GREAT ADAPTATIONS

___________________________________________________________________

Hi! – and welcome to the early phase of the coming book “Web 55.0.”  This page explains what it’s about and how to participate if you feel it is appropriate.

About the book
This book will present the activities of Boomers online, their ideas, businesses, community ventures, innovations and creative forms of expression. The purpose of Web 55.0 – both as a book and as a concept –  is to foster more Boomer conversations, make more people aware of the opportunities and potential of online communication, and further the role of Boomers as highly participatory cultural innovators.

The invitation to participate
You are being invited to share your online experiences as a small group which will represent Boomers online to the world through the book, Web 55.0.

Wanted: All levels of Internet skill
This book is not just about successful online entrepreneurs. It is also about the obstacles to online communication which are particular to Boomers. Our generation(s) entered technology at a point in life which meant we had to learn not only the technology itself, but we had to re-learn how to think. Many Boomers are still watching from the sidelines, using only the most basic communication tools such as e-mail and online consumer research. The book Web 55.0 contains a section on this challenge unique to Boomers. Your participation as a Boomer struggling with technological learning curves, as well as a Boomer who has decided to put off or entirely ignore the Internet for any reason, is sought for a section of Web 55.0.

I want to tell the whole story.

Please encourage others to participate
As the first group of Boomers I have engaged to participate in the book, I encourage you to pass this document on to people you know who might also be interested in participating.

The rewards of participation in Web 55.0
Your participation will be rewarded in a number of ways. Besides having your name and/or your business in the book, this project will be well covered on the Internet as well as traditional print publicity. Excerpts will be posted on the website, and you are invited to use the book at your own speaking engagements or in any way that helps your own business. Our participants themselves will also be great resources for publicizing the book! Then there is the inherent satisfaction of being part of a great cultural resource.

Thank you again for taking time out of your day to participate in this cultural project.

QUESTIONNAIRE for Web 55.0 book participants

1. How long have you been participating in online communication? This includes when you started using email, or any earlier form of contact.

2. Has email replaced other kinds of communication in your life? Tell me a little bit about that.

3. What kind of computer are you using now?

4. Do you share your computer with family members or housemates?

THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS FOR PEOPLE ACTIVELY USING THE INTERNET OR DOING BUSINESS ONLINE:

1. How long have you been in business online?

2. What kind of business do you have?

3. Is it your primary occupation?

4. Do you have a blog? Please submit the URL so I can take a look at it.

5. What issues come up for you as an online businessperson? For example, does your family understand what you do? If you work at home, how does this affect your day to day life?

6. Regarding your work environment, what could make it better, easier, or more productive for you? Have you ever considered a shared office situation? If so, how did that work out?

7. If you could change something big or small about your surroundings to benefit your business, what would it be?

8. How do you deal with isolation? Do you have a business group that meets in your area? Is there any other kind of support in your area for what you do?

9. Tell me some of your resources online. Do you subscribe to any RSS feeds? Do you listen to podcasts or watch videos? What news sites do you like? Any other great resources you’d like to share?

10. Do you use any social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo groups, MySpace, Flickr, or others). If so, tell me what you use and if it is a part of your life. Anything of interest you’d like to share about social media?

10. How do you see the changes in the economy impacting your business? Do you think it’s a good time to be working from home?

THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS FOR EVERYONE –
If questions don’t apply, please reply N/A.

1. If you are do not have a business online, and rarely use the Internet, tell me how you think that affects you. For example, do you ever feel left out of events or community conversations? Or, do you not think about it at all?

2. If you once were active online, but now are not, what caused that change?

3. If you do not own a computer, but use the public library for Internet access, how is that working for you? Is it adequate? What kinds of things do you like to do on the Internet?

4. If you are a person who wants to be online, but have a limitation of some kind, what would help you? For example, are computers too expensive for you? Do you have trouble understanding how to use your computer? Or, is there a problem with receiving a signal in your area?

THE LAST SECTION IS FOR EVERYONE’S FEEDBACK – about Web 55.0

After I’ve heard from everyone on the above questions, I will compose a few follow-up questions, and ask some of you to write more about your business so I can include comprehensive material in the book.

1. As you read over the questionnaire and thought about your online presence, did any questions of your own come to mind? Please share them.

2. How could a book like this be most useful to you?

3. How could a book like this be most informative to the general public? Do you know of things that should be included in order to represent the activities of Boomers online?

Please send your answers by email at your earliest convenience, and do forward this promptly if you would like others to be included. I am in conversation with potential publishers who are waiting to see more chapters of the book, and I’m excited to show them what we’ve got!
Cheers, and thank you,
Suzanna Stinnett