The Tale of two webs sights.

Last night I participated in a Relay-for Life overnight walk-a-than ( I only have had 4 hours sleep in the last 24 hours). This year they did something different. Instead of each walker registering by filling out a paper form and giving the form to their teem leader, who in turn sent it to the local office, each walker had to register online.

For people whom computers are not scary, this was no big deal. But for many participants, the new system either stopped them from registering or required that the get help for someone. I think that that switching the registers on paper strickly to the a web site stopped many people from signing-up. I don't think that the switch over was such a great idea, what they should have done is, for the next few years give participants a choice on how they sigh-up.

On the otherhand, this weekend I had an encounter with a web site that I was thrilled to see. The web site from our governed social security administration (ssa).

Seventeen years ago when I got married I needed to switch my social security card from my maiden name to my married one. The only information I had on how to contact the ssa was from the local phonebook, which had a 1-800 number and nothing else. The phonebook did not give the address of the local office. I called the number twice a day everyday, only to get a busy signal. Eight month later-I got to a real person, only to discover that the closest office was five minutes from my house.

Well, because of fincial-aid stuff I need to visit my local office again. This time I have a choice on how to fine the closest locatio, a 1-800 number or a web site. I chose the web sight and found that address right away (this time they are 30 minutes away).

My point is that as America moves into the techinal age we need to remember that not everyone feels comfortable with the changes. So we must give people a choice on whether they want embrace the new ways or stick to the old.