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Open Letter to the Dalian Expatriate Community
June 21, 2006
Dear Everyone:
In the past month, we have made progress to a better software platform.
Although I know there is plenty more to do and real issues to address, I do hope you believe that we - together - can have an informative, timely, lively community website.
Today, there were some posting issues and I have already acted. Yes, we must have policies and reasonable controls. Also, the site must look better, software needs updating/tweaking and the remaining content must be brought over, clean-up and organized. We will get there.
Many people helped us get to this point so again, I must thank everyone for their support.
However, there are three things I did not anticipate one month ago. First, I lost my notebook which is why I have not been online for several days.
Second, I underestimated the amount of work to build and maintain a useful, popular, interactive website. Today’s experience is an example.
Third, and most crucial in the long run, I underestimated the effort to reach and involve the many sub-constituencies that make up our community (expats, local Chinese, local businesses and schools, MNCs, local government).
I write now to ask for your help and participation. I do not ask for money.
A community website is heavily dependent on people, especially you – the expats. We come from all over the world and bring many skills and perspectives. We stay in Dalian because we like Dalian and we want it to be better.
At the bottom, I have put together list of some ways you can be more involved in this website. I hope you will. If you have another idea, please share.
I want to mention funding briefly. Dalian is a relatively small market and a community website is not self-supporting. Advertising can not cover the costs. In time, I am confident we will get a sponsorship, but not now.
I can certainly buy another PC and very willing to continue to upgrade the website, market and promote the site and do what is necessary to make it better. But I am nothing without your active support.
I will pause here. I hope you will discuss privately or in the forums.
Many thanks.
Jim
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Ways to be involved:
Be a forum moderator
Prepare forum policies
Write reviews (restaurant, hotel, a beach, a travel agency, even your experience at a hospital)
Organize an offline event (party, tour, cherry picking, even a weekly coffee/beer gathering)
Collect events for the calendar
Test new software
Write guidelines for job posters and advertisers
Work on the wiki/Dalian City Guide
Help with newsletter (bar scene, music scene, what's happening...)
Work with our many Chinese volunteers, proofread, etc.
Collect feedback about the site and help prioritize projects
Organize existing Dalian information and comparisons in a better way
Post Dalian photos
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bastian7777
