So what are we talking... Weekly? Monthly? Bi-monthly? Differing during the season and off season? Let's make this work :)

- Katie

im in!
 

This sounds awesome! I will help out in any way possible!

~Mimi

Having a FIRST webZine
 

I think its a great idea to have a webZine dedicated for FIRST. i think that it is about time that FIRST is rconized more widely. i would be proud to help in getting this created and started. i am very skilled in many things and i think that i could contribute alot. although it will be a little rough trying to juggle school, web page for my current team, programming, and then this webZine. but i still think that it is a grea oppurtunity and and great idea. i also know of some other people that would probally be interested and could help me. if any help is needed im here. just send me a message or u can email me at:
tennisdude7@hotmail.com
tennimike7@yahoo.com
or you can im me at AIM:
my sn is tennismike7
or you can im me at MSN:
my email is tennisdude7@hotmail.com
or just post a comment on the guest book at my team's web site:
the web site is http://jrtrobotics.homeip.net:33

thanks alot,
Mike O'Brien
Team 384

Where to start...
 

Well, all these seems like a good idea, and a lot of people are interested. You know I am all up for writing about FIRST and talking about robots.

So, here is what I think we got to do:

Get an overall idea of how we want the magazine/webzine looks like.

Figure out what kind of topics we want to talk about.

Split the work and see who is interested in doing which part.

Decide a deadline, and have each part finish their job.

Finally, put all the parts together, and check through the materials. See if this is what we want as the final magazine/webzine.

Then we will show it to everyone!


Right now, I think we got to finish the first one, to see how much work it take, and what we wish to accomplish. Don't think anything big right now. Just do one, see how people like it, and we will base future releases on feedback and comments from people.

If you guys are seriously about this, then let's get organized and make it work. Don't get too eager to make this as big as possible, and do it one step at a time.

If all we are going to do is individual writing a piece of this and that, and ended up no real effort to get it going as a group, then nothing will happen.

What do you think?

Ken,

I fully agree. We need to have people dedicated to writing columns about certain things. ::raises hand:: I'll write!! If you give me a topic, and I'll get you an article. The first issue will probably take the most work... so we shouldn't set the deadline too soon. I'd say a good deadline would be 3 weeks before Nationals is a good deadline to set. But that's just my opinion :) What does everyone else think? Again, I'm going to pose the question: Do we want individual reports from teams on how/what they are doing? I think this would be a good way for teams to get their name/ what they are doing out that. lemme know!!

- Katie

Thanks everyone for the replies. It looks like we need to take the next step. I am willing to help get this thing kick started. I have been thinking about what the columns might be, but in order to let everyone have a say let's start an email brain storm. Please email your suggestions to me at falendys@oconee.sema.slb.com or post them here. I will begin looking into the logistical issues of getting space on the web, what legal issues are involved, what tools are available, etc. Keep the excitement I love it!

Gene

We should definatly post things up here about the columns you want to see here and other things.

Here are some ideas for columns....

Letters to the Editor
Technology Today- What's new in technology in general. I'd like to do this one.
What's Your Sponsor Doing?- A look at some of FIRST's Sponsors and teams sponsors.
How Does It Work?- A detaled look at how something works that is used in FIRST.
Your Robot- A look at peoples robots
Q&A- A questions and answers section
Other Speciatly Columns- Columns on things to do around competitons, kick-offs, plays, and other things.

Mike, could we make a Website for FIRST Webzine? Have a small section for ideas, letters to the editor, and other things.

Joseph Matt
JWM1314@aol.com

FIRST webZine
 

This is great to hear soo many ideas about a FIRST webZine and i think that we can do it. like one of my coaches say "KIS" keep it simple. we make it more complex as we go along. i have some great ideas some may work some may not. i also can get us some web space that has no limit of storage. well here it goes some of my ideas:
1. i think that people are right on how we think that we should not have a certain deadline but it should be good time before nationals
2. i also think that when we are at nationals that we should do daily updates on what happens the days that it happens. the only problem that i would see is that i dont know how many people or any people at all will have an iternet connection
3. i think that it would be great if each time gives a report about their team, just a short little summary
4. i think that we should have editorials and something like a question and answer part
5. i think that we should also include, im sure if ive already said this, but the voice of the people, what other people's opinion is

thats some of the ideas for now. hope to hear from yall and hope that this will work out, i know it can. i also think that we should start thinking about next season if we decide to do this next year. it think that it would be great to have this from the start. well here are my two cents. well thats all for now. later .

Mike O'Brien
Team 384
AIM- tennismike7
email- tennisdude7@hotmail.com
web page- http://jrtrobotics.homeip.net:33

We should start with the columns, and who's doing wich ones. I'd like to do a today's technology news section, and possibly something on stuff to do at WDW and VCU.

Joseph Matt
JWM1314@aol.com

too many ideas
 

This is exactly what I was talking about. We have tons and tons of ideas, but we can't possibly fit all of them on the magazine/webzine.

I think before we get more ideas, we should decide what we want this webzine/magazine to do.

Are we just reporting what's happening at competition? To recognize teams? Show people the really cool robots out there?

Or are we using this webzine to say things to people? To teach others things we learn from this competition? To show off how much we know about this competition?

If we are showing people about different teams, how do we fit all 600 teams together? If we are doing discussions we have about this competition, do we quote other people or do we just express our own opinion?


So... How is it going to be?

It should be a magazine about FIRST and Technology.
It should feature letters, Q&A, How To columns, PR for teams, and other things.
Keep the first issue down to size. A few letters and 5 or 6 columns. We should also create a general layout and graphic design for the webzine.

We also need an offical name!
We should also put our position under our posts in our signature along with a link the webzine site.

Joseph Matt
JWM1314@aol.com

Actually, I think the first order of business is to pick an editor/head honcho. while democracy is a wonderful thing, it doesn't get anything done very fast.

perhaps ken could fill that role? He seems like he's head honcho material.

Since I started this Idea I'd be willing to take on the role of Editor and Chief. I was hoping that Ken would handle a commentary column or something like that. The name that came to me on that night of inspiration was "FIRST Place", what do you think? As a beginning I'd like to hear what articles people are willing to write within the next week. As far as choosing columns right now I think we should see what contributions we get and as time progresses develop them into recuring columns.

Gene

Go right ahead if you want to do it. ;) I didn't want to sound so controlling and annoying with my comments... Just that I know this is a good thing to do in FIRST, and I want to make sure we organize this, think through the details, and make it great.

It would be really bad if it come out half done and not really good. It would be even worse if we happens to mess this up and make people lose interest in doing this.

And, I kinda like a small group effort in making this happen, because it will mean a lot less work load on just one person, and it will make sure we do this with different angle of view points... With more people, we can show people how we think of FIRST, coming from different people's eyes.

Anyway, I will keep posting ideas, and help do part of the magazine/webzine.

Sounds like a plan.... however....

I'm wary about reports from each team because, lets face it - we have waaaaay too many teams in FIRST now. We're not talking about just covering one regional, one area of things ect. Unless you want to do something like a Featured Team.

I'm the editor of a truck enthusiast website, and we have a Dakota of the Week that people can submit for, and they are placed in a queue for inclusion. If you want to spotlight a team, I'd suggest somthing like that. Just an idea.

Anywho, I'm up for working on whatever I'm needed for. :cool: