Monday 23 June 2008

Sometimes on, sometimes connected

Spent the day in Oxford today - two UCISA meetings. Communications group, looking at the development of the web site and how we might use some web 2.0 and collaborative technologies on it. Then an officer's meeting to discuss a few issues relating to the group structure of the organisation.

It's always interesting spending a day out of the office and trying to stay connected. No wireless on the train, so used the USB modem, but there's practically no coverage between Birmingham and Oxford. My iPhone was quicker at getting emails. At least in Oxford Eduroam was working perfectly and my MacBook just connected to it without being told or asked to. Unlike last week where at a London University, a whole room full of IT Directors couldn't get it to work.

Oh for the always on, always connected world we keep being promised....

4 comments:

Graham Hill said...

A room full of IT Directors - is the collective noun for that a confusion? I read yours too and thanks for the kind words!!

Unknown said...

I agree Chris - I still seem to have to carry a laptop, a modem, a mobile phone, on me.

Anonymous said...

"Communications group...and how we might use some web 2.0 and collaborative technologies on it."

"[Mobile connectivity problems]"

Surly you should be considering video conferencing and leading by example? By staying put you would not have the mobile connectivity problems, you'd save money in transport costs etc, reduce congestion and improve your carbon footprint!

Unknown said...

Agreed - and we always consider it. There's usually one or two people video conferencing in to our meetings, and at the recent one someone joined us by teleconference. For the particular comms meeting it wasn't practical because of the nature of the agenda and what we were doing. There were only 5 of us at the meeting and 3 were in Oxford anyway, and the two who travelled arranged another meeting in the same location so we didn't have to travel twice.
Video conferencing is fine for purely business meetings, but is hopeless for networking, which is what happens at all day meetings over coffee and lunch.