Connecting
Communities started by providing advice, support and web design for HCCF's local forum network. As well as developing and maintaining HCCF's web site, we helped with the development of four others.
Three
years on, the emphasis is more on finding tools for use on the
web which will make for easier maintenance of content and which
will facilitate communication between users. This is intended
to help increase the user base of web sites such as the Highland
USer Group site which keeping maintenance work at a manageble
level.
We are looking into the development of Bulletin Board, News and Instant Messaging services all of which will be set up and maintained in our own (or client) web space so that membership security can be sensitively handled.
Beyond
this initiative, we would like to be able in time to make video
clips available online. The arrival of broadband for all later
this year will hopefully make this possible.
Hand
in hand with web and internet developments is the often disregarded
IT development. Increasingly IT infrastructure is taken for
granted, underused and slow to be upgraded. However, for effective
use of technology close to its leading edge, IT must be continually
reviewed and its upgrading costed and planned for. Some of our
effort is devoted to maintaining the HCCF IT infrastructure,
advising others on these matters and keeping abreast with forthcoming
developments which are relevant.
HCCF
has just upgraded its office network with a view to properly
rolling our better access to shared facilities for its staff,
member forums. projects and network members. Shared facilities
like email and file sharing services, remote support, dial-in
facilities will all become possible. As a result these services
can be deployed and made accessible to network members in order
to make their work and their networking more effective.
Find out more about online discussions (Bulletin Boards) here. Or visit the HCCF Discussion pages at http://p068.ezboard.com/bhighlandcommunitycareforummembers
