HTML Writers Guild Member Newsletter
August 1997

Volume 3 Number 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Note from the Executive Director
2. Special Announcements
   • Auction Results
   • Mail List Review
   • Paid Membership
   • Call for Governing Board Nominations
3. Governing Board List of Members
4. Plus Member Services
   • Jobs and Contracts
   • VDP
   • Mentor/Apprenticeship Program
5. Basic Member Services
   • New Mailing List
   • FAQs
6. Department News
   • From the FAQ Manager
   • From the Mailing List Manager
7. Guild URLs
8. Newsletter Administrative Notes

1. NOTE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The month of August has brought a few big changes to the HTML Writers Guild. We're redesigning our entire Web site, recharging our Vendor Discount Program, reintroducing our new and improved Mentor/Apprentice Program, turning loose our new Request for Proposals area, and many other exciting things.

Most of the things I've mentioned are only available to Value, Plus, or Organization members of the HWG. Where else could you get so much value from $20 (Value) or $35 (Plus) per year? I look forward to introducing the new and revamped programs in the coming month, with the help of our (almost 100) volunteers, without whose help the HWG wouldn't exist.

2. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

AUCTION RESULTS

The May auction raised over $1,700 in funds for the HWG. Our thanks go to The Mall Group for their winning bid and to all the people who participated, making the auction such a success. The GB has chosen to not pursue more auctions at this time in order to concentrate their efforts on delivering the new paid-member services.

MAIL LIST REVIEW

The GB assigned review of the Mail List Program to a subcommittee, which will evaluate the program's effectiveness in meeting its educational goals. The committee is expected to report back to the Board in October.

PAID MEMBERSHIP

The HWG has new Paid Membership Classifications. With a Plus membership, you are eligible to vote in elections for the Governing Board. You can learn more about the privileges, costs, and related services by visiting the Membership Pages.

GOVERNING BOARD POSITION APPOINTMENT

The GB is in the process of considering individuals who are qualified to fill vacant Governing Board positions.

The GB is a group of volunteers who work hard, have vision, realize goals, and gain knowledge. Become part of the team -- submit your "cover e-mail" and resume to Ann Navarro. ASCII resumes in e-mail or URL for web-based resumes only. NO attachments.

Qualifications for the position are

1. Required:
   • Completion of 1-year membership in the Guild
   • Currently a Plus Member
   • A minimum of 3 months' experience with one or more of the following:
     • Guild operations
     • hwg-ops discussions
     • Full Internet medium usage (e-mail, Web sites, IRC, Usenet, and/or Web boards)
   • A minimum of 10 hours per week to dedicate to Guild business
   • Willingness to commit to making decisions and participating in the decision-making process.
   • Experience in Web technology as a hobbyist, student, or professional.
2. Higher than Desirable, but lower than Required
   • NPO experience
3. Desirable
   • Education policies (Mentor/Apprentice, online classes)
   • Marketing/PR - press releases, graphics, word-smithing
   • Election/Nomination selection criteria/process
   • Human Resource experience

Nominations are being accepted until September 15, 1997. Self-nominations are accepted. We are currently taking names in order to fill two vacant seats as well as for elections that are to be held prior to the end of October.

3. GOVERNING BOARD

• President: Roxanne Reid-Bennett
• Vice-President: Kynn Bartlett
• Secretary/Treasurer: Ann Navarro (or site contacts)
• Members:
  • Steve Cherrier
  • Kathy E. Gill
  • Gerald Oskoboiny
  • Al Smith

4. PLUS MEMBER SERVICES

JOBS AND CONTRACTS

Would you like to pick up a few new contracts, or are you currently juggling just a bit too much work? Would you like to be employed in the Internet development industry, or are you searching for a qualified employee?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you will be interested in the new Jobs and Contracts services currently under development. These services will allow Plus and Institutional members of the Guild to post Request for Proposals, Professional Service Offers, Job Available, and Job Wanted notices via a Web interface.

These members may also subscribe to receive any/all of these notices via e-mail, and will be able to search through these notices on the basis of skill set, time-line, location, and other criteria.

The Request for Proposals service will be the first of the four to "go live," and should be available in August. For more information, please direct your browser to the Jobs and Contracts page.

VDP GEARS UP FOR ENROLLMENT

The Vendor Discount Program (VDP) will soon begin accepting applications from interested companies for participation in this exciting Guild Program. Any type of business, other than the HWG peer group of Web site designers and graphic artists, may become a VDP participating vendor. Already, several Software Firms, Internet Service Providers, Advertising Specialty Companies and Information Brokers have expressed interest in offering their products and services to HWG Plus Members at substantial discounts.

The VDP Team is aggressively searching out potential vendors for the program. It is hoped that National Chains such as book stores, office supply stores, phone companies and airlines -- to name just a few -- will offer special discounts to HWG Plus Members. The potential for huge business savings through the VDP makes HWG Plus Membership a better bargain every day.

For more information on the VDP, contact Matt Urdan, the VDP Manager, or visit the VDP Webpage.

ANNOUNCING THE RELAUNCH OF THE HWG MENTOR/APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM

All members with over a year's Web development experience are encouraged to share their expertise by mentoring other Guild members. This type of experience is very rewarding. Mentors who are Basic or Value members will earn credits toward a Plus membership!

A commitment for a least 3 months is required in order to be a mentor. You must have expertise in the mentor area you have chosen as well as dependable Internet/mail access.

Apprenticeships are available only to Value and Plus members (another good reason to upgrade your membership!). To be accepted as an apprentice, you must have no less than one year's Internet development experience. For some apprentice specializations, additional knowledge and experience are required.

Every effort will be made to match skill levels, interests, and locations of mentors and their apprentices in order to make this a mutually rewarding program.

For more information or to apply, see the Mentor/Apprentice page.

5. BASIC MEMBER SERVICES

NEW MAILING LIST

The Mailing List Program is pleased to announce that hwg-graphics is now available to subscribers.

This list is dedicated to discussion of the creation and usage of graphics on the Web.

List information (including subscription instructions) can be found at the hwg-graphics page.

FAQs

Do you have a question you just can't find the answer to? Want to know about how the Guild works? Need some obscure or arcane information? The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Program may have just what you need!

We have a variety of information about the Guild, from membership questions to who's on the Governing Board to why we can't discuss pricing to how you can filter your e-mail, we try to answer any questions you can raise about the Guild.

We also have a variety of FAQs on subjects related to HTML, CGIs, Graphics, Scripting, the Business side of writing pages for a living, and more!

You can find us off the main HWG page via the Guild Specific Information page, or directly.

6. DEPARTMENT NEWS

FROM THE FAQ MANAGER

I could use a few folks to write and maintain FAQs. I *really* need folks to take over the maintenance of FAQs that are already written.

FAQ team members should be self-motivated, reliable, and willing to stick with a project over the long haul. You can expect my sincere appreciation but little feedback from readers. If you need instant gratification/feedback, this isn't the place to volunteer. On the other hand, if you like the satisfaction of helping out, like operating on your own most of the time, and would like to help make HWG *the* place for HTML assistance, please sign right up!

The FAQ maintenance job involves keeping yourself up to date, keeping the FAQ up to date, and keeping the FAQ coordinator up to date. For more detailed information, send me e-mail.

FAQ Areas Needing Maintenance Volunteers:

• Filtering Your E-Mail
• Frames
• Contracts
• Copyright
• Pricing Issues
• Mailing Lists
• New FAQs: CSS1, Dynamic HTML (may overlap CSS1), and JavaScript.

FROM THE MAILING LIST MANAGER

The following individuals were recently promoted to the Program Management Team: Charlotte Crothers, Laurey D'Allred, Jonathan Green.

The mailing list program is currently in need of List Guide volunteers on all its basic-level lists. If you have some time you'd like to donate to the Guild; enjoy working in a team environment; have a flameproof personality; and like the idea of assisting your fellow members, the List Guide Program might be what you're looking for. If interested, please e-mail us to receive additional information on the program and its goals.

7. GUILD URLs

To assist the members, the Guild has a number of resources available. We'll list a few here in each issue.

Read It Online -- Guild newsletters are online for your reading pleasure.

Need information on membership, mailing lists, or Guild contacts? The place to start is OpCenter.

Want to find a tutorial on Tags, Tables, or Cookies? Check out the Guild's Resource Collection.

8. NEWSLETTER ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES

You received this newsletter because you are a member of the HTML Writers Guild. This message came from hwg-news, the Guild's mandatory mailing list for all members. If you need more information about hwg-news, please see the List Charter.

How do I unsubscribe?

If you have your Member ID and password, to resign your membership in the Guild and to unsubscribe to hwg-news, visit the Resign page, fill in the pertinent information, and submit it.

If you don't have a Member ID, or have forgotten your password, send mail with a Subject of "Resign membership". In the body of the message, provide the following information:

• Your e-mail address(es)
• Your member ID if you have one.
• The list of discussion lists you are on.

Please remember that unsubscribing to hwg-news automatically resigns you from the Guild. If you have problems with unsubscribing, please contact the Database Manager for help.

The HWG-News Mailing List is a "Read-Only" list -- please do not try to reply to this list -- it will bounce.

Copyright 1997, HTML Writers Guild, Inc., All Rights Reserved

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