In our case planned downtime (~10 days notice ideally) and "undocumented features" revealed post upgrades. Short (~ 2 days) following unplanned experiences. Try to stick to never more than one of 3/4 lines max. That is it. I can only remember 4 on our server last year - touch wood. We do have a "Message of the Day that runs on the networked desktops.
 
Will admit there were a couple of hiccups early on with things that should not have been there whilst we realised quite how annoying they were but now we are pretty strict and only two of us post them.

________________________________

From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist on behalf of Sandra Windeatt
Sent: Thu 23/02/2006 18:07
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Institution Announcements


How would you define an "authentic system announcement"?
 
I am with the 'annoyed' on this one.  Of course you can always turn your announcements page off and, if the trend at my institution towards using this feature as advertising gets any worse, I shall shortly be doing this.

________________________________

From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harrison, Peter
Sent: 23 February 2006 13:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Institution Announcements


At the risk of a glib reply it an issue with users not announcements:-) 
 
They either:
 are authentic system announcements in which case they are relevant to the users irrespective of what the instructor may think or 
 are not system announcements but belong in a news module!
 
Ok it is not elegant but we implemented school level boards that have very little real content (and only about 3 menu items active) but identify particular groups of users that can be targeted with announcements, surveys, document revisions etc.
 
Peter

________________________________

From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rachel Kelly
Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2006 1:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Institution Announcements



Hi all

 

We are currently running the Blackboard Learning System and have come across an issue with announcements. We would like to post an announcement on the Welcome page without it cascading into the announcement section of all courses - this is annoying lecturers as announcements which may not be relevant to them are pushing their announcements down the page. Does anyone know a way around this?

 

Thanks

Rachel Kelly

e-learning Co-ordinator

Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies

Tel: 0121 604 1000 


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous 
content by the NorMAN MailScanner <http://www.mailscanner.info/>  Service and is believed 
to be clean. 

The NorMAN MailScanner Service is operated by Information 
Systems and Services, University of Newcastle upon Tyne. 



====

This e-mail is intended solely for the addressee. It may contain private and confidential information. If you are not the intended addressee, please take no action based on it nor show a copy to anyone. Please reply to this e-mail to highlight the error. You should also be aware that all electronic mail from, to, or within Northumbria University may be the subject of a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and related legislation, and therefore may be required to be disclosed to third parties.

This e-mail and attachments have been scanned for viruses prior to leaving Northumbria University. Northumbria University will not be liable for any losses as a result of any viruses being passed on.