Is there anyone that can give me just a basic Class Creator/Facebook For Dummies 101 Summary??

I've tried looking over the various postings and skimmed over some of the replies but somehow I've found myself so confused and really unsure how this whole darn thing is supposed to work.
Normally I figure things out pretty quick by reading just a couple of entries but this time, not so much. So any simple non-complex help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Not sure how I would answer as there are so many things that are involved with the system that I could type all day. If you have any specific questions, please let me know or feel free to give me a call.

That's just it...don't have specifics. Came in on the whole Facebook thing when the betas were already well established causing me to have no clue.
Guess I just might have to sit down sometime and look over each and every post related to this. I have such a short attention span so this should be fun lol

I'm with you Jamie....FB is just too confusing. I have cut way back on using that means of socializing. The beauty of ClassCreator is be able to have the privacy without having to go in and click so darn many options, plus I love the privacy with no ads on CC. I put our school on a group FB page, but haven't had too much activity. As for now, I am staying away from directing our classmates to FB. I will wait until the dust settles and get more feedback. Good luck!

I'm very social with Facebook itself (I'm addicted actually) but I'm just confused about this whole Class Creator Facebook new thing.
I'm leery with incorporating it (especially since I'm not sure how it will work) with my class site but would be a possibility with my multi-year site.

Then I trust you to figure it out for the rest of us "dummies" and keep us posted!

Scott, along these same lines, I don't suppose there will be any way for admin's such as Jamie and Nancy, who have not been pre-beta or beta testers, to have something like the old database available to them, so they can see how it is, play with it, and learn a little on their own, before making it available to their class, is there?

[this was pretty much what one of my admin's asked ME, since I have been playing with it several weeks now.]

Yeah Scott...what Steve said...lol

I'm with you, Jamie. I don't get it either. I already have a FB page just for my 1960 class. It's restricted just for classmates.. Everybody seems to like it.. I can generate traffic to the website by posting on our class FB page.

Steve - not sure of that answer. I'll bring Brad in on the conversation. I will see if he has any Jings.

It's pretty easy to give a better overview vs reading so far. If CC (or even a beta tester) posts a Jing Video showing how a site looks on FB (how to log on, where the options are, click on few links, etc) it can explain a lot of things much better. The "picture is worth ..." still holds true.

There are also some technical miscues. Brad described it as an iframe inside of FB, but that's not exactly how it's behaving. An iframe would duplicate an existing CC site (for example, I have weather in an iframe on our site and that literally copies the site inside of CC). There is a lot of code specific for FB here.

The CC on FB interface is superficially similar (same words) but not in the same places. So that's a tad confusing - especially when it comes to link arrangement. And of course there's advertising. (You can get rid of that using Adblock though.)

Then details like page backgrounds or the pretty new formats disappear - as far as I tell. Maybe the attached images were not wide enough - but the top is very plain now compare to regular CC?

I gleaned all this from samples shown, not from any explicit descriptions.

I'll need to see it it action to see if it's really an advantage over what Lynda describes. Seems I'd have to worry about FB contraints on top of CC constraints. I wouldn't be surprised for a few more issues to pop up as people experiment.

If one never sees the "classic" CC site (that's what I'm calling the existing site), a new site set up via FB might never care

(Edit: I typed all that before Scott posted, so that's how obvious the jing concept is)

No worries. I promise we'll have amble training before the app goes live. We'll do some "Google Hangouts" that will also be recorded for all. For the moment I'm not going to get into any of the above, as again, I promise we'll get into all of the above.

What you're going to find is that Class Connection is just your class running inside the Facebook framework. It's mostly the same stuff you can do now, so there's not going to be confusion on using it. In most cases it's literally the same. There's actually a few new things we can do on Facebook that we cannot do on Class Creator at all. For instance, Notify Me can work directly with your Facebook globe notification icon, keeping your class dynamic and up to date at all times.

There's other new things in there, for instance our new "Easy Invite Tool" where there's 6 ways of finding and inviting your classmates all on the same page. It's really quite revolutionary. These combined abilities have never existed all in one place before. It's very, very cool.

When something is new there's going to be hesitation, concerns, etc. That's completely normal and expected. We are going to address these issues in detail. I think in most if not all cases what you'll find is concerns will be eliminated. If that's not the case for you, however, there of course is no need to turn on the app. You can continue using Class Creator precisely like it is now, no Facebook required. The app is for those who want and/or think they need it. Again, I think there's some super compelling reasons to use it, and you'll be seeing exactly what I mean shortly. But there will never be a requirement here to use Facebook for something. This is all optional.

Stay tuned for some really neat live sessions coming up shortly. We have 15 issues left that we've identified as critical that we must resolve before the app can go live. Before the "go live" day hits, again, we'll be having some fun training sessions to show off just what the app does, address any security concerns, and ultimately leave the choice in your hands as to how or if you will be using the app.

Jamie,
I've been envious of the graphics you have on your site for a very long time. When I read "Class Creator/Facebook For Dummies 101 Summary" written by you, it made me smile. Since you are addicted to Facebook (your words, right?), I believe you are going to love the app - Class Connections. I'll add onto what Brad wrote with this...
As Brad said, it is simply our sites inside the Facebook framework. The 'look' is a bit different but you and your classmates will find it to be your site with a new door to enter through called Class Connection.
If you have classmates like mine, you find they are on Facebook often but not on the site --- if they have even joined. This new door, Class Connection, gives them a quick and easy way to the site. They will feel as though they are still on Facebook but they will be on the site! I see it as the tool to connect those who are on Facebook and those who are on your site but not interested in Facebook.
So hang in there, Jamie and others. We will be well-informed and able to give the best information to our classes before this is open to Facebook.
Can't help but smile and think of how much fun that book would be.

Hi Jamie,
I agree with Gwen. Also, There's a place on the FB Class Creator site to invite friends to join CC through FB. This serves 2 purposes at least, I've found. One:You can invite some of your friends from school from a different graduating yearto look into CC and your own site; two: if they decide to create a website for their own graduating year, you'll get the credit for that (which is $50).
I suggest going to FB-CC and click on different options. It doesn't matter which ones, and play with what comes up. That's what I've done and am still doing it. Hope this helps.
Barbara

The thought of an all inclusive very preside and to the point manual would be absolutely fantastic. However I know it would never be written and authorized by Class Creator. I've read enough in these forums to know such is the case.

I think it needs to be mentioned, again, for those new to the discussions about this topic, that, according to information posted weeks ago in the forums, when a classmate becomes involved with the class website using the Facebook application, site administrators may find it difficult to acquire the most up to date contact information, except for email addresses.

Hi Gary,
I'm not sure i agree. I see what you mean--because from FB all you need is an e-mail address; but, to join the website (which is the ultimate goal) and fill out your profile, one should fill out address, etc.. I understand that "should" is the operative word, but why wouldn't they fill out the profile if they join the site, and why wouldn't they join the site once they know about it (it's free, there's private live chat with video, there's a message forum that the world can't see, private quips among classmates, etc.). There's a group on FB affiliated with my high school. They have nothing but fights about what should be and shouldn't be--because we had a grammar school attached and, I don't know, they're jealous of each other I think. Anyway, that doesn't happen on my CC website. It's more private. I just think it will attract more alumni. Am I wrong?
Barbara
P.S. I think this is a very interesting subject. Do you all realize that except for one 2 hour lull we've been discussing this continually each hour for 8 hours today?!
BE

I don't think people joining via Class Connection will submit less contact info. i COULD be wrong though. The fact is we've never done it before. So we'll just have to see. The join process is a little different by necessity:

Class Creator: Fill in your contact info at time of joining.

Class Connection: Join first, then be prompted to fill in your contact info.

Thus you can join class connection without filling any contact info at all. But as Gary said, admins at a bare minimum have the private email address of the classmate at that point. We also made completing contact info and profile part of the "Next Steps" list in there.

My guess is people will follow along. But, we'll see.

You're a born Diplomat, Brad !
Barbara

Hey Barbara, I try. Maybe I should run for office?

Just FYI we'd never be opposed to a manual for Class Connection or whatnot - just like the FAQs grew here along with the system. Class Connection isn't ready for official documentation as we're still figuring out what we're doing in there ourselves. But, at some point, certainly.

Thank you, Brad. That makes sense.
Barbara
BTW: I revised the announcement, sent it in an e-mail, and have already (almost immediately) gotten 4 resposes out of 32 possibles (all "yes's").

Let me play Devil's advocate (Imagine that).

Here are two choices:

1. I go to our website and login. I'm in

2. I go to another website - FB, login and from there login (or go) to our website.

I guess #2 is via Classconnection as explained. Sure, it's another door but it's 2 doors vs 1.

Which one is simpler? I'm tempted to pick #1.

Just sayin

(btw, on FB have you ever wondered how it magically appears to know your possible "friends" on FB?)

But Class Connection is mainly for non website joiners in the beginning. If you've already joined the Class Creator website, one wouldn't go to FB to get into the website, right?

Do I get to be a devil too?

I don't see it that way. When you install the Class Connection app on Facebook it becomes a part of your Facebook experience. I.E. it's integrated. You don't go to Facebook and log in, and then have to go somewhere else per se.

On Facebook your most frequented apps are right there on your interface 1 click away, and your class Notify Me messages will come to your Facebook notification globe even if you're not in the app at all. Clicking any notice instantly takes you to that part of the app almost as if it's part of your Facebook. It's very cool. It becomes a seamless part of your Facebook experience.

Since I'm a Diplomat now though (laugh) I'll say again that anybody who thinks otherwise should continue logging into the class site. I can tell you though there's going to be numerous people who prefer the experience on Facebook (most likely people who are heavy into Facebook anyway). Everything is (or can be, anyway, based on how you set your new Notify Me settings) rapid fire and instant much like Facebook itself. Many people will want to experience it that way.

The app is definitely not going to be for everyone. I do think though that many will be pleasantly surprised at how all of this fits together and can create a more unified class experience. Having worked on this for the past 9 months now I'll say it's all very exciting. I honestly think what we're doing here will take things to a whole new level.

That's a great question.

Answer is you can go through either door. Your class is inside no matter which door you choose.

Most likely people will only enter through the door they get used to. People who want instant notifications, better and more robust classmate invite features, and more, will likely want to use Facebook.

Classmates who don't have Facebook, or don't want Facebook, or who simply like things like they are now, and are happy getting email notifications with class updates, will want to continue using the regular class site.

Again though, in the end it won't really matter which way you come into the class. The same data is there, the same people are there, all data exists in both places. A "Facebook Classmate" can easily communicate with and participate with a "non Facebook Classmate" the exact same way. Once you've selected the door to your class you're in, and that's really all that matters. From there it's really just personal preferences on the way in which you're notified about updates, etc.

Barbara* Ecker wrote:

If one ASSumes that somebody is always on FB, this all makes sense - although it's still one more door to get to CC (all steps count). If one joined via FB, is not logged into FB and decides to visit the site they would not know that a direct link is possible. There is a potential confusion here and one more thing to explain. Again, just sayin.

If one occasionally visits FB, then this just becomes a distraction.

Just look at the amount of discussion here for what are experienced CC users. It's obviously not intuitive, especially how the FB rendered site actually looks different from the original CC designs. It's not really the same Brad. Visual differences make it different. The different menu locations and layout are the most obvious. I bet there are more.

The addition of FB only features actually is a potential problem area in documentation. The longer you make documentation, the harder it is to read. Plus when different users "talk" they will talk over each other not realizing they are operating from 2 different baselines.

In short, it DOES matter how one enters the site.

I'm just explaining the other view. Don't really have a thing for or against FB. Technical view is all I'm seeing.

Barbara* Ecker wrote:

Barbara, It reads as if you are on top of Class Connection.

Class Connection will be a good 'door' for those who have not joined our sites. However, watch those who have take the easy way... Class Connection. Give a Facebook user an easy way to do something and they and I believe they will use it.

Just restating some of the information stated in the forums and agreeing with the manual comment. Don't "hate" me, y'all! We're supposed to be all about "love" and "getting along" here now, as well as the ability to allow more than one opinion! Right? Interesting.

I agree with you Gwen. But the bottom line is still to get more to join the website (for the Administrators) and to have a better experience (for the Class Creators) and the 'diplomats' (laugh) right?
Barbara

Au revoir for now. Your points are well made and have interesting merit, Barb. Perhaps because you are older than me, they are more easily accepted and intellectually more palatable when you write type something here.

What are you saying?? It's still early (only 11:20 pm where I am). Well, I guess the older ones must get their sleep (I just turned 68 last week). Ho-hum (Yawn). And night-night.
Barbara

Change is a funny thing. It's difficult for all of us at first, certainly including me. What often happens though is you reflect back at the time of change and say "oh, that was obvious." I think that will be the case here (at least for the people who are going to use the app).

Only thing I ask is you give the app a fair shake. And remember, the app launch is not an end point -- it's a starting point. Yes, the app looks very "Facebookish." No pretty designs. Hear ya there. But that doesn't mean it has to stay that way. We can do things to customize the app and add character for your class. Those things are already under discussion.

Just like Class Creator, I'd ask everyone for their creative input. Help us grow the app and make it great. Where it's static and dull help us give it spice and life. By necessity we had to shape most of the initial app look and feel. But the Administrators here will shape what happens next.

Excellant, Brad, excellant.
Barbara