Subject: Introduction and Reminder about the Federal Webmasters Workshop

From: Lawrence E. Brandt <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 30 Jul 96 03:52:32 -0400

Colleagues,

Introduction

Many of you have received email from me in the past, but we have  
just recently added many new addresses to this list, so let me give  
a quick background.  I am working on behalf of the Federal WWW  
Consortium, 15 Federal agencies working together related to the Web.  
 You can find more about the Consortium at  
http://skydive.ncsa.uiuc.edu.

The Consortium is using this mailing list to make announcements  
which we hope are of broad interest to the Federal webmaster  
community. Please contact me if you want to get the word out on  
something which fits that criterion. Announcements which are not of  
broad interest, or are primarily opinion, are not appropriate.

As always, if you want your name removed from this list, or have  
the address of someone who should be added, please contact me at  
[email-masked]. Because of the many new names on the list, you may  
receive this message twice; if so, please let me know which address  
you prefer.

Purpose of this message

Below you'll see an announcement describing the 1996 Federal  
Webmasters Workshop here in the Washington DC area. There are still  
places available so please register if you are interested, and pass  
this message along to colleagues who might be interested.  We have a  
really strong program this year.  Please note that you can register  
at http://skydive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/train/webmaster/wm96/

Also, you may be interested to know that InContext Systems has a  
new CD for Webmasters with full 30 day evaluation copies of their  
InContext Spider and InContext WebAnalyzer software.  Also on the CD  
is trialware versions of ThumbsPlus, Best Web Lite, Adobe Acrobat  
Reader, Map This, Macromedia Shockwave plug-in, and Hitachi  
ZooWorks.  If you would like a free copy of the CD, send e-mail to  
[email-masked] and she will be happy to send you a copy.   
Martha Neuenhoff can also be reached at 301-571-9384.

>>>Lawrence E. Brandt
   Program Manager for Advanced Information Systems
   National Science Foundation

========================================
Workshop Theme --

Stepping up to the Challenge -- Putting the Web to Work!

This workshop is packed with sessions that are crucial to the   
developmentand maintenance of Web Services in the Federal Sector.  
There is something in the program for management, as well as  
technical staff... for beginners as well as experts.  Each day will  
start off with an opening session with topics of broad interest,  
followed by a number of concurrent sessions which follow particular  
avenues of interest.  They are:

(100) Management, Oversight and Policy  While publishing  
information via the WWW may be an efficient and effective way to  
deliver information, there are many management and policy issues  
that must be considered.  Sessions on legal issues, privacy,  
customer service, cost recovery and preservation issues will be  
presented.

(200) The Basics  Getting started with World Wide Web Services can  
be a rather daunting proposition for someone new to the WWW.  This  
series of sessions has been designed for novice Web administrators  
and developers.

(300) Supporting Searching on the Web  The key to customer service  
is making it easy to locate relevant information via the Web.  These  
sessions will look at a number of approaches to providing search  
capabilities for users.

(400) Security and Privacy  One of the major concerns in almost every
organization is security issues.  These sessions will focus on Web  
Security Technologies and Solutions, and user buy in to the  
deployment and use of security technologies. There has been a  
specific Question and Answer Session to address participant needs in  
depth.

(500) Server Technology Where is Server Technology going? These  
sessions will examine current server technology,  explore  
integration issues, and discuss performance and platform choices.   
This is a chance for Server Administrators to ask probing questions  
of Server experts.

(600) Federal Showcase A number of Federal Web sites were nominated  
for the showcase..  These session will highlight a number of WWW  
efforts in the Federal Sector.

(700) Technology - Where are we going?  These sessions will include  
Java, Visualization techniques, Collaboration tools - including  
Habanero, Object Oriented Design issues and many other topics.

(800) General Interest Sessions The focus in these session will  
include Intranets, Information Technology Research, Virtual Agencies  
and other topics of interest to the Federal community.

(900) Vendor Product/Tutorial Sessions  A number of commercial  
products will be highlighted in these sessions.

There will also be an expanded exhibit area, scheduled  
demonstrations and Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions.

The organizing committee hopes you will share the excitement we  
found in assembling this program.  Enjoy!

        The Webmasters Workshop 96
        Conference Committee

Session Highlights
   --Sixty sessions over three days
   --Over twenty vendor exhibits
   --Ten "Ask the Doctor" technical demos of Web software tools
   --Birds of A Feather sessions can also be organized.
   --Sessions are geared to content and tool developers and managers
   --Sessions for beginning as well as to experienced technical staff

Presenters:
   --Leading software developers
   --Representatives from software vendors and universities
   --Federal webmasters, developers, and program managers

Workshop Theme: Stepping up to the Challenge
                  Putting the Web to Work!
   --Each day begins with a topic of broad interest.
   --Concurrent sessions will then cover detailed subjects.

Topics:
   --Management, Oversight and Policy:
        --From legal and cost recovery issues to archival and  
privacy,          hear how other managers are dealing with these  
issues.
   --The Basics of getting started to provide World Wide Web Services:
        -- Full day of tutorials from the staff at NCSA.
        -- From the ground up!
   --Providing More Advanced Web Technology for Federal customers:
        --Build Better servers, how to use an integrated approach.
        --Add database and search tools.
        --Join the Java revolution!
        --See now collaboration tools like NCSA's Habanero in action.
        --See how Federal Showcase sites have met the challenge.
        --Hear about future directions in Web technology.

Opportunities:
   --Make valuable contacts with developers and vendors.
   --Hear the experience of other Federal Webmasters and managers.
   --Network with people from other agencies.
   --Share your ideas and voice your concerns at panel sessions.
   --Get answers to those detailed technical questions that
       you couldn't find  in the books or on the Web.
   --Meet lots of folks with similar interests and concerns!

Audience:
There should be plenty of material for any of these qroups:
   --Webmasters and site content developers, experienced or new.
   --Program managers who need to use, develop, or support  
Web-based systems.

Attendees:
660+ registered as of July 23, mostly in the "expert" track
Last year we had over 1,000.  A great source of knowledge and  
experience to supplement your professional networking with the  
presenters.

Short on Resources?
It is possible to share a registration and send different types of  
staff people each day, for example:
Day 1 Most of the beginning training and management overview
sessions.
Day 2 More of the intermediate/advanced material.
Day 3 Has a mixture of both, and opportunities for managers
to strengthen networking and future contacts with the Consortium
and the Web community. But please note that all days have something  
of interest to each audience.