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We're hiring!
Posted by Travis on 30 January 2011, 18:00 GMT

We're looking to fill a vacancy in the position of primary news editor—featuring programs and writing and posting news. You could be one of the people we're looking for.

The main thing required is time. News editing can be surprisingly time-consuming: talking to people, reading sites, testing out programs, writing and proofreading, and so on. A good familiarity of the current TI calculator scene is naturally also needed so you'll know how and where to find news to post. You'll also need to be reasonably fluent in the written English language, as English is the only language we use on our site.

We're also looking for a long-term commitment as well as high availability. You all know what our users think when there are weeks without updates. If you can work so many hours a day now, but expect not to be able to keep that up for more than a couple of months, this is not what we want. Expect it to be quite time-consuming, but certainly rewarding.

Finally, if you can increase the staff's demographical diversity, that's a plus, but not a requirement. We encourage people, both male and female, from all countries to apply.

If you're interested, contact us at newstaff@ticalc.org. Please include the following information:

  • Full name
  • Email address
  • Preferred IM screen name and protocol (AIM, MSN, Jabber/Facebook, etc.)
  • Age
  • Current level of education (finished or unfinished)
  • Where you live (town/state/country)
  • Approximate amount of time you think you can contribute per week
  • Which calculators you have experience with or access to
  • A quick explanation of why we should pick you

Also, based on previous experience, it's worth mentioning that this is not a paid job.

Applications are due by 18:00 GMT on Sunday, February 13, 2011.

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The comments below are written by ticalc.org visitors. Their views are not necessarily those of ticalc.org, and ticalc.org takes no responsibility for their content.


Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

One thing that might be good to reduce the task of the news editor is to maybe do something like Slashdot and allow user-submitted content, but then review it for grammar/spelling quality control (either correct the few mistakes or reject the news if it's too bad). The staff would still decide what is newsworthy, but this would save them a lot of time. While submitting a news the user could also upload a screenshot which is for example under 20 KB in size and a maximum of 10 frames per second if animated.

That way, while ticalc.org news wouldn't necessarily be your very own stuff, it would save a lot of time and effort from writing articles on your own and when there are several releases in a month, like last September, notable releases wouldn't take a month to get featured anymore. (I remember sending an e-mail to suggest features before, but if the news editors have to rewrite everything from scratch, in addition to do file archiving and dealing with real life, this doesn't help that much)

Unfortunately I am not too sure if I could apply, though, since I am still not that great in English, grammatically-wise.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 00:42 GMT


Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

While I agree that there are many programs (and new concepts and hardware, for that matter ;) ) that have not been announced on ticalc.org because of the time necessary for news editors to write and copy-edit articles, I'll take the counterpoint and say that I don't think user-submitted content is a good idea. I think the news would then shy too close towards being a popularity contest, where whoever had the free time or resources to submit more articles, articles with more users voting for it (if you're suggesting voting), etc would have an advantage. One of the great things about ticalc.org is that the staff and editors are "impartial", so to speak; although ticalc.org is the unchallenged hub of the community, they are not of themselves one of the factions of the community. They house no ASM coding groups, no BASIC coding groups; no z80 or 68k groups. They don't favor any one language or calculator or platform (other than TI calculators, obviously), and I think that distinction is important.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 01:11 GMT

Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Nikky Southerland  Account Info
(Web Page)

Agreed with Christopher. User-submitted content emphasizes those with more time and "PR" savvy.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 01:14 GMT


Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

Oh, I wasn't really suggesting voting. The staff would still kinda have the last word, it's just that they wouldn't need to write news from scratch and make less screenshots. I agree that in some cases it might indeed end up always being the same person submitting news, though.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 01:56 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Squalyl Account Info
(Web Page)

Voting would be a good thing indeed, just to be sure the Choosen One will have enough credibility and popularity among the users.

Being representative of the true spirit of a whole community is important.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 13:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

I don't think anyone's suggesting voting on anything, either on editors or news articles. Again, voting can be biased and a popularity contest in a community like this; many years of club and student council elections in high school and college have certainly taught me that.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 14:42 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

Nope, no voting. What I am suggesting is that users who e-mail ticalc.org to suggest a feature or news article could be allowed to write the news for the staff, reducing the news editor task of having to. Of course this would probably only be possible in half of the cases, though, because I am sure some feature suggestions by people destroy the English language.

Reply to this comment    2 February 2011, 03:33 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Astrid Smith Account Info
(Web Page)

If you look at the older news archives, you'll see that we've always accepted user-submitted news. We've moved away from that in the past few years, but there's certainly no policy blocking it. It's just news editor preference.

Reply to this comment    2 February 2011, 19:06 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

Ah, I see. I didn't know about that.

Reply to this comment    2 February 2011, 19:43 GMT

Re: We're hiring!
Souvik Banerjee Account Info

Applied.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 02:56 GMT


Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

Best of luck, Souvik!

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 02:58 GMT

Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

I'm gonna apply, I have at least an hour a day I can contribute.

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 14:22 GMT


Re: Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

EDIT: yeah and very fluent in English ;)

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 14:23 GMT


Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

*Yeah *, *English. ;)

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 14:43 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

lol Kerm :P

Reply to this comment    31 January 2011, 14:51 GMT

Re: We're hiring!
Stefan Bauwens  Account Info

I would like to apply, but I'm afraid I'm too unexperienced and have too little time. But I think I know THE exact solution you guys are looking for.(Click the link)

Reply to this comment    1 February 2011, 14:25 GMT

Re: Re: We're hiring!
Stefan Bauwens  Account Info
(Web Page)

Oops forgot it. Here it is.

Reply to this comment    1 February 2011, 14:26 GMT

Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Souvik Banerjee Account Info

Very immature. :P

Reply to this comment    1 February 2011, 18:32 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

agreed, not a very good rickroll. Sorry :P

Reply to this comment    1 February 2011, 20:19 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Steve Randle Account Info

It's even more of a failure when he doesn't even put the link up the first time...

Reply to this comment    6 February 2011, 20:52 GMT

Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

You're going to bring those immature meme jokes to ticalc.org? :P Next thing you know you'll be telling me that I lost The Game.

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 00:30 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

Too late, the game reference is already in the video and the comments. :P

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 03:47 GMT


Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Squalyl Account Info
(Web Page)

You're doing it wrong

Reply to this comment    22 February 2011, 15:08 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

(a tad bit late :) )

also, I thought this would be done by the 13th? it's the 22nd today :P

Reply to this comment    22 February 2011, 18:12 GMT


Re: Re: We're hiring!
chris houston  Account Info
(Web Page)

FAIL

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 11:41 GMT


Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Stefan Bauwens  Account Info

Comon, I just learned about the 'rickroll' so I decided to try it. I don't understand you guys. Where's your sense of humor?

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 15:09 GMT

Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
KermMartian  Account Info
(Web Page)

This isn't some site where you can spam every topic by trying to be "funny". This is a serious topic and a serious discussion, and deserves to be taken seriously. Grow up. Also, how did you just hear about Rickrolling? O.o

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 16:11 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Kevin Ouellet Account Info
(Web Page)

I don't mind getting rickrolled, but some people do, since it was mostly popular 3 years ago.

Personally, though, when I rickroll (which is rare nowadays) I prefer to do it in a sneaky way (a song remix or cover, where the person discovers he got rickrolled only like 1-2 minutes into the song).

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 16:12 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
ASHBAD_ALVIN  Account Info

Rickrolling is a fine thing to do, but realize that ticalc.org is a serious place to discuss calc programming, or at least in the more serious topics. This is probably the most serious topic of 2011 so far, so it's not a good idea to rickroll here. I'm fine with it, though here's my advice -- only rickroll in fake news, or on a randomness section of a forums site like omnimaga, cemetech, UTI, TIBD, etc. because rickrolling in a serious topic is considered immature ;)

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 17:49 GMT


Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: We're hiring!
Stefan Bauwens  Account Info

Ok, I understand.
I won't do it anymore(in a serious topic)

How did I hear about rickrollin?
I play a certain game(armagetron advanced) online, and there was a guy whos nick was Rick Astley and who was always writing the lyricks of the song. Eventually I found out this song excisted. And then I heard about 'the game', etc...
Also I enjoy the song :)

Reply to this comment    7 February 2011, 18:33 GMT

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