Thought Fragments re the Welcome Message
ljv...@aol.com
On the right margin column is a list of links called Blogroll, which
include the two conference blogs, Creations and Conversations, the
participants list (with links to their websites) and a link to the
Story Field Listserv.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS. This process is inconsistent for me. Sometimes I
get to the archive, and sometimes to a page that asks me to enter my
Google ID and Password. In my RoboForm app it appears I have three
items for Google, which sometimes take me to the Story Field Listserv
archive and sometimes to another list. Story Field group is not under
one of my Google accounts. I have the above problems, sometimes, when
I click to create a new post from the archive. I can play around with
it until it works, but if others have multiple Google accounts it may
be frustrating.
Some people save much of their email in folders, some even filter to
the folders (I did this when using Eudora). If an email is one I want
to reply to ASAP I leave it in my inbox, but after a few days must
copy it to the folder (leaving it in the inbox as a reminder) because
Thunderbird (or Comcast) will remove it from my inbox after a period.
But, I usually move the email to the folder and then return to the
folder to reply. But, having access to the archive I really don't
need to do this.
I recommend that Creations be used for posting "content" that might be
reread, discussed, edited, integrated into other documents: stories,
story themes, concepts about story fields, etc.
I recommend that Conversations be used for posting things about one's
self and one's concerns (except when they are in story form, then they
might go in Creations). Conversations may be used instead of the
listserv if you feel that what you post you may want to return to
later and edit. Otherwise the listserv should be used for general
conversation.
I recommend that questions about the conference and the use of any of
the pre-conference systems be posted on the listserv.
Threads exist in both systems. Comments are to be used in the blogs
when you are responding to a major post, or to another comment -
which may begin to become a conversation, OK. If you reply to a
message in the listserv it will be archived under (or with) the
message replied to.
In the listserv, this threading can be viewed from the archive. For
the blogs, the DASHBOARD can be a useful tool. It shows in
chronological order all posts, comments, and edits -- from which that
item can be accessed. It can be useful to check if a post or comment
took. Sometimes there is a delay, I don't know why; and sometimes it
fails to post. I believe, in the blogs, you must click on PUBLISH to
complete the post; SAVE will keep it in the system, where you can
access it again from the Dashboard by clicking on Edit.
We should not scare people off with too much complexity. We may need
more than one Welcome message, a general one that invites people to
the listserv with the easiest instructions and includes motivators for
participation. Then, in the listserv we could include messages of
specific instruction for use of the blogs (and listserv) as well as a
means for a "forum" of users about use.
We need to acknowledge that everyone is busy and it is OK if you
cannot participate in pre-conference dialog. But, even lurkers are
invited, as they will be better informed. There is no obligation to
read anything, just scanning the titles can be informative. Lurker
may send just one message informing others that they are lurking and
possibly give a url to their website or blog that we might explore.
Can we encourage those members who have not given a personal website
or blog on the intro bio to provide us with it. Can these
Participants entries be edited?
WHY PARTICIPATE IN PRE-CONFERENCE ACTIVITY?
○ To start getting to know others, so we can hit the ground running.
I am already very excited in meeting those I have already communicated
with.
○ To get my mind activated on issues beyond what I have been
attending to; those that are of primary concern to others.
○ To seed some ideas I wish to dialog with others at the conference,
so there will be a few who know some of what I wish to share who may
help me in expanding on those ideas and introducing others who are new
to them at the conference.
○ To already have a network for post-conference followup, dialog, and
action.
PROBLEMS
How can we add to and/or edit the CATEGORIES?
Since others need to create a personal WordPress blog before they can
post on the conference blogs, can we create a list of those blogs,
Such as mine: http://larryvictor.wordpress.com/ Will they all have
the members name?
Amy Lenzo's question:
One of the questions I have in this category of how to use this
medium most effectively is how to divide one’s post into a front page
introduction and a longer follow-up. If the article being posted is
long, it’s really helpful to put most of it on a secondary page so the
blog reader can see that there are other posts without having to
scroll down down down to find them.
I’m not sure how to set that facility up in Word Press although I
could probably do some research and find out.
Pasted from <http://storyfieldconversations.wordpress.com/2007/07/11/
blog-posting-help-coming/#comment-20>
Blog and/or email as much as you want. You can paste the url of a
blog post in the email. Don't feel you might be hogging the space if
you post much - others don't need to read it. If there are too many
individual emails, turn off that part (HOW?) and use the archive.
Using the solution to Amy's question, or using the Dashboard can
facilitate use. I will experiment with posting for the conference
blogs on my personal WordPress blog and compose short intros for the
conf blogs, with url links to the full text.
I believe that the future will demand more effective and efficient
cyberspace tools and techniques, to start exploring the existing
systems now will be time well spent.
Lion, feel free to incorporate or ignore any of the above.
Larry
PS - composing as a new "discussion" in the listserv, I am sending to
"moderators". Who are our moderators? Also, to get to this space to
post, it took an old Google account with my AOL email:
ljv...@aol.com , and "me" as the sender.