May 21st 2011 is a red letter day for this blog as it was the day the first article was posted and yes some of you Sherlock's out there may have noticed we have earlier post but they are just there to store pages due to bloggers limit on static page numbers.
On May 21st we posted the Relay for life charity party article our first post and in that time have added over 150 original articles from 8 writers. We've come a long way in less than 3 months.
I would like to thank the talented writers who have been named in the previous articles as they are the ones who's original and creative styles have made this blog the fun read that it is.
Of course there are some who question the validity of a blog like this, whether its official or an unofficial fan blog as it was mistakenly quoted as being earlier this week. This is the thing though, the blog is hard to pigeon hole as to what it is, exactly the point they miss. Just because something doesn't adhere to convention isn't to say it isn't relevant or more relevant to that what's already there, if there is even something there in the first place
We've found the first thing people want to do with something like this is instantly control and slap rules around it. These rules are usually unnecessary as common sense is the greatest regulator. Sitting around in a committee trying to work out in advance what articles should be about is likely to create a boring uninspiring read with few wanting to return to it, but it seems to be the exact mistake many want to make time and time again.
Our view was to free the experience up a little, let writers surprise us and so they have with fantastic articles. We don't know what they are going to post until they've posted it, so when we read it we have the same feeling as when anyone else does. The writers feel they are contributing more, are trusted and are open to experimenting with their writing styles, if you've read articles from Jimmy, Robobby and Gokyu you would know what i mean. Because every bodies style is so diverse your not sure what kind of article your going to read when you wake up in the morning or browse in the afternoon.
The blog was never intended to replace an official GFC website but to be a lighthearted look at what members get up to here. As a research project it also means we use it to test concepts and better ways of working.
We've added time-zoned calendars and academy class lists, a division lead list that can be updated within minutes of information being made available, this gives the reader an incredible resource for getting information about the GFC quickly and efficiently, with access to group regulations, video history, joining forms and locations all no more than 2-3 clicks away. From a research point of view it show's clearly and easily how these things can be done, with little fuss and therefore proof of concept has been satisfied.
The assertion that everything has to stay in the viewer is a personal opinion of some people, but clearly its also an outmoded one as virtually every system your find usually has a web presence of sorts. There is nothing to suggest people have or would forgo their SL/GFC experience to just read about it, I'm sure its the reverse that's true.
I'd say the Future is about how information moves around and the best way to access it so our experiences in SL and the GFC are more focused an enjoyable.
If there's an event then why not have a calendar on my computer or phone to remind me, why not have a twitter, facebook or google + feed to jog your memory or tell you that something which wasn't advertised is happening. Why not use every tool in your arsenal to bring people here from the outside or just to keep them informed when they aren't here.
So why not simply load the blog up, have a quick read and get on with your life with the hope for those few minutes we put a little smile on your face and encouraged you to come back into the GFC to experience some of what the articles have talked about.
I would like to thank the talented writers who have been named in the previous articles as they are the ones who's original and creative styles have made this blog the fun read that it is.
Of course there are some who question the validity of a blog like this, whether its official or an unofficial fan blog as it was mistakenly quoted as being earlier this week. This is the thing though, the blog is hard to pigeon hole as to what it is, exactly the point they miss. Just because something doesn't adhere to convention isn't to say it isn't relevant or more relevant to that what's already there, if there is even something there in the first place
We've found the first thing people want to do with something like this is instantly control and slap rules around it. These rules are usually unnecessary as common sense is the greatest regulator. Sitting around in a committee trying to work out in advance what articles should be about is likely to create a boring uninspiring read with few wanting to return to it, but it seems to be the exact mistake many want to make time and time again.
Our view was to free the experience up a little, let writers surprise us and so they have with fantastic articles. We don't know what they are going to post until they've posted it, so when we read it we have the same feeling as when anyone else does. The writers feel they are contributing more, are trusted and are open to experimenting with their writing styles, if you've read articles from Jimmy, Robobby and Gokyu you would know what i mean. Because every bodies style is so diverse your not sure what kind of article your going to read when you wake up in the morning or browse in the afternoon.
The blog was never intended to replace an official GFC website but to be a lighthearted look at what members get up to here. As a research project it also means we use it to test concepts and better ways of working.
We've added time-zoned calendars and academy class lists, a division lead list that can be updated within minutes of information being made available, this gives the reader an incredible resource for getting information about the GFC quickly and efficiently, with access to group regulations, video history, joining forms and locations all no more than 2-3 clicks away. From a research point of view it show's clearly and easily how these things can be done, with little fuss and therefore proof of concept has been satisfied.
The assertion that everything has to stay in the viewer is a personal opinion of some people, but clearly its also an outmoded one as virtually every system your find usually has a web presence of sorts. There is nothing to suggest people have or would forgo their SL/GFC experience to just read about it, I'm sure its the reverse that's true.
The Future
I'd say the Future is about how information moves around and the best way to access it so our experiences in SL and the GFC are more focused an enjoyable.
If there's an event then why not have a calendar on my computer or phone to remind me, why not have a twitter, facebook or google + feed to jog your memory or tell you that something which wasn't advertised is happening. Why not use every tool in your arsenal to bring people here from the outside or just to keep them informed when they aren't here.
So why not simply load the blog up, have a quick read and get on with your life with the hope for those few minutes we put a little smile on your face and encouraged you to come back into the GFC to experience some of what the articles have talked about.
