Here's the thing, if we're going to contribute to this second site like a member community, what is your thought of the possibility that the current secondary site can become a bigger draw and simply push the main site out of the picture? Would you be ok with such a possibility? I'd hate for all of us to contribute something and then you realize that your pride and dream (the main site) is less popular or overlaps things that we have added to the secondary site.
Side note: I got the PM and I haven't made a decision.
Fact is Petrie, that there are limits and problems with a website made by Google Sites. (Which you quickly learn as an owner of the site.) The MAIN site won't have them.
Google Sites is limited to the videos you can put up. You can put up videos from ONLY YouTube and Google Video, and you need to put in the URL in order to put them up. I have yet to find a Google Gadget to get around that.
You can try to put up a video through the Attachments option. Unfortunately, even a video that is only 6.5MB takes FOREVER to load. It's not worth it.
IMHO, the preloaded Templates in Google Sites are quite limited. (About 20 choices.) The only way to give it more flair is to mess around with the colors and give it a background like I've done. Unfortunately, this causes the template to load first and then the background. Not to mention that this causes it to take longer to load up. (It takes about 10 seconds on my 2 MB connection when optimized.) A rookie thing that is certainly NOT allowed for a more professional place. (Compare to the upcoming look, which will only take just over 5 seconds on dial-up. SO much better, huh?)
In order to listen to .mp3 files, an Owner needs to put them in the Attachment area and the listener needs Quick Time. A simple rookie mistake that can cost you in the long run.
Also, in order to give anything it's own link, you NEED to make it an attachment first. After that, you need to copy it's new URL and then insert it from there. Only way around this is if it has it's own place on the net already and you use that link instead.
Oh, and you can't give a background in the Navigation area with Google Sites. I seriously want to give that part my own flair, but I sadly can't. I can ONLY change the color. Sad.
Oh yeah, and the color selection is limited too. Only 64 colors. A more professional one has 256 or more to work with. Enough said.
Not to mention that the Navigation looks just wrong in the end. Main pages are okay, but it's the Sub-pages that suffer. Sub-pages are more organized on a professional site in the end. Oh yeah, and once you have a sub-page on there, it's difficult to get rid of if you messed up.
Bottom line, Goggle Sites obviously has limits and problems that make it STRICTLY for rookies.
It's just not going to become what I really want. Which will make the main site look more professional and be more attractive in the end.
Because of all the work it'll take to make the site from complete scratch, and that I REALLY didn't want you guys to wait, I made one on Google Sites ready for you guys to mess around with.
The limits and problems just make it pale in comparison to what I have in mind for the MAIN site in the end. THAT is why I'm not worried.