[IOCA] IOCA Board positions that need to be filled!
roland vinyard
rvinyard at frontiernet.net
Tue May 20 17:48:36 EDT 2008
Hi All,
IOCAlum is considering offering digital service to its members. I
have broached the subject and garnered quite a response. Though many
of you are not members, we hope that you will be someday and I
thought we'd give any of you who are interested a chance to weigh in
and comment.
Would attaching an IOCAlum web site to the IOCA web site make any
sense?
Being positively elderly and something of a Luddite (by the
standards of today's students, not mine), I am spectacularly
unqualified to run a website without hiring someone to do everything,
so if this is something we decide to think further about, I will need
help, perhaps by our own members, but more like by IOCAns. That may
be a win/win situation. You have little or no budget (and not much
need for one). We do have a budget and could make a contribution
annually as going digital to some members would generate savings to
IOCAlum, which we could pass along.
Below, you can read my initial "article" and the responses we have
had so far.....
Roland Vinyard
"The Bard Rocks"
roland at thebardrocks.com
518-673-3212
visit the web site: www.thebardrocks.com
A Digital IOCAlum News?
Matt LIpshutz is currently traveling around the world and, for
obvious reasons, requested that I send his IOCALum News to him via
the internet instead of by mail, which I was happy to do. Folks, we
all knew this would come, so let’s discuss it a bit.
There are advantages to sending material out electronically. The
most recent of many recent Post Office price increases just
underscores the biggest advantage. You also will get the pictures and
graphics in color. I cannot profitably or easily print them in color.
And there is no limit on size - right now, I keep issues to under 12
pages. That is the a very minimum marginal size for the lowest
postage. On occassion, I have had to actually physically cut off
margins to make it work. We do not qualify for postal discounts
because we are WAY short of subscriptions to qualiify for those
rates. I can also send out issues that are short a few pages, or
include extra things that I have felt in the past that needed to be
deleted only to keep the weight down. I also save some work - not as
many pages to collage, staple, scotch tape , address and stamp.
But there are disadvantages as well. Each graphic has to be brought
over one at a time to each email, which offsets some of the work
savings. I found when I email Matt’s that the usual copy and paste
that I do does not bring over the graphics for some inexplicable
reason. They each have to be highighted and dragged over. My
internet service is another problem. First, I enjoy (is that the
right word?) dial-up here. It is ALL that we can get unless I want to
spring for a satellite system at $50 a month plus installation costs.
Not likely. So,large files will be difficult, though the last issue
sent to Matt was not too bad. I have had to divide the IOCAlum email
list into 3 sections as the server wil not allow commercial uses,
which it thinks we have if too many addresses are used for one
emailing. So, every time I send you an email alert or something, I
have to repeat the process 3 times, which means each graphic is
dragged over, yes, 3 times. Some email addresses I have for folks are
corrupted or something. I have learned that I have to delete some
names in order to get the messages out to the others. Otherwise, it
just never exits the computer. And there are a number that no longer
work. This is a continuing problem for anyone who maintains an email
address list - the folks on the list never remember to keep me (or
whoever) updated. Heck, there are enough problems with mailing
addresses! (Bob Koppe, you are the latest.)
And of course, not everyone has email access. I will still have to
make some paper copies. And some of you will prefer to hold a
newsletter in your hand rather than looking at it on a screen. I am
one of those. Studies have found that printed copies are read more
thoroughly than online material, which of course is your problem and
is mine only because I care. If we give folks the option of receiving
material either by mail or by email, I will need to come up with some
sort of record-keeping method to keep it straight. Memory is not good
enough. I do not think we should offer 2 levels of dues, but am
willing to consider this if enough of you disagree.
So, what are your feelings? Your ideas? What direction do we want to
go with this?
Replies - - - -
Bob Brown -I for one would welcome a digital version of the IOCAlum
news. On the other hand, have you investigated whether your dial-up
ISP supports web pages? It might be easier to construct a web page
and just send out an email to let others know when a new page
exists. That way there is not so much work for you and those who
want to get the details can have them at their leisure. It also
avoids having lots of data being sent from your dial-up account.
Even if there are some costs involved, wouldn't the annual dues
support this cost instead of postage? I realize that some people
need to get hard copy, but that may be the exception as time goes by
and electronics become the way of the present (instead of the
future!). The one thing that you might still need to send out via
snail mail is the member list. There may be a way to restrict such
viewing to those whose dues are paid from the website.
(reply) I have not thought about a web site, which is an idea. I
don’t think my server supports this but will have to check on it. The
problem is that I have no idea how to do this myself, eithe rset up
the website or to post or alter it .My own website was set up
professionally and I don’t mess witih it. Costs of maintaining it
will be more than offset by savings in postage and printing. I agree
that sending the Directory out by mail is the best course. Thanks!
Dick & Jill MIller -These computer thingies ARE becoming ubiquitous!
There's another way to use them, that may make things easier -
especially for you. Newsletters take up a lot of space on each of our
many computers. And as you say, e-mailing to many will strain you,
your dial-up connection, and your ISP. So, why not just place ONE
copy of each newsletter issue ONLINE? You/we can decide whether to
allow anyone to view it there, or to limit access
to subscribers. IOCA may have an easy way to make that storage space
available for free. If not, MMS can and will be happy to do so. And
we can donate some "consulting time" when/if you need help with the
details.
(reply) Another good idea, not far removed from Bob’s (above). I can
check with IOCA on this. Right now they are changing webmasters -
actually I am not sure they have a new one lined up yet. Your offer
may be accepted. But first we’ll see how the votes came in.
Rich Hart - There is another way that might help reduce your work.
I'm not sure how you assemble the News. Do you use Word or some
similar work processor? In any case you might try the following.
1. Get of copy of the Adobe PDF software ( http://www.adobe.com/
products/acrobatpro/acrobatstd.html ) Its not cheap, but you might be
able pay for it with the much reduced postage and paper costs. And I
think there are a few reduced cost alternatives available. The pdf
file will include all the text, images, and formatting that you wish
to include. Viewers come with most browsers and email programs, or it
can be downloaded from Adobe for free.
2. Then, when the next issues is ready, and Adobe PDF is installed,
when you go to print the document, "Adobe PDF" will be an
alternative. Print to Adobe PDF, give the pdf file a name. Then
simply email the pdf file to anyone who wants it.
(reply) I use Appleworks (I can hear the sighs already), Mac’s low
feature prorietary software which works fine for me as I am a low-
demand customer. Next year, I will update my computer, something I
have resolved to do every three years or so, and may consider going
back to Word (on a Mac) in hopes of having less anomalies between
Macs and PCs, which is a major annoyance in my work.
Jim Gaunt - I think that many of the problems you described could be
eliminated by preparing the newsletters in the form of a portable
document file (.pdf) using Adobe Acrobat. I think that greatly
reduces the file size, especially with graphics/photos. For
instance, a 201 page technical report with loads of photos and
graphics that we finished last year was 13 meg in Microsoft Word,
but was only 3 meg when our secretary converted it to a pdf file, as
the funding agency required for final submission. The newsletter
should be tiny compared to that and you should be able to add more
photos if you wish. I’m sure there enough computer geeks on the
mailing list that can give a more authoritative answer to this than
I. Adobe Acrobat should be available almost anywhere you can but
software. I don’t know what it costs but if you need a hundred or
two to get it, you could pass the electronic “hat” and probably get
enough $5 - $15 checks to cover the cost. I’ll send you one of those
if you ask. If nothing else, research has shown that brains which
regularly learn new skills (like Acrobat) recover faster and better
from strokes. I guess they form new brain pathways faster, or
something. For those who are chronologically challenged, that could
be a really good thing.
(reply) Your idea is similar to Rich Hart’s. I receive a caver
newsletter this way.
Ron Whitford - I think e-mail is good. I can read on screen about
three times as well as I can read paper. If people really want to
read paper they can always print the newsletter. I have most but not
all of the IOCA database done in MAC format. if you do the
newsletter and save in a PDF file the graphics will all be in the
file in the right place and you only have to do it once. People who
don't If you have trouble sending it to all the people from your
house you can do it from here where I have a high speed connection or
you can get it to me and I'll do it.
(reply) - It looks like I will have to learn how to save in PDF.
Dick Andrews I prefer the paper copy, though I guess I could live
with digital transmission if I had to. I can settle down with paper
anywhere in the house or out, and I find it easier to read. I
usually read a bit at a time, a style that doesn't mesh well with
sitting at a screen. It's too bad about your internet service. In
Andover, Vermont, (population 485) we got high speed broadband DSL
about 13 years ago. The town was so far out in the boonies that the
phone company had been forced to install long distance hardware to
reach it from the main switch (even though we were paying regulated
local rates)--thus the system was ready for DSL when it came along.
(reply) I have no intention of forcing anyone to acept electronic
copies. Yes,anyone can print them off if they want - which is
something I will have to think about. I have been told that the phone
company needs 20 homes per mile before they will set up DSL - we have
about 7. Being on a main road like I am does not help me there.
Paul Gulman - First, for both personal and environmental reasons (as
long as you promise to use 100% recycled electrons), I prefer to
receive newsletters by e-mail. Second, the technical issues you
raise can be addressed, but will take some upfront work. I run a
mailing list for MATHCOUNTS, a math enrichment program for 6th
through 8th grades, in Colorado. My mailing list contains over 100
addresses for volunteers and sponsors. And, like you, I have dial-up
service. Looking at some of your issues: "I have had to divide the
IOCAlum email list into 3 sections as the server will not allow
commercial uses ..." Contact your ISP and ask them to "White List"
your account. Explain to them that you are running a non-profit
membership organization, and not engaged in commercial usage. This
might take some peserverance. It took me two weeks of e-mails and
phone calls to accomplish this with Compuserve, which as a subsidiary
of AOL, has rigorous anti-spam policies. If they do this, you will
not have to divide the list into three sections. But, if your ISP
doesn't allow this, you may want to look for an ISP who will. "Each
graphic has to be brought over one at a time to each email ..."
Since I do not know what computer/operating system you are running, I
can only give you some general direction here. The first option is
to save your document in either Word or Acrobat format, and attach it
to the e-mail. These formats can be received by almost everyone, and
the graphics will be embedded. The downside is that some firewalls
block attachments. In those cases, the recipient will have to modify
the firewall, or work with the system administrator to allow e-mails
from you to pass. When I send a large file with graphics, I use Word
format. There is only one recipient who cannot accept this, so I
send him the text in the e-mail body without graphics. The second
option is one I am not really familiar with, so maybe somebody else
can help with it. There is a way to save documents in html format
and they can be inserted directly into e-mails. Again, the graphics
will be embedded. "If we give folks the option of receiving material
either by mail or by email, I will need to come up with some sort of
record-keeping method to keep it straight." There is no way around
this. It is just a matter of organizing a spreadsheet or simple
database and keeping it current. The same is true for out-of-date
addresses. I use dbase with a couple of fields to keep track of the
status of each recipient....Roland, I am not an IT expert, just an
experienced user, so others may have some better ideas, but hopefully
this will get you started. The "prize" for this upfront work will be
reduced on-going work and cost to produce each issue, and less
environmental impact.
(reply) I use a Mac and have way too many issues dealing with the Mac-
PC interface with my work. For instance, when I send text to a PC,
many recipients get a text riddled with questions marks that I do no
t put in there. And graphics may or may not be able to be opened at
the other end. I have not tried the PDF thing of course, or HTML -
Seems I recall that iiiti isi easy to do, once I figure it out. The
HTML things leaves me with hundreds of unaccssible files clogging up
my Appleworks (similar to Word) files. I don’t know why it does this
and I am afraid to try to delete any of them. The “White List” is a
new term to me, but something worth trying.
Wayne Taft - I prefer the printed version. Keep 'em coming.
Kevin Haight -I have no problem with receiving the News via email,
but will be happy whichever way you decide.
Jim Morrow - Posting it would be a gold-mine for spammers. All those
e-mail address etc. There are automated programs that crawl around
the web looking for "@" pick up the e-mail address and fill mail
boxes with spam. I am "web master" for a non-profit. The web site
accumulated so much spam it stopped working, over a gig-byte of
offers to help with parts of my anatomy. I would recommend against
posting the news unless it was a "sanitized" edition. Not e-mail or
phone numbers. E-mail distribution might work
(reply) Good point, another thing that I had not considered.
Charlotte McGray - What ever you do , don't make me go searching the
web for it, and use big print for the hard of seeing. I am satisfied
to live in the dark ages with the mail.
(reply ) With a Digital News, print size is no longer a
considration.I can make it 14 point if I want. Withi paper copies, it
becomes important to save on postage and paper.
Ann Knudson -I suggest you post the digital Iocalum News somewhere,
and send everybody a link, rather than sending the whole humongous
file to everybody.
Elaine Taylor -I do not read digital documents-- way too
uncomfortable! I will NOT download documents to print, in order to
be more comfortable with the reading (visulize, sprawling on a
couch, etc). I guess I subconsciously feel, that if the sender is
sending on-line-- the material is not worth very much. I know that I
would not scan through
electronically-delivered, business documents, proxies, etc. Partly,
that is this antique computer, devoted to e-mail or composing a
Christmas letter. Fancy websites no longer deign to communicate with
Windows 95. We also have a slow phone line-- so old and slow that the
repairman told us not to bother getting a faster modem-- the line
only supports 28k bps. So... UPDATE, you say? Being now of an age
deemed officially "old" by the SSA, I may be reaching the limits of
my DESIRE to stay technologically updated. [E.g., I have no cell
phone; what is all this
about "text messaging"????] FYI-- your message appeared in teensy
print on this monitor. I suppose there's a way I could enlarge it,
but I don't have to do that with ordinary e-mail. I didn't want to
read it, and sort of scanned it
backwards, to get a sense, then forwards a little more slowly, but
still, not reading every teensy word. In a special case, like that of
Matt-- why not just e-send him the texts. You could send him the
hard copies, to look at the pictures later. However, in my
experience-- your photos and graphics are not that clear-- I enjoy
the text far more!!!!!
(reply) Luddite! You may be worse than me. I do keep my computer
updated but that’s a business expense. But I know the feeling of
being technologically overwhelmed, then I realize that I’d better get
with it or be left behind, and I am not ready for that (yet). No idea
about the tiny print - funny things happen between computers.
Sandy Ward -There may be a simpler way to create a digital IOCAlum
News: upload the text and graphics ONCE to a location on the web, and
then send us a simple email to announce the web address for the new
issue, or to remind us to look at the address again for updates. I
think this option would be better on both ends (sending and
receiving), but I realize that it introduces the question of publicly
posting the IOCAlum News on the web. Some people might prefer a
password-protected site, and that becomes a nuisance if we each
forget the password. Perhaps we could make it very simple with one
login for all: iocalum to login and iocalum as password. Keep sending
a print version to those, like Elaine, who prefer to receive it in
the postal mail.
(reply) Passwords! I can barely manage them as a user. And I have no
idea how to set them up for others. I had not thought of that issue.
I guess it would revolve around whether or not we want information
for members only, or for anyone who wants it. I think that news of
Alums should be for members only, to avoid the public gettng
addresses and such stuff.
Nancy Crowther - My opinion is probably different than most people's,
but here it is anyway. I like the paper version and file it away.
But I am willing to pay more than $6 a year to get it. Some
organizations send out two newsletters, one email for free or
nominal, and one paper for money.
Anne Becker - Considering going digital? I'm perfectly ok with
either digital or snail mail, though I agree that paper copies are
nicer to receive. If folks prefer a paper distribution and an
increase in the annual dues is required to make that happen, that's
OK with me too. One of the best digital newsletters I receive comes
in a PDF format - which is nice since it can easily be saved to ones
computer and printed by the recipient. Of course creating such a
document requires purchasing PDF writer software which is not
trivial. Also these tend to be larger files - tedious for dial-up
(which I also have at home). The nice thing is the images are saved
as part of the document, so you would not have to individually load
each image for each mailing - just attach the finished PDF to your
email list(s) and send.
Wes Loder - You are correct on all your points. Do not know what to
tell you to do. I can receive IOCAlum News either way.
Penny Hanshaw - My computer skills are very limited so I prefer
paper but will go along with the majority of course. I learned how
limited the other day when my 3rd grade grandaughter said with utter
disdain of a classmate "Why, she doesn't even know how to bring up a
file". I now know that I couldn't pass 3rd grade.
(reply) Not to worry, I have no intention of phasing out the printed
copies. Right now, I am gathering information and have LOTS of
replies from folks, with many great ideas and, also, opinions.
Allen Schwartz -I agree w/ elane I do not open attachments and am
too old to learn new ways. Please send news letter to me snail
mail . If you need more dues for postage let me know, "Old ways are
best- to Hell w/ progress"
Gardner Perry - I personally prefer the hard copy - I keep them and
sometimes refer back. Would you believe I have 50+ years of them -
darn near fills a file box. Plus until you get DSL - we have it 8
miles from town in the middle of a barley field - I wouldn't even
consider it.
On May 20, 2008, at 2:20 PM, info at ioca.org wrote:
> Hey IOCA leaders!
>
> I hope that you are all making some great summer plans to get into the
> great outdoors! I know I am!
>
> I just wanted to let you all know that IOCA Board has some positions
> available. The positions require just responding back to a couple of
> e-mails the IOCA clubs may have and help with getting some trips out-
> it is really not too much work! It is important to fill this
> positions to keep IOCA running each year. Let me know if you are
> interested in any of the following positions:
> - Spring Conference Chair (this is a must!)
> - Trip Whip (this is a must!)
> - Directory Chair (Assistant)
> - Regional Secretary (needed for MA/Boston, New York, Connecticut,
> Maine, New Hampshire)
> - White Water Chair
> - IOCAving Chair
> - IOCAnoeing Chair
> - Sea Kayaking Chair
> And any other fun positions that you can think of!
>
> Keep taking trips out this summer and feel free to invite IOCA!
> The more the merrier!
>
>
> Michelle Moon
> IOCA Executive Secretary
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Intercollegiate Outing Club mailing list
> get info, trips out, pictures and more at http://www.ioca.org
> to unsubscribe, email unsubscribe at ioca.org
>
> contact the admin at info at ioca.org
>
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