New UK IST proposers Forum
The UKISHELP website, set up by the UK government to provide information for UK participants in the EU's Information Society Technologies Programme, now features a discussion forum where bidders can share advice and opinions. The facility is a new and improved version of the existing user forum, providing an easier and more interactive service and extra features. Users can create discussion groups on delineated topics, and notification is sent by e-mail to a questioner once their query has been answered. There is also a search facility allowing users to browse by subject, key word and date. The Forum can be found via the Fast Links option on the homepage. It may also be of interest to persons participating in the IST programme outside the UK, particularly those searching for UK partners. 'The real benefit is peer group support and knowledge sharing,' said Peter Walters, the UK National Contact Point for the Information Society. 'We can answer technical queries at the UKISHELP Helpline, but there is knowledge and experience out there that we don't have access to, for example finding the best hotels in Brussels to attend a conference. The Forum will encourage people who've had similar experiences to share this sort of knowledge.' Mr Walters checks the Forum regularly, and responds to queries of a technical nature himself. Topics that come up regularly will be extracted and added to a record of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).