Steven Clift
Tue, 10 May 2005 11:24:29 -0700
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** E-Democracy.Org picks GroupServer ** * http://e-democracy.org/groupserver * GroupServer to Power the E-democracy Decade For almost eight years we've waited for an online tool that we can use on our own site that combines e-mail and web forums in a truly accessible and usable manner. The wait is over: http://e-democracy.org/groupserver - Includes 20 minute video tour http://groupserver.org - Official site GroupServer is a new social software platform for online groups. In short, GroupServer is a smart e-mail list combined with a simple web forum. The website for an online group supports the forum with file sharing, a member directory, and other group features. It is a unified, free/open source database-driven tool that Minnesota-based http://E-Democracy.Org/uk helped extend using New Zealand-based GroupServer with funding from the UK Local E-Democracy National Project/ODPM. This is clearly a global effort. You can jump right into the Brighton & Hove Issues Forum (our non-partisan, non-profit forum model that brings citizens from diverse perspectives together on local issues - the opposite of online advocacy really) for a sneak peak at GroupServer in operation: http://forums.e-democracy.org/brighton-hove/groups/bh Now that we've combined our new technology with lessons shared in our 60 page Issues Forum guidebook, our model citizen-based local e-democracy is gaining momentum. You can join us on our server if you want to create a local Issues Forum in your community (anywhere): http://e-democracy.org/uk - Guidebook, case study, multimedia GroupServer is Open Source/FLOSS GroupServer is great example of how open source can be used to cost- effectively advance e-democracy. Full feature lists are on the web sites. Any group that funds or builds additional features, like deliberative democracy, e-consultation, online conferencing, or other accepted core features may share them with others by joining GroupServer's developer community. In fact, E-Democracy.Org invites NGOs and governments interested in brainstorming core additional features required by our sectors to join an online group for that purpose. We will go out and generate funding to have features we all need built. Join us here and test out our installation: http://forums.e-democracy.org/factory/groups/gs-ngogov (Note: You can subscribe via e-mail, but we'd prefer that you set up an account via the web and fill out your member directory page.) GroupServer Advantages 1. Use your own domain - Some might call GroupServer an open source YahooGroups alternative. This means you can host online communities with your own privacy and copyright policies and not worry about some company shutting down your "free" service. You can avoid the ads or run your own sponsorship messages in the footer. 2. E-mail or web participation - We detail this on the website, but despite what the "always-on" folks say, to be truly accessible online you need a convenient way to post and read forums via e-mail. Integrated web access (GroupServer looks like a web forum, not a complicated and outdated e-mail list archive) ensures that those who hate e-mail can still participate as well. 3. RSS, XML - GroupServer is not a set of clunky tools cobbled together. The web view is not an add-on to an e-mail list. The e-mail delivery is not an add-on to a web forum. It is an unified system that will allow the addition of features that work through both e-mail, the web, and native RSS feeds generated by the service. It should be noted that this Linux, Zope, Python based tool is "with it" when it comes to open standards. The design layer is distinct from the back-end, so future "skins" will be possible. 4. Not a Blog - Blogs are normally one to few and very individualistic. They have their place as an important "speaker's corner" democratic experience. Online groups are about effective and sustained many-to-many online citizen participation. For blog lovers, our online groups are like multi-editor blogs and we'd like to see someone build a blog-look skin and integrate "pinging" when someone starts a new topic. E-Democracy.Org is also interested in supporting the integration of other blogging standards, and tools like wikis, group-defined rss aggregation, folksonomy, etc. What's Next Please help spread the word about GroupServer. E-Democracy.Org is only a user, not an owner. Over the last decade we've used Majordomo, YahooGroups, and Mailman - we know e-mail discussions. This is the real deal. It is something you want your technical staff to install and test out for your own organization. Ultimately, we will all benefit through the wide spread adoption of GroupServer combined with development energy that adds core features that further improve ease of use for all who use the tool. In the past, people have dismissed e-mail lists as e-mail lists and web forums as web forums - that to combine them effectively is impossible. Well, I truly believe we have found the online holy grail for citizen participation in the information age. Sincerely, Steven Clift [EMAIL PROTECTED] Board Chair, http://E-Democracy.Org http://dowire.org http://publicus.net P.S. Blog this post: http://www.dowire.org/notes/index.php?p=17 ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. Clift - - - W: http://publicus.net Minneapolis - - - - E: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Minnesota - - - - - - T: +1.612.822.8667 USA - - - - - MSN/Y!/AIM: netclift UK Office Hours - 1pm - 11pm - - T: 0870.340.1266 Join my Democracies Online Newswire: http://dowire.org *** Past Messages, to Subscribe: http://dowire.org *** *** To subscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** Message body: SUB DO-WIRE *** *** To UNSUBSCRIBE instead, write: UNSUB DO-WIRE *** *** Please send submissions to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** New RSS XML Feed Available: *** http://www.mail-archive.com/do-wire@lists.umn.edu/maillist.xml