- Joined
- Jul 15, 2016
- Messages
- 2,735
Our member list shows that we already have a fabulous brain trust regarding everything people need to know to settle in to life in Indonesia. This will swell as our membership grows.
The task we confront is how to make it easy for people to tap into that brain trust, without making members write out the same answers over and over. Collecting all our knowledge is an ongoing task that will never truly be finished, since we can always improve/update/expand no matter how much information we have.
The first step is to for members to write out useful information (which a number of people have already started doing – thank you for your enthusiasm). We will post stickies in various sections of the forum that provide an easy-to-use directory to the information that members have written about. (This is the beginning – the approach will be expanded later as needed.)
Right now, what we need from members is your useful knowledge, written out in clear language. Iif you are shy about your writing ability, don't be; I was a technical writer/editor until I retired, and can help you polish your writing.
My informal sense of the information that is demanded most often suggests we should begin by concentrating on the topics below. Other kinds of information are useful as well, and you should feel free to contribute on ANY subject – just be forewarned that if there is more information than I can deal with quickly, I'll prioritize these subjects:
Some of the above topics are complex, and we need to take care to be as accurate as possible. I will make sure that all directories and threads are clearly dated and include appropriate disclaimers. It will take time to put together a large quantity of high quality information, but the beauty of the stickies-with-directories system is that it can be launched very quickly with whatever information is ready, and updated/expanded on an ongoing basis.
So I welcome you to start (or continue) writing! A few ground rules:
I’ll try to make progress with this monumental project as fast as I can, but please be patient. Now - get busy! Share your knowledge!
The task we confront is how to make it easy for people to tap into that brain trust, without making members write out the same answers over and over. Collecting all our knowledge is an ongoing task that will never truly be finished, since we can always improve/update/expand no matter how much information we have.
The first step is to for members to write out useful information (which a number of people have already started doing – thank you for your enthusiasm). We will post stickies in various sections of the forum that provide an easy-to-use directory to the information that members have written about. (This is the beginning – the approach will be expanded later as needed.)
Right now, what we need from members is your useful knowledge, written out in clear language. Iif you are shy about your writing ability, don't be; I was a technical writer/editor until I retired, and can help you polish your writing.
My informal sense of the information that is demanded most often suggests we should begin by concentrating on the topics below. Other kinds of information are useful as well, and you should feel free to contribute on ANY subject – just be forewarned that if there is more information than I can deal with quickly, I'll prioritize these subjects:
- The legalities of working in Indonesia
- Obtaining and renewing various kinds of stay visas
- Choosing where to live in Jakarta (especially families)
- Choosing schools
- Legal issues for expat-Indonesian marriages
Some of the above topics are complex, and we need to take care to be as accurate as possible. I will make sure that all directories and threads are clearly dated and include appropriate disclaimers. It will take time to put together a large quantity of high quality information, but the beauty of the stickies-with-directories system is that it can be launched very quickly with whatever information is ready, and updated/expanded on an ongoing basis.
So I welcome you to start (or continue) writing! A few ground rules:
- If you make (or have already made) a post or a thread that is suitable for inclusion in a directory, tell me so I know it’s available. We’re gaining so many new posts every day that I might miss something. You can also send me material by PM if you have written something but don’t want to post it yet.
- I may request permission to edit your material, or ask you to revise it. However, I’ll never edit your posted material without your approval of the changes (absent the need to quickly correct a typo or a clear-cut inaccuracy).
- If you have useful knowledge, particularly related to tricky legal topics, but you don’t feel comfortable presenting yourself as an expert, consider writing up your personal experience as a step-by-step guide to how things have worked for you. For example, “How I got my SOSBUD renewed” or “How I converted so that I could marry my wife in Indonesia.”
- This should go without saying, but let’s be very clear: under NO circumstances should you in any way plagiarize information, particularly from “Living In Indonesia: A Site for Expatriates.” Write from your own knowledge and research - which you can certainly access by reviewing your own posts on the message board that is associated with LII. But don’t rip LII off.
I’ll try to make progress with this monumental project as fast as I can, but please be patient. Now - get busy! Share your knowledge!
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