Michael Posted 16 October , 2003 Share Posted 16 October , 2003 I've just read the latest Bulletin and asked myself why they bother with it ? If they made better use of the internet and combined some of the contents with Stand To (which I think is an excellent publication), surely the Bulletin could be dispensed with? Maybe its just me, what do you think? Michael The NAMP book list is a nice supplement though ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 16 October , 2003 Share Posted 16 October , 2003 Michael. I agree that, in spite of the best endeavours of Martin Hornby and Michelle Young, the WFA could still make more use of the internet (and possibly save money). However, we should not assume that everyone uses the internet just because we do. I suspect that a fair proportion of their target audience are still not internet regulars. Happy to be proved wrong of course and I think the WFA were conducting a membership survey but cannot remember whether or not it included questions regarding internet access. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 16 October , 2003 Share Posted 16 October , 2003 Neil See page 15 of this edition of the Bulletin. It says the survey showed that 64% of WFA members have internet access at home and a further 7% have access at work, school etc. Other survey results are listed also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Hi Terry I hope you do not mind me pointing out that the percentage is not of the total membership but of the 1700 who returned their survey forms. But saying that the percentage could be just as high amoungst those who did not fill in their forms. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Annette You are, of course, correct although the article in its wording takes the stance of all pollsters that the representative sample reflects the whole. It also seems to be a good sample with over 25% returned survey forms. I have to confess that I was surprised that the internet percentage was that high for home use - surprised and pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 The Bulletin needs a niche. Possibly it's a bit too parochial and could usefully draw on what's happening on the Front today for a wider range of material eg the Diggers, latest developments in battlefield archaeology etc. Or even short guides to those bits of the Front few people from the UK visit such as Alsace or Verdun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Bulletin can be speed-read over breakfast, and only cereal at that. I opposed the changes when they occurred, and oppose them still. However, I do not see internet as a viable alternative simply because it will create a privileged elite. When internet is as established as the telephone, I will change my opinion. Bulletin is more-or-less redundant in our household [we are both members], and we think a better use of funds could be found. Harsh words, harsh thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Given that there was a considerable hoo-ha at a recent WFA meeting when a change to the design of the front cover page of Bulletin was discussed, can you imagine an internet alternative being conceived, proposed and accepted? I can't, not even as a parallel to Bulletin, let alone a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 I have no doubt it's loss would cost us members. Do you know if we had the money there could be four ST! per year? Ann has enough material. As long as more than just few members do not use internet it would be unwise to discontinue Bulletin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacky Platteeuw Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Just wanted to reply and ask if this wasn't a matter to discuss on WFA forum when I found out that on the WFA website the discussion forum is gone. All there is is a reference to this room and the possibility to ask questions to Executive Committee. How long is this already in place ?. At first sight this isn't a good thing. I think it certainly doesn't help Michele and Martin in their already difficult task. Any thoughts ? Jacky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Jacky The WFA Forum is still there! I have just been into it to see what was happening. There is at least one post dated today but there seems to be little activity - unlike here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Hornby Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Re: The Bulletin The Bulletin is deliberately a paper based magazine providing the WFA members with information about Branch and other activities of interest. The WFA website is being extensively updated and modified. The Association is now very committed to the internet. 66% of the WFA membership have internet access. Re: The WFA Discussion Room. It was felt by the Executive Committee that we should offer the Association members access to the best Great War Discussion Room on the Net. In that way we are helping to provide good quality information to our members. So as from today if you use the WFA website to access a discussion room you will be directed straight to this site. I have had discussions with Chris about this and he is more than happy to allow the access. You will also see that we have provided access to the Executive Committee at the Discussion Room page. This will change over the next few days where members can air any views about the WFA on a very simple discussion room. This will be on the Discussion Room page and will be for WFA matters. To ask questions about the Great War we are encouraging members to use this site. Hopefully this answers some questions. No doubt some people will complain and throw the odd Hand grenade at the Executive Committee, but so what, if you don't like it, you could always come and join us to help put things right! Martin Hornby Liaison Trustee & Website Editor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliecoco Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Hi, I am not embarrassed to say that I actually like the WFA bulletin! I like to read about all of the various WFA branches and what they are upto, what talks they have on etc. I have also enjoyed reading about AB Smith, Simpson, letters to the editor etc. I don't want to only read on the internet! I travel all over europe and like to take books, (especially Cynthia's!), WFA magazines, as well as other literature. I really do like this forum but it can be so critical at times! So to Martin and Michelle, I really enjoy your work, keep it up!! I know what its like to deal with the general public!! As Martin says, join him to put things right if you don't like it! Alie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 I don't wish to engage in the debate over the WFA Bulletin, but woudn't it be better if those who have comments about this publication post them on the WFA web site? Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted 17 October , 2003 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2003 I did not mean to stir up controversy about the Bulletin. It is merely my opinion that I would rather read another Stand-To than the Bulletin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 Can't debate it on the WFA web-site any more - it just redirects you to the GREAT WAR FORUM!!!!! So here is the right place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 17 October , 2003 Share Posted 17 October , 2003 So as from today if you use the WFA website to access a discussion room you will be directed straight to this site. As a WFA member and long standing member of this Forum, can I just say how positively I view this decision by the WFA Committee. The WFA Forum has been effectively moribund for 12 months whilst, through Chris' efforts and our own contributions, we have made this a premier international site. The decision of the Committee to recognise the facts of life in this matter does credit to its members and will, without question, enhance the WFA's status. At a recent meeting of my local branch (Lancs & Cheshire), Mark Hone was a speaker. He mentioned this Forum and asked how many people in the audience were users. I think there was only Richard (Greenwoodman) and myself from the 40 - 50 there. I would hope that the WFA might now take the opprtunity to give some publicity to its members about the existance of this Forum so that we might grow even more together. Sermon ends. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 Re: The Bulletin The Bulletin is deliberately a paper based magazine providing the WFA members with information about Branch and other activities of interest. The WFA website is being extensively updated and modified. The Association is now very committed to the internet. 66% of the WFA membership have internet access. I am uncertain overthe 66% statistic - I don't think that the whole membership has been surveyed - around 1700 I seem to recall. Whilst this may be statistically significant it is probably not a random sample as I would suggest that those who are more active are more likely to be net users and are more likely to return the questionaire. It might also be interesting to note that at one branch I attended a limited supply of questionaires was passed out to a select few (about 35%) of those in attendance and others were told that there were not enough to go round so they would have to do without or wait until one came in the post. Hmmmm. Regardless of this paper will have to continue whilst a significant number of members chose to rely on receiving paper I see that branch reports on speakers are re-appearing, whereas I thought these were not to be carried to save space and costs. I was also appalled to find that the editor apparently now has no resource to review books CDs etc. which are received, an apparent discourtesy to those who forward review copies. It's not that long ago that a whole page review was published. Stand To! manages to carry some reviews but on occasion these are so out of date that books are out of print by the time a review appears. Reviews are valuable to many but do need to be timely. Perhaps they might be carried on the web as well as on paper? Finally can I suggest to Chris that a WFA section might be useful to identify WFA related discussion possibly in parallel to Chit-Chat where it would (and does) sit at present. Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 It was felt by the Executive Committee that we should offer the Association members access to the best Great War Discussion Room on the Net. In that way we are helping to provide good quality information to our members. So as from today if you use the WFA website to access a discussion room you will be directed straight to this site. We could have an interesting discussion about how this state of affairs has come to pass. I hope the WFA EC has fully reflected on what has happened over the last 18 months and will take away the appropriate lessons. If I was the Bulletin Editor I would start combing through the threads on this site and bringing some of them to the attention of the Bulletin audience. I think WFA members would be very interested in things like the John Condon debate, the great thread on black soldiers' experiences, the best/worst war memorials etc. I agree that the news from the branches section is good, but the general focus is a little too parochial focused as it is on branches and memorials. A Bulletin should be about news and current affairs; these need to be interpreted more widely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 18 October , 2003 Share Posted 18 October , 2003 As a non WFA memeber (but will be as soon as Paypal plays the game) can i say how to me the move made by the WFA to link to this forum must have been a very difficult decision to take but in the tradition of the subject it follows i believe it was taken with great courage and with the interests of the members and topic foremost. Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 20 October , 2003 Share Posted 20 October , 2003 Finally can I suggest to Chris that a WFA section might be useful to identify WFA related discussion possibly in parallel to Chit-Chat where it would (and does) sit at present. I've just visited the WFA site and it seems they have retained a stripped down discussion forum for WFA matters, so I will not be introducing a section on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 21 October , 2003 Share Posted 21 October , 2003 Good for you Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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