Internetworkers: http://www.ibiblio.org/internetworkers/

["Michael D. Thomas" <mdthomas AT mindspring.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: internetworkers-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:internetworkers-
> bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Dave Johnson
>
> I wrote a short article about Michael's (and others I assume) ideas
for
> the new INW website and in it I suggest a couple of possible
> weblog-based approaches to implementing an opt-in system for
> automatically publishing markup designated mailing-list messages as
> articles on a website.
> 
>
http://www.rollerweblogger.org/page/roller/20031023#mailing_list_weblog_
in
> tegration

Thanks a lot, Dave!

I posted a comment to your weblog with some more ideas. This email
reproduces the gist of that post.

First, Tim O'Reilly's article is a very interesting read. 

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/2220

Secondly, CommunityWebLogger (the preliminary name I'm giving this
little project) has both a technological and a social component.
CommunityWebLogger can only be successful if the social component works
well. This means that the CommunityWebLogger development effort should
be very user-focused and use case driven. This doesn't mean that we
can't start coding until everyone is 100% sure of the design. However,
we can't expect the code to be used by the community unless we've given
some deep thought to how the community would use it.

For those not familiar with use cases, they describe how a user uses a
system to complete a particular task. They are very prevalent and useful
when developing large systems.

Some intros to use cases:

http://www.bredemeyer.com/use_cases.htm
http://www.cbd-hq.com/articles/1999/991115rw_caseanalysis.asp
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/java/library/ws-tip-uml2.html
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ws-tip-docusecase.html
http://alistair.cockburn.us/crystal/articles/sucwg/structuringucswithgoa
ls.htm
http://www.ksc.com/article7.htm

The people in use cases are called 'actors.' I've identified the
following actors for CommunityWebLogger. 

- Authors: people that send emails to the list and need to give
permission for it to be published by the CommunityWebLogger. 
- Content Editors: Content editors 'promote' email content that they
want to see publish and aid in preparing the content for publishing.
(After an email is 'promoted', permission must be secured from the
original author.) 
- Layout Editors: Layout editors choose how content is published. "Which
content is showcased on the homepage? Which content resides three links
down? etc., etc." 
- Readers: Readers visit the CommunityWebLogger and read the content.
They don't have to be subscribed to the email list. 
- Administrators: Administrators keep the CommunityWebLogger running. 

The use cases describe what these different actors do with the system. 

I'd love to layout the different use cases for the system... Anyone want
to take a try at one? 

Here, I'll do the self-publishing use case:

Use Case Name: "Self-publishing an author's own email post to the
CommunityWebLogger"

Goal: An author has a post that they wish to promote to the
CommunityWebLogger. They are acting as both author and content editor.
Their post will go to both the email list and to the CommunityWebLogger,
where the Layout Editor will decide how to present the post to the web
site audience. When an author self-publishes, it isn't necessary to give
permission because permission is implicitly granted.

Scope: Primary task of the ListBot and CommunityWebLogger Publisher.

Preconditions: The author has determined they wish to self-publish a
post, but have yet to write or email the post to the email list.

Success End Condition: The post is published to the web site and the
Layout Editor chooses how to present it to the web audience.

Failed End Condition: The CommunityWebLogger is unable to publish the
material because of a technical error or because the content is deemed
inappropriate by a Layout Editor or Administrator.

Primary Actor: Author

Secondary Actor: Layout Editor, Administrator, Reader

Trigger: The email declared for self-publishing is sent to the email
list.

Description:
   #1: The Author sends the email to the list
   #2: The CommunityWebLogger processes the email and publishes it.
   #3: The Layout Editor chooses how to present the post.
   #4: CommunityWebLogger readers read the content via the web.

Cheers!