for your latest photos and some information. The same has been incorporated as  personal profile and is available as view profile link along with the other details in the Alumnus Database. We have only one personal profile for the alphabet F in the database as of now as no one else submitted their details and photo.
  
  
• We have now moved to a new and more organized forum and chat room. There are no more irritating popups/advertisements.
  
  

• And finally the website is now compatible with Mozilla Firefox (FF) browser apart from Internet Explorer (IE). But why Firefox? That's because according to our server logs the numbers of site visitors using Firefox has touched a figure of about 35% of total visitors. IE still rules with about 48% visitors.

Hmmm! that's a big letter!! Thanks for going through it patiently. Now lets go through the customary discourses:

Please spread a word about the site/association to other alumni so that we at least double the membership figure by the end of this year. Ask them to register and take active part in the forum (the same is expected from you regarding forums). Please send in your photos and short academic/personal history for Personal Profile. Scan and send class photos with the names you remember. If you haven't registered for Alumnus Mail ID please do so. And ....Keep visiting back to get yourself updated about the various activities and don't forget to bookmark the site in Favorites using the link on the Home page.

Bye,

Secretary

admin@thenobleschool.com