Is it possible to make something between a message-board and a chatroom, but for use just by faculty? I have thought of trying to make an online notice-board where postgrads, technicians and researchers can ask about instrument repairs, research collaboration ideas, or just general stuff. There is a faculty newsletter but it's writted by one person and emailed once a week; I was thinking of something that everyone can add too that is more or less "live". How would you go about it?

Sorry: meant to say "written", not "writted".

Hello, I'm a web designer by trade and I have implemented similar things. For an education solution that's free there is Ovidentia, look it up and see what you think. Otherwise you have three options, a phpbb type job where there are threads and posters just like this, a blog format where the main person starts a topic and users can post comments or a wiki type affair, I run one of these, people can post articles and all sorts in predefined areas once they have been approved as publishers, people can then edit and add at will.

Let me know what sounds right and I can point you in the right direction. All of these though will require access to a Unix/Linux server via FTP, apache, MySql and vague php knowledge (though not a lot).

Thanks MsCrow, I didn't know about any of those. I'll take a look at the Ovidentia thing first, though the Wiki idea sounds closest to what I was thinking. I'll probably come back to you with more questions if that's OK