Getting Started

Introduction

This network has been started to provide some online backup to the preparation for, and follow up to, the Barcamp for UK Government which is taking place on January 31, 2009.

Sign up

To get involved here, you first need to sign up for an account, which you can do using this link. You might see reference to something called Ning - that's just the technology that powers this community. You'll be asked to give various bits of information about yourself, such as your email address and date of birth - just to make sure you are a real person.

Once you have signed up, you might want to have a look around at any photos and videos that have been added, read some blogs, check out some discussions and see who else is here.

Profile

After that, it might be good to start adding a bit more information about yourself. You can do this by clicking the link to My Page, which shows everything that is already known about you. You can add some text in the box in the middle of the page, telling people about yourself. There's also the chance to add other types of content, like photos and video if you really want to.

On the right hand side of the page there is a link at the bottom of the top box, marked Settings. There you can add information such as where you are based, and what organisation you are with.

On the left hand side of your profile page you can add a photo of yourself. This can be really useful as it is put next to all your posts and comments on this site. Communities really thrive when the members trust each other, and having an idea of what people look like really helps to build up this trust. So, please do add a photo if you get the chance.

Further down the left hand side of the screen, you can add an RSS feed of content you create elsewhere on the web. If you have a blog, for example, you can just paste its address in here and it will pull through the content automatically.

Find some friends

Next, check out the member list and some of the content on the site. If something takes your fancy or you see someone you recognise, click the photo next to it - it will take you to their profile. You can then click the link under their name to make online friends with them - hurray!

Start posting

This would be a very dull community if nobody said anything. We have tried to make it as easy as possible to get involved by providing spaces for blogging and forum style discussions.

Which to use when is a good question. Blogs are best for lengthier pieces, perhaps telling a story or describing a case study for something you have been involved in. People can still leave comments on them, so you still get feedback.

Forums are more appropriate for quick questions and short points, aimed at generating lots of discussion from lots of different people. To help organise these discussions, we have created four categories of forum entry: Barcamp discussions; Share something cool; Ask a question; and General nattering. To be honest, though, it doesn't really matter if you use a forum or a blog entry. The important thing is that you contribute!

Tagging

When adding content to the network, you will see a box towards the bottom of the screen, marked Tags. This is where you can enter keywords to describe your content, which will make it easier for people to find and allow you and others to find related content, which has used similar tags.

It's well worth doing, so do please take a couple of seconds after writing some content to add the tags.

Join or form a group

If you spot a chance for getting a bunch of people here together to concentrate on some issues that might not be of general interest, then you can form groups to do just that. Your group could be service focused, or geographically based. Anything that might cause folk to join together.

Check the groups tab and see what groups already exist that you could join. If there's nothing suitable, just hit the create new group link and away you go!

Anything else?

Hopefully this has given a quick and useful introduction to this network. If you have any questions, suggestions or comments, do add them below.