Vince VerbekePenn State Universityhttp://it.cas.psu.edu/

Don’t be Afraid of Lots of Content

Keep to a Schedule“Web 1.0” Tech reaches 80 %Add “Web 2.0” for Geeky 20 %Add a “Comics” Section

History and BackgroundGenerating ContentDelivering eNewsReader Survey ResultsDoes a Traditional Newsletter

still “Fit” ?

Started in 1984 as “Computer News”

January 1985 Issue Beth Raney was hired Hardware Prices New technology described ... 5 Mb Hard

DrivesBit ‘n Bytes from Sept 1986

AgIS Computer Weekly, Issue 1, 3/17/87

Delivered via VAX and DECmail Headings used:

Information to Share Action Required CSA program accomplishments Tricky bits Network procedures

Moved to the web in the 1990’sIssues averaged 4 articlesIssue 580 on Sept 1998Reboot in Sept 2003; Went to #1

IT Staff always self-edited2003 through 2006, extra layer

of “real” editorsGood – Better CopyLess Good – Time required

2006, Beth Raney joined eXtensionEditor Vince - “other duties as

assigned”Started with Issue # 48 in Feb 2006Now at Issue #93 in Apr 2008IT staff self edits again ... shushSend pre-release out in advance to

eNews team (group of eight)

Need items like ... College News IT Project Updates, Tech Alerts How do I articles and Tips

Easier today to gather info ... Email newsletters and RSS Feeds Bloggers and Podcasts Twitter and FriendFeed

Sept 1998: PSU and Year 2000 ProblemMay 2001: Here Comes Mac OS XSept 2003 Welcome to ICT eNews Jan 2004: Microsoft Office 2003 PlansApril 2004: How to Stop Obscene E-mail? March 2005: Technology Alerts Page

AddedMay 2005: What is Phishing?May 2006: “Net neutrality" explained June 2007: TechieTalk Club

Year Issues Articles Ave # per Issue

2004 17 90 5

2005 19 95 5

2006 13 103 8

2007 26 231 9

2008 9 131 14

Through Jan 24, 2008 issues were compiled and edited in Microsoft Word

Uploaded with Dreamweaver and old school HTML template, with tables

Page uploaded & reviewed internally before adding to official page and announcement email sent

RSS Feed added with Issue 74 in July 07

XML manually coded through Issue 77

Time consumingArticles weren’t full feedsNo formattingNo links

Enter “my buddy” John DornerWhy NOT Full Feeds?Why NO Links?Why Why Why?

ListGarden RSS Feed Generator

Open source. Download from:http://www.softwaregarden.com/products/listgarden/

Windows, Mac OS X, and LinuxNo knowledge of XML or the RSS

data format requiredIn Windows, ListGarden is available

as a single executable fileFeature List

Move to Content Management System in Jan 2008

Taken 2 months to get kinks worked out

Several new ‘gotchas’RedDot StepsPutting it all togetherOnline Demo (hopefully) &

ListGarden

Seven questions, Used SurveyMonkey

99 respondentsFirst question “Do you find

eNews useful?”Yes – 96, No – 3

Survey Results and Survey Comments

“I prefer the web site vs. the RSS Feed. The web site format is easier to read and easier to use. The web site is simple in layout but looks nice. There isn't a lot of graphics or static stuff on the page that your mind & eyes have to sort through.”

One person said “Perhaps talk in plainer English...make it as simple as possible....without having to be a computer whiz to understand articles.”

“I like this newsletter because it is NOT overly technical and I understand it!”

“I find eNews very useful in the county office. I use eNews as a guide to remind staff of alerts, upcoming changes, what's new, etc.”

“I would like to have a few more TIPS or shortcuts to do things in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, or Outlook. I'm sure there are many "neat" things can be done that unless you stumble across it, would never know.”

“I like the idea of eNews from the college, you have two problems. One, you have to inform a very wide audience with technical skills ranging from novice to expert. Two, there is no clear mission or purpose to the eNews letter - it's just a loose hodgepodge of whatever might seem useful or interesting at the time. I think It would be better if you stick to CAS news only.”

“The eNews letter frequently mentions PSU news that is already out there in another format. Often, important announcements, such as cautions about a new quickly spreading virus, are one and even two days late in terms of its useful lifespan. These kinds of newsletters are difficult. They need to be targeted to a specific audience and have a specific mission to be useful.”

CAS News: News for our primary audience, current CAS staff. Articles could be training announcements or a tip that CAS staff will need to read.

Action Item: Articles for our primary audience. Focus on software or other needed updates.

How Do I... Highlight How To documents or an article that gives the reader a general tip.

Tech Spotlight: Focus on new technology. For our core audience but others may find them of interest.

All Interest: Items of a general nature.

Yes, old schools news has its placeNeeds presented in appealing

fashionMore comments like this in past six

months.“I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for all that you do.  Your articles for the IT eNews are much appreciated. ”

Web “Sitings” Started pre-Google Lists of useful sites and link

Lighter Side & Interesting Links Started in March 2006 Comics section of eNews ‘Borrowed’ idea from

http://www.wxpnews.com/

“Although not all the articles relate to me, the articles I do read are relevant and useful.

I must admit though, I love the Lighter Side and Interesting Links. ”

I heard they went through "scramble", "heat", "disassemble", and "spear" before they found one that wouldn't scare people. "Beam" sounds so peaceful and sunny.  -Ensign Travis Mayweather of Enterprise