[Fwd: Re: Special Interest Groups]

[Kathy Jacobs <jacobskl -at- jacobs -dot- coxatwork -dot- com>]

(Problems with my mail caused this to only go to Tom instead of the list
the first time.  Sorry Tom...)

Tom,

I think we all belong to the most useful of the distance solutions -
This (and other) newsgroups!

As an independent contractor, I am generally in the situation of too
much work to have time to go to a conference or too little money to go
to the conference.  I have found that by belonging to several different
newsgroups, whether as a lurker or a participant, I get all the current
news and opinions.  Not only that, but whenever someone has a question
such as "Where can I learn more about....?"  There are generally posts
that offer learning opportunities that are web based or book based which
I can access.

And, while I love the idea of a list get together, the ongoing learning
here is much more cost effective than going to a conference.

Just the two cents of a lurker....

--
Kathryn Jacobs,  BrainBench MVP MS PowerPoint
Get Certified at http://www.brainbench.com
Personal Home Page: http://home.talkcity.com/ScholarSt/rainbow62/index.html
Trainer, Girl Scout, parent, and whatever else there is time for
Life is meant to be lived. But:
if we live without making a difference, it makes no difference that we lived


Tom Johnson wrote:

> The conference debate, sparked by Andrew Plato is a good one. I'd like to
> toss a few quick ideas in the ring for consideration. Instead of a
> conference to address technology topics, how about getting together in
> another venue? Or, possibly creating new methods of sharing information?
>
> Here are some possibilities that I've thought of as I've pondered 
starting a
> virtual STC chapter for lone writers like myself that live hours away 
from
> the nearest STC chapter.
>
> * Telephone conference calls
>
> * Chat sessions - something like what Utah State University has done for
> their online classes. Everyone logs in and you have a round-table 
discussion
> about whatever topic suits you.
>
> * e-mail groups
>
> * Web pages with resources for a particular SIG.
>
> * Micro conferences where the 5 to 17 people interested in a particular
> technology plan a weekend get-together. Several groups could combine 
to meet
> at one location to increase cross-pollination.
>
> * Put your presentation on video tape and and send it to others in 
your SIG.
>
> There must be dozens of ways to get together, even if you are 
geographically
> separated. All we need to do is come up with more ideas and a way to sift
> ourselves into like-kinds. Who wants to volunteer to be a registrar 
for the
> various groups?
>
> It would also be good if we could have a place to post what groups are
> available. Let's not bombard the list with 356 people posting which 
groups
> they would like to belong to.
>
> Tom Johnson
> Technical Writer
> Elk Rapids Engineering/Star Cutter Company
>
> 231-264-5661 voice
> 231-264-5663 fax
>
> Work     johnsont -at- starcutter -dot- com
> Personal thomasj -at- freeway -dot- net


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