Idea: IT redbook a la SourceForge
After seeing how cool Drupal content relationships can be, I've just had an idea. Now I have to warn you that I am very new to Drupal, so I may be assuming things here...
What if we set up different skills on here as content categories (akin to presentations) and then let folks add themselves to these categories? We could implement a more dynamic version of the IT redbook! If we add extra "properties" to each skill/interest (like experience level and willingness to learn) we could have something potentially useful, much like SourceForge's skills profile system. Here's myhorrendously outdated SF skills profile: http://sourceforge.net/people/viewprofile.php?user_id=272397
This allows project leaders that are looking for help to locate folks based on their skillsets and willingness to learn.
I am with you...
Rouben... I have an idea and need someone that has interest in this area and the IT skills to help me develop it. If you want, I'd be glad to partner up with you and see what we can do. I think it will expand the collaboration process and resource sharing times a million. Let me know if you wanna hear the idea. :)
T.
I have been summoned...
Hi guys,
Rouben has summoned me to your aid. If you guys need my help let me know. I would be glad to be of assistance.
Have a great weekend.
Sure
Just shoot me an e-mail, or if you want, we can discuss it here. After all, this is a forum. :)
'dating' site for researchers & developers....
Ok... so, please note that I am a novice at this and am completely open to feedback (good or bad)... but here is my thought..
I am thinking use the technology that online dating sites use to match people and instead match researchers to students (who are looking for work/experience) and/or match developers to developers who may be working on similar, if not the same projects.
It would be a secure portal (so we can fend off nagging vendors and protect intellectual property)
The user creates a one time profile (hopefully one day using a single ID) and logs their research/project (as many as they have) -- i am sure we can figure it out in a way so its only in abstract format with some standard check marks like "enterprise level" or 'Financial"... you know, keywords that the system can use to generate a match.
When you log in.. you get a feed of new projects (related to yours or not) and then a feed of your 'best matches' --- you could also create a list of must haves for a certain project you are working on and when the system finds a match it displays it in a simple format of keywords in the middle and then red (no match) or green (match) dot on each side (one side represents you, the other your possible match).
There is lots more to it.... a few other elements I would add, but this is what I got for now.
If the idea is completely ridiculous and you guys laugh... it's cool, i'll consider it my initiation into the geek world... even though I got the most geek points out of all of you right now! :)
shoot your ideas... please. :)
Sounds sound :)
Sounds very viable, but the viability will really stem from specifics. We should probably talk about this in more detail. I'm also curious if we could somehow use the data already present in the redbook as a starting point...
The largest issue with the redbook, in my opinion, is accessibility. It's a very well hidden gem, and as such not enjoying the level of exposure it should probably be enjoying. Also I think we ought to think about people's availability... sort of goes back to my and Mark's question for Bob re: resources. I'm certain that we (U of T) have tons of experts here, but if they're all tied up, should we even list them?
agreed
I am with you.... in order for this to be a success we'll need to do a lot fine tuning... so let's find some time and do this or at least cost it out so we can see if we can even make it work. Your point about the resources (monetary and/or human) is something that does need to be addressed... but I think we should still go ahead... if nothing else, it could benefit the researchers looking for students... but i do think that it will at least enhance communication between developers... and as a result freeing up some of their time as they wont be doing the same work twice...
Michael, what do you think?
Damn you beat me to it... :)
I believe we concur...you took the words out of my mouth (see my previous post)..
;)
Just some points...
Good point,
These idea's are extremely feasible and are not technically "too hard" to do. However I do feel it is important for everyone to be sharing what they are doing regardless of whether or not they are able to help out or not (addressing your question of resources Rouben). Knowing what everyone is doing around the University would be a giant leap for our IT knowledge base compared to what we have now. With such an avenue for sharing knowledge we would at least would know who to contact if one group decided to do a similar project (that is already underway somewhere else) which would hopefully stop each of us from re-engineering the same thing over and over again. If the need is great enough I am sure some collaboration could occur between these groups which would enforce the value of the current project and allow it to grow into something that could be used by more people.
This facility does not exist (to my knowledge) at U of T and I believe that the usefulness gained from this type of system could evolve over time. So if we focus on the simple premise of keeping people in the know then anything else that comes of this would be a bonus. So I hate to go all Braveheart on everyone but I wouldn't mind sacrificing some spare time to create something for the greater good as long as we are careful to keep our expectations realistic and not try to do too much for the first run - that is of course provided that we have the support of the community which will be essential if we do decide to go down this avenue.
Need to know...
Good point there, Mike. Now we need to think about how to actually get people to keep their list of current projects up to date. Somehow there has to be incentive for folks to do that...
Any ideas (besides GeekPoints ;) )?
and as a tie-in...
Rouben, this could work really well with my idea for a university code repository - if users wanted to upload code snippets (with metadata tagging), along with descriptions of the projects that they're working on, not only could other users see what kind of work is going on in the university, but they could also search through the solutions to various programming issues. This would be more complicated than a "dating" application, of course, but the two could certainly be integrated.
As for giving users incentive to use the application and keep it updated... no bright ideas yet, but I'll have a think on it. Do GeekPoints lead to some kind of carrot? Maybe there could be prizes associated with levels achieved: 300 GeekPoints = some form of U of T paraphernalia, like a mug. 3000 GeekPoints = Bob Cook bakes you a cake. ;)
Geek Prestige...the Geek Oscars
You could also reward people with geek prestige points which measure how respected a geek you are based on how many times you participate and how much people respect your responses (through some kind of "Mad Respect" meter that could be presented by rating each participants responses). Ranks like noob, grub, private geek, Sergeant , Admiral, senior pwner, geekenstein, you get the picture. The top geeks can then be given participation gifts (as Danielle mentioned) on annual basis at the yearly big TechKnowFile get-together for example. Or you could have a geek-Oscars to honour those who are most influential in the community (with different categories).
UTORfacebook?
This is starting to sound more and more like some sort of weird version of Facebook. And I think it might actually work! Have you ever tried searching people by interests/religions/other fields of their Facebook profile? All you have to do is click on a keyword/phrase (commas act as separators in Facebook) and you're presented with a list of people that put the same keyword/phrase in their profile under that particular field...
P.S. I think we should have a special prize chart for me, Greg and Tamara, just to keep things fair. Wouldn't want the three of us cleaning out the prize pool! ;) :P
UTORgeekbook
Yes, it could certainly turn into a bit of a monster application, but - one would hope - slightly more practical than fb. :)
As for the Geek Oscars - I think that allowing people to build up points that they could cash in at any time might be a slightly friendlier and lower threshold incentive program. Then Joe Geek can work towards those U of T boxer shorts he's been yearning for, rather than just knowing that his 1200 points won't amount to bupkas when certain geeks-who-shall-remain-nameless are bogarting the podium.
Good stuff
Yea... all i was thinking about was hooking up people (in a professional manner, that is) but it looks like we could make this work on a larger scale. Ok.. when are we going to meet about this? Perhaps do a little demo for Bob and crew... see if they like it?!
Danielle, I am digging your points idea, we are actually going to feature people on monthly basis, do a little write up on them... so perhaps we could use the geek points to determine who we choose, amongst other factors. let's face it, someone that is making some crazy progress in IT, most likely doesn't have lots of time to build their geek points online :) There is plenty of good stuff in the works! P.S. -- you get geek points by filling out the survey, HINT HINT! :)
Nice...
I am free near the end of June (projects and such). Like I said before I think we should start out small and keep the big in mind while implementing the project (assuming it is liked by the crew) so it is expandable for the future. Hmmm... I just filled out the survey this morning and didn't receive any geek points...was that feature newly added?
Just as an aside: The place where I used to work (Hewitt) had something called PerformPoints which allowed employees who were awarded the points by management (we could do something similar for posted projects) to use the points to purchase items online. This is something that could be used (and built) to administer the process. We could get the bookstore to help us out on some ideas as what they people can purchase with their points.
we was robbed
No geek points for me either on the survey front.
Inappropriate
You guys are just tempting me to say something inappropriate about points...
<captain Kirk mode>
Must... resist... urge...
</captain Kirk mode>
oops
perhaps I spoke too fast?! OK.. no geek points for survey.. my bad! :) Ok Mike.. that works for me.. lets meet in late June.. I assume Rouben is in, Danielle, do you want in as well?
My bad...my memory is not what it used to be ;)
I forgot Rouben is going on vacation at the end of June and we both have a wedding to attend (and participate in - that's right we may be tag teaming some wedding speeches ;)) before that so maybe we could do mid-June instead - what do you say team (assuming we are all on board)?
cool
I am back June 15th from vacation... so I am good after that.. hopefully after hours if you guys dont mind using some spare time. :)
Re: cool
Sounds good, anytime before the 19th is good for me.
Code sharing!
Code sharing should really be a separate discussion altogether, I think. So I started a new topic! :)
http://techknowfile.org/forums/general-discussion/code-snipplet-sharing
Ha -- I was thinking the same thing...
For a mentor/mentee matching service-- I think it is a GREAT idea.