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| Page updated: 25 April 1998 |
| Page owner: ETO Site Team |
What are the purposes of the European Telework Online web site and its associated discussion lists and other facilities?
This question is sometimes raised in our online discussion and in questions to the web site team. Some general answers are provided here, particular questions should please be addressed to the site team at eto-info@eto.org.uk.The overall purpose of European Telework Online (the website and its related facilities)
European Telework Online aims to provide a useful resource for European and other people/organisations covering Information Society topics but particularly telework, teletrade and telecooperation. The resources available include:- Around 1000 pages of information, which can be accessed through the general navigation links, through a contents page, or by searching the site.
- A discussion forum, open to all, and using a simple email approach to make it as widely accessible as possible.
- An "announcements only" list, for those who want to be kept in touch but not listen to or join the discussion. The list is available for anyone to use to post short notices of events, projects or initiatives etc of interest to the European Telework Online audience - post your message to eto-notices@eto.org.uk.
- Archives of the discussion and announcements list, with messages addressing many topics and written by a wide cross section of people.
- An events calendar - again anyone can add their event or happening to the calendar, just go to the event organiser services page.
- Links to other sites that have information of interest to the European Telework Online audience. If you want your site listed and linked send its url to eto-info@eto.org.uk.
- An information service - if you can't find the answer you are looking for, write to eto-info@eto.org.uk, but please do search first!
As well as these facilities that are open to all, European Telework Online also provides facilities to help the start up of useful initiatives in telework, teletrade and telecooperation. If you have a project or initiative you feel we may be able to help with write to eto-info@eto.org.uk. Our resources are strictly limited and we therefore need to be selective in what we can support.
European Telework Online is also the home site for the European Telework Development initiative, which is supported by the European Commission (DGXIII's ACTS programme) and provides contact and links pages to many countries inside and beyond the European Union. We welcome approaches from countries that are not yet listed.
Purpose of the open discussion forum
The purpose is indicated by the text on its web page:Join the discussion list if you want to meet online with like minded people for exchange of views on matters related to telework, teletrade and telecooperation at European and International level.Anyone anywhere in the world with an email address can join the discussion, and there are more than 500 subscribers in some 50 countries. Discussion is in English since this is the most widely understood language on the Internet. Messages from subscribers go straight to the list without being edited, but the list is actively managed to keep out advertising and off-topic discussion, and to sustain a polite and positive approach. In the nearly three years the list has been running, only three or four people have been removed for either flagrant or persistently breaking its rules of good practice.
For discussion in languages other than English, see the national pages or links pages, if we know about them they will be listed.
Is the site only for discussion and information? How about practical outcomes?
The site actively promotes telework by making it easier to find relevant information. The discussion list promotes telework by helping people to meet others and learn from each other. The associated European Telework Development initative more actively promotes telework in a number of ways, for example at European level through support to conferences etc, in countries through national coordinators . . .We welcome suggestions for new practical initiatives, write to eto-info@eto.org.uk.
How about practical outcomes from the discussion forum?
The list is simply a meeting point. From time to time discussion raises some ideas for practical actions, and in some cases participants take these away and get something going, for example the ISdAC initiative (Information Society disAbilities Challenge) emerged from a discussion here.A list with over 500 people connected can't itself be an effective forum for planning and running initiatives, but if practical proposals emerge and there is energy to pursue them we do try to help, for example by providing private lists for smaller groups of people to plan things. We've provided this support for initiatives in several countries as well as at European level. The ETD initiative has provided direct practical assistance to some of the outcomes.
The European Telework Online site currently services some 20 different discussion lists, private and public.
How will the site develop in the future?
The site is extended continuously and we have an ongoing review of new ways to enhance it. During 1998 we are exploring the opportunities for adding audio and video - our first test of this was a webcast from the launch of EITO 1998. By Summer 1998 further aspects of the site will be converted from html pages to a database approach, which we already use for the events calendar. This will enable users to add their own content, for example adding links to new websites, or providing their own useful comments about linked websites.We are also discussing with telework and related suppliers how we might introduce a directory of products and services of value to teleworkers.
Further suggestions are welcome.
Some related pages: