Old eFI site only have restricted access w.e.f. 24.10.23

Old eFI site:
This is mainly addressed to Garg ji, but of course concerns all the eFI group members. I believe the old eFI site is absolutely uneditable at this stage – no page can be changed or even deleted. Since all the stuff has already been moved to efloraofindia.com, this site is no longer needed. The problem is that a lot of pages on the old site carry information which is incorrect, the correct version of which is carried by the new eFI website. So what ends up happening is that the old website is spreading lot of incorrect information, and thus showing  eFI in a poor light (to a new comer).
My suggestion is that Google may be requested to completely delete the old eFI website including all the pages. Then the only information that will remain on the web will be the correct one of the new eFI website.

I found out that there is an option to delete a legacy google site:
After deletion a grace period of 30 days given to restore the site if one wishes.
I found that the problem with the old eFI site is compounded by the fact that in a google search for a species, the old eFI page link appears before the one from the new eFI page, thus creating confusion. Pages like this have become a problem:
https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/species/a—l/ar/asteraceae/asteroideae/astereae/myriactis/myriactis-nepalensis

Yes, we will think about it.
But we will have to still wait for a year or so, before we take any concrete decision. Last year we reeled under phishing and hacking of our new site. Hope we get more expertise and confidence over time, to take this decision.
Not an easy decision at this point of time.

Thanks … for your response. Yes, the decision should be taken wisely, after due consideration.

Thanks a lot to Dinesh ji.
A great suggestion from him that never came to my mind.

I have removed the old eFI site from public view now.
I think one may or may not be able to access the old eFI site at this link.
Pl. try clicking on it and let me know, if you are able to open it or not.

Thanks Garg ji.
Yes, the old eFIsite now has restricted access.
Now the public will not be able to access the site, in case they have some URLs in their old mails OR favourites, etc.
It would also be good to have some setting like “Request public search engines to not display my site.”
Thus, people searching the internet via search engines – the search results will not show up any results leading to old eFI site, thus no show of that restricted access page.


Thanks, Dinesh ji,
I do not find any such option.
Pl. find the attachment of the settings I made.

Ok, Garg ji.
May be such setting is not available.


Yes, Garg Ji
Old site not visible now. It is asking for permission.

That is good.
Are you able to click at
https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ and browse?

Thanks, Anil ji, for this inf.

I have received 3 such requests so far.
I am giving them (mail ids) the following:
” Pl. check our new updated site at
https://efloraofindia.com/
Older site is no longer available for public view.”

People will not be able to access our old site now, even if they find it in search results.

I have mailed you this reply:
” Pl. check our new updated site at https://efloraofindia.com/

Working, Sir

Dinesh’s wisdom always comes in useful! Great solution! Now we will have only updated information in public view, yet the old files are safe, if needed in some emergency.

Yes, Tabish ji.
Ideas are most important things in life.
And Dinesh ji is always the leader in this field.
His ideas have made eFI, the world leaders in citizen science efforts.

Yes, the older google site (The old eFI site) is not accessible now to me too.
We now have only correct and updated information on the web at eFI (https://efloraofindia.com/) which makes it a more authentic resource.

Lot of requests are being received for sharing the Old site.

While replying to their mail, I am now informing them as below:
“Pl. check our new updated site at
https://efloraofindia.com/
The old Google Classic site was not updated since 4.12.20, as Google has disabled any editing on it.
Since then our site has gone through massive changes with a lot of corrections in identifications, a lot of new additions, changes etc.
It was felt that giving contradictory and wrong information (as per our latest discussions) at the old eFloraofIndia site is not desirable.
In view, older site is no longer made available for public view.”

That’s good! In a few days the old site will drop out of Google search results too. The new site would naturally be ranked up.

.
Old eFI site is no longer accessible:
Old eFI site has now been discontinued w.e.f. 24.10.23 and no longer accessible as we were unable to update it since 4.12.20 due to Google shutting down old Classical Google sites. 

Pl. check our new updated site for any information you require at
https://efloraofindia.com/

Lot of requests are being received for sharing the Old site.

While replying to their mail, I am now informing them as below:
“Pl. check our new updated site at
https://efloraofindia.com/
The old Google Classic site was not updated since 4.12.20, as Google has disabled any editing on it.

Since then our site has gone through massive changes with a lot of corrections in identifications, a lot of new additions, changes etc.
It was felt that giving contradictory and wrong information (as per our latest discussions) at the old eFloraofIndia site is not desirable.
In view, older site is no longer made available for public view.”

I am a late entry to this conversation, so I do not know about the updates.

Why not write a paragraph on the first page of the new website instead? People nowadays are smart enough to understand. And, may be make a similar post on the facebook groups.

what you say is good for those visiting the new website OR facebook, because they know the URLs to reach there.
But those who search plant related information on the internet, for example – Cucumis sativus … Google results will show up URLs to Cucumis sativus pages of both “old” as well as “new” eFI sites. Stopping people from reaching old site becomes necessary in such case.