Wiki users announcement
By Ed Mitchell 30th September 2010
This is a copy of the email sent to wiki users about our imminent closure of the old Transition Towns wiki. It’s for reference really, and the mailmerge thing is so cool, I’ve kept the references in the text.
Dear [FirstName],
My name is Ed, I am the web co-ordinator for Transition Network – I hope you are well and having a good day.
This is an important message about our Transition Towns Wiki site which you have used or may still be using. We are closing it.
** If you’ve only got 2.5 minutes, please do the quick questionnaire now **
Here is a link to the questionnaire:[SurveyLink]
(NB: This link is uniquely tied to this survey and your email address. Please do not forward this message.)
** If you have a bit more time and want to know your options **
You are receiving this email as you are either a ‘primary point of contact’ or ‘web point of contact’ for an initiative using wiki pages on the old Transition Towns website. We think you are related to [LastName]’s initiative.
** WE ARE GOING TO CLOSE THE OLD WIKI SITE ON 31/12/10 **
This is three months away, and we have something easier and more suitable, called ‘Community Microsites’. If you need to move from the old wiki site, we suggest that you start thinking about it out now-ish.
You can read our ‘Community Microsite update’ here
Your initiative’s wiki page on the Transition Towns website is here: [CustomData]
If you are not the primary point of contact for your initiative any more, please can you forward this mail to the right person, cc-ing me so that we all know what’s going on? And if your initiative isn’t active, that’s OK, but please can you still complete the quick questionnaire I refer to below so we can take appropriate action? Thanks.
** WE ARE NOW ON THE NEW TRANSITION NETWORK WEBSITE**
The Transition Network website offers two specific things for initiatives:
1. Initiative profiles in the Initiative Directory:
You’ve got one. Your initiative profile was automatically created and is in the Initiatives Directory is here: …transitionnetwork.org/initiatives/[LastName]
2. Community Microsites for initiatives:
An easy to use ‘Microsite’ with news, events, a newsletter function, and member lists. You can see an example here:
** SO – WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? **
From 01/01/11, the old wiki will be entirely shut down, caput, cerrado, ciao bella, got to love you and leave you, so long and thanks for all the fish.
If you are using the wiki pages, you have two choices:
1. Use a Community Microsite – say you want it, Ed sets it up – you move in.
2. Go another route for your initiative’s website. From a range of options including:
2a. Put your own site together using something like WordPress:
http://www.wordpress.com
2b. Use Wiser Earth’s free service:
http://www.wiserearth.org
2c. Use Ning’s paid service: http://www.Ning.com
2d. Get in touch with Les Squires about a space in the TransitionUS Ning:
http://transitionus.ning.com
2e. Transition Drupal: an Open Source group of transitioners building a more sophisticated ‘website in a box’ service for initiatives which is underway, and we support keenly, but are not responsible for, so can’t say when it will be ready or what it will be. It could be really cool for initiatives prepared to wait, but we can’t guarantee a thing.
2f. Build a site yourself
2g. Find a really beardy person who will sort of impress you, but slightly scare you, and build you a vastly over-engineered and unintelligible ‘thing’ which you never understand but are too afraid to say ‘No thanks, mate, that’s a bit scarey’ (NOT RECOMMENDED)
We researched and wrote a piece about using online services when Ning announced their new ‘paid for’ status which might help.
** WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? **
Please can you fill in a 2 minute questionnaire to let us know what you are up to, website-wise?
Here is a link to the questionnaire: [SurveyLink]
This link is uniquely tied to this survey and your email address. Please do not forward this message.
If you want to move to the Community Microsites, we need to know so we can get it up and running for you.
If you’ve got your own site, we would like to know its URL for our records. We also host forums where initiatives can share their experiences on the subject which you might find interesting. We can’t move your wiki pages for you I’m afraid. We looked into it and it’s just too complicated and expensive.
If you want to use any of the other suggestions, that’s great – we’re happy as long as you’re happy 🙂
Thank you for reading, and doing the questionnaire…
best wishes,
Ed Mitchell and the web team
Transition Towns Web Co-ordinator
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