Communication Infrastructure
On Jan 2016, Candid sent this email to the list, worth to save it on wiki
This page is meant to be an overview over all the online resources that we
will use for preparing 2016's biketour.
The Wiki
The Wiki is available on https://wiki.ecotopiabiketour.net/. Anyone can read anything, and anyone can edit anything after registering a user account.
The Wiki is an information resource that contains information that is relevant for preparing the Biketour. We might use it to write down what needs to be done, to collect texts for the Booklet, to create templates for e-mails to send to projects, and to keep records of our process for the future to read.
As all parts of the Wiki are public, some things (such as passwords) can currently not be published there and are circulating in various other channels. Thus I think it would be cool to create an area on the Wiki that only approved members can access. I will look into it.
Task list
I think the easiest way to coordinate tasks might be to just put them on this Wiki page: https://wiki.ecotopiabiketour.net/Tasks_2016
Map of projects
We can collect projects on this map: https://pad.facilmap.org/3UZL85wKAC2K.
2016@ecotopiabiketour.net e-mail address
In the call-outs to get involved, the e-mail address 2016@ecotopiabiketour.net is used. You can read e-mails that arrive on that address by logging in on https://mail.ecotopiabiketour.net/
You can also use this e-mail address to send e-mails to projects. This can be more convenient than using your personal e-mail address, as all the e-mail communication with a particular project can be found in one place.
info@ecotopiabiketour.net e-mail address
The e-mail address info@ecotopiabiketour.net is written in some places on the website, and the contact form on the website sends e-mails to it. E-mails coming in on it are fowarded to all @ecotopiabiketour.net addresses (many former organisers have one). If you respond to such an e-mail (from the 2016@ecotopiabiketour.net address), make sure to use the "Reply to All" function. This way, a copy of your response will be sent back to info@ecotopiabiketour.net, so everyone else who received the original e-mail can see that you responded to it (so they won't send a second response).
Bt-Org list
E-mails sent to bt-org@lists.eyfa.org will be sent to currently 49 people who are interested in supporting the preparation of future Biketours.
There is an **archive of old mails** on https://vps1.eyfa.org/mailman/private/ bt-org/. It can be accessed using your e-mail address and your mailing list password. You probably don't have a mailing list password yet, in that case go to https://vps1.eyfa.org/mailman/listinfo/bt-org, type in your e-mail address at the bottom where it says "Unsubscribe or edit options", and on the next page click on "Remind".
If **new people want to join** the list, the current procedure is that they send an e-mail to bt-org@lists.eyfa.org or have someone forward it there where they briefly introduce themselves (“Hi, my name is Candid, I was on Biketours 2013–2015 and would like to join the list to help prepare 2016.") If no one objects, this person can be added to the list. Currently only some people (for example me) have the administration password to add people to the list, the password might be shared in the future. Note: If non-members write their introduction to bt-org@lists.eyfa.org, someone who has the administrator password has to approve the mail.
The Biketour list
The **General Biketour list** has the address biketour@lists.eyfa.org. Sending an e-mail to that address reaches currently 776 people who are interested in receiving updates about the Biketour. In reaction to every e-mail that we send, several people sign off the list, so traffic should be kept to important announcements and call-outs regarding the upcoming tour.
People can **subscribe** to the list by using the subscription form on the right side on the front page of the website.
The Website
The website is available on https://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/. It should contain all the information that (potential) future participants need to know. The section "Ecotopia Biketour" contains information about the tour in general, and the section "2016" should contain information about the upcominng tour and should be updated regularly with current decisions about the route.
To **edit the website**, you need to register (https:// www.ecotopiabiketour.net/wp/wp-login.php?action=register) and then tell your username to the Bt-Org list. Someone can then make you an Editor (can create, edit and delete posts and pages, but cannot administrate the website, such as adding items to the menu) or an Administrator.
After being made an Editor or Administrator, in order to **edit a page**, log in by clicking the "Login" link on the very bottom of the page, and then click the "Edit" button in the black bar on top of the page that you would like to edit. In ordr to **add a page**, click on "New" and then on "Page" in the black bar on top of the page, If you want you page to appear in the menu, move the mouse over "Ecotopia Biketour" in the black bar and click on "Menus", select the page on the left and click "Add to Menu" and then drag it from the bottom of the page to the place where you would like to see it. Don't forget to press "Save Menu" at the end.
The website is translated into **multiple languages**. Most translations are not up to date. Feel free to take care of them by selecting a language on the top left of the screen.
On the right side of the front page, there is a section **Upcoming Events**. You can create new events by clicking "New" → "Event" in the black bar on top of the page. The other sections on the right side of the front page can be edited by hovering "Ecotopia Biketour" in the black bar and clicking on "Widgets" and editing the "Blue Sidebar" there.
Biketour has a Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/ecotopia.biketour/. Many of us see Facebook very critically, but a lot of people can be reached by it (currently 2326 people are subscribed to our page), and in many places it is actually the only way to actively reach people online. Any content posted on Facebook should always be made available also in other places, such as the Website and (in some cases) the Biketour list.
Blog posts from the website are currently automatically be posted on Facebook.
In order to post something on the Facebook page, you need to be made an Editor, in order to edit the cover photo and the description you need to be made an Administrator of the page. Several of us are Administrators and can add you, just ask over the Bt-Org list.
The Biketour also has a Twitter account, https://twitter.com/biketour, which seems to reach quite some people as well. I don't have the password, and I don't know who does, but it seems to automatically post anything that is posted on Facebook, so we don't need to administrate it.