Creative Networks 2010 Annual Business Support Fayre

Empower your creative business with an evening of over 20 support agencies dedicated to helping creative professionals flourish. The 2010 Creative Networks Annual Business Fayre will be a key opportunity for all professionals working in the Creative, Digital and Cultural industry sectors to discover and interact with the support services offered in the Yorkshire region alongside an exhibition of more than twenty regional support agencies and organisations.

Thursday 27th May 2010, 6pm – till late

Leeds College of Art, Blenheim Walk, LS2 9AQ

This event is free to creative, digital and cultural industry professionals.

If you would like to join us, please contact Creative Networks on 01422 399444
or email Bridget March at bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk .

Regional Culture Euro Seminars Announced

EUCLID is again running a series of informative and fun regional Culture Euro seminars to help UK cultural organisations access some of the millions of euros available from the European Union.

The EU’s Culture programme (2007-2013) has a budget of €400 million to encourage mobility and to celebrate Europe’s cultural diversity, and there are many other EU programmes which offer grants for arts and cultural projects or exchanges and visits. These seminars, specifically designed for cultural organisations, will give you the tools to make a successful bid for European funding.

Statistics from the European Commission indicate that, in 2009, UK applications to the Culture programme had a 75% success rate - one of the highest success rates of applications to any funding programme or scheme, in the UK or in Europe. Your project could be the next success story!

For more information and to book a place please visit www.cultureuro.info

Dadi Awards Now Open for Entries

The Dadis, in association with Leeds Live It Love It and Yorkshire Forward, are the awards that recognise and reward digital effectiveness. And they’re now open for entry.

Entries are open to digital agencies, creative agencies, media owners, in-house teams and clients.

A Dadi (Drum Award for the Digital Industries), tells the world one very important thing about the winner: that they make digital work.

Please see www.dadiawards.com for more information.

How to grow your Business through Connecting, Innovating and Expanding in Europe

European SME Week 2010

As part of European SME Week 2010 and following the success of last year’s SME Week event Enterprise Europe Yorkshire will be running another breakfast event, How to grow your Business through connecting, Innovating and expanding in Europe.

Thursday 27th May 2010 Park Inn Hotel (York City Centre)

More information

FREE business pitch event

FREE business pitch event
Digital Creative & Energy and Renewables companies
Tuesday May 11 2010

A chance to attend a one-off event for companies in energy, renewable or digital creative related markets to pitch their products and services to an audience of potential partners.

For more information about this opportunity to meet people who can help you grow your business, click here.

Last post from me!

This is just a quick post as I am now going on maternity leave and today is my last day in the office. Don't worry though the blog will be maintained by my maternity cover, Jennifer Esty, so if you have anything interesting that you want to be blogged you can get in touch with Jennifer (she will post something on here shortly).

Thanks to all for following!

Job Opportunity: Skillset Recruitment - Northern Co-ordinator

In case anyone is interested Skillset are currently looking for a Northern Co-ordinator to support Skillset's North Development Manager in all aspects of developing and implementing the Strategic Skills Assessment for the North of England:

Northern Co-ordinator

Salary: c. £27,000 pa, plus benefits package
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 40 Hours per week (Monday – Friday)
Location: Leeds

Closing date for applications is 12 noon, Thursday 6th May 2010

Interviews are expected to take place in Leeds on Tuesday 18th May 2010.

Full details can be found on their website at www.skillset.org/jobs

Creative Networks Presents an audience with Harry Gration

Broadcasting through the Ages

Creative Networks is proud to announce that “Mr BBC Yorkshire” himself, Harry Gration, has agreed to speak at our April event; at Leeds College of Art.

A tireless broadcaster for the past three decades and across both radio and television, Harry has worked on a diversity of programmes, however is best known and loved for presenting BBC Look North which he has been involved with since 1984.

An incredibly warm and generous speaker, Harry will present through anecdote and good humour an entertaining journey of Broadcasting through the ages.

From 6pm, Thursday 29th April 2010

18.00 – 19.00 Hot food and Registration
19.00 – 19.30 Welcome and Opening Pitches
19.30 – 20.30 Harry Gration
20.30 – till late Networking in the Mosaic Bar

Leeds College of Art, Blenheim Walk, LS2 9AQ

This event is free to creative, digital and cultural industry professionals.

If you would like to join us, please contact Creative Networks on 01422 399444 or email Bridget March at bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk .

Royal Television Society Yorkshire Awards 2010 - CALL FOR ENTRIES

RTS Yorkshire has announced details of the sixth annual awards to be held at The Queens, Leeds on Monday 14 June 2010. These Awards aim to recognise and promote high quality television and related digital media production in the Yorkshire Centre region and celebrate excellence amongst its production and technical crew. The Society is now calling for entries from broadcast, independent and new media companies working in the region.

This year's awards will continue to acknowledge the region as a major supplier of programmes to the international television industry and celebrate the past year as a great year for production in Yorkshire. The Society is calling for entries from broadcast, independent and new media companies working in the region. To qualify for entry, all submissions must have been broadcast or launched between 24 February 2009 and 1 March 2010. *Deadline for entries: 12 noon on Friday 16 April 2010.

For clarity, the Yorkshire Centre region is defined as the aggregated transmission areas of ITV Yorkshire and BBC Yorkshire and BBC Yorkshire & Lincolnshire.

For full details and conditions of entry, go to the RTS Website. All enquiries should be directed to Sue Pagdin: suep@rts.org.uk

THE STATE OF INDEPENDENCE - EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT ENDS TODAY!

Codeworks GameHorizon and Game Republic in partnership with Screen Yorkshire present a unique one-day conference focusing on independent video games developer self-publishing, to take place at York Racecourse.

Guest speakers already confirmed include Charles Cecil, Managing Director of Revolution Software (who will be chairing the event), Ben Board, European Developer Account Manager Xbox, Ed Vaizey MP, Conservative Shadow Culture and Creative Industries Minister, Paul Farley, Managing Director, Tag Games, Joe Wee, Joint MD of Chillingo, Patrick O'Luanaigh , CEO of nDreams - with more big names to follow.

There has been a resurgence of the independent video games developer over the last two years with developers looking to self-publish via digital distribution routes to break from the traditional console value chain to gain more control of their IP and finances. Indies are asking how can they fund their own content, how to promote and market new content effectively on a small budget, and what are the best business models to maximise revenue.

Key areas to be covered at State of Independence will be:
• Different routes to market and new business models
• Funding your game - including access to investors
• Learning from current success stories
• Marketing your own games - including PR, viral marketing and customer service
• Networking with other games industry professionals

As well as giving developers a greater understanding of the brave new world of digital self-publishing and advice on how to succeed, State of Independence will be an ideal opportunity to network with other independents, investors and buyers, as well as unwind at the industry party.

Date: Thurs 8th April 2010
Location: York, Race course Gymcrack Suite (Ebor stand)
Start of Conference: 09.30am Thursday 8 April 2010
Finish of Conference: 5.30pm Thursday 8 April 2010
After Party: 6.30 - until late

A Super Early Bird discount starting at £75 is available until 16 March 2010 (today!!), with bigger discounts available to GameHorizon and Game Republic members.

Register online.

Creative Networks event - An audience with Sir John Hegarty

Another fab speaker is lined up for this months Creative Networks event on 25th March 2010:

Creative Networks is honoured that advertising legend, Sir John Hegarty, has agreed to speak at our March event, here in Yorkshire.

As Chairman & Worldwide Creative Director of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), where he presides over one of the most successful and creatively acclaimed agencies of all time, Sir John has been responsible for some of the most celebrated ad campaign’s – from the 1982 Levi's advert featuring the infamous Nick Kamen stripping off in the laundrette through to the more recent and blockbusting Lynx effect campaigns.

Hegarty who started out in advertising as a Junior Art Director at Benton and Bowles in 1965 and went on to develop an incredibly rich and illustrious career, was awarded the Life Time Achievement Award in the 2005 International Clio Awards and was knighted in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours.

An incredibly warm and generous speaker, Sir John, who was named "the Master of Creative Rebellion" by the Independent, will put forward ‘10 reasons why now is the best time to be in advertising’.

---------------------------------------------
Venue:
Leeds College of Art
Blenheim Walk, Leeds, LS2 9AQ
----------------------------------------------
18.00 – 19.00 Hot food and registration
19.00 – 19.30 Welcome and opening pitches
19.30 – 20.30 Sir John Hegarty
20.30 till late Networking in the Mosaic Bar

This event is free to creative, digital and cultural industry professionals.
If you would like to join us, please contact Creative Networks on 01422 399444 or email Bridget March at bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk.

BBC Survey - Internet access is 'a fundamental right'

I thought this survey was pretty interesting due to the diverse countries included in the survey:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8548190.stm

The full PDF findings show some interesting stats not described in the article, for example 90% agree that the Internet is a good place to learn - showing that the market place is very ready for e-learning. Also 78% believe that the Internet gives them greater freedom - I wonder if this is a higher percentage than something like public transport would gain?

It is certainly easy to see why a survey like this highlights the importance of online communication and offers comparisons with other infrastructures such as roads and water.

Welcome to Yorkshire Y 10 - the biggest tourism event in Yorkshire

On Monday 22nd March 2010 Welcome to Yorkshire will be hosting the biggest tourism event in the region - Y 10.

The event is free to attend and will begin with registration from 10am followed by the conference at 11am and a networking lunch for all delegates until 2.30pm.

Event details:

Date: Monday 22nd March 2010
Venue: Harrogate International Centre

Event programme:

10:00 - 11:00 Delegate registration
11:00 - 12:30 Y 10, followed by networking lunch and a chance to meet with Area Tourism Partnerships.
14:30 - Event closes

You can register online before 1st March.

For more information about the event please visit the website.

Get Connected - Digital, Creative & Healthcare companies - 22nd March

NorthernNet, Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus and RTC North have arranged a pitching and networking opportunity for companies operating in the Digital, Creative and Healthcare markets.

Who should attend?

Digital Creative companies interested in:

•Mobile technologies
•3D simulation technologies (especially interactive)
•Web-based remote learning technologies
•Digital signage and communication technologies
•Real time Web-based or network based information systems (potentially applied in other sectors)
•Web-based, real time communication systems linked to monitoring of activities
•Security technologies

Healthcare sector businesses working in:

•Surgical Simulation
•Telecare
•Medical training
•Remote diagnostics
•Healthcare monitoring
•Healthcare education
•Clinical trialling
•Healthcare operation information & communication systems
•Manufacture of products & systems with potential to go digital

The event aims to:

•Identify relevant partners, customers or suppliers
•Build understanding of technology capabilities in the Digital Creative sector
•Build understanding of market requirements for digital creative technologies in the Healthcare sector

Agenda:

3pm - Delegates arrive for pitch training
3.30pm - 4.30pm - Pitch training
Pitching companies arrive early for pitch training by ‘Winning Pitch’
4.30pm - Delegates arrive for main event
4.30pm – 6pm - Business Pitch
90 seconds focussed specifically on businesses’ ‘offers’ or ‘needs’
6pm – 7pm - Networking and Food
Supported by sector relevant business support ‘brokers’

Date: Mon 22 March
Time: 4.30pm - 7pm
Venue: Round Foundry Media Centre, Leeds

Register Online.

Vodafone Appstar Developer Day: North - 3rd March

Screen Yorkshire is bringing the Vodafone AppStar Developer Day North to Sheffield, giving you the opportunity to meet the experts, design and create your own apps with your contemporaries and more.... You'll also get the chance to win hardware, cash and other prizes!!

On the day you'll learn about:

* Vodafone 360 apps platform & channel to market
* Joint Innovation Lab (JIL) - the global operator alliance for 1 billion customers
* Apps of interest to Vodafone U.K. customers
* Using 360 to grow your brand and business: revenue and reach
* Building and publishing apps: concept to cash
* Meet the experts: SDK, publishing, commercialisation, QA, partner marketing

After the presentation session the rest of the day will be free for coding and creating new apps. What will you design? An app to show traffic camera updates? To save the world? 100 best football goals? Anything is possible...it's all up to you! Check out the Vodafone 360 store for ideas.

Agenda for the afternoon & evening:
12.00pm: Welcome, registration and drinks!
12.30pm: Presentations from Vodafone and Development Partners
2:00pm: Content and Dev Partner live showcases
3.00pm: Meet the experts
5.00pm: Q&A panel
5.30pm: Buffet dinner and beers provided
6.30pm: Evening Hackathon begins!
10.30pm: Judging session - winners and prizes announced
11.00pm: Close

Event preparation:
1. Download the SDK and tools from http://www.JIL.org/vodafone
2. Bring your laptop
3. Bring your proof of concepts, mock-ups and apps ideas to share with us

Venue: Electric Works, Sheffield Digital Campus, S1 2BJ

Register online.

techmesh: Sheffield, 23rd February

Attend techmesh: Sheffield and expand your business connections. This event is about encouraging collaboration, making new contacts and listening to inspiring key note speakers.

Date: Tuesday 23 February 2010

Time: 18.00-20.00hrs

Venue: Showroom and Workstation, Paternoster Row, Sheffield. S1 2BX Map

Guest speakers: Trevor Higgins, BT Partnership Director

Includes: Food and drink

Who should attend:
IT and Telecoms professionals and organisations.

Programme:

18.00 Networking, Food and Drink
18.45 Gary Rowbotham, techmesh Programme Manager
18.55 Trevor Higgins, BT Partnership Director: Discussing Superfast Broadband
19.20 Members Time (5 x 3 minute sessions for members to have an opportunity to make a short presentation on how to collaborate with other members/organisations)
19.45 Networking and Drinks
20.15 Close

For further information, please contact Dawn on 0113 384 5641 or dawn@techmesh.org

Register Online.

Inspirational Women in Media & Creative Business: February 18th

If you are enthusiastic about being a part of the fast growing creative and digital media industry in the North, then don't miss this unique opportunity to hear from some of the most inspirational women share insightful and motivational accounts of their experiences in the business, simultaneously to audiences in Salford, Leeds and Newcastle upon Tyne.

As part of a pan-northern initiative, the regional agencies - Screen Yorkshire, Northwest Vision and Media, and Northern Film + Media - have joined forces using NorthernNet's Media Access Bureaus to present this first-of-it's-kind, 3-way, simultaneous event:

Speakers include:
Kaye Elling, Chair of Women in Games Conference 2010 & Lecturer in Computer Games, University of Bradford - speaking in Leeds
Lou Cordwell, Managing Director, Magnetic North - speaking in Salford
Dianne Nelmes, Managing Director, Liberty Bell- speaking in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Eileen Gallagher, Chief Executive, Shed Productions - speaking in Newcastle-Upon -Tyne

WHERE: The Round Foundry Media Centre, Leeds
WHEN: Thursday 18th February - 1.45pm till 4.30pm
Events will also be held simultaneously at:
Broadway 100, Salford
Hoults Yard, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Register Online.

A series of events for the Creative, Digital & New Media Industries

@BLYorks runs from 23rd February – 4th March. Business Link Yorkshire in partnership with Creative Networks presents a series of free workshops and events designed to support and inspire the diverse creative, digital and new media businesses in the region.

Headline Events include:

C&binet Regional Conference - Tuesday 23 February

Creative Careers Event - Wed 24 February, 10:00am – 5:00pm
The Atrium, University of Bradford,

Feargal Sharkey, CEO UK Music - Wed 24 February, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Leeds College of Music

artsmix @ The Loft - Sunday 28 February, 11.00am – 4.00pm
The Loft, Leeds

The Integration of Modern Media with Classic Advertising Principles - Tuesday 2 March, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Aspire, Leeds

Be inspired with… Linda Barker - Thursday 4 March, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
The Elsie Whiteley Innovation Centre, Halifax,

As well as the monthly Creative Networks event:

Creative Networks presents:
From ‘The Human League’ to ‘The Future of Sound’
An evening with Martyn Ware
25th February 2010

Founder member of The Human League and Heaven 17, Martyn is one of the leading figures in electronic music. As record producer and artist he has featured on recordings totalling over 50 million sales worldwide during a 27 year career to date, working with artists as diverse as Tina Turner, Terence Trent D’Arby, Chaka Khan, Erasure, and Marc Almond.

He founded the Illustrious Company with Vince Clarke in 2001 to exploit, in collaboration with fine artists, the performing arts and corporate clients around the world, the creative and commercial possibilities of their unique three-dimensional sound technology. Clients include: BP, the British Council, The Science Museum, The Royal Ballet, Amnesty International, the V&A Museum, Mute Records, BBC TV, the Royal Observatory Greenwich, BAFTA, Museum Of London, and Tate Britain.

A true pioneer in the industry, Martyn remains a digital innovator.

A highly entertaining speaker, Martyn will discuss the challenges he faced when, much to the disgust of producers, sound engineers and promoters; he rejected the conventional rock and roll style music and made music using basic synthesizers and a lot of creative thinking.

An Evening with Martyn Ware is part of a week of events supporting the creative industry organised by Business Link Yorkshire in partnership with Creative Networks.

---------------------------------------------
Leeds College of Art
Blenheim Walk, Leeds, LS2 9AQ
----------------------------------------------
18.00 – 19.00 Hot Food and Registration
19.00 – 19.30 Welcome and opening pitches
19.30 – 20.30 Martyn Ware
20.30 till late Networking in the Mosaic Bar

This event is free to creative, digital and cultural industry professionals.
If you would like to join us, please contact Creative Networks on 01422 399444 or email Bridget March at bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk.

There are also several other events during @BLYorks that should be of interest to many.

Future Technologies January - Overview of the year and Google Chrome OS

For January I wanted to do a sort of round up of the year / predictions for the next year type article for my 'Future Technologies' post, but it's just so difficult!

I've been including posts on Future Technologies since April of last year and so far have covered:

Printed Electronics

Business Models

Interfaces

Software Tools

Augmented Reality

3D Technology

Web caching, electronic packaging and acoustic-based inputs

So these are the main areas i've been interested in during 2009. I guess also of note is what I didn't cover.

I didn't cover Cloud Computing, am I the only one who's a little bored of it?! Also most techies I talk to see it as virtualisation and have been doing it for years. I probably should have covered Software as a Service but I think that would have been relevant as being 'new' in 2008 rather than 2009.

I didn't cover Mobile Apps - mainly because i'm not entirely sure where to even start, but also because I still haven't seen anything that's really made me think Wow! I'm sure there are apps that would make me go Wow, I just haven't seen them.

I didn't cover Social Networking, again partly because it's being talked to death and also because social networking sites, although generally fab, are not technologies that excite me. They're usually impressive in their simplicity and it's not the technology thats amazing but the

commitment of its users.

So as a kind of prediction for 2010, during the next 12 months i'd like to learn more about:

Geolocation, I still think there are many interesting and as yet unused ideas around geolocation technologies.

HTML5, i'm hoping this will bring about a new change for websites, sites are getting pretty predictable these days so it would be good to see something new and exciting.

Healthcare technologies, this is such a huge area and I have colleagues who specialize in just these industries so its a bit offputting because there is so much to look at, but there are some really exciting and amazing technologies around healt

hcare.

Finally, I wanted to end with something new-ish: Google's Chrome OS. It's a really new and fresh way of looking at the desktop and there are many features worth pointing out:

Every application is accessed through the Chrome browser. This means that you won't need to have Microsoft Office on your machine in order to use Excel, instead you just use the Windows Live Web-based version of Excel. A lot of software companies are going to need to adapt to that!

Due to the above users will never have to install software or deal with annoying updates. Due to this it's going to mean starting up is very fast and as the Chrome browser has already shown to be extremely fast (i'm a total convert, the speed is everything with this browser, its perfect for the impatient generations :-)) opening files will be really quick.

The majority of user settings are stored in the cloud. This means that you can go to any machine (as long as it's a Google Chrome machine) and it will be exactly the same as using your own.

To pick up on the above, although hardly anything is stored on the hard drive the OS will only work on specific machines. You can't just install it onto the laptop / desktop you have now. Potentially a major disadvantage, but I am interested to see what machines will come out using the OS and i'm hopeful there will be some new innovations there.

So hopefully this is also something that will be interesting to watch develop through 2010.

Report from the Future Broadband Services Forum held in Sheffield on 1st December

The Digital Communications KTN, in cooperation with Digital 20/20, have produced a report following an event held in Sheffield at Electric Works on 1st December 2009.

Two keynote presentations were delivered, one around new developments in telecommunications and online technologies and one describing the Digital Region (South Yorkshire’s new state-of-the-art fibre-optic network).

These presentations were then followed by workshops to allow attendees to discuss particular themes, generate new ideas and identify how the capacity of Digital Region and other superfast broadband networks might be used. The attendees could choose from four workshops on the topics 'IT & Network Services'; 'Digital Content'; 'Learning & Education'; and 'Healthcare & the Smart Home'.

I've uploaded the full report as a PDF for you to view. Over 60 people attended the event on the day and I think the report makes an interesting read.

Events: BBC commissions for CBBC and CBeebies, Crossover Labs and Creative Networks

A few more events coming up this month.

Firstly, The BBC is seeking new relationships with companies to fulfill at least 4 commissions for CBBC and CBeebies in 2010/2011. @North is a pilot programme for TV independents or digital creatives and companies interested in working with children's commissioners and the Future Media department, to develop new interactive content. There will be two events held in the region, where you'll have the opportunity to meet the BBC and ask questions about the project.

8th January, 10.00 am - 12.00pm: Leeds, Round Foundry Media Centre
11th January, 10.00 am - 12.00pm: Sheffield, Electric Works

Register to attend

Find out more about @North

=================

Secondly, Crossover Business Labs - Introduction Seminars: 11th - 14th January

Crossover Labs has been designed to assist companies position themselves for creative and commercial growth in the converging digital economy. The objectives of the programme are:

- to work with business leaders to share an understanding of the characteristics of the market and the opportunities available;
- to help companies develop the skills, capabilities and assets required to do business effectively in the converging digital marketplace;
- to foster collaboration between companies within and across the regions.

Each workshop will take place at 6:00pm in two venues simultaneously, connected using NorthernNet's video conferencing infrastructure. The seminar programme will be on the following dates, each one linking two venues.

Event details and registration

Find out more about Crossover

The Crossover Business Labs programme is supported by the Channel 4, BBC, North West Vision and Media, Screen North East, Screen Yorkshire, Skillset and NorthernNet.

=================

Finally, Creative Networks is on 28th January this month.

Creative Networks is proud to announce that its first speaker for 2010 is the internationally acclaimed, Martin Parr.

Martin Parr is probably one of the most influential living British Photographers still working today. With over fifty books and countless exhibitions, Parr is known for his lurid and sometimes shocking use of colour in photography and his satirical witty approach to documentary photography leaves the viewer not sure whether to laugh or cry.

His three recurrent themes are leisure activities, consumption and communication, which he uses to denounce consumer society, wastefulness, vulgarity, mass tourism, fashion and the often worrying narrowness of everyday life. He captures the laughable, the grotesque, and the unacceptable. We laugh, we giggle, we howl with laughter - the image of society that the artist holds up to us puts our moral failings and the absurdity of our everyday lives into sharp relief.

In true Parr humour, the audience will be invited on the evening to vote on which presentation they would most like to hear; 'Parrworld', or 'Martin Parr - the story so far'.

---------------------------------------------
Leeds College of Art
Blenheim Walk, Leeds, LS2 9AQ
----------------------------------------------
18.00 - 19.00 Hot Food and Registration
19.00 - 19.30 Welcome and opening pitches
19.30 - 20.30 Martin Parr
20.30 till late Networking in the Mosaic Bar

This event is free to creative, digital and cultural industry professionals.
If you would like to join us, please contact Creative Networks on 01422 399444 or email Bridget March at bridgetm@leeds-art.ac.uk.

IT Business Network - techmesh: Launch Event 27th January, Leeds

techmesh is a brand new business network for IT and Telecoms organisations and professionals in the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

They are holding a launch event where you can find out more about the network and how they can help you.

Who should attend: IT & Telecoms organisations, professionals and partners.

Date: Wednesday 27th January 2010
Time: 18.00-21.00hrs
Venue: The Loft, Cross York Street, Leeds. LS2 7EE

Guest Speakers:
Lee Strafford, former CEO of PlusNet
Conrad Poulson, Head of Startup Business Development of Orange

Includes:
Live music, Fizz Reception and Nibbles

More Info: To book your place, register online or call Dawn on 0113 384 5641.

It's free to attend and will be the first of many events that should be of interest to the IT industry, the sooner you get involved the sooner you can shape the networks future!