NSF award supports Carroll's creation of mobile time banking app
Many people have asked me about an app for Community Weaver, and it is so exciting to announce that one is in the works. Click the link for more details, and I will keep you posted. This is another exciting way we can stay connected, interact in real time, and further strengthen our community.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Seeing Offers and Requests as soon as they are posted -- RSS Feeds
Because access to Community Weaver 2.0 (CW2.0) requires a log in, it is difficult to set up an RSS feed in a standard feed reader such as Google Reader. However, I believe Time Trader Rob has found a workaround, at least for those who use Mozilla Firefox as their web browser. (Thanks Rob, for your patience and help on this issue!)
If you use Firefox, you can download an "add-on" that allows you to receive notifications of new Service Offers and Service Requests as they are posted in CW2.0. The notifications appear as a "ticker," a scrolling bar across the bottom of your screen, and are visible as you surf the web on Firefox.
You must have Firefox open and be logged in to your CW 2.0 account at timetrader.timebanks.org
If you are using your personal computer (not a shared or public computer), I would recommend allowing Firefox to store your log in information so that you will automatically be logged in to CW2.0 whenever you open Firefox. This should enable you to move to the next step, downloading the add-on.
It is called "RSS Ticker" and here is the URL:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/rss-ticker/
On the page, click the green box that says "Add to Firefox."
Once it downloads it will prompt you to restart Firefox.
Instructions for using the add-on are located at:
http://www.chrisfinke.com/firstrun/rss-ticker.php?v=12
Once you have restarted Firefox, you should be able to go the Time Trader homepage at timetrader.timebanks.org and look in the blue bar at the top. On the right side there are a number of links. Click on "Recent Offers," then go to "Bookmarks" in your menu bar at the top and click on the RSS feed icon where it says "Subscribe to this page." Do the same thing with the link next to it that says, "Recent Requests."
If that does not work, you may have to add the URL of the feed manually. Email timetrader@familyservicerochester.org with the subject line RSS FEED and explain that you have tried to add the RSS feeds but you need the URLs. I will send them in an email along with brief instructions about how to enter them to receive the feeds.
Once the feed starts working, the request titles will scroll across the bottom of your screen. You must click on each individual offer title. This will bring up the offer or request in CW2.0 and then the title will disappear from the ticker. The first time you do this, ALL existing requests or offers will appear, so you will need to click on each one and look at the listing. After that, each new offer or request will scroll across and you will be sure that it is brand new.
I do apologize that this requires such effort on your part, but since RSS feeds were designed for publicly viewable information on the web to be shared, it is difficult to make them work within the privacy settings we have set up in Community Weaver for the safety and peace of mind of our members.
Again, right now I can recommend this as a solution only for those members who use Mozilla Firefox as their web browser. I will continue to look for other solutions for the rest of you, and if you are a member who has a solution, please let me know. I will pay you Time Credits for explaining it to me.
I do the best I can to reach members as many ways as possible and to make it as convenient as possible for members to access Community Weaver 2.0 and to remain active and engaged in the community. If you have ideas or suggestions about how I can do that more efficiently or effectively, please do let me know by emailing me at timetrader@familyservicerochester.org.
If you use Firefox, you can download an "add-on" that allows you to receive notifications of new Service Offers and Service Requests as they are posted in CW2.0. The notifications appear as a "ticker," a scrolling bar across the bottom of your screen, and are visible as you surf the web on Firefox.
You must have Firefox open and be logged in to your CW 2.0 account at timetrader.timebanks.org
If you are using your personal computer (not a shared or public computer), I would recommend allowing Firefox to store your log in information so that you will automatically be logged in to CW2.0 whenever you open Firefox. This should enable you to move to the next step, downloading the add-on.
It is called "RSS Ticker" and here is the URL:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/rss-ticker/
On the page, click the green box that says "Add to Firefox."
Once it downloads it will prompt you to restart Firefox.
Instructions for using the add-on are located at:
http://www.chrisfinke.com/firstrun/rss-ticker.php?v=12
Once you have restarted Firefox, you should be able to go the Time Trader homepage at timetrader.timebanks.org and look in the blue bar at the top. On the right side there are a number of links. Click on "Recent Offers," then go to "Bookmarks" in your menu bar at the top and click on the RSS feed icon where it says "Subscribe to this page." Do the same thing with the link next to it that says, "Recent Requests."
If that does not work, you may have to add the URL of the feed manually. Email timetrader@familyservicerochester.org with the subject line RSS FEED and explain that you have tried to add the RSS feeds but you need the URLs. I will send them in an email along with brief instructions about how to enter them to receive the feeds.
Once the feed starts working, the request titles will scroll across the bottom of your screen. You must click on each individual offer title. This will bring up the offer or request in CW2.0 and then the title will disappear from the ticker. The first time you do this, ALL existing requests or offers will appear, so you will need to click on each one and look at the listing. After that, each new offer or request will scroll across and you will be sure that it is brand new.
I do apologize that this requires such effort on your part, but since RSS feeds were designed for publicly viewable information on the web to be shared, it is difficult to make them work within the privacy settings we have set up in Community Weaver for the safety and peace of mind of our members.
Again, right now I can recommend this as a solution only for those members who use Mozilla Firefox as their web browser. I will continue to look for other solutions for the rest of you, and if you are a member who has a solution, please let me know. I will pay you Time Credits for explaining it to me.
I do the best I can to reach members as many ways as possible and to make it as convenient as possible for members to access Community Weaver 2.0 and to remain active and engaged in the community. If you have ideas or suggestions about how I can do that more efficiently or effectively, please do let me know by emailing me at timetrader@familyservicerochester.org.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
It's About TIME
The timebanking community has used the term Time Dollars (TD$) ever since the term was coined by Dr. Edgar Cahn.
In the beginning it was an easy way to convey the idea that one hour of time was equal to one Time Dollar, and that Time Dollars were the unit of currency in our economy.
It seems, however, that some confusion has arisen over the term. Sometimes people misunderstand it and confuse timebanking's Time Dollars (TD$) with actual dollars ($).
In order to reduce the confusion for regular people and the IRS, which has ruled that time cannot be taxed in a number of cases, we are changing the name of our unit of currency.
From now on, one hour is equal to one Time Credit. Nothing else changes: when members record transactions, they will do it in exactly the same way as before, recording the amount of time that was spent in providing a service to another member. Any TD$ that you had in your account are still there; they simply have a new name.
Using the term Time Credit will move the timebank currency away from the regular, or dollar, economy. It is a move that has happened in a number of timebanks, and I believe it will help the timebanking community to be more clear about how timebanking works; it's about TIME.
If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please let me know.
In the beginning it was an easy way to convey the idea that one hour of time was equal to one Time Dollar, and that Time Dollars were the unit of currency in our economy.
It seems, however, that some confusion has arisen over the term. Sometimes people misunderstand it and confuse timebanking's Time Dollars (TD$) with actual dollars ($).
In order to reduce the confusion for regular people and the IRS, which has ruled that time cannot be taxed in a number of cases, we are changing the name of our unit of currency.
From now on, one hour is equal to one Time Credit. Nothing else changes: when members record transactions, they will do it in exactly the same way as before, recording the amount of time that was spent in providing a service to another member. Any TD$ that you had in your account are still there; they simply have a new name.
Using the term Time Credit will move the timebank currency away from the regular, or dollar, economy. It is a move that has happened in a number of timebanks, and I believe it will help the timebanking community to be more clear about how timebanking works; it's about TIME.
If you have any questions or concerns about this change, please let me know.
Top Ten Tips for Navigating Community Weaver
1. Sign In
- Get your username and temporary password from the email notifying you your account has been activated
- Go to www.timetrader.timebanks.org
- Enter your username and password under “User login” (upper right)
- Click the log in button.
2. Edit your User Account and Profile
- Click the Edit User Account link in the left sidebar under your name. Change your password and upload a picture of yourself if you wish. Make sure your address and phone number appear as you wish other Time Traders to see them. Click Save.
- Click My Account above your name or in the tabs on the upper right again.
- Looking at the left sidebar under your name, scroll down until you see Edit Profile Details and click on it. Edit those portions of your profile, including your general availability and adding any links such as your personal blog, your business website, or your Twitter handle. Your phone number and email address will be made public unless you uncheck the boxes. Click Save.
3. View Other Members’ Profiles
- Mouse over the Give & Receive tab (upper right) and then click View All Members on the pulldown menu.
- Click anywhere in a row to see a specific member’s profile OR use the boxes (Member Name, Neighborhood, Affiliations) and click Search to sort by those values.
4. Locate an Offer / Request
- Click on the Give & Receive tab to get to the Time Bank Marketplace.
- You can locate a service offer or request by clicking a specific category link to view those listings (i.e. Child Care, Events, Lessons, etc.). You could also click the Browse All Requests or Browse All Offers link (upper center), OR click the Search All Service Ads link to use a keyword search for service ads.
- When you find an interesting ad, press the more… link for a fuller description.
- If you want to reply to the ad, click on Respond to this Post. That opens a draft reply message form. Use a short form of the Request or Offer title as your subject. (i.e. If the Request is “Can you make cinnamon rolls?” your subject should be “cinnamon rolls.”) Write a brief message asking for the service or offering your service, list your availability, and the best way to contact you. Include your phone number if that is your preferred form of communication.
- Click Send Message to send.
- When you reply to an ad, the other person gets an email inviting him/her to visit the TimeBank website to read the message. When he/she responds to your initial response, you’ll get a notice via email as well. This will go back-and-forth until the two of you settle on a date and time for the service.
5. Set Up an Exchange
- All emails are sent and received via the TimeBank website. When someone responds to your ad, you will get an email inviting you to go to the TimeBank website for the response.
- Click the link in the email to go directly to your Message Center Inbox, or go to www.timetrader.timebanks.org/ to sign in. Mouse over the My Account tab and then click My Messages.
- Each row in your Inbox contains a summary of the emails pertaining to a specific ad. Mouse over the topic you wish to see until it becomes underlined, then click on it to see all the emails about a particular service exchange.
- You’ll see all the emails you have exchanged about the ad, and a white box labeled “Message”. Type your reply in the box, and when it is ready to send, click Send Message.
6. Record Your Hours
- Once an exchange has been completed, you need to record hours for it. The simplest way to do this is to go the Service Offer or Request itself and first make note of the category of service, found on the right under the words “See similar ads from these categories”. Just above that, click on Record Hours for this listing.
- Click the button to indicate the appropriate Service Category
- The current date is the default. If the service was performed on a different day, enter the correct date. Please enter all transactions for a month by the 7th of the following month so that Board Numbers are correct.
- Enter the names of the Provider and Recipient of the Service in the appropriate boxes. Time Credits (TC) will go from the Recipient to the Provider.
- Enter a description of the service.
- Enter the number of whole hours in the first box next to Number of Hours. If the time includes a fraction of an hour, enter it using the pulldown menu, choosing .25, .50, or .75.
- If all information is correct, click Record an Exchange. It will subtract the TC from the person who received the service and add them to the person who provided the service. The math will work correctly regardless of who records the hours.
- This triggers an email notification to both parties to ensure accountability. Occasionally hours are recorded incorrectly. If you get billed incorrectly, send a message to the TimeBank Coordinator to dispute your bill.
7. Place an Offer / Request
- Mouse over the My Account tab, then click on My Services.
- Select Post a new Offer of a Service or Post a new Request for a Service, depending on what you want to add (a request or an offer).
- Click on the appropriate Service Category from the menu.
- Fill in the information: Ad Title, Description, and Availability. The default expiration (3 months) will appear; if you want the ad to expire prior to that, change it now. If you prefer to be contacted by phone, include your phone number in the description. The software hides all phone numbers automatically.
- Click the Preview button to see how your ad will appear. If it looks the way you want it to, submit it by clicking Save.
8. Edit or Stop an Offer /
Request
- Mouse over the My Account tab and click on My Services.
- Click the ad you want to change, and click the edit button.
- Ads expire automatically after 3 months. In order to reactivate them, simply find them in Expired Service Ads and edit the expiration date.
9. View Account Activity
- Mouse over the My Account tab, then click on My Hours.
10. Exit the System
- Click the log out button (top right of main page) and that’s it!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
What's this I hear about a bonus?
A few of our members got a bonus this holiday season.
In mid-December, I posted an announcement on the Community Weaver home page. It was titled, "Earn a Holiday TD$!" and in it, I asked members to send an email to me with one idea for a community event they would attend.
In return, they received a Time Dollar.
The ideas submitted were excellent -- a good mix of things we have done with some success and some new things. Check them out:
Keep your eyes peeled (always in the Announcements section of the home page) for new ways to earn Time Credits (more on that in a blog post soon) in 2013, and if you see an opportunity, be sure to share it with your friends!
In mid-December, I posted an announcement on the Community Weaver home page. It was titled, "Earn a Holiday TD$!" and in it, I asked members to send an email to me with one idea for a community event they would attend.
In return, they received a Time Dollar.
The ideas submitted were excellent -- a good mix of things we have done with some success and some new things. Check them out:
- family friendly event (like a game night)
- potluck
- classes on DIY projects (scrape popcorn ceiling, lay wood flooring, refinish furniture, painting)
- trying out a new restaurant as a group
- attending a community event as a group (Ice Hawks hockey game, theater or orchestra performance, perhaps even an outing to the Ice Bar in February)
Keep your eyes peeled (always in the Announcements section of the home page) for new ways to earn Time Credits (more on that in a blog post soon) in 2013, and if you see an opportunity, be sure to share it with your friends!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Is it OK to have a negative balance?
In a word, yes.
In our timebank, we offer the opportunity for people to earn Time Dollars (TD$) for attending an orientation, filling out an application, and completing their online profile. That means members start out with currency and, we hope, are inspired to jump right in and start trading.
As our user agreement states, we ask that members participate in both giving and receiving services on a regular basis because a healthy economy depends on circulating currency.
On occasion, though, we end up in circumstances where we come up a little short. Maybe we make arrangements for a trade that we think will use 4TD$ but it actually takes 5 hours to get the job done, and we only have 4TD$. Or perhaps we get injured and can't earn TD$ for a time, and we end up spending all we have to get help. However it happens, we can end up with a TD$ balance that is negative.
There is NO PENALTY for this. A timebank isn't like a regular bank. We are not a money-making entity. We do not charge overdraft fees.
Each timebank handles negative balances differently; in Time Trader, the Coordinator may contact you after you reach a -5TD$ balance. This would be a reminder call, perhaps with a few suggestions of how you can earn a few TD$ to move you out of negative territory. But the negative balance is not necessarily viewed as a negative thing in the timebank; in Time Trader, a negative balance is simply viewed as a commitment to the timebank. If you carry a negative balance, the timebank trusts that, since you have benefited from the collective skills and talents of the timebank, that you will share your skills and talents with the timebank and eventually bring your account into balance again.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need more TD$ than you have in your account, please contact the Coordinator. We do have a Community Fund to help people in cases like that, and it is partly filled by donations from the community. So if you have a LOT of TD$, you can donate them to the Community Fund at any time. Use the regular "Record an Exchange" feature in the "Give and Receive" tab in Community Weaver or contact the Coordinator.
In our timebank, we offer the opportunity for people to earn Time Dollars (TD$) for attending an orientation, filling out an application, and completing their online profile. That means members start out with currency and, we hope, are inspired to jump right in and start trading.
As our user agreement states, we ask that members participate in both giving and receiving services on a regular basis because a healthy economy depends on circulating currency.
On occasion, though, we end up in circumstances where we come up a little short. Maybe we make arrangements for a trade that we think will use 4TD$ but it actually takes 5 hours to get the job done, and we only have 4TD$. Or perhaps we get injured and can't earn TD$ for a time, and we end up spending all we have to get help. However it happens, we can end up with a TD$ balance that is negative.
There is NO PENALTY for this. A timebank isn't like a regular bank. We are not a money-making entity. We do not charge overdraft fees.
Each timebank handles negative balances differently; in Time Trader, the Coordinator may contact you after you reach a -5TD$ balance. This would be a reminder call, perhaps with a few suggestions of how you can earn a few TD$ to move you out of negative territory. But the negative balance is not necessarily viewed as a negative thing in the timebank; in Time Trader, a negative balance is simply viewed as a commitment to the timebank. If you carry a negative balance, the timebank trusts that, since you have benefited from the collective skills and talents of the timebank, that you will share your skills and talents with the timebank and eventually bring your account into balance again.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need more TD$ than you have in your account, please contact the Coordinator. We do have a Community Fund to help people in cases like that, and it is partly filled by donations from the community. So if you have a LOT of TD$, you can donate them to the Community Fund at any time. Use the regular "Record an Exchange" feature in the "Give and Receive" tab in Community Weaver or contact the Coordinator.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
What if I offer something and I get more requests than I can handle?
This is much easier to handle than it sounds.
We have had situations in the past where Time Traders have been overwhelmed with demand for their services. Unfortunately, this has led to the loss of those members and their in-demand services.
One example of this was massage. Many people need and want this service, and since massage can be very expensive, using TD$ makes it affordable for our members regardless of their economic status.
Our Time Trader made a living doing massage, and had the usual expenses associated with running a business; rent, utilities, and other overhead costs. While receiving Time Dollars (TD$) for the time the massage takes is fine, TD$ does not pay the rent. (That's why we refer to TD$ as a complementary currency -- it complements the main currency but does not replace it.) It was difficult for this Time Trader to retroactively place limits on the number of massages offered, and so the offer was removed in order to allow massages for U.S. Dollars (USD) to fill her time.
What does this mean for you? Well, we learned some very important lessons that, we hope, make the timebank work better for everyone.
First, YOU set the limits for your offer. You can choose to limit in the offer itself (recommended) or you can limit as you receive requests for your service. If you make your living doing this service, you can offer an introductory lesson, massage, session or whatever for TD$ and ask that continuing customers pay USD. You can limit the number of services you will offer per month for TD$; for example, "I will do 2 photographic sessions per month for TD$. You may book up to 8 weeks in advance." You could limit the number of times a person can use the service in a specified time frame: "You may pay for one massage every 3 months with TD$. Other massages during that time will be for USD." or "You may use this offer once every 6 months to allow for as many people as possible to utilize the service."
In the orientation, we try to stress that YOU as the Time Trader have the control; you choose what to offer, you arrange exchanges at your convenience, and you have the right to refuse an exchange at any time. Time Trader is meant to be an asset in your life, not a burden!
If you have questions about posting offers or how to limit them, please contact the Coordinator and she will be happy to assist in creating a service ad that works for you. And, of course, you always have the right to re-word or remove an offer.
Right now we are in need of massage therapists, handyman/do-it-yourself types, and photographers. Do you have those skills or know someone who does? Remember that you earn 1TD$ for each person you refer who becomes a member. Building this community means more skills and talents to take advantage of, and that benefits all of us. Just tell people you can "give what you want, get what you need!"
We have had situations in the past where Time Traders have been overwhelmed with demand for their services. Unfortunately, this has led to the loss of those members and their in-demand services.
One example of this was massage. Many people need and want this service, and since massage can be very expensive, using TD$ makes it affordable for our members regardless of their economic status.
Our Time Trader made a living doing massage, and had the usual expenses associated with running a business; rent, utilities, and other overhead costs. While receiving Time Dollars (TD$) for the time the massage takes is fine, TD$ does not pay the rent. (That's why we refer to TD$ as a complementary currency -- it complements the main currency but does not replace it.) It was difficult for this Time Trader to retroactively place limits on the number of massages offered, and so the offer was removed in order to allow massages for U.S. Dollars (USD) to fill her time.
What does this mean for you? Well, we learned some very important lessons that, we hope, make the timebank work better for everyone.
First, YOU set the limits for your offer. You can choose to limit in the offer itself (recommended) or you can limit as you receive requests for your service. If you make your living doing this service, you can offer an introductory lesson, massage, session or whatever for TD$ and ask that continuing customers pay USD. You can limit the number of services you will offer per month for TD$; for example, "I will do 2 photographic sessions per month for TD$. You may book up to 8 weeks in advance." You could limit the number of times a person can use the service in a specified time frame: "You may pay for one massage every 3 months with TD$. Other massages during that time will be for USD." or "You may use this offer once every 6 months to allow for as many people as possible to utilize the service."
In the orientation, we try to stress that YOU as the Time Trader have the control; you choose what to offer, you arrange exchanges at your convenience, and you have the right to refuse an exchange at any time. Time Trader is meant to be an asset in your life, not a burden!
If you have questions about posting offers or how to limit them, please contact the Coordinator and she will be happy to assist in creating a service ad that works for you. And, of course, you always have the right to re-word or remove an offer.
Right now we are in need of massage therapists, handyman/do-it-yourself types, and photographers. Do you have those skills or know someone who does? Remember that you earn 1TD$ for each person you refer who becomes a member. Building this community means more skills and talents to take advantage of, and that benefits all of us. Just tell people you can "give what you want, get what you need!"
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