Focussed Effort

[Andy Millne]

There`s a group just been created on Facebook http://www.facebook....id=357775560373

Can I make a suggestion here?

Great work taking the initiative. but...

We are trying to build a site here that everybody in the town can use in a focussed manner and the members have spent a lot of time convincing officials to visit here which they are now doing. It would be far better if efforts were spent encouraging people to post here rather than scattered across the web on different social networking sites.

Don't worry there is no commercial interest here and it's run entirely for and by people in the town but like I said on the radio this morning we need to focus our efforts. It's no good expecting officials to listen if we don't make it easy for them.

[Merlin]

Can I make a suggestion here?

Great work taking the initiative. but...

We are trying to build a site here that everybody in the town can use in a focussed manner and the members have spent a lot of time convincing officials to visit here which they are now doing. It would be far better if efforts were spent encouraging people to post here rather than scattered across the web on different social networking sites.

Don't worry there is no commercial interest here and it's run entirely for and by people in the town but like I said on the radio this morning we need to focus our efforts. It's no good expecting officials to listen if we don't make it easy for them.

If they are linked I don't see the problem! See a link click on it

[Andy Millne]

There is already talk of a questions to the council dedicated forum.

[Andy Millne]

If they are linked I don't see the problem! See a link click on it

Yes true, but we are not talking to net-savvy teenagers here with Facebook and MySpace accounts and we can't be expecting them to be darting around signing up here, there and everywhere and be able to follow the conversation. Plus here we can authenticate who individual users are and make sure official responses are actually official responses.

[Stephen Marshall]

Yes true, but we are not talking to net-savvy teenagers here with Facebook and MySpace accounts and we can't be expecting them to be darting around signing up here, there and everywhere and be able to follow the conversation. Plus here we can authenticate who individual users are and make sure official responses are actually official responses.

Im not here to cause a rift but The internet is not just used by "net-savvy teenagers" on Facebook.??? Have you not heard of Ivy Bean on Facebook??? She is 104 years old and she loves Facebook, Twitter the lot???? I think the More places It's out there the better???

I think the phrase that fits this is: "If you keep doing what you've always done... you get exactly the same results" - I visited this site today, through a link I found on Facebook, does that not show that getting the word out there means that more people will pay attention.

The problem is, that there are a lot of people in Bedlington (and surrounding areas) that do have genuinely great ideas about improving it's visability within Northumberland, but don't know about this site or how to action them.

...In a nutshell, people will listen more to the person with the biggest microphone - the more people that know about it, the better!

[Andy Millne]

I think the More places It's out there the better???

Yes and no, just because it's out there doesn't mean it will be found. Here we can guarantee it will be! We've already done the hard work. People are listening.

I think the phrase that fits this is: "If you keep doing what you've always done... you get exactly the same results" - I visited this site today, through a link I found on Facebook, does that not show that getting the word out there means that more people will pay attention.

This isn't what we've always done. You visited this site through a link on Facebook that you probably found as a result of promotion of the Facebook group by the members of this site

The problem is, that there are a lot of people in Bedlington (and surrounding areas) that do have genuinely great ideas about improving it's visability within Northumberland, but don't know about this site or how to action them.

...In a nutshell, people will listen more to the person with the biggest microphone - the more people that know about it, the better!

Totally agree, get telling them then

[Stephen Marshall]

This isn't what we've always done. You visited this site through a link on Facebook that you probably found as a result of promotion of the Facebook group by the members of this site

This was my point??? I Found this site because of a link on another site. Other wise I would not know it existed. So the more places and people it gets to the better??

At the Min there are more people from Bedlington using facebook and other social networking sites than this one so lets get the word about this site out there???

The whole thing with Tommy switching the Christmas lights on would not be possible with out the facebook group??

so if something is working, Why change it??? The best thing to do is ad to it.

[Andy Millne]

This was my point??? I Found this site because of a link on another site. Other wise I would not know it existed. So the more places and people it gets to the better??

At the Min there are more people from Bedlington using facebook and other social networking sites than this one so lets get the word about this site out there???

Bingo! Glad we're talking the same language again.

[Andy Millne]

My main point really is that it needs to be focussed. People have been talking about the poor state of the christmas lights and how there's "nothing for the kids" for the best part of a decade, it comes up in almost daily conversation. It's out there but is it listened to? No. Why not? because it wasn't focused. Tonights events came about because of a focused campaign (towards a facebook group - thanks to Sian and Luke for that)

[Pete]

Yes true, but we are not talking to net-savvy teenagers here with Facebook and MySpace accounts and we can't be expecting them to be darting around signing up here, there and everywhere and be able to follow the conversation. Plus here we can authenticate who individual users are and make sure official responses are actually official responses.

Well as a not so net savvy tenager I have to agree, I followed a link on here only to find that I have to create an account on face book to be able to enter the site.

I read in one post on this thread that there someone on face book thats 104 well thats great but its not for me. I have no interst in social networking sites and rely on this web site (Bedder.co.uk)to keep me informed of local issues and local news as I no longer live in the North East.

So if its a choice between face book and beders.co.uk then youve lost my interst cos am staying here not face book.

[Andy Millne]

I think like stephen says, It doesn't need to be a choice. We should be using the likes of Facebook to bring in the more casual net users. To be fair Cympil brought this up a while back but we didn't give it the attention it deserved.

[Cympil]

I think like stephen says, It doesn't need to be a choice. We should be using the likes of Facebook to bring in the more casual net users. To be fair Cympil brought this up a while back but we didn't give it the attention it deserved.

Well it makes sense when you think about it. I actually heard someone tonight saying `have you got my Facebook`..what happened to `have you got my number`?

There`s so many people on Facebook now, it`s overtaken Myspace, Bebo etc..i think most of Bedlington probably uses it.

[Andy Millne]

Well it makes sense when you think about it. I actually heard someone tonight saying `have you got my Facebook`..what happened to `have you got my number`?

There`s so many people on Facebook now, it`s overtaken Myspace, Bebo etc..i think most of Bedlington probably uses it.

It's designed for one to one communication though the collaboration tools are very poor. Imagine trying to discuss the many topics that need discussing on a single facebook wall and keeping it organised. That would be fun.

[Pete]

Well it makes sense when you think about it. I actually heard someone tonight saying `have you got my Facebook`..what happened to `have you got my number`?

There`s so many people on Facebook now, it`s overtaken Myspace, Bebo etc..i think most of Bedlington probably uses it.

Theres a lot of people that I know that simply would not touch it myself included. My two daughters use it and one of my sons they use it to talk to there friends who live in the same street, dont make sense to me.

[Cympil]

Theres a lot of people that I know that simply would not touch it myself included. My two daughters use it and one of my sons they use it to talk to there friends who live in the same street, dont make sense to me.

But Pete, you can play Bingo on there you know

I like Facebook, i`ve got back in touch with folk on there that i haven`t seen in years. I`ve also met a lot of people from all around the world who i now consider friends.

It`s also a great way to advertise places like this, you can also advertise your listings on that horrid auction site..the list is endless if you use it properly.

Plus there`s loads of free games

[Pete]

But Pete, you can play Bingo on there you know

I like Facebook, i`ve got back in touch with folk on there that i haven`t seen in years. I`ve also met a lot of people from all around the world who i now consider friends.

It`s also a great way to advertise places like this, you can also advertise your listings on that horrid auction site..the list is endless if you use it properly.

Plus there`s loads of free games

Cympil, all I am trying to say is that its not for me. I know there are things on there that people may find useful, my youngest son is on there for hours playing poker with his mates and he enjoys doing that but I have no interest in it. I suppose I was lucky as I was reunited with a lot of old friends a couple of years ago that I had not see for nearly forty years (not through face book) and we have regular reunions, one comming up next Friday 11 December in good old Bedlington, Station club

[Andy Millne]

Cympil, all I am trying to say is that its not for me. I know there are things on there that people may find useful, my youngest son is on there for hours playing poker with his mates and he enjoys doing that but I have no interest in it.

I think Pete and I are on the same page here. It's great for "General Interest" features and catching up with people on a one to one basis. So what we need to do is to make sure these casual users know about what we are achieving here. To a lot of people Facebook IS the internet and they know of nothing else. In the same way compuserve was at one point and then AOL.

[threegee]

This isn't what we've always done. You visited this site through a link on Facebook that you probably found as a result of promotion of the Facebook group by the members of this site

This was my point??? I Found this site because of a link on another site. Other wise I would not know it existed. So the more places and people it gets to the better??

At the Min there are more people from Bedlington using facebook and other social networking sites than this one so lets get the word about this site out there???

The whole thing with Tommy switching the Christmas lights on would not be possible with out the facebook group??

so if something is working, Why change it??? The best thing to do is ad to it.

What you need to know Stephen is that there was a bit more to tonight's event than met the eye. I won't go into all the details but a few things came together to make it happen. Not the least of this was that we've got fresh faces in places that matter. People who are more in-tune with the Internet Age than the regular old fogies in the town of my age group. However few of these people would see any point in posting on facebook.

Don't run away with the idea that you can produce real change in the place by one-off feel good events. Nice though they are this won't produce sustainable employment and make Bedlington a better place to live in for the future.

But what you have done is to show an interest and a commitment to YOUR town. That's more than many of the people here who simply run the place down and complain year after year. If only a few of your age group make an effort to understand the real issues we can make real changes. If that sounds a bit boring, well, sometimes it is. But long after facebook and the next fad to replace it are forgotten you'll still have a result, and it will be YOUR result.

So ask questions as to why this or that isn't possible. Try to understand the concerns of older generations. Put forward ideas; but be prepared to change those ideas when you discover where the problems are. Encourage your friends to do the same. It's not easy, and it won't generally produce a quick result. But keep plugging away and things will change for the better.

[Dajazar]

I totally agree with you all we need to let people know that this site is out there.

It is helping me feel part of this town.

[Pete]

I totally agree with you all we need to let people know that this site is out there.

It is helping me feel part of this town.

Totaly agree with you and Fourgee, Face book can be used to make those that use it aware of issues about Bedlington but directed to Bedlington.co.uk

[Andy Millne]

Totaly agree with you and Fourgee, Face book can be used to make those that use it aware of issues about Bedlington but directed to Bedlington.co.uk

I've made it quite easy for these users. All they have to do is click the connect with facebook button and choose a display name. No need to re-enter passwords, email addresses birth dates etc.

If you update your status/profile picture on Facebook they also (optionally) update here and vice versa.

[Andy Millne]

See what I mean there's now two seperate bedlington street fair groups Both link to Bedlington.co.uk though which is great.

[Pete]

I've made it quite easy for these users. All they have to do is click the connect with facebook button and choose a display name. No need to re-enter passwords, email addresses birth dates etc.

If you update your status/profile picture on Facebook they also (optionally) update here and vice versa.

Fourgee would it be possible to have a link the other way? The only reason I ask this is becasuse there was a link to a video on face book (Bedlington Christmas lights switch on)posted tonight but unless you are a member you can not view it.

I do not mean a link to all things on face book but a link to things like the above.

[Andy Millne]

I'm not sure if Facebook allow embedding of their videos I know youtube, vimeo, myspace, bebo do and all you have to do is wrap the link in ...

[media][/media]

... tags here

looking into it now.

[Andy Millne]

Short answer is no Facebook does not support embedding of their video. Another thumbs down for why Facebook is bad for collaboration.

It would be possible to hack something up but it would take a lot of time that is better spent elsewhere and may break at anytime if Facebook decide to change the way they do something. We do also support uploading of video here to the galleries as well but of course nobody would think of doing that would they

For anybody that is really interested in this topic this is an interesting blog post.

http://blog.mattmech...end-for-forums/

I suspect most people won't want to go into that much detail but it's OK I have so you don't have to but you should .