Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
I have already told one group I won't be renewing. Their publication is digital and for the past six months I have been unable to download or view them. They start to download then stop. I have by now missed three issues. I have told officials three times, the first time I got 'Nobody else is reporting this'. No kidding that was all. I waited. It happened by the time the next issue came out- that time I was told it was probably my browser- I need to start using Chrome. I told them that is what I HAD been using all the time. I got my email with the dues notice and told them I won't be renewing, someone replied they were sorry to hear that and that someone would be in touch, that was two weeks ago.
Probably they farm all this stuff out and nobody directly in the society has a clue what to tell me but I'd bet others are having the same thing. Just incredible..
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Why not fix this, once & for all, by volunteering to manage the activities in question?
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I would, if I knew much about computer related matters.
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Craig,
Yup;
.....sometimes you can step in and fix it yourself;
.....and sometimes, you just need to step away, as you have done here.
Maybe a search will yield a renewed club interest elsewhere!
Randy
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Stepping up, or stepping away, it helps to remember that club work is done by volunteers, whose own computer skills might barely be up to the task at-hand, and who might also, you know, like, have a life ... maybe even a life with distractions.
Give 'em a(nother) break, maybe?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
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It helps to step back and remind ourselves sometimes that many philatelic clubs are run entirely by volunteers with no paid staff - APS is an exception, of course. Stamporama is 100% volunteers. I can't imagine what it would cost us if we had to actually PAY for the services our webmaster provides gratis. In my local club, I know how much time it takes to type up our monthly auction (my job) and to set up our show (everyone helps). Some volunteer somewhere is compiling those newsletters, collecting dues and so on.
Of course every club could do some things better, but the only way to improve a club or society is if someone jumps in and volunteers to do the work.
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I know- sometimes I a too hard on people. In the Stamp World most of us are accommodating folks and what can seem like indifference really isn't.
What seems to be at work in many such situations is the disconnect between generations. Many of us are, to put it diplomatically, 'older'. Dealing with on line stuff is not our forte. Most of the officials and members of societies are not computer savvy- they generally bumble along for the most part as we all do.
I got an email yesterday from the group asking for nominations for 'article of the year' in their publication, there was a list of instructions for accessing the issues on line with a comment that 'some members have had difficulty downloading them'. I followed the instructions, still cannot view them.
I communicated the issue to them, this seems the best they can do to respond. Not angry- just don't see any point in renewing. Life goes on.
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Hi Snick1946,
I recently (well a little over a year ago) became a webmaster for a society that has gone electronic, but they still offer a snail mail version of the newsletter for those who do not want an electronic only copy. A lot of the issues with online only versions of newsletters are connectivity. As a bunch of members trying to access the page at one time it sort of becomes like a denial of service attack initiated against itself.
All the best,
Alyn
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I second the thought that you may have an outdated version of Acrobat Reader. If not that, then that your anti-virus software is blocking something.
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09:31:26pm
".... What seems to be at work in many such situations is the disconnect between generations. Many of us are, to put it diplomatically, 'older'. ...."
And I have heard that you can get one of them there on-line viruses just from touching the keys of the typey thingy.
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I may not be typical but I belong to about a half dozen societies. I am not actively collecting all of their areas at this time but some I joined when I was and I enjoy the publications and other activities. This is the time of year I have to review what I am getting for my dues and decide if I want to renew.
I have already told one group I won't be renewing. Their publication is digital and for the past six months I have been unable to download or view them. They start to download then stop. I have by now missed three issues. I have told officials three times, the first time I got 'Nobody else is reporting this'. No kidding that was all. I waited. It happened by the time the next issue came out- that time I was told it was probably my browser- I need to start using Chrome. I told them that is what I HAD been using all the time. I got my email with the dues notice and told them I won't be renewing, someone replied they were sorry to hear that and that someone would be in touch, that was two weeks ago.
Probably they farm all this stuff out and nobody directly in the society has a clue what to tell me but I'd bet others are having the same thing. Just incredible..
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re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
Why not fix this, once & for all, by volunteering to manage the activities in question?
2 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
I would, if I knew much about computer related matters.
Login to Like
this post
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
Craig,
Yup;
.....sometimes you can step in and fix it yourself;
.....and sometimes, you just need to step away, as you have done here.
Maybe a search will yield a renewed club interest elsewhere!
Randy
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
Stepping up, or stepping away, it helps to remember that club work is done by volunteers, whose own computer skills might barely be up to the task at-hand, and who might also, you know, like, have a life ... maybe even a life with distractions.
Give 'em a(nother) break, maybe?
Cheers,
/s/ ikeyPikey
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
It helps to step back and remind ourselves sometimes that many philatelic clubs are run entirely by volunteers with no paid staff - APS is an exception, of course. Stamporama is 100% volunteers. I can't imagine what it would cost us if we had to actually PAY for the services our webmaster provides gratis. In my local club, I know how much time it takes to type up our monthly auction (my job) and to set up our show (everyone helps). Some volunteer somewhere is compiling those newsletters, collecting dues and so on.
Of course every club could do some things better, but the only way to improve a club or society is if someone jumps in and volunteers to do the work.
Login to Like
this post
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
I know- sometimes I a too hard on people. In the Stamp World most of us are accommodating folks and what can seem like indifference really isn't.
What seems to be at work in many such situations is the disconnect between generations. Many of us are, to put it diplomatically, 'older'. Dealing with on line stuff is not our forte. Most of the officials and members of societies are not computer savvy- they generally bumble along for the most part as we all do.
I got an email yesterday from the group asking for nominations for 'article of the year' in their publication, there was a list of instructions for accessing the issues on line with a comment that 'some members have had difficulty downloading them'. I followed the instructions, still cannot view them.
I communicated the issue to them, this seems the best they can do to respond. Not angry- just don't see any point in renewing. Life goes on.
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
Hi Snick1946,
I recently (well a little over a year ago) became a webmaster for a society that has gone electronic, but they still offer a snail mail version of the newsletter for those who do not want an electronic only copy. A lot of the issues with online only versions of newsletters are connectivity. As a bunch of members trying to access the page at one time it sort of becomes like a denial of service attack initiated against itself.
All the best,
Alyn
1 Member
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Login to Like.
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
I second the thought that you may have an outdated version of Acrobat Reader. If not that, then that your anti-virus software is blocking something.
Login to Like
this post
Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
07 Dec 2015
09:31:26pm
re: Society Membership- Time of Decision
".... What seems to be at work in many such situations is the disconnect between generations. Many of us are, to put it diplomatically, 'older'. ...."
And I have heard that you can get one of them there on-line viruses just from touching the keys of the typey thingy.
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