How to Use the System How to Use the System 
Some conventions and tips to help you get the most out of the Workshop Web.
The Workshop Web is a linked system to support collaborative authoring. Components include:
This How to Use the System section describes certain standards and conventions intended to make the collaborative authoring process go smoothly. These include such things as directory structures, document naming conventions, updating processes, support roles, etc.
The LAN has a network drive (g:) which has been established for the Workshop. Files to be shared on the LAN should be stored in the following directory structure: g:\
Certain files, those most likely to be updated during the Workshop, have been given standard names for convenience. Using Topic 30 as an example, these include:
Authors should copy and save documents into their designated Topic subdirectory (t1 - t30) only. It is recommended that documents to be shared on the Workshop Web be simple text without tables, tabs, or special formatting to the extent possible. Complex tables and special formatting do not always convert nicely to HTML (HyperText Markup Language) used on the Web. Contact one of the HELP resources below with any questions.
Authors: Here are some steps to "post" a document to the Workshop Web for others to view.
A Support person will periodically convert documents from the \new directory and present them on the Workshop Web. The directory will then be cleared for reuse. And, while the system will be backed up to tape each evening, authors are encouraged to keep diskette backups for additional protection.
Browsing is a way to navigate around the Workshop Web by pointing and clicking on "hypertext" (underlined) links. If the browser, NCSA Mosaic, is not already running, you can double click on the Mosaic icon to take you to the Workshop Home Page. From there, a single click on any underlined text will navigate you to another location for further information about that item. Clicking on the Back arrow on the tool bar will return you to the page you came from. Likewise, the Forward, Reload and other buttons can be useful tools for navigating. You can also print a page by selecting Print off the File menu.
When you come to one of the thirty Topic areas, you'll have a choice of viewing several science and management papers and leaving any comments you may have.
(This icon takes
you to the top of the current page.)
The authors are interested in your comments, however you choose to provide them!
You can leave your ideas on flipcharts; mark up paper copies of drafts; use a word processor for more extensive notes; or use the online, interactive commenting tool, HyperNews. This same tool will also be made available following the Workshop on the World Wide Web (Internet) as a means for getting further review and comment from communities of interest on evolving drafts of the Report.
[Correction: HyperNews will NOT be used at the Workshop. Instead, you can follow instructions posted beside each PC to open a WordPerfect document, draft comments, and save them in the appropriate Topic directory.]
Authors should check frequently for comments (documents) left in the both their paper "inboxes" and in the directory of their Topic page. You can print the comments or cut-and-paste them into your other documents.
Two PC's in each of the Authoring and Commenting rooms are available to be connected to the Internet for communications back to the agencies and for reference to other ecological stewardship information on the World Wide Web. Contact a Support person for assistance.
A World Wide Web (WWW) site will be available after the Workshop to facilitate continued authoring collaboration and permit review and comment on evolving products by communities of interest. It will operate similarly to the Workshop Web. Access information on that will be provided later. Each sponsoring agency and partner can point to (and thus advertise) that site from their WWW Home Pages. Authoring Teams can use this medium at their discretion to communicate and collaborate through July 1996.
Some friendly folks will be around to answer your questions (or try at least!) and help you through all aspects of using the system. They include:
For additional help, contact anyone on the Workshop Support Team.
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