An added benefit of publishing the mag on the web is that we would save the $22 or whatever we are currently being charged for it
> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:aus-soaring- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mark Newton > Sent: Thursday, 14 June 2007 10:23 AM > To: Discussion of issues relating to Soaring in Australia. > Subject: Re: [Aus-soaring] Scoring on aus-soaring > > Robert Hart wrote: > > > 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 > > And so I say to the GFA management, "Welcome to 1993." > > > 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. > > Stuff 'em. Really. Ten years ago you could say that there were cost and > technical aptitude issues which would prevent people from using email, and > it was consequently unreasonable to expect that everyone could communicate > electronically. But not in 2007. > > Out of the entire circle of people I communicate with on a first-name basis, > including the entire membership of my gliding club, the only one who doesn't > have an email address is my partner's 72 year old mother. And even she can > use the web. > > > 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), > > Why delay? I'd love to tick a box somewhere that enabled me to receive > the mag as an emailed PDF. Or, better, as a website. It wouldn't take > that much to have the typesetting proofs rendered as PDF and stuck up > on www.gfa.org.au in the same way that CASA publishes FSA electronically, > would it? > > > 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. > > Don't. The members who don't have email access will have died of old > age by the time the GFA has finished the transition. It simply isn't > worth planning policy around the existence of these people. If they > feel left out when they don't get mailouts from GFA anymore, they can > sign up for gmail.com just like everyone else. They'd only need to > check their email once per month to be no less informed and up to date > than they are now...! > > > 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? > > Build it and see if they come. No great loss if it doesn't work out. > > - mark > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > I tried an internal modem, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > but it hurt when I walked. Mark Newton > ----- Voice: +61-4-1620-2223 ------------- Fax: +61-8-82356937 ----- > _______________________________________________ > Aus-soaring mailing list > [email protected] > To check or change subscription details, visit: > http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
