I really like the idea of some kind of live introduction to OWW, either via a centralized periodic group info session led by lorrie, or by a more ad-hoc connection between the new user and an available OWW evangelists like us on this list. Maybe Austin's recent experimentation with the jabber server could be useful here.<div>
<br></div><div>Last year during iGEM I arranged for skype video conferences with some of the new teams that seemed to be struggling and it dramatically lowered the threshold those teams had for asking questions far after the fact. I think having a live conversation gave a real face and voice to what was otherwise a barren email address, and also demonstrated that we cared about them and wanted to talk to them. I don't think there is a more powerful way to engage new users in the openwetware community.</div>
<div><br></div><div>Mac<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 11:16 PM, Reshma Shetty <<a href="mailto:rshetty@mit.edu">rshetty@mit.edu</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;">
<a href="http://openwetware.org/wiki/OpenWetWare:Getting_started" target="_blank">http://openwetware.org/wiki/OpenWetWare:Getting_started</a><br>
<br>
was originally intended as a tutorial for new users. I think it can<br>
be improved but it might be a good place to start.<br>
<br>
Also, I don't think we should go to html welcome messages. I find<br>
them a bit obnoxious.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<font color="#888888"><br>
Reshma<br>
</font><div><div></div><div class="Wj3C7c"><br>
On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 8:59 PM, Bill F <<a href="mailto:bill.altmail@gmail.com">bill.altmail@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> I like Ricardo's idea. We can link the tutorials to their User page when<br>
> they log in or provide a link in the message itself to o directly to the<br>
> tutorials. We can even go to HTML welcome messages if we want to provide for<br>
> adding an intro photo or link.<br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
><br>
> On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 6:27 PM, Lorrie LeJeune <<a href="mailto:moltogatti@gmail.com">moltogatti@gmail.com</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
> > Maybe we ultimately have both? That way people who can't dial in at the<br>
> prearranged time can still access tutorial material. Either way, it'd be<br>
> worth trying the live version just to see how many people actually join. The<br>
> live tutorial could then be captured via screencast and edited into a<br>
> finished archive...<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > --Lorrie<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > > On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 3:09 PM, Ricardo Vidal <<a href="mailto:rvidal@gmail.com">rvidal@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br>
> > ><br>
> > > > This could also be a package of tutorials lined up with the different<br>
> steps. Make a screencast of each step and put them online on a nice page<br>
> that could be emailed to new users. A starters pack, so to say.<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 3:04 PM, Austin Che <<a href="mailto:austin@csail.mit.edu">austin@csail.mit.edu</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > It kind of defeats the purpose if it's pre-recorded but there<br>
> > > > > could be some standard script, e.g. everyone go edit their user<br>
> > > > > pages now. Everyone go look at the recent changes, hit diff to<br>
> see<br>
> > > > > what people changed, etc.<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > > Would this virtual tour be something pre-recorded or is this<br>
> something more<br>
> > > > > > like e-learning with interactivity?<br>
> > > > > ><br>
> > > > > > On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 2:43 PM, Austin Che <<a href="mailto:austin@csail.mit.edu">austin@csail.mit.edu</a>><br>
> wrote:<br>
> > > > > ><br>
> > > > > >><br>
> > > > > >> This is a random suggestion from something I just saw another<br>
> site<br>
> > > > > >> have. We have weekly training calls ~1 hour, probably led by<br>
> > > > > >> Lorrie or someone else in the community. All new members from<br>
> that<br>
> > > > > >> week are sent an email letting them know about it. They log in<br>
> > > > > >> online or via teleconference and get led through a virtual<br>
> tour of<br>
> > > > > >> OWW. It would be an opportunity to chat with new users just as<br>
> > > > > >> they get on also.<br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > > > --<br>
> > > > > Austin Che <<a href="mailto:austin@csail.mit.edu">austin@csail.mit.edu</a>> (617)253-5899<br>
> > > > > _______________________________________________<br>
> > > > > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List<br>
> > > > > <a href="mailto:discuss@openwetware.org">discuss@openwetware.org</a><br>
> > > > > <a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss" target="_blank">http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss</a><br>
> > > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > > --<br>
> > > > Ricardo Vidal<br>
> > > > <a href="mailto:rvidal@gmail.com">rvidal@gmail.com</a> | <a href="http://my.biotechlife.net" target="_blank">http://my.biotechlife.net</a><br>
> > > > Skype: icky_bu<br>
> > > > _______________________________________________<br>
> > > > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List<br>
> > > > <a href="mailto:discuss@openwetware.org">discuss@openwetware.org</a><br>
> > > > <a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss" target="_blank">http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss</a><br>
> > > ><br>
> > > ><br>
> > ><br>
> > ><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > _______________________________________________<br>
> > OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List<br>
> > <a href="mailto:discuss@openwetware.org">discuss@openwetware.org</a><br>
> > <a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss" target="_blank">http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss</a><br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
><br>
><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List<br>
> <a href="mailto:discuss@openwetware.org">discuss@openwetware.org</a><br>
> <a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss" target="_blank">http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss</a><br>
><br>
><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
OpenWetWare Discussion Mailing List<br>
<a href="mailto:discuss@openwetware.org">discuss@openwetware.org</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss" target="_blank">http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/oww-discuss</a><br>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Mac Cowell<br>iGEM Coordinator<br><a href="http://igem.org">igem.org</a><br>231.313.9062
</div>