Most of the IT systems directly operated by the College of Arms run on the same SCA-operated server as the www.sca.org website.
Team
This server is the responsibility of the SCA’s IT Manager, but a number of members of the College have login accounts used to operate their individual applications and contribute to server maintenance.
Technology
Software: Linux, Apache, MariaDB, PHP, et al.
Hosting: Microsoft Azure Cloud; data center in Virginia.
Web Proxy / Caching: Cloudflare.
History
Previously hosted elsewhere. Server migrated in 2018.
College Staff: Morsulus Herald — currently Herveus d’Ormonde, transitioning to Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin.
History
The title of Morsulus Herald is given to the lead maintainer of the database.
Herveus d’Ormonde, 2000–
Iulstan Sigewealding, 1992–1999
Other contributors:
Mathghamhain Ua Ruadháin, 2019—
Recent Enhancements
Complex Search Flexibility: During 2023–2024, Herveus added some more options to make it easier to write armory descriptions.
Docker Container: In 2024, Istvan built a Docker package that allows the O&A website to be run on a personal computer for offline use.
Note that the Docker container replaces an earlier effort to package the O&A site for remote use, known as “HeraldStick” (circa 2011). There was also a “Herald’s Hot Spot” effort (circa 2017) to package the HeraldStick software on inexpensive hardware, which stalled before shipping.
Future Work
Updated Visual Interface: As of early 2025, Mathghamhain intends to add a new set of pages that provide the existing capabilities in a more modern visual style and with additional interactivity. (The current web interface looks essentially the same as it did thirty years ago.) Because many heralds are accustomed to the existing interface, it will be maintained as a “classic mode” to avoid disrupting their workflow while simultaneously offering a new one for new heralds and those ready to make the switch.
The Online System for Commentary and Response is the platform for submissions, commentary, and decisions on names, armory, and related items. Its structure reflects the paper letters of intent and letters of comment that were the basis for the earlier offline system it replaced.
Status: Heavily used; code is updated regularly.
Team
Developers: Tancos Istvan. Recently assisted by Malyss Makneile.
License: Copyright maintained by the original author.
Exports: Laurel-level decisions are exported via the Post-Decision pipeline. Can also export a list of in-process items in the format used by the O&A database to allow searching alongside registered items.
This tool helps to manage the workflow of creating submission forms. It is not in continuous use; it’s only intended for use as part of an event with a Heralds Point.
It was originally created for use at Pennsic, but has also been used for some other events such as the “virtual heralds point” events in February and August of 2021.
Consulting heralds and event staff can create records that include the various fields found on submission forms and attach documentation and armory images.
At the end of an event, completed forms can be transferred into OSCAR as draft (“proto”) kingdom letters.
Connections
Exports: To OSCAR.
Technology
Code: PHP.
Databases: MySQL.
Revision Control: Unknown.
Server: A copy runs on the main SCA.org server for use by major events. During Pennsic, a local copy is hosted on a server in the Heralds Point admin shack.
The College’s website at heraldry.sca.org is the official reference point for both outsiders and members of the college.
Content
The content on the site can be divided into a couple of sections based on the pattern of updates and the people who contribute to it:
General Info: Home page, About Us, KWHSS information.
Rules: Admin Handbook, SENA, Glossary, etc. Generally maintained by Palimpsest. Files sent to Codex for posting.
Articles: Directory of links to locally-hosted and off-site resources. Usually approved by Clarion or directly by the Sovereigns. Files sent to Codex for posting.
Letters: LoARs, Precedents, LoAR search. LoARs are posted directly by Morsulus.
Technology
Code: The site uses simple PHP templating code to wrap a common header, footer, and stylesheet around all of the pages on the site.
Databases: There are no relational databases, but several types of information are stored as YAML files which are read and converted to HTML displays by PHP code embedded in certain pages.
Revision Control: All code and content are stored in Git. The repository is hosted at GitHub. Access is limited.
