http://groups.ucanr.org/sbdisplay/blogs.cfm?county=6845&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed New from CS! en-us UC ANR http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/rss/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:33:28 PST Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:33:28 PST First up - as a blogger, I'm often amazed at how little people comment on my blog. Last week, I found a sure-fire way to get people to comment - write a provocative headline. Is social media is a fad? Don't count it out.  Brenda D makes an excellent point that, as always, you should choose a message delivery method that appeals to your audience.  Social media is just one more tool in your toolbox. On the subject of comments - I found this interesting post on why people don't comment on...... Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:28:25 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1991&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1991 We've added some new features to the ANR Blogs. The first feature you may or may not notice right away depending on who's blog you visit. In keeping with the ANR Strategic Vision we have added a brand new style for the ANR Blogs. Part of this addition is giving you blog owners the option of choosing what style you want to use. If you use the new style you can upload your own custom header. This was added due to popular request and also due to the fact that not everyone can use the UC logo. Some......
]]> Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:04:10 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1959&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1959 Earlier this week I had lunch with a colleague who is in marketing for a publisher in the East Bay.  As we traded war stories and marketing strategies, my friend asked me - "Are you guys doing anything with social networking?"  I had to admit, I have no Tweed cred. On the heels of this admission, I came across this latest 5 minute online video on the changing face of how people use the Internet. Setting aside the cool soundtrack and the flashy graphics, what are the implications here? The...... Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:24:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1956&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1956 In the previous post I told you about the sites I use to help me evaluate a digital camera. The side-by-side comparison feature on the dpreview.com site was helpful in my look at this new camera and my current Rebel.Since I haven't made a recommendation in a while, I thought I better take a minute to let you know about the latest Canon Digital Rebel. But first, the reason there hasn't been much from me about the latest Rebel is because I am very satisfied with the one I'm using right now. It is......
]]> Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:13:22 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1951&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1951 Can you remember back to Kindergarden when you were taught to share toys? Well, today we are having a similar lesson only this one is about sharing the web. A recent popular trend is to share news articles, web pages, blog posts, and most anything interesting you can find on the web with friends, family, or co-workers. There are a few sites that specialize in this type of sharing. A new feature we've added to the Blogs is to easily share pages with these social networking websites. Dave......
]]> Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:03:18 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1937&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1937 This presentation has crossed through my Inbox several times - so it's high time I passed it along. Lee Rainie, Director of the Pew Internet and American Life Project has authored this presentation illustrating dramatic changes in the way people use enhancements now widely available such as broadband and wireless as well as developing technologies such as cloud computing. She breaks down Internet users into users motivated by mobility and those who are not. The smaller percentage (39%) is...... Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:41:45 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1933&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1933 We get a lot of questions about social media here at the Web Action Team headquarters, and not all of it comes from Bryon. The conversation usually revolves around someone in the division wondering if they should be on Facebook/Twitter/Blog/Delicious and other social networking sites. Most of the time, the answer depends on how much content the inquisitor produces and who the intended audience is. Even though we may not always encourage users to jump on every new bandwagon, we are......
]]> Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:07:49 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1897&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1897 The ANR I knew when I left on vacation at the beginning of September is radically different from the new ANR that is being shaped upon my return. Our clients and stakeholders have many questions about our future - communicating clearly in times of change is critical. The most important thing you can do is simple - keep communicating. Don't shut down. Now, more than ever, it's important to keep your Web sites current. Is your website up-to-date with changes in office hours, closure dates,...... Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:12:15 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1856&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1856 Videoconferences enable users to conduct high-quality face-to-face meetings with individuals located in different geographical areas. ANR room-based videoconference systems are available at UCCE Tehama, Glenn, Stanislaus, and Tulare, the Kearney Ag Center and the DANR Building on the Davis campus. A new system is being installed at UCCE San Joaquin and should be available in the coming weeks.  These ANR videoconference sites may be connected to any IP-based videoconference system.  Please visit...... Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:11:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1845&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed camyers@ucdavis.edu(Claudia Myers) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1845 Let me collect my thoughts . . ....
]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:13:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1839&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1839 This new version of Adobe Premiere Elements makes significant changes over its predecessor. Premiere Elements 8 adds file organizing and keywording, plus greater integration with Photoshop Elements, while making it much easier to edit in style. The retail price is $99 or you can get it bundled with Adobe Photoshop Elements for $149. Adobe is offering rebates right now and SHI.com, where we get most of our software, should be offering it soon with the UC discount. The most obvious and welcome......
]]> Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:06:26 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1801&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1801 Every day our little server here at ANR Communication Services performs hundreds of "little" tasks automatically and without complaint. These are different from the usual tasks of a web server. These tasks range from simple items like sending out e-mails to more complex tasks like gathering data and processing it for immediate publication to a website. All of which work flawlessly except on rare occasions where a little intervention is needed.Some of the data we gather every day comes from the......
]]> Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:36:51 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1762&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1762 This message is for all Adobe Connect Pro (aka Breeze) users in ANR and potential users. First, UCD's Adobe Connect server along with others in the campus Data Center will be down for maintenance M-Th 6-7am September 14-17. Second, this same server will be replaced in the coming weeks by a server hosted by Adobe. Communication Services has arranged for continued Adobe Connect Pro use for all ANR faculty and staff with similar access and availability. There will be a period of transition......
]]> Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:45:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1752&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1752 The time has finally come for UCD and ANR to move to the current version of Adobe Connect Pro. UCD's Connect server will be replaced by the hosted service at Adobe.com. There will be a period of transition as content is moved to the new service and the current list of ANR hosts. Here are some improvements to look for in the newer Version 7 features/refinements: Many more help files and tutorials available The ability to download and edit recordings Separate Audio and Video pods If you......
]]> Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:15:05 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1740&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1740 One of the great ways you can use the blog system is for your newsletter.  If you're writing a newsletter, you're already in the habit of communicating regularly with your clientele.  You can convert that discipline into blogging. You can write a blog posting more regularly than you might put an entire newsletter together, enabling you to be in contact with your readers on a more regular basis. Another benefit of using the blog for your newsletter is the Tag List.  If you're not familiar with......
]]> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:00:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1685&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1685 I've had a surprising number of conversations over the past couple of weeks about blogging - so it seems like a good time to revisit the subject. Let me say again that you can look at blogging in two ways.  First, in the traditional sense of blogging as a conversation.  You blog, readers comment. The second part of that equation is where I find most potential bloggers stop short. And unnecessarily. Many times potential bloggers tell me they don't want to blog because they don't want abusive......
]]> Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:36:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1680&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1680 Well, it's County Fair season...and since Cooperative Extension is involved with County Fairs I figured that it would be a good idea for the Web Action Team to go out to the fairgrounds and see what the heck it is that we support!We started our trip to the fair with a quick awards ceremony.Bryon was deemed a 'Super-Hero' because of some work he did programming the ANR Portal recently.  The Super-Hero award trophy was a jumbo corn dog.  Congrats Bryon. (Bryon- if you can explain what you did to......
]]> Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:18:51 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1653&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1653 Brenda D. wins the prize - "disseminating" is the next word in the series. I have a confession to make. In a previous life, I was the PI on the dissemination section of an NIH Center Grant.  Even as a long-time marketing and public relations professional, the term dissemination had never slipped into my vocabulary.  Flack, yes.  Disseminator, no. Better choices? Going back to that UCCE statement: "Disseminating science-based research information to the residents of county 'X'." Better:...... Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:49:13 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1629&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1629 Last Friday before I left on vacation, I was in a meeting with Karl and Dave of the Web Action Team in which they were giving me a very hard time about not using enough photos in my blog. So, in a departure from my usual subject matter, I present: "What I did on my vacation - Part I"Last week I was on the UCSB campus while my husband was at a conference.They have a very nice piece of real estate down there. This is actually looking from campus toward Goleta Beach Park. On campus, there is......
]]> Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:42:28 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1600&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1600 A few weeks ago some of you may have noticed a little addition to the Meeting Calendar in the ANR Portal. This addition is a little link in the top-left corner of the Meeting Calendar which says "Resource Calendar". Clicking on this link reveals another calendar all in pink colors. Some may be asking how do I use the Resource Calendar? What does the Resource Calendar do? Or even why is it pink?I am glad you asked! The Resource Calendar was designed as a way for anyone in ANR to see which......
]]> Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:14:35 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1581&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1581 This week's tip is actually an announcement. We have a team from Communication Services working on what we've been calling "The Toolkit."  Based on the Strategic Vision Document (SVD), this Toolkit will contain key concepts and visual identifiers to begin strategic communications support for ANR and for building a cohesive brand identity that embraces both the strength of the UC parent brand and the strength of our sub-brands. You saw a preview of our work a couple of weeks ago when your...... Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:42:43 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1568&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1568 We are testing a new WYSIWYG editor on the Blogs! Please let us know how you like it compared to the old one. We hope that this one will not only be much better looking but also much easier and better to use. Go ahead and copy and paste from Word this editor should clean out all the garbage! So go ahead and try to break it, but please let us know if you do run into any issues, or even better let us know if you like it more than the previous editor....
]]> Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:05:17 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1065&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1065 I wanted to pass along a couple of recent posts by Gerry McGovern and Jakob Nielsen about Web features and usability. This week's post from McGovern relates a story about how adding features can make online tasks more difficult to complete. Looking past the "Who's on First" nature of the "Pound" vs. Euro question at the heart of the story - it's valuable insight into the importance of thinking out changes with the user in mind. And Nielsen has some interesting information...... Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:20:13 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1509&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1509 The Public Policy Institute of California has completed a new survey on Californians and Information Technology. The survey finds that while Internet usage in California contines to grow, gaps in access to technology in rural areas and among Latino communities are still present. The findings take on new importance in light of the Obama administration's initiative to expand broadband access in rural areas as part of the stimulus package. You can download PPIC's study from their website. And...... Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:54:44 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1491&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1491 We just added the ability to track your Site Builder site with Google Analytics. To enable Google Analytics, you'll first need an account, which you can get here. You will receive a code, as seen in the image. Go to Site Builder and click "Edit Site Information" under the Administration section. You will see the field available to place your newly minted code. Save the information and republish your site when prompted. That's it! A couple of warnings about Google Analytics.......
]]> Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:48:24 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1478&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1478 When I'm asked about a particular digital still camera, I check the specs and technical and user reviews at one of three websites. The most comprehensive is http://dpreview.com. The analysis is in-depth with examples of the tests they run on every camera: color accuracy, resolution, lens errors, etc. There is an especially good Buyer's Guide utility where you select the features you are looking for in a new camera and it will provide the results in side-by-side comparisons. The prices listed......
]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:18:42 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1452&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1452 Jeanette's comment on my last post brings up a good point. On all of these "What Not to Say" posts - the word in question will always have a place. The point is not a ban on the word - just to think carefully about the appropriateness of the word for the audience. The original inspiration for this theme arose out of content spotted on a UCCE site that will remain nameless: "Disseminating science-based research information to the residents of county 'X'." Now that may...... Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:09:41 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1445&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1445 The group at the Carewords workshop in Southern California had a great idea for my blog. Similar to the show "What Not To Wear," this semi-regular feature will dissect a word found on ANR Web sites and offer more customer-centered and Web-friendly choices. The first word of the series: Residents Now this is a fine word if you are an apartment manager, or you're talking about the band The Residents. But if you're talking about the people you serve . . . it's......
]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:18:36 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1437&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1437 Adobe Connect Pro V.6 on the UCD campus (used by ANR) If you've experienced frequent requests from the Adobe Connect V.6 server to install the Adobe Connect Add-in, you're not alone. Background: The Adobe Connect Add-in is a quick automatic addition to your browser the first time you use a computer for an online meeting. It is required the first time you are Host or Presenter. Those are the two roles that can share and the add-in is integral to sharing in Connect. The add-in only needs to...... Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:06:04 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1436&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1436 The Canon HF200 ($600) is versatile and with Adobe Premiere Elements v.7 ($60 with educational discount) editing software will let you produce video for the web and DVD with no additional software. It records to 32GB flash memory cards. Much more re-usable than tape, cutting down on supplies in the future. We get our software through UCD’s discounter: http://www.ships.shi.com/go/ucdavis Here’s info about the Canon Vixia HF200 camera:......
]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:13:18 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1435&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1435 Last Friday I spent the day with some Master Gardeners conducting a Carewords workshop. In these workshops we spend a lot of time reviewing existing Web sites and making recommendations. As the day unfolded I was reminded again of the most useful Web editing tool available to everyone: the return key on your keyboard. Just a half hour spent "chunking up" your current Web content will make it easier to read online. It's easy to forget that writing for the Web is different from...... Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:10:31 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1412&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1412 Earlier this week, the Web Action Team received honorable mention from the prestigious Larry L. Sautter Award Program, which highlights innovations and achievements in UC information technology. To celebrate, we may give ourselves an extra 21 days off next fiscal year! In other news, we've made one upgrade to a system that warrants some announcement and explanation. We have a universal file handler that we use in many places like Collaborative Tools, Site Builder's Calendar, the Master......
]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:16:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1411&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1411 Next Friday, June 12, I'll be presenting a workshop on "Making Carewords Work for You" at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center in Rancho Cucamonga. This workshop was designed for Master Gardener content developers and web editors, but as a few spaces still remain, I'll open those up to others in the Division. Last April, we surveyed our clientele to determine their web needs and preferences. This Carewords research revealed how our clientele use UCCE Web sites, the information they...... Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:00:19 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1370&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1370 In recent weeks there has been some updates to the Blog system that should be noted. While these are minor, they can be very helpful and help make more content available to those of you who frequently post on the ANR Blogs. First, change goes out to those wo make comments on posts. Now if you leave a comment and someone else comments on the same post, you should recieve an e-mail letting you know that someone else has commented on the post. We added this because many times people will reply to......
]]> Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:43:56 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1143&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1143 Tennis isn't the only thing that the Web Action Team is awesome at doing. Due to overwhelming demand, we have formed a band, a RockBand™. Here's the line up from this session (which moved me to tears): Bryon Noel on drums, Blaine Sullivan on guitar, Karl Krist on vocals and Jim Coats on Co-op canvas bag holding. If you think you've got the chops to rock as hard as us, drop in at lunch sometime. Warning: all newcomers must sing first. We're lacking a bit in quality singing. Sorry......
]]> Thu, 28 May 2009 12:29:40 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1333&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1333 A couple of articles of note I thought I'd pass along: First, Gerry McGovern has an interesting post this week about the relevancy of page views. While I don't think any of our folks are engaged in this kind of metric abuse, it's a useful caution about reading too much into Web traffic statistics. And there's an interesting article in today's New York Times about the hottest new job among the Twitterati (their word): social media specialists also known as professional Twitterers (My word....... Thu, 21 May 2009 14:14:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1311&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1311 In last week's post, as well as at the Statewide Meeting a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I was using an e-mail marketing service. I've gotten so many questions that it seemed a post on the topic might be useful. Since March, I've been using an e-mail marketing service to send e-mail notices to our online catalog customers about monthly specials and new products. I'm using using Constant Contact, and I've been very happy with them, but there are several other companies that offer this......
]]> Fri, 15 May 2009 15:51:09 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1292&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1292 If you read my last post, you probably know that the Web Action Team has a penchant for gooey piles of cheese and beef. Well folks- that's all changed. We're on the path to righteousness now, and we've changed our ways. We've seen the light, and now we know that having our cholesterol score match our SAT scores is NOT a good thing. So we're playing tennis. The large fellow on the right is the current cholesterol leader Yep- we've decided to hit the courts. And we want you to join......
]]> Thu, 14 May 2009 14:11:11 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1286&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1286 I've got a bit of a problem this week - so I'm throwing it out here for my readers to solve! Actually, I've had this problem for a while. I just wasn't aware of it until recently. ANR folks know that I send out a periodic e-mail notification called Just Published that lists new and updated publications that have gone through the peer-review process and are now available through our catalog. This e-mail version of Just Published was a huge leap forward some 7 years ago when we ceased...... Tue, 05 May 2009 13:58:40 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1257&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1257 By now we've all heard the mantra that visitors to Web sites don't read, they scan. This drives the need to keep your copy concise, the Carewords research, and the 10-second rule. New research from Jakob Nielsen shows an even greater need to make sure your content gets to the point. Nielsen's new usability studies show that on-line reading is characterized by an F-pattern. That is, people will read most of the first line of copy, but the portion of successive lines read will be...... Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:47:51 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1227&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1227 Dave Krause's birthday is April 27th, I think he turned 32 this year. In the Web Action Team, we make an attempt to do something for everyone's birthday- usually we go together to get a lunch. Nothing fancy, but usually entertaining and relaxing. So on Dave's birthday we ended up going to In-N-Out Burger. We ended up at In-n-Out because last week I told Bryon that I would gladly buy his lunch anytime (every day in fact)- if it consisted of a 3x3 burger, fries and a shake at In-n-Out. No,......
]]> Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:42:58 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1220&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1220 Since November 2008, I've been using the Canon HV30, a high-definition (HD) camcorder. This unit is tape-based. I'm still hopeful there will be a hard disk drive (HDD) model that actually does what I need it to do, but they still lack quality and external microphone inputs that are available on tape-based camcorders. It's in the $600 range now and will no doubt drop as the next model release occurs. As always, I recommend getting a spare battery, and by tape by the 5-pack. While this camera......
]]> Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:20:45 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1217&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1217 Passover ended last night at sundown. One of the key preparations for Passover is a thorough Spring cleaning of one's home, so it was interesting to me that this pre-Passover activity coincided with a posting from Gerry McGovern about removing poor quality content from your Web site. A sort of electronic Spring cleaning. Is the Web infinite? Actually no. While the appearance of unlimited space can lead to the temptation to post everything and the kitchen sink, its important to keep the...... Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:26:58 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1195&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1195 I've been having a little trouble getting my Web communications groove back. I think it was spending last week at the International Master Gardener conference. There the talk was of bat and owl boxes, using water wisely, and the powerful symbolism of the new White House vegetable garden. I now have a new tip on codling moth control for my pear tree: Seems the aroma of a banana peel decomposing in a vinegar and water solution is heavenly. Like snails to beer, I'm assured they can't resist....... Fri, 03 Apr 2009 15:19:51 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1159&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1159 I consume a lot of news. I read the online editions of the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times daily. One of my standard guidelines for good Web communications is consistently violated by the Los Angeles Times, and always adhered to by the New York Times. It's simple: When directing visitors to a site outside your own, make it open in a new window. You've worked hard to get those eyeballs. Why would you let them go to another site? At the breakfast table this morning, it was......
]]> Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:35:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1117&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1117 After weeks of pointing, it's high time I created some of my own content again. I received a question from the folks in Tuolumne County about updating their county web site. If you've got an active Web site, how do you put major portions of the site under construction while keeping your old content active? They wanted to use some of the architecture in my Tuolumne test site in the real Tuolumne site; but weren't sure how to approach the project. Seems the answer is easy - or as easy as......
]]> Fri, 13 Mar 2009 16:16:16 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1093&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1093 Recently I've been thinking no one is reading my blog because I wasn't getting any comments. Not that this is a highly-commented blog to begin with. But not a ONE! Seems a bug in the blog system hasn't been e-mailing me your comments. I'm caught up now! I'll have to get with the Web Action Team about this . . .... Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:02:23 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1092&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1092 I'm often asked to explain the difference between Carewords and a search term or keyword. I have to admit that my explanations are often met with polite if confused stares. But to the rescue this week is Gerry McGovern, the creator of Carewords himself, with a clear, succinct post about the difference and why both are important. In brief, "The words we use when we search are not always the words we like to read when we arrive at a website." Gerry points to recent research...... Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:56:49 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1075&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1075 While the title is seemingly normal and boring, the reality is this update may change your life as we know it today. Or not... That depends on how important the ANR Blogs are to your sitebuilder site. Previously, anyone with a sitebuilder site could integrate ANR Blog posts into the right column of the home page. Now, this integration includes a choice to pick the center column as well. Part of the change also includes an RSS Feed link at the bottom of the Blog posting section. The RSS Feed......
]]> Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:16:54 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=874&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=874 An interesting article last week from the New York Times on the woman behind Google's look. I don't know how many of you remember when Google was the new kid on the block. I vividly remember one of my attractions to Google was it's sleek pared down look; a refreshing change from the busy, cluttered look of the other search engines. Midway through the article are some guidelines for Web communications that we can all consider: "Avoid first- and second-person pronouns. Always write...... Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:44:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1063&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1063 Gerry McGovern's blog posting this week cites an interesting study conducted by the Open University in the UK titled "Search is now normal behavior. What do we do about that?" After all the emphasis on navigation, I've often struggled with this. The Open University study opens with an often-repeated maxim: "Search represents a failure of navigation." I couldn't disagree more. As search engines have become more powerful and better able to deliver relevant results, it's...... Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:39:38 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1050&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1050 Following last week's online photo processing workshop, I sent out this list of tips and some info about the tools I use on nearly every photo I plan to use. Every day I use some version of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. The items below are in all of them except for any Photoshop prior to CS (v.8). Exposure: It is always better to underexpose in the camera than overexpose. Turn on the histogram in your camera's display if your model has one (check the manual). In Photoshop/Elements......
]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:52:50 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1040&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1040 CONNECTed Conversations are frequent opportunities for you to join an online discussion/training events with communication technology experts at ANR Communication Services. We will be using an Adobe Connect online meeting room. There is no software for you to install. You will need speakers or headphones to hear what's being said. I hope you are able to join me in what we hope will be a regular communication method you can use to get information about the latest tips, tools, and...... Fri, 20 Feb 2009 09:08:23 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=224&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=224 David Pouge of the New York Times must be reading my blog. Today's column is part two of his exploration of Twitter.... Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:18:15 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1015&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1015 I've received a number of e-mails in the last few days about Twitter. For the uninitiated, David Pogue of the New York Times has written a column about Twitter. I'm an avid reader of Pogue's column, and once again he doesn't disappoint. Here he presents a balanced look into Twitter in his usual humorous style. "Why should I Twitter?" Decide for yourself . . . Some examples of Twitter at work. Check out the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension's Twitter page And of...... Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:00:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1010&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=1010 A tip of the hat this week to Pam Kan-Rice who originally sent me the link to this post from the Online Journalism Blog 1000 Things I've Learned About Blogging Included are some chestnuts about blogging - and writing for the web - for that matter, like keeping your content current and do what you do best, point to everything else. It's actually a pretty quick scan. Spoiler Alert: The author can't count.... Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:41:49 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=978&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=978 Does "Yes We Can!" apply to broadband for all? President Barack Obama campaigned on widening broadband access to underserved and rural areas; and there now is talk about including this effort in the economic stimulus package. There is an interesting post in today's Bits blog in the New York Times technology section about that very topic.... Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:51:34 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=952&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=952 One thing I'm famous for saying is "The Web is all about pointing. If better information exists someplace else - point to it." Pointing = linking and that's what the Web is all about. So in that spirit, this week I'm going to direct you to another excellent post by Gerry McGovern about search engine optimization. The post is entitled Avoiding Search Engine Optimization Madness and focuses, rightly so, on keeping customer focus. Focus on the searcher - not the search. Do...... Fri, 23 Jan 2009 10:38:54 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=951&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=951 My last post was about the power of narrative in telling the story of our brand. I'm sure after reading that post, some (many?) of you thought to yourselves. "Right. I'd love to have a flashy storytelling site that showcases our impact. How am I going to get the time and money to do that? Yes, we have some great, flashy, storytelling Web sites in the Division, the RREA Water Stewards and Stewards of the Land sites being the most notable examples. But you can put the power of...... Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:43:04 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=935&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=935 Yesterday I was doing my annual end-of-the-year office clean up and came across some notes that I took at a branding workshop a couple of years ago. Most of the notes from this workshop are long gone, but this single page stood out in my mind so much that I never tossed it. "Every strong brand is a hero in somebody's story. How is your brand a hero?" The speaker continued to talk about the power of narrative in demonstrating the strength of your brand. Storytelling. Our brand...... Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:48:05 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=892&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=892 Gerry McGovern's newsletter this week is an excellent discussion of how the Web is different from print. Gerry succinctly outlines 6 ways the Web is different than print, and it echoes my often-repeated statement that the Web is all about pointing. And speaking of Gerry and Carewords, I held a workshop last week in Davis with a group of Master Gardener coordinators and volunteers on incorporating our Carewords into their Web sites. We jointly critiqued each Web site, and then made...... Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:14:50 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=873&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=873 Two new Portal-related items were released this morning to deafening applause. First, we now have a "Portal Options" page allowing you to make some modifications to what you see on your Portal. Second, there is a new ANR Quick Access menu! The Portal Options page controls the following four options right now: Module Activation - You can now remove modules from your portal. Click on a module you want removed, and it will disappear from your Portal after you reload the page! Of......
]]> Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:59:21 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=869&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=869 VOB is a container format. That means in the one file it has video, audio, subtitles and menus. It it the file found on DVDs to be played in a DVD player hooked up to a TV, like any video store rental DVD. Windows Media Player will play them on a PC. So will IntervideoDVD and dozens of other programs; half are free, half you must buy. Some computers don't know what to do with a DVD and sometimes you may end up with a VOB file you'd like to watch. Windows Media Player is free and probably...... Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:08:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=867&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=867 I'm getting spammed! My blog is overwhelmed with Russian Spam - so I've changed the settings so only registered users may post comments. If you want to comment - please register. Sorry! Now if I could only read Cyrillic text I'd know what all the fuss is about. . .... Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:22:52 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=858&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=858 A few minor improvements have been made to the Blogs RSS feed and Podcast feed. The changes relate to keeping up with RSS technology and providing a way to tracking RSS feed usage. You may never see any of these changes. However if you like statistics, then you will probably be looking for your blogs RSS feed usage. Let's take a closer look at how to see your RSS feed's usage. First, your Blog must be gathering statistics using Google Analytics. To find out more about that read my previous......
]]> Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:09:50 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=845&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=845 A recent comment to this blog reminded me that while I've been focused on Carewords for the last year or so - not everyone else has! As a refresher - Carewords are words, phrases, and tasks that resonate with our clients and our potential clients when they visit our Web sites. Remember that you have 6 - 10 seconds to make an impact on a visitor. If they don't quickly see something of interest, they are likely to move along. Carewords are the brainchild of Gerry McGovern; we used one of his...... Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:44:13 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=842&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=842 Last week I started reading Search Engine Optimization - An Hour A Day. This book came to me highly recommended - and so far it has lived up to expectations. Like one of my other favorite books about the Web Don't Make Me Think, Search Engine Optimization is written in an engaging, conversational style that doesn't talk down to the reader while providing a primer on how search engines and search sites work. The book is organized into three sections - I've finished the first. And it's...... Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:37:35 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=833&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=833 The magic word of the day is "Statistics", more specifically Blog Statistics. Yes you heard me right. Blog Statistics! Now your asking me what is this picture of Google Analytics for? I'm glad you asked! Typically we have a program called Smarter Stats for statistics. Unfortunately, for this program will not work properly for the ANR Blogs. So we decided that it would be better to use Google Analytics for gathering stats. Google Analytics is a free, easy, and very powerful website......
]]> Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:32:56 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=603&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=603 Sunday I leave for an exciting week in Reno at the Entomological Society of America's annual meeting. It's always fun to exhibit at these meetings, especially when they're "local." If you're attending this meeting please stop by and say "Hi!" I'm in booth #513. There's usually a bit of downtime in the exhibit hall, so I like to take along some reading material. On tap for this meeting is Search Engine Optimization An Hour A Day. The authors of this book also have a......
]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:21:43 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=801&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=801 Last week I took a staycation. I actually had a better time on my staycation than I thought I would. I got a lot of projects done around the house, I had the guilty pleasure of feeling like I was playing hooky every day when my husband left for work, and I had that old Go-Go's song "Vacation" running through my head all week. Altered in my head of course so they were singing "Staycation" instead. I have a love-hate relationship with words like staycation. I love them...... Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:59:14 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=781&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=781 Today we released the latest version of Collaborative Tools, dubbed three point oh! Collaborative Tools is quickly becoming a vital aspect of communication within ANR. With recent cutbacks in travel, meeting online is going to be the Modus operandi rather than the techie alternative. Some of the new features include: Improved file management Bulk upload of documents Ability to break out discussions into categories Easy roster creation and management Full-text......
]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2008 10:57:07 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=750&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=750 I love a good makeover show and since last week's post posed the question "What's on your homepage?" I thought this week; we could look at a makeover. (Scott, I hope you don't mind my using you as my example!) Tuolumne County has been my Web site guinea pig for over a year now. After the Carewords research was completed, Scott Oneto and I discussed some possible changes to the home page to take advantage of what we learned through the research. Here's a snapshot of the current......
]]> Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:20:56 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=742&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=742 Yesterday I gave a presentation at the Pest Management Conference at UCD about putting video on the web. Out of that, came a new item in the TechTools toolbox: Video for the Web. It covers: Content issues Suggestions for shooting and editing your video The need for file compression How to post your video file Remember, the TechTools website is listed under My Links in the left-hand column of your ANR Portal. If you have...... Fri, 17 Oct 2008 16:30:38 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=729&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=729 Earlier this week I was in a lively conversation about the role of the home page. If search engines are the primary way people find information on the web - what is the purpose of the home page? The home page plays a vital role in branding - setting a tone through visual landmarks like color, fonts, and navigation themes. Your home page is also the key place for message delivery. We also know that you have about 10 seconds to make an impact. People don't read on the web, they scan. So it's...... Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:48:28 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=727&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=727 There's an easy way to embed video into your site if you're using Site Builder. Site Builder now allows for video to be placed in your site in the same way as JPEG images. Files need to be in either Windows Media Video (.wmv) format or Flash Video (.flv) formats. As with JPEG images, the file must be on your hard drive. The video file is uploaded to your site’s File Library and the 4-digit code that the File Library supplies for that file can then placed wherever you want the video...... Fri, 10 Oct 2008 13:17:54 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=708&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=708 For about 3 solid months I've been using the Logitech Quickcam Pro 9000 Webcam. It has a great 2MP resolution and can clip to the top of your laptop screen or rest on your monitor depending on your setup. It connects to your computer via a USB port. It also has a good quality built-in microphone so you can make sure you’re clearly heard. Dan Dooley used one for his town hall meetings in September 08. It costs about $99 but I've been seeing it advertised with a $40 rebate. Like most......
]]> Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:59:36 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=670&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=670 The UC Delivers page has some of the highest traffic in the Division's Web presence and most ANR Web sites have at least one navigation link to UC Delivers. These stories are powerful demonstrations of the value of ANR to Californians. But how can you make your UC Delivers stories stand out on your county or program Web site? Here's a step-by-step way to easily focus on local impact through UC Delivers. I'm going to create a new link in the left navigation bar that connects to a new page......
]]> Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:54:08 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=648&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=648 Last week, I talked about some traditional marketing methods that you could use to increase traffic to your site. This week, I had planned to talk about Web 2.0 tools you can use to market your site. But, after a spirited discussion with Dave from the Web Action Team, I thought a better post (and Dave agrees) would be to talk about a few of the sharing tools available on the Web, and what they do. First, what is Web 2.0 anyway? Web 2.0 generally refers to using interactive and social......
]]> Thu, 11 Sep 2008 16:37:41 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=638&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=638 Adobe Connect was originally developed by Macromedia and called Breeze. Desktop videoconferencing is its thing. You can be at your desk and using a computer with an Internet connection and a browser like Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc., share documents, images, and audio. If webcams are used at both ends, it's like a video phone but with space for sharing items on your desktop. For ANR faculty and staff, you have unlimited access to use Adobe Connect without charge. Connect is...... Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:14:21 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=635&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=635 If you read this blog, or have attended one of my marketing workshops, you know that my mantra is "Content Drives Traffic." And yes, it does. Repeat visits are fueled by good content. But how do you get visitors to your site in the first place? Content plays a role in marketing your site through search results. Good content using key words (Carewords!) that resonate will bring visitors to your site. But traditional marketing also plays an important role. So here are a few easy......
]]> Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:30:00 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=618&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=618 I've resisted posting about the Digital Divide again, because the topic doesn't really seem to be a "tip." But recently a few of the ANR Communicators had a lively e-mail discussion about the latest study on Californians and Information Technology from the Public Policy Institute of California and it seems too interesting not to pass along. I attended a briefing in Sacramento, shortly after this study was released, and I found the findings fascinating. And I think there are...... Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:50:17 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=587&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=587 The Blogs are under new administration! This sounds as if a big leadership change has occurred, or a new President of the Blogs was voted into office. Yet the administration has changed (if there was such thing). Just not in the way some may think. I am still the programmer / developer, the Master Administrator, the President, or Lord of the Blogs (if I can use such terms...). So nothing has changed there. But the change is to the Administration area of the ANR Blogs. Hopefully this change......
]]> Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:29:02 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=553&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=553 If you attended one of Bob Johnson's "Writing Right for the Web" workshops last April you know that one of the key take-aways was the importance of writing clear, concise, customer-centered content. Short sentences, bullet lists, short paragraphs, and space for the eye to rest all contribute to making your content Web-friendly. I recently discovered a feature in Word that is pretty helpful when writing for the Web. The Readability Analysis Tool is buried in your spelling......
]]> Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:59:26 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=551&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=551 Debugging a website can be a difficult thing, especially if it is complicated in layout and function. Fortunately, there are tools that help greatly with this. Firefox is an excellent web browser, included in it are the options for "Add-ons". These add-ons are written by other users to be able to do things that the web browser does not do by itself. Today I will show off a web development Add-on called "Firebug". Firebug is designed to help web developers and designers......
]]> Tue, 05 Aug 2008 09:29:49 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=545&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=545 Another interesting source of information about traffic on your site is in the "Referrals" area of Smarter Stats. Again, you'll find this in the left navigation bar in Smarter Stats: And here you'll find information about how visitors are finding you - search engine results, other Web sites, direct bookmarks. In the clip below, I've selected "Referring Sites" for the ANR Catalog site: The default time period is for the past 7 days, but you can use the calendar to......
]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:37:16 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=538&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=538 I would like to announce a New Feature! Not a new feature some of us grew used to going to the drive-in or movie theater to see the latest and greatest horror or sci-fi movie. No this new feature (we hope) will blow your socks off and is what everyone has been waiting for. At least all those with Sitebuilder sites! Oooh, the first clue! Now that your fingers are all tingling with the excitement of anticipation. I would like to take a moment to say this would not be possible without Dave and......
]]> Thu, 17 Jul 2008 13:37:54 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=394&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=394 Perhaps you've noticed that the Tip of the Week has gotten a little erratic - sometimes in spite of my best intentions, the weekly posting gets delayed. Even if web communications is part of your job description, we're all pressed for time. I heard a lot of feedback at the Writing Right for the Web workshops that went along the lines of "This is great information, but where do I find the time?" How do you set priorities? One way is by looking at statistics. We use an analytical......
]]> Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:22:34 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=510&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=510 Well, yesterday we ran some security scans...with varied results. One result was that we found some more vulnerabilities- the new scanner is thorough! But unfortunately, we also sent out some email from the Portal, due to the scanner being pretty darn aggressive. My goal for next week is to run the scan against a few 'private' sites: http://nursing-home.info and http://simplestuff.info/mpg . The goal is to run stress tests, and try to crash the sites. I would like to compare the ANR...... Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:38:38 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=503&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=503 In my marketing workshops I spend a good bit of time talking about the importance of color in reinforcing brand awareness. There are some good corporate examples. Most people associate Coca-Cola with the color red; and UPS has built an entire marketing campaign around their corporate color - brown. One of the things we know about the ANR brand is that to many, Cooperative Extension is the face of the University of California in their community. Another brand attribute is the role of ANR as......
]]> Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:24:50 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=488&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=488 Yesterday morning I heard a short news item on KQED radio about a new study from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) on Californians and Technology. Before you click away thinking this is going to be a boring, wonky post - bear with me and read on! While this new study is interesting in how it presents data on how Californians are using technology; it led me to a paper from July 2007, which relates to last week's post about broadband. That study, entitled Broadband for All? Gaps...... Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:26:25 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=481&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=481 According to the USDA's 2007 Farm Computer Usage and Ownership Report, 61% of California farms had computer access but only 54% owned their own computers; and just 42% were using computers for farm business. Of the 61% of California farmers who had computer access, 36% were using dial-up service. While California fares slightly better than the national average, the challenge of using bandwidth intensive content and features in Web sites used by clients using dial-up services remains very......
]]> Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:46:21 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=463&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=463 I've been using the latest Canon Digital Rebel for 3 months now. The features that especially stand out are: 12 megapixels for the same price as all the other new Rebels. The camera's size is about the same as the last couple of Rebels. Even though there are new features that take up more room, like the larger sensor, the smaller battery and smaller media allow for it without a significant increase in the body size. Easily adjustable ISO settings while looking through the......
]]> Tue, 10 Jun 2008 07:43:24 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=451&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=451 Last Friday I attended a fascinating workshop with Jane Ellen Stevens that focused on Web communications, emerging technologies, and how we might use them to enhance our Web communications. I have to say, at the end of the day my head hurt - it's hard to wrap your mind around everything that is happening. That, and Jane told me that my once a week blog posting is really not enough. Sigh. Jane is a former newspaper reporter who has turned her attention to Web communications, and storytelling...... Fri, 06 Jun 2008 15:21:22 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=444&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=444 After a slight delay, the Customer Carewords research results are ready for their big reveal! The results will be distributed to the Regional and County Directors next week, but as faithful blog readers - you get a sneak peak! If you're not familiar with the project, Customer Carewords are words our clients care about; words that our clients are looking for when they come to our Web sites, or use in searches. If we want to create customer-focused content that resonates with our key audiences...... Thu, 29 May 2008 15:31:24 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=436&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=436 Well folks it's 4:00pm on a Friday afternoon and the office is eerily silent. Come to find out there is only three of us left from Communications Services in the Office. Dave is at some trainings, Karl is out on vacation, Alex is being artistic somewhere, and the 3 of us from the IT group are slaving away at our jobs. Or are we??? We could be playing games or goofing around. But why would we stay here and do that? This is ludicrous to think about. As for me I've been working away at a new grant......
]]> Fri, 23 May 2008 16:32:08 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=432&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=432 Bob Johnson presented his Writing Right for the Web workshop to ANR staff at three locations in early April. We taped the April 1 workshop in Davis and it is now ready for viewing via streaming video. The 3-hour workshop has been divided into four sections - so it's easier to view from your desktop. If you missed the workshops - watch all 4! If you were able to attend one of the workshops, you can just watch the section where you might like a refresher. If you didn't attend the workshop -...... Fri, 23 May 2008 16:01:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=431&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=431 The last couple of posts I've been talking about creating customer-centered content. A while back I spoke with Joan McCrea of McCrea Associates about a project she spearheaded for Ventura County. As Joan was working on the project, we were in frequent communication about ANR and UCCE and the goals she wanted to accomplish for Ventura County. After wrapping up the project, Joan had a chance to reflect on the challenges, and shared her thoughts with me. Q. How did you work with the folks in...... Tue, 13 May 2008 13:50:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=405&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=405 Tomorrow, the ANR Web Action Team will attend a unit retreat for staff of Communication Services. The theme of the retreat is "green." Not green as in great big piles of money. Green as in taking care of our environment. We decided to conduct some case studies on how converting to web-based systems impacts the environment. Bryon and Karl came up with solid data for their studies. I pulled some numbers out of a bag for mine. We then created a flyer with our case studies. Realizing......
]]> Thu, 08 May 2008 16:52:10 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=396&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=396 "Avoid the use of jargon." Such easy advice to give - such hard advice to follow. I got caught using jargon in a report just last week: Real Estate n. : term used by marketeers to describe the available space in a Web site or printed promotional piece. As in "use your real estate wisely" or don't waste your valuable real estate by . . ." It's an easy trap. And using jargon is one of the best ways you can make sure your content is not customer-centered. How do...... Wed, 07 May 2008 15:57:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=392&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=392 The heart of a great Web site is customer-centered content. But what does it mean to write customer-centered content? I'll be honest; this is often more easily said than done. Basically, it boils down to putting yourself in the shoes of your customers or clients. Speak to them rather than writing about what you're doing. Think about framing the problem in terms of "What do my clients want to know?" "What problem are they trying to solve?" Answer the questions...... Fri, 02 May 2008 13:11:09 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=386&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=386 It seems the ANR Blogs are making a big splash. With much interest in blogging, I finally had some time to make some finishing touches (for now) on the Blog system which some have been asking about. I've pulled out all the stops and put into the system a nice Archive list and the ability to add tags to posts. Right away I discovered that the "Post Archive" is great for seeing how active a blog may be. For some it is painful to see last updated over a year ago! Ouch! For others it is......
]]> Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:17:18 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=374&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=374 There was a lot of interest at the Writing for the Web Workshops in Search Engine Optimization and the role of title tags. Here's the rundown. Theories abound on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) -- getting your page to rank higher in a search return. The search engines are constantly changing their analytics as web page authors try to outsmart them in a constant game of virtual cat and mouse. Ranking high in theories of what works best for SEO is title tags. What is a Title Tag? A title......
]]> Wed, 23 Apr 2008 12:45:16 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=359&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=359 OK, before we get started a couple of quick notes -- First, a tip of the hat to Bryon Noel, developer of the the ANR Blog System. Last week I asked him about tags, which at the time weren't enabled. As of yesterday - Poof! - They work like magic. That's a speedy response! Second, Mike Poe has been on the road doing workshops on blogging and the ANR Blog System. He was in Ukiah earlier this week with that workshop, and will repeat it at the Central Coast and South regional meeting next......
]]> Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:39:21 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=356&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=356 Every year (well, most years) Communication Services has a 'unit retreat'. This is a day when we all get together, have a nice lunch, and talk about what we did in the past year, as well as what we will do in the future. This year we have been tasked with ways to make our different sections 'green'. So the Web Action Team had a quick brainstorming session, and this is what we have come up with: First, some of Bryon's ideas. I had to take out a lot of his ideas, because they had to do with......
]]> Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:34:50 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=344&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=344 One of the hot topics from the Web writing workshops last week was the use of blogging software. Notice that I didn't say "blogs." I think the "ah-ha" moment for many people was thinking about blogs in a different way. Not the "Here's what I had for lunch today." way or "Why I think Sean Penn is the greatest actor of his generation." way, but as a way to organize content. Newsletters are a perfect example of "bloggable" content. I think one...... Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:42:39 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=331&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=331 The new Master Gardener Volunteer Management System is complete and has been launched into beta testing. We budgeted a month to give the system a total facelift and add dozens of features, and give or take a few days, we met that goal. The most difficult part of programming at ANR CS is also the most vital part of WAT (*rimshot*) we do. Bryon, Karl and I actually support the systems we build. For instance, I might be waist-deep in complex code, trying to figure out how to create recurring......
]]> Tue, 08 Apr 2008 10:34:09 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=336&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=336 If one of the characteristics of a Web-friendly PDF is that it be short, what do you do with a large PDF that you want to post on the Web? There are a few considerations, so let's look at a couple of examples: Lassen-Plumas-Sierra counties have jointly developed a great guide to home vegetable gardening that considers the challenges of their short growing season and high altitude. As a general rule, you should notify people of the page count and the file size of a larger PDF. This is......
]]> Thu, 27 Mar 2008 15:32:58 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=320&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=320 ANR Web sites are full of PDF files - and there are some best practices for using PDF files effectively on the Web. It's not enough to simply convert a document to PDF format and upload it to your Web site. To make a PDF work for you, rather than work your readers, you need to do a little tweeking. I've been talking a lot about what not to do in these posts - I thought it was time to talk about something we're doing well. When Bob Johnson presented our Web site review, he cited ANR Reports......
]]> Wed, 19 Mar 2008 12:35:04 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=308&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=308 Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi (450D) It's almost here. A 12MP Digital SLR camera I can afford. Canon will release in mid-April '08 the latest in the Canon EOS Digital Rebel line, the 450D, also known as the Xsi. It replaces the XTi and its predessor the XT. Here is a comparison of the three models and their significant differences. Model XT 350D XTi 400D......
]]> Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:23:45 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=310&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=310 While you're given a tool in Site Builder to present text in italics, italics should be used judiciously on the Web. This is another area where print differs greatly from the Web. Italics are difficult to read on a screen. See? My advice is to save italics for scientific names, book titles, and the like. Don't use italics for emphasis. Finally, it is now generally accepted that blinking, scrolling, animations, or any other moving text is annoying to 99% of your visitors. If you know how...... Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:12:05 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=309&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=309 One of the easiest mistakes to make in designing Web pages, or printed pieces for that matter, is using a lot of fonts thinking that they are design elements. Now don't get me wrong, in the right hands, fonts can be used as design elements, but this is best left to designers. For most of us, the role of fonts is to make your words easily read and understood. There is a lot of study and debate about fonts (really!) On the Web, best practices are somewhat different than for printed pieces.......
]]> Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:27:13 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=299&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=299 The Web Action Team started a new project yesterday: the Master Gardener Volunteer Management System. Sound exciting? You BET it is! The system is more than a few years old and punches you in the retinas when you look at it. Additionally, the always-vocal Master Gardeners and Coordinators have rallied for an improved feature set for quite some time. Well, the time has come. The time has come today. Besides a getting a full cosmetic makeover, the code is getting the equivalent of a Web......
]]> Wed, 05 Mar 2008 16:52:27 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=295&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=295 We all like new features. In fact if something is not new and improved well then we start to think of it as old even if it is the best thing available. Now I know that will never happen to the wonderful ANR Blogs. Everyday they are new with new stories and articles, but today I get to introduce the Blogs with more power than ever before! Today the ANR Blogs have been energized with Flash video! Yes, this means you can add your most powerful Flash FLV video file to the Blogs so others may......
]]> Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:52:57 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=290&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=290 One of the most useful books I've found on Web usability is Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug. (No, I don't get a percentage, I just like the book.) Awhile back some ANR folks came back from the Stanford Publishing on the Web Workshop raving about this book. I read it and have been recommending it ever since. Why do I like this book? First, it's short - Krug states that he wanted the book to be short enough to read on a long plane ride. I can attest to that - I read it cover-to-cover......
]]> Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:31:40 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=286&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=286 Do you ever feel like this about your Web site? Hoping some external force of nature will bring your content to life? Many of our sites contain lots of static copy. (What's static copy? Copy that doesn't change.) One way your can breathe life into static copy, is to add links to other content areas. This site is a good example of static copy that is crying out for a link: The static copy "North Coast Dairy Day" is a great place to add a link to information about North......
]]> Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:01:16 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=279&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=279 Once you've attracted a visitor to your Web site - you don't want to lose them to another site. If you have a link on your site that links to an external site, make that link open in a new window. The window that contains your site remains open in the viewer's browser so it makes it easier for people to get back to your site. Sure the "back" button works - but why risk losing those eyeballs! So how do you do that? First, put your link into the body of the text: Then, go to......
]]> Fri, 15 Feb 2008 13:44:09 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=271&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=271 Does your Web site contain blank pages? Or pages with only a header and a couple of lines of text? This sends the unintended message to your visitors that you either have nothing to say, or this topic isn't important to you. It's better to disable these pages until you have more content....
]]> Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:16:22 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=267&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=267 If you have an ANR Web site, the chances are very good that you're using Site Builder. Site Builder is great architecture, it takes a lot of the guess work out of common design, navigation, and usability issues. And, almost anyone can use it with relative ease!But, if you adhere to my two mantras "content is king" and "content drives traffic" - you've also got to have something to say. Hopefully something that's interesting to the visitor and that's current.So here, we're...... Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:04:27 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=266&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed cckintigh@ucdavis.edu(Cynthia Kintigh) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=266 How do you choose the right camcorder for your office? It depends on what you plan to do with it and your budget. Some UCCE folks are looking for prosumer cameras in the $1500-$3000 range and others have fallen out of their chairs and didn't finish reading this sentence. In other words, some want something much less expensive. If you plan to compete with professionals, a prosumer camera and a lot of time to develop your skills in videography, audio, directing, and editing is all you need. If......
]]> Wed, 09 Jan 2008 16:17:12 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=240&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=240 Compact Flash is the media of choice for digital SLRs. However, if you are shopping for a late model compact digital camera, you'll find that the SD card is more common because the card takes up less space on the smaller form factor camera body. Certainly you know how the capacities keep increasing on all media cards in your digital camera and mobile phones, but did you know a huge leap has been made in the smaller ones out there? The SD card has become High Capacity (SDHC). Cards 4-32 GB......
]]> Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:07:55 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=212&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=212 This morning we had our first CONNECTed Conversation and it went fairly well according to the feedback I've received so far. If you missed it, the recording is here. https://breeze.ucdavis.edu/p95522155/ and remember, the ANR TechTools site has information about these sessions and other supported technology available to ANR faculty and staff. I want to make sure live (and viewers of the recording) participants have access to the sites that were presented or mentioned. Here they are: My......
]]> Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:30:01 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=225&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=225 Part of my job on the Web Action Team (we need a theme song to go along with the name) is to maintain the ANR search engine. For this we are using a Google Mini search appliance. Which is wonderful as it does it's job very well. On a daily basis I recieve an update letting me know how our ANR search engine is performing. Every now and then, I get one like I got this morning; which is a little different than usual... Without knowing what the normal output is lets see if you can spot the......
]]> Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:03:49 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=216&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=216 Right now, I am sitting in Cynthia Kintigh's portion of the web tools workshop. Although we haven't gotten to the "how you can use this information" portion of the show, so far it's been an interesting overview of marketing.My stomach is so sour from candy, scones and coffee that I may have to only eat one burger at In-n-Out today. Cynthia just covered branding. The ANR and UCCE brand is diverse and difficult to convey concisely.I just ate some Whoppers. They are my favorite treat to......
]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:47:18 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=217&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=217 I too am in Alex's class.... Yesterday we had a training where Dave and I had a contest to see who would have the better presentation. During the presentations we asked the audience to give us a score. "Plus one!" "Minus two!" In the end, Dave was victorious, with a final score of NEGATIVE .5 points. Sad that the 'winner' ended up with a negative score overall. My biggest downfall was mentioning that I would like to see a new style on the Portal that utilizes Kittens.......
]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:33:54 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=213&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=213 Right now, I'm sitting in our effective use of web tools workshop, and Alex Azam is dazzling the audience with Site Builder's design tools.There is a giant bowl of candy on the table in front of me. Pam Geisel brought it in. A very nice gesture, I think. One of the delicious candies included has a sour apple flavor. This flavor has permeated the rest of the candies, giving the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups a lovely sourness and the Kit-Kats a memorable funk. Not so much a taint as a bonus, in my......
]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2007 09:23:45 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=201&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=201 The Web Action Team is going to leave the Action Cave next week and actually get out to talk to people! We are conducting a training for the North Coast and Mountain Region on 'Advanced SiteBulder-ing'. We want to show people how to take their site beyond where most County sites are sitting now. This is not a standard SiteBuilder training, this is a full-featured 'SiteBuilder All-Stars' extravaganza! Day 1 A.M. - Dave is on the mike with a SiteBuilder training. Everyone in the audience......
]]> Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:19:59 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=208&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=208 There are two significant changes to Site Builder that may delight, puzzle or frustrate you, depending on whether or not they break something on your site. I kid, I kid. They probably won't break anything. One of the changes was extremely simple, in concept. Instead of storing your files inside of your site's folder, we used to store them in a separate location. Disk space and file flexibility were the driving factors in making this decision, and file statistics weren't on anyone's radar......
]]> Fri, 16 Nov 2007 08:53:47 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=197&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=197 The other day Dave walked into my office to show me how if someone used a "%" sign in the blogs the text after the percent sign was mangled and not right. This weird anomaly puzzled me as everything else came out correctly. After looking into this a little while I found one of our security filters was mangling the text and needed to be fixed. You may be asking yourself, "A security filter on a blog why is that needed?" Programmers can be mischievous and enjoy a good......
]]> Thu, 15 Nov 2007 11:58:35 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=194&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed bjnoel@ucdavis.edu(Bryon Noel) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=194 Now that the Simple Grant System (SGS) is complete, I'm back on task with the Grant Tracking System (GTS). The GTS is to the SGS as Physics is to Psychics. Simplicity and transparency are replaced with detailed questions about every aspect of the grant proposal. This data is then run through a gauntlet of reviewers from various levels within the administrative structure. The proposal can be promoted or returned at each level, making the entire tracking process extremely complex.......
]]> Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:16:16 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=193&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=193 Yesterday, Karl and I finished up the Simple Grant System and moved it to our real Web server. This qualifies as a bona fide launch. Of course, the system is totally unknown to 99.9 percent of the division (yes, dear readers, you make up the meager .1 percent of the division that is "in the know"). One of the people who's needs we considered while designing the system was contacted and is excited to use it... next year. Oh well, that'll give us time to put bugs in that we can then......
]]> Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:30:20 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=191&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=191 It's Friday, our deadline for completing the beta version of the new ANR Simple Grant System. Of course, our beta versions just happen to also be final versions, so I expect we'll roll this out to the masses next week. We'll be moving the site to production today, meaning it'll be off our test server and onto the live, everyone uses it, server. What chaos will come of such a transition? I eagerly wait to see. Karl and I will be congratulating ourselves tonight with a round of chest......
]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:46:37 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=189&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed djkrause@ucdavis.edu(Dave Krause) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=189 The Web Action Team is workin on something new this week- we are building a 'Simple Grant System.' The idea is to allow different units in the division to run a SIMPLE grant submission/review process that is better than what is possible with the surveys. Initially we are targeting RREA and REC RACs. Also- we're trying a new buddy system with this project. Dave and Karl are both working on this from different starting points. We hope to meet in the middle by Friday. (Possible logos......
]]> Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:13:52 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=183&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed kakrist@ucdavis.edu(Karl Krist) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=183 Many people are so concerned about the gear they think they need, that they don't put their energy where it needs to be--tell an interesting story. If you are shooting for YouTube and the like, then just have a vague idea of what you have to say and wing it. In contrast, the pros begin with "pre-production" and that is all about the script. By the way, "production" is the shooting and recording phase and "post-production" is the editing phase. We're just talking......
]]> Tue, 07 Aug 2007 17:08:17 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=123&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=123 It's a daunting task to wander through the maze of data/video projectors and pick one you think will make everyone in your office happy about using it. Dell 5100MP Our office uses InFocus, Hitatchi, and Dell projectors. They range from $1,000-$5,000 in price. The most expensive are the brightest and are not considered portable since they are designed for large rooms and not many people would want to carry them around. The InFocus models are our most portable and they have served us well for......
]]> Mon, 30 Jul 2007 16:17:11 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=119&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=119 I have recommendations and reviews for webcams listed in my Equipment Recommendations Blog A webcam is not essential for Breeze, but it is a quick and easy way to install a camera and microphone (most have them built-in). Besides, it's fun to be approaching the Jetson lifestyle in a fairly easy way. If you are "meeting" with just one other person, using video works well. It also works well if you are the only presenter with a camera with dozens of participants watching....... Wed, 06 Jun 2007 21:11:29 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=79&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=79 This blog will get you from "I want to make my own videos" to "Wanna see my video?" We'll cover hardware, software, techniques and more....The story you have to tell is up to you. Stay tuned.... Fri, 01 Jun 2007 06:38:19 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=73&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=73 It took a little doing but I finally found something definitive on the compatibility issues with Breeze v Mac v Breeze Presenter v Adobe Presenter v Windows Vista v Microsoft Office 2007 (win). This is from the Adobe Connect Release Notes: Windows Vista and Office 2007 Support Prior to shipping Adobe® Acrobat® Connect Professional software, Adobe tested it on a prerelease version of Microsoft® Windows Vista™. We are now actively testing Acrobat Connect Professional on the...... Fri, 25 May 2007 12:43:10 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=66&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=66 There's an exception to everything. This time it's the "Breeze works with any computer platform and browser" statement. That was true until Macs started coming out with Intel processors. What's happening--So far (May 2007), the only hardware problems with Breeze appear to be with Intel-base Macintosh computers. Macintosh computers with Intel-based CPUs will experience problems while trying to share a document or their screen via the Breeze Meeting Add-In under Mac OSX (native......
]]> Fri, 25 May 2007 08:54:51 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=41&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=41 In Breeze, there are 3 levels of user status: Host- Host Permissions grant full privileges and control of all features, allowing a user to add participants, edit the layout of the meeting, alter the permissions of other users, etc . Presenter - Presenter Privileges allow a user to share their screen and use each Pod’s features. Participant- the most basic privilege level, Participant Permissions allow participation mainly through the meeting’s chat function. Virtually all...... Sat, 21 Apr 2007 21:57:55 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=21 Need a webcam for Breeze? Why would you? Besides having your face appear on the other party's computer there's another thing it provides. A webcam with a built-in microphone eliminates the need for a mic on a stand or attached to a headset. It's one less thing to carry around. There are some really cheap (less than $30) webcams that don't have built-in mics, but they tend to include a headset with a mic. This link is CNET's review of webcams sorted by Editor's Rating:...... Sat, 21 Apr 2007 21:22:57 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=20 I know not everyone is used to being able to use a new computer program without downloading or installing something. So here's the scoop on Breeze at UCD. You don’t have to install any program to use Breeze. You can hold a meeting without downloading anything. The software lives on the server at UCD. Once you login at http://breeze.ucdavis.edu, enter your user ID (your email address) and your password. If you are in a meeting as a host or a presenter, your browser will detect if...... Sat, 21 Apr 2007 20:45:38 PST http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=19&utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=RSS%2BFeed mlpoe@ucdavis.edu(Michael Poe) http://ucanr.org/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=19