The Help Desk is your first point of reference for assistance in all programs and projects under The Commons. From here, you can link directly to the following depending on the nature of your problem or question. It is considered to be one of the most critical sections of the site -- bearing in mind that those wishing to join in show up with widely different levels of interest in and ability to work the Net, as well as very different equipment and communications configurations. The Help Desk's challenge is to do what can be done to bridge this gap and to permit visitors and users to make best possible use of this remarkable collection of working tools and materials.
The Desk offers guidance on the following issues. Each topic is briefly described below; for full details you are invited to click the hot link below each of these brief introductory descriptions.
- System Requirements: Technology and Equipment Checkout
- Software Tools and Utilities
- Best Use of This Web Site
- Navigation Help
- Basic Web Skills Checkout
- Guidelines for Best Use of @Forum
- Group Mail Practices & Etiquette
- Help in Searching the Site
- Machine Translation Tips
- Sign-In/Registration Help
- Your Information Holines
HOT ICONS:
If you pass your cursor over the red icons that appear before many items on the menu bar, you will note that they are hotlinked. In each case, they provide some text which serves to introduce or explain the function of the linked section or tool. You may find it useful to use this the first time around in each case.
SEARCH:
You can also use the Search function if you are looking for help in some area. take care though in making sure that you narrow your keywords sufficiently so that you get exactly what you are looking for and not either an overload or a null seet.
System Requirements
Life on the Web can be agreeable (thought there always will be rough spots). But it won't give you much satisfaction if you come in grossly under-equipped. This section addresses the minimum requirements for efficient participation. And to put you in the ballpark, the current cost of a full function computer rig that will give you the access you need is barely more than a thousand US dollars. Or the cost of a round trip air ticket Paris/Gothenburg/Paris. For instance. Which kind of defines your choice.
Your Technology Checkout Here.
Software Tools and Utilities
Every bit as important as the hardware, this is an area in which the tools at our disposal are advancing much more rapidly. The basic idea and survival strategy here is to start simple, and then keep on adding functionality as needed, safe and cost-effective. Some first counsel on this subject will be found here.
Back to topBest Use of this Web site
One would dearly like a multi-function, multi-layer Web site like this to be simple with push-button TV set transparency of operation. But the truth is that it's not even the year 2000 and this network support system has many parts and considerable functionality, so if you really want to make best use of it, you will do well to spend a bit of time in familiarizing yourself with how it works. Level of complexity: Well, it is a form of literacy… so take it from there.
Navigation Help
This is the place to turn if you require help in getting around the site or the Net more generally,
Basic Web Skills/Checkout
If you are new to the Web, you may find it useful to go to Tips for Good Web Practice for a quick consultation and a few linked tutorials and learning sites. If you already have some basic knowledge of WWW navigation, go to the Navigation Help for a quick reminder. Level of complexity: Well, it is a form of literacy... so take it from there.
Guidelines for Best Use of @Forum
This is a very powerful communications tool kit with lots of useful functionality. If you look up top, you will see a |help| hotline to which you can turn here for assistance in using the interactive components of the conference: group mail, posting your materials and your qualifications, commenting, following the discussions, searching the contents of the Forum, how to organize a Poll, adding information to the calendar, and yet more.
Group Mail Practices
The @Forum offers a flexible facility for immediately contacting and informing all group members of important information. Intended for focused comments and exchanges of materials on specific issues that will be of interest or use to the group as a whole. This is not a "discussion list" in the sense often encountered on the Web. The group mail function must be used with great care if it is to serve its very specific purposes. You are invited to consult this site before sending any group mail here. Thank you.
Machine Translations
If you are not so familiar with these imperfect but for some most useful tools, we suggest that you read on here.
Sign-In/Registration Help
Since this is a network, it is important that all members know at least a bit about the background, qualifications and interests of the others. For you step by step guidance for registration -- a simple, quick procedure we would stress -- please consult the following.
 The Commons |
 @Forum
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Updated 11 August 1999