Q: What do you think of giving the option for OSonOSinSwenMark participants to post a presentation of themselves while signing in? --ThomasHerrmann
A: I think this is fine. They have this option anyway, so i think it's great to explain it to them. Also, it provides perhaps some good practice before the event and some opportunity to make some connections and even plans with some people who are coming. --MichaelHerman
Q: I would like to have a number of templates ready. I also would like an easy way to get the name of the topic in this list. Maybe the easiest is to list Report 1, Report 2... and then add the names when the report is written. Or even better might be to ask the convenors to change the name first and then write the report. Maybe otherwise two persons would write on the same "Report 1" the same time which might create a mess?? --ThomasHerrmann
A: ChrisCorrigan and I have been using this wiki format for our Training and Practice Workshops worldwide for more than a year now. The easiest way to post the topics is for one person to type all the topic names and make "wiki words" out of each of them, capitalizing and sliding-together all or some words in each topic and posting the whole list to the "topics" page. Then conveners can just click the "?" in their topic. If two topics are combined, then they click the question mark in one of those topics and simply put a note in the second one that redirects readers to the first topic where the notes are actually posted. If a topic session needs editing, then the convener/typist can simply do that editing directly, before starting to type the notes. --MichaelHerman
Q: I assume you mean that the person who types the topic names pastes the template to each of them? Seems pretty easy. -- ThomasHerrmann
A: Nope, not necessarily. If each convener has a paper copy of the template, like Chris and Laurel passed out in Vancouver, then conveners just type it in for themselves.... or yes, someone could also paste all of those in. The template might also be posted on the wall or near the keyboard of each machine in the news room.
Q: What do you think of giving the opportunity to post topics online, during OSonOS? --ThomasHerrmann
A: We have always said that there's no use asking folks to hold discussions online while there are many folks from all over the world right there in one room. So we've always assumed that online conversation by those present in the room would be impossible, simply not as interesting as talking to real live people. For those not in attendance, however, the topics and notes make rich beginnings for online discourse and/or continuation after the event. We had some of this happening via wiki during OSonOS in Australia. I've always thought it would be interesting to have all the proceedings posted to wiki, have online participants invited to comment via the wiki, AND have one computer set up for projecting in addition to' a news wall. I think such an editable projection space might be an interesting gathering point for those present onSITE and be also overlapping with those folks onLINE. --MichaelHerman
Q: I´m not sure if this would add to much, I mean having a projection. Do you? We would only be able to show one topic at the same time. If people are to look in the computor for where there has been online comments, they may as well read there... Especially since we seem to be no more than 70 participants --ThomasHerrmann
A: i think it's interesting as a showpiece, a gathering point as people read together and talk more about how the conf is unfolding, and a place for those who know to teach those who don't know something about the wiki and recording process there. might also be fun if online comments were posted from afar, then people could notice first-hand that their work was already rippling and connecting others. in the end, however, it's non-essential to have projection. it adds somethings, but wiki works just fine without projection during the conf. --MichaelHerman
C (comment): I have used projetors at times and I agree that it´s useful for the purpose of giving participants another opportunity to get used to the space where they may want to contribute further after the conference. We´ll see what equipment we manage to get together for the conference. --ThomasHerrmann
more specific logistical questions about OSonOSinSwenMark...
Q: In the OSonOSinSwenMark page I can't find any link for a page where topics posted in the onsite event will be displayed, to allow for simoultaneous online discussion. Is such simoultaneous discussion intended? Also, I cannot understand very well what type of "participation" is expected from (and available to)"online participants"
A: Perhaps Michael's words from this page (look up!) are helpful? --TedErnst
A: You got it alright Ted. The proceedings from OSonOS will be placed here and there will be space to comment on each of them online. That's the option we decided to provide. You may have a look at one of the templates already. I'll have a look how I can make this more clear at the first page. ThomasHerrmann
Reflexions on the Practice of Onsite and Online Colaboration during OSonOSinSwenMark
C: I think it is important to profit from this experience of online wiki collaboration between onsite and online participants at OSonOSinSwenMark to further reflect, during and after the event, on how to improve this type of colaboration. I think this to be even more important as I believe that, with the growing of the OST community and the new Wiki facilities, in the following years more and more people will join only as online participants.
The current design of the space gives to online participants ONLY the possibility to meet at the cafe and to comment LATER on the proceedings of the onsite sessions and follow up activities defined onsite. If not for this year at least for the future, I would like to see some other possibilities, like:
-- ArturSilva, 23/ Aug /2003
R: Certainly, we can do additional topics for online only as in (a) above. I'll make a space for that in the OSonOSinSwenMark/ProceedingS. we had a few of those last year, too. ChrisCorrigan and GabrielaEnder had a great session as i recall, online only. the linking with onsite folks (b) will always be at their discrection, and i'm not sure those of us online can ever be as interesting as whole live people sitting in the same room as other whole live people.
By the way we also do have a beamer and a screen to get closer. It will be interesting to see how people experience that. So far it has been pointed to the café since there is where the action has been. We´ll see how we use it further on.
I also appreciate your putting up a help desk! That´s great! I'll get the word out about that too! Regards ThomasHerrmann