What is a Mahara partner and what can they do for me?
Most people using a tool like Mahara for the first time will shudder at the thought of doing an installation on a Linux server. In fact, "What is Linux?" is the most likely response. If this is you, then there are people who can help you out!
Mahara partners are specialists who know how to:
Install Mahara on a server
Host your Mahara
Offer support for developing your Mahara in the future
Upgrade your Mahara when new versions come out
Theme your Mahara
Provide training
Provide implementation consultancy support
...and more!
Mahara partners have a special relationship with the Mahara developer team and are very knowledgeable about how Mahara works. They can do all the things you don't feel comfortable doing, or don’t want to do, such as installing your Mahara, hosting it on the Internet, and managing it. This will be at a cost and will depend on the individual partner.
Even if you do have confidence that you could install Mahara on a Linux server, it is still very likely that a Mahara partner has something to offer you. For example, you might want to brighten up the look of your Mahara to match your corporate branding but have no knowledge of internet technologies such as CSS and (X)HTML.
So where can you find out more about Mahara partners?
Finding a Mahara partner
The easiest way to find a Mahara Partner is to visit the Partners section of the Mahara website. See http://mahara.org/partners. This will open a page listing all the Mahara partners. If you are thinking about using a Mahara partner, have a look through the description of the services that each one offers and decide whether they are right for you. Each partner also has a website that you can visit to find out more information. The Mahara partners are based all over the world, so it is a good idea to find one that is close to wherever you are.
