Hi All, Things at Backstage have been quite hectic but also quiet to the public. So whats been going on?
Well here's a list which I think you will find interesting. 1. New BBC Backstage Blog with comments 2. New BBC Backstage Logo Competition 3. PA Press Event API via Backstage 4. New ideas store application 5. Thinking Digital Audio via IT Conversations 6. BBC Backstage Christmas party 7. BBC Backstage and Geekup events So thats the highlights, now some details. + New BBC Backstage Blog with comments & New ideas store application --- We've had one heck of a ride trying to get the backstage blog somewhere more stable. Comments have been turned off for a eternity due to spam and our mailbox has over a million spam comments. So we're moving the blog to blogs.bbc.co.uk and updating the style. We want to encourage casual backstagers to comment directly on prototypes and news items. The mailing-list will stay as it is but we hope to use the archive more to pull the list into the site via RSS. With the move, we're also launching a new site called ideas store. This is basically ubuntu brainstorm/ideatorrent setup for you all to submit ideas in a more structured way. For example people can vote up ideas and add comments. This should lead the way for people to float ideas surrounding backstage or other BBC projects/sites. So if you've always wanted to raise the idea of the BBC using OGG Vorbis streams, now you can and gather support around it. + New BBC Backstage Logo competition --- The BBC backstage logo we created back 2 years ago was great for the time. But the tag cloud format is tired and not ideal, so we wanted to see what the community could come up with. Obviously you will be rewarded for your fantastic efforts. Expect a full blog post and mail about this very soon. + PA Press Event API via Backstage --- Everything has come together and we're now able to offer the PA Events API under a backstage non-commercial licence. This means you will all have access to one of the richest event databases in the country. On top of that, PA Press have setup a competition to go with the launch of the API. There very interested in what you can do beyond sticking events on a map. + Thinking Digital Audio via IT Conversations --- We truly believe the UK is a hot bed for development and ideas but we're not doing enough to maybe promote ourselves and talent. So to aid with this, we are recording conferences we go to for future re-use on the non-profit and highly listen to ITConversations.com. Our first recording from Thinking Digital just went up last week involving Matt Locke of all people - http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3837.html + BBC Backstage Christmas party --- Every year we have a Christmas Party and most of the people suggest we should have one in the north of england. So this time around, we're throwing two. One in London (http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1225222) and one in Manchester (http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1225186). As you can see the London one doesn't have a venue quite yet. But you can sign-up now and please pass it around its free and should be a good night. + BBC Backstage and Geekup events --- We've teamed up with geekup in the north to run a small round of events around more that just internet development. So for example our first one we have invited Adrian Hon from Sixtostart up to Manchester to give a talk about Alternative Reality Gaming and Chaotic Fiction (http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/1225071). We expect to have our next one in the new year So lots to look forward to in the next few weeks... -- Ian Forrester This e-mail is: [] private; [x] ask first; [] bloggable Senior Producer, BBC Backstage Room 1044, BBC Manchester BH, Oxford Road, M60 1SJ email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] work: +44 (0)2080083965 mob: +44 (0)7711913293 - Sent via the backstage.bbc.co.uk discussion group. To unsubscribe, please visit http://backstage.bbc.co.uk/archives/2005/01/mailing_list.html. Unofficial list archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/backstage@lists.bbc.co.uk/
