This is the reply I got to my message to the editor of ukonline

It's fair enough to send the same message to all enquirers (mine is slightly
different).  I think we should still press him on particular detail.

I feel that it is pointless to lobby for retaining open.gov.uk - as he says,
they will not pay for two services.  However, I think we can press for
improvements to the section of ukonline that we use.  I noted in particular
Leonard Will's contribution to this discussion, (mainly about the interface)
and hope he has sent his comments to the editor.  On substantive material, I
think we need to press for some reassurance that we will have What's New
information of the same kind as we are used to.  Perhaps we will have to get
used to calling it "hot news" (sigh).  I hope we will be able to convince
them that "Choose a headline to see the full story" is an inappropriate way
of describing getting into a departmental website
Sarah
------------------------------------------
Sarah Carter, Law Librarian
Templeman Library, University of Kent
Canterbury, CT2 7NU, UK
Tel:  +44 (0)1227 823111
Fax:  +44 (0)1227 823984
LAWLINKS - legal information on the internet
http://www.ukc.ac.uk/library/lawlinks/

----- Original Message -----
From: Dalrymple-Smith Angus - Office of the e-Envoy -
<[log in to unmask]>
To: 'Sarah Carter' <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2001 2:13 PM
Subject: RE: The ukonline interface


> Dear Ms Carter
>
> Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry that you are unhappy about the
closure
> of www.open.gov.uk <http://www.open.gov.uk>  but I hope to be able to
> reassure you that this will not mean that it will be replaced with a
service
> that will be in any way less efficient.
>
> Firstly the open.gov.uk site will be closing on the 1st July 2001, but
> remains usable until that date. There is a transition plan in place that
> will ensure all open.gov users experience a seamless transition to the
> ukonline.gov.uk site, without any degradation of service. The tools
> available on open.gov that are not currently replicated on ukonline
> (including the "What's New Section) will be carried across in a familiar
> format over the next couple of months, so that existing open.gov users
will
> still have access to the tools and services that they use and value. This
is
> in addition to the range of extra services that ukonline.gov.uk currently
> provides.
>
> For experienced users of government websites, www.ukonline.gov.uk
> <http://www.ukonline.gov.uk>  is a very comprehensive information
resource.
> It contains both central and local government information and also
contains
> 'magazine style' content, as it aims to be more than just a search
facility.
> The ukonline portal currently accesses more than three times the volume of
> information that is serviced by www.open.gov.uk <http://www.open.gov.uk>
> Our search directory "Quick Find" is a unique product that is specifically
> developed to search for Government information, and is a constantly
evolving
> service. As we have separated our alphabetical indexes into central and
> local government searches are more streamlined. In addition there is the
> ability to search Local Services, Government Publications, Forms and Legal
> Documents. It is possible to create bookmarks to our search facility suing
> your browser software, which cuts out the necessity of navigating through
> the previous pages.
>
> We have also built into the Search Engine a new feature called "Suggested
> Questions". We have made a list of the most popular searches (over 350)
and
> if any of these are typed in we have included (in addition to all the
other
> search results) a link to a site we believe is particularly useful. For
> example if you type in "Foot and Mouth" the Suggested Questions function
> will provide a link to the News Co-ordination Centre page on Foot and
Mouth
> disease.
>
> In the near future we will introduce a topic directory, which will
organise
> and cross-reference government websites by topic. This will comprise of a
> tree of sub-directories that streamlines the information until you can
click
> on the website that provides the knowledge you require. We believe that
this
> will be of benefit to both experienced and new users.
>
>
>
> In addition there is the "Ask the Editor" function which allows people to
> send in their queries about government services or policy and get a rapid
> response. The team supporting this function will find the relevant
> information required from the appropriate government department on behalf
of
> the site-visitor. This service will be of particular use to those
> site-visitors with detailed queries that are not answered on existing
> government websites, or for those who are not aware of government
structure
> nor where to direct their queries.
>
> The ukonline portal also carries a comprehensive news section that
includes
> links to political parties, other online news sites and up to date weather
> information. Citizen Space provides both a discussion forum and a
> consultation section which can enable members of the public to become
> involved in the policy making process.
>
> I will forward your comments on the space between the edge of the coloured
> line and the text in our search facility and your complaint about the slow
> speed of the browser to our helpdesk. They deal with all site enhancement
> suggestions and technical queries sent to the site. Please let us know if
> you continue to experience difficulties with speed of access as this is a
> problem which we are aware of and are in the process of rectifying.
>
> Finally one of the reasons for the closure of www.open.gov.uk
> <http://www.open.gov.uk>  is that it would be unjustifiable to pay for two
> websites that provide exactly the same service. I am sorry that, as an
> experienced user you feel that the site feels patronising but it is
> essential that the site is accessible to people who have little or no
prior
> knowledge of government, and also for inexperienced Internet users.
>
> I hope that this has been of some interest
>
> For and on behalf of the Editor of www.ukonline.gov.uk
> <http://www.ukonline.gov.uk>
>
>
>
>
>
> Finally the speed of the browser
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Sarah Carter [ mailto:[log in to unmask]
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> ]
> Sent: 20 April 2001 15:24
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: The ukonline interface
>
>
> Dear Lucian Hudson
> I am an information professional who needs to access government
information
> rapidly and efficiently.  I have found the open.gov.uk website invaluable
> for this, but am dismayed to be informed that this will be withdrawn in
> favour of ukonline.
>
> While appreciating the government's mission bring its services to the
people
> via the internet, there is a large constituency of professionals who need
to
> access this information on behalf of our clients, students, employers, or
> members of the public - not just information professonals like myself but
> also public sector employees and others.  Using ukonline as our first
> resource is cumbersome and inefficient, and I am unhappy that in the
effort
> to make it user-friendly to "the citizen" it has become patronising to the
> professional user - or, indeed, the informed citizen.
>
> In particular, we mourn the impending loss of the simple alphabetical list
> of departments and agencies.  The open.gov.uk listing has the virtue of
> being a comprehensive list (so that you can find MAFF under A for
> Agriculture as well as M).  The list on ukonline is inconsistent in the
way
> it treats these multiple headings.
>
> The lists under Central and Local government (which is a reasonable
division
> in itself) also suffer from illegibility - they are difficult to consult
> mainly because there is no space between the edge of the coloured line and
> the text. Increased space above and below the text, or coloured text on a
> while background would be preferable, as well as bold text.  These
> considerations matter a good deal when you are using a site regularly
>
> The open.gov.uk "What's New" section is an invaluable current awareness
> service for people who need to retrieve new documents rapidly, gathering
> together as it does the information from different departments.  Will you
be
> able to add a similar page?
>
> An aspect of ukonline which is of major concern is speed of access.   My
> experience is that it is so slow at times as to be effectively unusable (4
> minutes to get into a site listed under Central Government services - a
> microsecond via the A-Z list on open.gov.uk).   Trying to browse back can
be
> equally slow.  Are you able to give assurances that this will be improved?
>
> A further gripe is that the site feels patronising for the professional
> user.  Now I fully appreciate the difficulty of finding the right tone for
> all users, and you have chosen a fairly chatty level (which is probably
> right).  All the more reason for preserving some sort of neutral access.
> One, for example, which does not invite us to "choose a headline to view
the
> whole story" when we are wanting to look at Ofsted, or the Inland Revenue.
>
> I am sorry if this sounds over-negative.  It is the prospect of losing a
> site which we use daily which has prompted me to write, and I hope that
> these points will be taken on board.  I certainly don't want to denigrate
> the important work that you are doing to bring government to the people.
>
> I await your reply with interest
>
> Sarah Carter
> Law Librarian
> Templeman Library, University of Kent
> Canterbury, CT2 7NU, UK
> Tel:  +44 (0)1227 823111
> Fax:  +44 (0)1227 823984
> LAWLINKS - legal information on the internet
> http://www.ukc.ac.uk/library/lawlinks/
> <http://www.ukc.ac.uk/library/lawlinks/>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ******************************
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