To increase the networking character of the Gypsy Studies in the Internet in Leipzig a virtual machine was established (NTF _ Network of Tsiganological Research) which gives experts of Gypsy studies a better tool for networking into their own hands. This platform has a number of ways in which it can support and promote networking.

Anyone who wants to participate in this network is invited to send a email to ftf@uni-leipzig.de. Those interested should also note shortly, for what he wants to use such a network: as an information network (consumer), for the scientific work (contributor) or  for own projects (collaborator).

After getting the invitation you may be log in into

http://vmethno.rz.uni-leipzig.de:8080/share/page/site/NTF/dashboard

(At the first step this virtual network is somehow at the stage of experimet to gather experiance.) Basically the virtual machine allows to crosslink Gypsy expert Research (NTF) working on four different levels. Within a project there can be set up an internal newsroom, which also could be connect to a public blog, which publishes selected content public in the Internet. A calendar provides information about important dates that may be relevant to the group.
A wiki is responsible for creating free content. These can be edited by all active members of the project and discussed.
A link list provides information on similar projects on the Internet and a discussion forum allows the detailed debate of specific issues.

These possibilities may not be used by all the members and some may lead to confusion. That is why there are different kinds of insight into the whole system.

Insight and Roles

The simple user (consumer) has access to all the contents of the project, but can determine only a little for himself. He can comment on content and bring topics into discussions, but can’t adjust or alter content.

If someone is Contributor in a project, he can not just see all data, but also create content by himself.

If anyone is planning to start his own sub-project, such as Orient Gypsies, Antitsiganisms, political gypsy studies, gypsies in South America or else he/she may be equipped with the role of a coordinator. This coordination tasks require a little insight into the software structure, but after a few steps is will be less complicated.

In order to provide a first insight into the possibilities, we have built as the first step the Gypsy expert library.

The Gypsy expert library

http://vmethno.rz.uni-leipzig.de:8080/share/page/site/digiBib/dashboard

The Gypsy expert library is the first project within the Gypsy expert network research. Here you can search in parts of the library holdings and other archives. For this, the digital library has follwoing structure:

Pictures / Movies / Text / Music

Data provided can be uses by each member of the platform for scientific purposes. All members are also invited to send in their own data collections in any form or upload.

How to submit content for the Virtual Library?

Submitting data ist best done by creating external mailboxes, with all possible data

pictures / movies / text / music.

Most intuitive for sending large content here  http://www.dropbox.com/ (second is somewhat more complicated, with prior arrangement but with  more storage space).
Personal Pages – Personal Projects

The internet plattform will now be progressively expanded to a network, to exchange information and data, projects and collaborative work can begin. In addition to the extension of the digital library, it will give the opportunity to make your own personal pages within the network in which users can give information to own research, projects and contact informations.
A list of links to interesting sites on the net, an internal newsroom in the form of an internal blog will  be established.

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