FAQ

How to use this site

Last Updated (Thursday, 28 February 2008 22:55) Written by barb howe Tuesday, 26 February 2008 20:48

Q.  Is this a blog?

A.  Yes, mostly.  But we also have discussion forums and eventually will have a wiki here as well so we like to call it an “interactive website”, not just a blog.  The main areas of the website (the blog, the forums and the community links) can be accessed from the little tabs at the top right of the page.  Just click on them to switch back and forth.

Q.  What are discussion forums? 

A.   Forums are places for online conversations.  They let you archive and search those conversations for future reference.  Anyone can read the forums but you have to register in order to post a new conversation thread or reply to an existing one.

Here’s how it works: Each conversation has its own “thread” and each response to the initial post in that thread flows downward in chronological order. 

In our forums we have different categories (currently “Immigration/Labor”, “Health & Safety”, and “Harvesting Justice”) and under each category are different topic boards (such as “Guestworker Programs” or “Pesticides”); under each board are individual conversation threads related to that topic.  

Example: say Anne has a question about pesticides.  She can register on our site, and start a new thread on the “Pesticides” board under the “Health & Safety” category.  Then Adrianna and Marco can respond to her question Anne, who will have received an email notification of their response, she can head back over to the forums to reply to their responses and so on.  Six months from now when George comes looking for the answer to the same question he can read the entire conversation right there!  Pretty cool, eh?

Don’t worry it’ll make sense once you see it.  If you want, forget these FAQs and head over there now to check it out!  

Q.  What’s the difference between the blog and the forums?

A.  The blog (the first thing you see when you go to www.harvestingjustice.org) is where we post items that we think are interesting.  You can comment on those posts and give us feedback.  The forums are where YOU can post short items and start conversations.  If you have a question about something, the place to post it is in the forums, not in a comment on a blog post.

Q.  So all this is what you mean by “interactive” then?

A.  You got it!  We mean this is a two-way flow of information about farmworkers’ issues --a conversation between us and you.  Harvesting Justice is a participatory website with lots of user-generated content.   From the comments on the blog to the discussion threads in the forums, you’ll have many opportunities to participate in this project.  You can get to ask questions, post information and respond to other users.  (By the way, that’s exactly why you should not look here for the “official FJ position” on any of these issues.  If you’re looking for that, please visit our traditional website, www.farmworkerjustice.org.) 

Q.  What’s a wiki?

A.  It’s a really simple database that everyone can contribute to.  You might’ve already used a wiki if you’ve ever looked up something on Wikipedia.  It’s a great way to collaboratively generate and share knowledge.  Recognizing that people out in the field (literally) have a lot of valuable first hand information that we’d like to make accessible to the general public, our wiki will be a database of information on things like pesticides, immigration rights and occupational health issues for agricultural workers.  We don’t have it set up yet but it’s coming soon!