I want to say that my blog posts aren't about CivicSpace, although it's been interpreted that way. I'm glad that we have a conversation going about this, and since we're on the topic of CivicSpace, let me talk about that:

EchoDitto is committed to using CivicSpace, and that's backed up by the fact that 99% of the websites we produce for our clients are made using CS. It's the best solution amongst what's out there today. However, EchoDitto is primarily a strategic consulting firm serving the needs of our progressive non-profit and political clients. EchoDitto has an obligation to our clients to be "platform agonostic" when it comes down to technical and CMS needs. We must point our clients to the best solution that's out there. We think that it's CivicSpace.

Despite this, the fact of the matter is that CS is still a compromise for most of our clients. There are a lot of reasons for this, which I'm willing to get into, but not in this post (email me: my_first_name AT echoditto.com). An example is we've had to build an interface with a third-party bulk email provider. That's a stop gap solution--at least until the CS mass mailer has basic bulk mail functionality, such as open rates and click through tracking. Regardless, there are some glimmers of possible progress, like this API spec.

I am an end-user of CivicSpace. I am also part of the leading firm in EchoDitto's market space, which is online community building and consulting for progressive organizations and political campaigns. It's my job to represent my client's interests. In this vein, I am constantly seeking ways to better represent the needs of my clients and to delight them.

One of those critical needs is for a comprehensive, inexpensive, integrated web platform. Does CivicSpace have some of the attributes that I've talked about in my previous posts? Yup. Do I think that CS is headed in the right direction? Sure do. Do I think that EchoDitto has it all figured out? Nope.

But, we still have a problem. Important political campaigns for the next cycle (and I'm talking 2006, not 2008) have already started. We're about a year out from the Dean campaign, arguably the most technologically advanced of the time. And, frankly, we don't have a lot to show for it. It's imperative that we talk about this problem, and find a solution.