Ventana software support forum

[Hosts Note: I consolidated these replies]
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Roberta: I am in favour of providing an on-line version of the directory. In
fact, I think that it probably makes sense to go solely to the on-line
version, to reduce printing and distribution costs. I suspect that pretty
much anybody who is a member uses a computer and has internet access
somehow. I trust that the on-line version will be dynamically created from a
database, not simply static web pages. This will allow you to easily
maintain the on-line directory as membership changes.

Eric Milligan
From: Eric Milligan <milligan@delsysresearch.com>
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Several prof. societies I belong to have online directories set up
and they are great. lets save trees and dispense with the paper one
altogether.

The directory should be very easy to navigate, with a robust search
feature so you can search for a person by any information you have
(name, affiliation, country, etc.) for those times when you get
spellings wrong or cant remember names (e.g. "who gave that great
paper on x at the conference last year - all I remember is she is
from Canada").

It should be possible for people to include their name, affiliation,
snail mail address, several phones, fax, email, and website. the
email and website should be hotlinked.

the fewer clicks it takes to find someone the better, and that should
include getting to the directory in the first place. there should be
a link to it on the society main page, with a field for people to
enter their password right there on the main page as well. there
should be a link to issue a new password for those all too frequent
times when you forget yours.

thanks

John
From: John Sterman <jsterman@mit.edu>
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If you have this capability I think it would be a very useful
resource. Since it is password protected there should be no security
issues beyond those of the printed version.

Im not sure what other information I would suggest, but perhaps a
first version with no changes would be appropriate. (I realize,
however, that setting up a database might be easier if these
questions are asked before all the fields are defined.) Maybe an
intermediate alternative would be to set up a database with a number
of undefined extra fields for future expansion.

From: Ed Gallaher <ejgallaher@cybcon.com>
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Good idea. List everything thats printed in the hard copy directory, at
members discretion.

- Jack Homer
From: JHomer609@cs.com
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I would be very much in favour, as a replacement to the hard copy, with the optional new fields as you suggest.

best regards

Daniel Arthur
University of Plymouth
From: "Dan Arthur" <darthur@plymouth.ac.uk>
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great idea!

regards

michael barrett
fivebeesplus@iprimus.com.au
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Good idea. I vote yes.

Bill Braun <medprac@hlthsys.com>
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I think that this could be a very valuable service. Perhaps people
could indicate whether they would be prepared to act as a mentor in
particular areas. There are many advanced students around the world who
I am sure would greatly appreciate such an initiative. Maybe it could
be coordinated by the SD Society Postgraduate Student initiative.

Regards

"John Wolfenden" <jwolfend@optusnet.com.au>