Re: HPS HomePage

[JMUCKERHEIDE@delphi.com]

George, et al

An observation:  WWW needs to be done well and it needs resources, but be
careful about being done "professionally", and do the initial work by viewing
the content of many WWW sites.  

One distinguishing characteristic about being "done professionally" and being
"maintained by staff" is in the many home pages that have very glossy logos
and buttons, and a DEAD STERILE form and content! You go there once, and never 
return, but it LOOKS GREAT! Essentially all resources need to go into
providing the (non-trivial) capability to do 2 things, often non-existent:  to 
put real information in the system, and on a continuous basis; and to open the 
content to Members/participation! 

Spending a lot of $ to put the system on a local server, with a big effort to
a glossy front-end, and a burden on a person on staff to "maintain" the
system, can be self-defeating. Putting a page on a server at a university or
other institution (with saving HTML files off-line for putting up elsewhere
when justified or in case of loss -- hopefully with an @www.HPS.org alias --
is much more cost effective). Traditional institutional mechanisms are pretty
bad at doing or making anything dynamic, and a "professional developer" may be 
directed erroneously by someone with no vision of the life and dynamic and
effectiveness of the www.  

An active committee, with a number of active Member WWW developers and users,
and let them go, with a moderate budget for "professional development" support 
"administered effectively" by org HQ staff for HTML page/document development
support. 

Do not ignore or be redundant to Bruce Busby's great effort to start an good
HP page and directory. Avoid the traditional bureaucratic mode of coming up
with $500K to create a "project" of dubious merit while ignoring much more
effective efforts for $50K. 

(Also note that the WWW is oriented to communicating with the outside world.
More and specific use of email thru discussion lists, like radsafe but
oriented to the governance and committees, is needed to engage the Members,
though HPS has a better than average record of engaging interested Members
through its efforts, activities and publications, especially compared to our
limited governance and technical/professional Member communications at the
ANS.) 

Best wishes.

Regards, Jim

-----------------------------------

> Jeff Kleck has hit the nail right on the head.
> 
> Here is one CHP, been a member of the HPS, by and large since 1968 or 
> so, that strongly agrees with Jeff.
> 
> Let's get with it.  How about an open discussion at the Boston meeting 
> followed by the HPS Directors discussing this important issue.
> 
> Imagine Science Teachers having on line access to information about 
> radiation, supplemented with Chapter workshops!!!!
> 
> 
> George Anastas, Past President
> Sierra Nevada Chapter (also San Diego Chapter and Northeastern New 
> York Chapter)
> 
> > Date:          Mon, 15 May 95 08:52:15 -0500
> > Reply-to:      radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
> > From:          "Kleck, Jeff" <JKleck@OS.Varian.COM>
> > To:            Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
> > Subject:       RE: HPS HomePage
> 
> > 
> > Setting up a Home Page, as you may know, takes time, effort, and some real 
> > planning. I know, because I've been involved with groups that have done it 
> > the right way and the wrong way. Also, this is not the kind of job that 
> > should be left to the discretion of any particular member of our society. 
> > Rather, I suggest that the HPS reconsider, and hire a professional to do the 
> > job. I think our society has a reputation for being excessively frugal, and 
> > I do not know of a single instance in which it has benefited its members. 
> > Also, the server should be located and supported at HPS headquarters, not at 
> > a member's institution.
> > 
> > Incidentally, I get the impression that our leadership is not aware of the 
> > importance of the internet, that, in fact, it recently grew by 1/3 in the 
> > course of a single month. That the needed public awareness and direct public 
> > communication our profession has touted for so many years is right here, and 
> > right now. Get with it!
> >  ----------
> > From: loesch
> > To: Multiple recipients of list
> > Subject: HPS HomePage
> > Date: Monday, May 15, 1995 7:23AM
> > 
> >         Dear RadSafers:
> > 
> >         Marvin Goldman, President of the HPS, is looking for anyone who
> >         would be interested in setting up a HomePage for the HPS.  If you
> >         have the time to donate and access to a http server on which to
> >         post the page, please contact me either via email or phone/fax.
> > 
> >         Bob Loesch