Gday Robert,
My opinion is that "open" forums allow inaccurate information to enter the
space, thus a semi controlled forum (moderated) like you are recommending is a
great communication method that is very easily maintained using mostly
technology rather than manpower and hardware.
The biggest gain is correcting issues live, instead of heading them off a month
later in the magazine.
Most Government departments now use electronic medium as the sole means of
disseminating information and this has had a very strong push behind it from
government, to remove the beaurocratic faults (one mans opinion should not make
a standard).
Aus-soaring has some fantastic debates on very valid issues, but, left
un-checked we are starting to see cyber bullying (yup just like the teenagers
at school) and missinformation creeping in, a semi controlled forum would
certaily be a great place to chat with like minded mates all over the country
all year round. Control doesnt have to mean censored.
I also believe it would allow a more democratic system to allow members to vote
or voice opinion than what currently exists. The GFA is still pretty good at
this when you take into account that it's a 60 year old entity, but times are a
changing and we do need to, at minimum, keep up.
The reality is we are at a complete contrast to our membership base, ab-initio
is pretty much all hands on and no technology whereas at competition level,
high tech rules. A correctly set up forum would allow all punters to see into
all facets of the sport.
Keep up the good work Robert.
Cheers
Mark > Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:41:24 +1000> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> To:
[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Scoring on
aus-soaring> > Tim Shirley wrote:> > Hi all,> >> > I bet you didn't think that
it was possible to score on this list...> > > Thanks for this Tim - and Mark.>
> With 313 subscriptions, that places Aus Soaring at about 10% of the GFA>
membership. I say 'about' because> > * there are people on this list that I
know are not GFA members (but> who do fly gliders)> * there may well be people
on this list that are not GFA members and> do not fly gliders> > and so
allowing for this non GFA membership part of the subscriber list> in a generous
fashion suggests that about 10% (probably a bit more) of> GFA members are on
Aus Soaring.> > Over the years there has been fairly significant opposition
within the> GFA management to credit Aus Soaring with being any sort of
barometer of> opinion. This has probably been due in part to some fairly
spectacular> flaming of the GFA management here. Despite this, Aus Soaring
always has> been 'monitored' by the GFA management and it has had some effect
(not> always what was desired) on GFA management opinions.> > What I now see
within the GFA management (I have been a part of this now> for 12 months as Qld
board representative) is a recognition amongst a> growing number of the GFA
management that electronic communications> offer significant potential to
assist the GFA (ie all of us - the> members) to improve communications amongst
us and reduce overheads - to> our mutual benefit.> > This brings up a couple of
interesting points that I would like to hear> from Aus Soaring about...> > 1.
Moving to electronic communications has a potentially significant> downside as
I am certain that not all GFA members have an email> address. Whilst the move
to electronic communications will> certainly not be 100% in the foreseeable
future (eg the magazine> will remain hardcopy although articles will probably
appear on the> web site some time after publication), what do we do about
members> who do not have Internet access? In one conversation it was> suggested
to me that everyone can get an email address (gmail,> yahoo etc.) and Internet
access is readily available through> public libraries, so I should not worry
about this - but I do.> > 2. One of the reasons we are switching the GFA web
site to a content> management system is that it allows us (fairly easily) to
add new> capability such as web fora. This would allow the web site to host> a
range of discussions aimed at serving the general membership as> well as
specialised groups (such as instructors, coaches, club> development officers
etc.). I am interested in what people here> think of this? For example, would a
general membership disscussion> group replace Aus Soaring - and if it does
where would that leave> our non GFA aus soaring contributors? What do people
feel about> specialised discussion groups - and what would be the benefits and>
problems of such groups?> > Looking forward to reading comments.> > -- > Robert
Hart [EMAIL PROTECTED]> +61 (0)438 385 533 http://www.hart.wattle.id.au> > >
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