Opinion: Web Watch: Web users embrace emerging media

You’ll find a faster, easier way to get news, and other features you may not have even known were there.

Instant news delivered

This summer, we introduced an RSS feed – a free, specially formatted version of our Web news. RSS, which stands for really simple syndication, allows you to use a feed reader, or aggregator, to alert you about stories the moment that we post them to sbj.net.

Web lingo aside, this translates to an automatic method for you to get what’s important: local business news – as it happens. You won’t have to check our site throughout the day to know if there’s news that interests you. The news will come to you.

More information and instructions for signing up are available by clicking the orange RSS icon at sbj.net. Links to free and easy-to-download feed readers can be found there, too.

The advantage for SBJ readers is proven when considering the story on Page 10 of the paper you’re holding.

Springfield City Manager Bob Cumley announced his plan to retire in 2008 via a city news release issued at 1:59 p.m. Oct. 23. About 30 minutes later, we posted to sbj.net the news of Cumley’s intentions and the city’s response to conduct a national search.

Would it have been a benefit to you to read this story last week?

The bottom line is that you’ve got to be in the know. We can help you do that.

Voice an opinion

In the Opinion section of this week's issue, you’ll see the results of our most recent poll question, as well as reader responses.

We asked readers whether they thought John Q. Hammons had an unfair advantage in the competition to win development rights for the vacant downtown lot next to the Springfield Expo Center – a subject of controversy in the weeks leading up to the city’s decision.

This question drew 237 votes, slightly higher than what our polls generally average. It also brought in many reader comments, which helped us show both sides of the issue.

Thanks to those who voted. We’d like to grow this number to better substantiate the answers, further add credibility and reveal new angles to the stories.

We know you’ve got opinions, so share them. We welcome all reader responses, whether positive or negative, short and to the point or longer, in the form of a Letter to the Editor.

Your opinions help us determine the news that’s important to you.

Little-known facts

There are other lesser-known features of sbj.net. Our community calendar allows you to post upcoming events that you or your business or organization is holding. Spend the few seconds it takes to submit an event, and we’ll promise everyone knows about it.

Got a job opening at your company? We’ve got a place for that, too.

Our free job listings let you post as many jobs as you wish – and search for one, too.

There are nearly a dozen categories for data submission at the Web site, ranging from real estate properties to new businesses. Surely you’ve got information that falls into at least one area. Send it our way.

Moving on up

In more Web news, albeit on the technical side, we migrated sbj.net to a new server Oct. 8. This one, based out of Phoenix, uses DualXeon 2.8 gigahertz processors and has 4 gigabytes of RAM – twice that of our previous server, which is based in Little Rock, Ark. It also has 273 gigabytes of disk space.

For readers, this means faster load times when you visit the Web site, plus the potential for more photos and other multimedia capabilities. And during sbj.net’s peak usage times – typically midmorning during the week – there’s less of a chance that you’ll encounter any lag time on the site.

I invite you to give sbj.net a chance. We think you’ll like what you see.

Dee Dee Jacobs, Springfield Business Journal’s online editor, can be reached at djacobs@sbj.net.