Improving our use of the Web

[JohnWillis]

Copied from my reply on the yahoo group. (we cant let them there yahooiest yahooers have an advantage can we!!!)

I voted for closing the yahoo group in the original poll, but would now like to change the discsussion to how we make better use of both of them.

I will start by ruining Per's credibility as an old Yahoo stick-in-the-mud. He suggested the WAP page, www.bristolastrosoc.org.uk/wap that Tom set up to let you find the status of Saturday Night Observing sessions with a mobile.

So here are some problems to solve

How do we get all members with internet access to use either or both systems?. Would it help if you all discussed the sites and how to improve them over coffee on Fridays?

How do we include members without web access?. Can you volunteer to print off part of either site and give it to Dominic to put on the noticeboard. How about showing a group of tehm how to use the computers in the local library.

Should we extend the Wap page to cover other observing sessions, is it appropriate for anything else?

Can we use text messaging to alert members to observing, and other notable events e.g. Aurora.

What other sections should we have in the Bristolastrosoc forum. With the size of the Telescope drive topic (21 replies and growing) I am considering an ATM section (Tom please don't move the telescope drive topic until the drive is working). Roger might like to start a Classics section, and someone ought to start a variable stars section to give John M an incentive to get on line.

How can we set up a BAS calendar, I have done one in Access and print it off for the noticeboard, but it would be much better on line.

Here is the challenge,

The yahooiest yahooers should compete with the Bristoastrosoc Forummers to see who can come up with the best solutions to these problems. 10 x points if your solution involves the other system.

John

[bob(mc)]

How do we include members without web access?... How about showing a group of tehm how to use the computers in the local library.

John

Don't remember hearing any more about this John! Was anything mentioned on a clubnight - that I obviously missed?

[JohnWillis]

No, it hasn’t been done.
There are probably two inhibitors;
• This forum is not being actively used to develop the Societies use of the WEB.
• Current non computer users are surprisingly resistant to learning how to use them.
It would be useful if someone would print off the weeks output from the forum & yahoo groups and put it on the notice board, but this would require a volunteer

[JohnWillis]

No, it hasn’t been done.
There are probably two inhibitors;
• This forum is not being actively used to develop the Societies use of the WEB.
• Current non computer users are surprisingly resistant to learning how to use them.
It would be useful if someone would print off the weeks output from the forum & yahoo groups and put it on the notice board, but this would require a volunteer

[AlHowat]

I think the answer to the Yahoo/Forum problem is define the role of both and let people use whichever they think is appropriate for the information/discussion they want rather than trying to merge their roles. The Yahoo group is great of notification and news but a lot of people don't have threaded email readers and don't want to keep lots of old posts in their mailboxes to refer to in a long-term discussion - that's where the Forum comes in. If you want news and updates, read Yahoo. If you want more in depth discussions you'll find them on the Forum. People are free to subscribe to either or both then.

I mentioned the use of SMS messages rather than the WAP service a while ago - a friend of mine has set up just such a service. If people are interested then I'll see if he wants to set something up for us. As I recall the costs were ~10p per text received, so standard costs but it won't count in people's contract entitlement if they have one. I'll clarify this though.

Al

[JohnWillis]

I assume that is per message per recipient ?
Can it be set up so that the recipient is arranges the service and is billed.

To be quite frank, I can't take on another administrative task for BAS. If I have to set up SMS distribution, & collect the cash, it won't get done.

John

[AlHowat]

I assume that is per message per recipient ?
Can it be set up so that the recipient is arranges the service and is billed.

To be quite frank, I can't take on another administrative task for BAS. If I have to set up SMS distribution, & collect the cash, it won't get done.

John

Yes, it is billed to the recipient on their bill rather than something that the society has to pay for.

Al

[JohnWillis]

Thanks Al it is a very good idea then, how quickly can we set it up for Saturday night observing.
Ideally the first keyholder to decide to go can send the I'm going message.

I suggest we try it on Saturday nights, then set up other groups e.g
Failand Monday , Tuesaday etc.
John Meacham
going up the pub
etc.

[AlHowat]

Thanks Al it is a very good idea then, how quickly can we set it up for Saturday night observing.
Ideally the first keyholder to decide to go can send the I'm going message.

I suggest we try it on Saturday nights, then set up other groups e.g
Failand Monday , Tuesaday etc.
John Meacham
going up the pub
etc.

They are currently going through the process of arranging venture capital for the business and not taking any new customers but as soon as it's all arranged they'll get back to me and we'll set something up.