This forum...

[Hobby]

But I do get pretty fed up with the usual suspects continually moaning and sniping without any positive input. And I have a pretty good idea who the puppet master is.

I suspect I am one of those you refer to as I'm prepared to put my head above the parapet and say things about the Society which might upset. However i always try to make sure that I also make suggestions that can be then discussed and dismissed or acted on (your "positive input"?). Without people like us things would stagnate, and whilst we may not agree on some things rest assured none of it is personal against anyone.

Despite what you say there is definitely no "ringleader" or group of people out there to get you, Rod, or at least not one I know of! But surely you must understand that in a society like ours we are allowed to make comments and criticise, constructively (i.e. by suggesting alternatives), though I only think we should do if we have something constructive to say. You may not agree with our comments but others may do. Yes, in an ideal world I would volunteer to take up one of the posts, if other members felt I was acceptable in that post, but at the moment Real Life gets in the way, perhaps in the future I'll try to help. In the meantime you can take my comments as criticism if that's the way you see them or the way i intend them, as ideas for taking the Society forward, some will be daft (compulsory questionnaires!) some may be more useful. Such is life.

[rod335]

The Directors have already considered the subject and the concept of a prize draw as an incentive. I am embarrassed to say that I cannot recall what decision, if any, was made. And just to clarify matters, I believe the figure of 180 members is the number REGISTERED to use the forum, not the number who actually do. And I should add that I DO look at the forum just about every day, but rarely feel there is anything I want to post. As I have remarked on several occasions before, a very small number of members use the forum but those who do use and like it a lot.

[clayliner]

As Andy says, joining the forum is not difficult, but I wonder why new members aren't simply sent a website password with their membership number when they join? - it might encourage them to go on-line early on and remove an (admittedly minor) disincentive to do so.

David.

[andy1878]

The Directors have already considered the subject and the concept of a prize draw as an incentive.

To what?

[rod335]

As an incentive to take part in a membership survey as stated in the previous post.

[andy1878]

Thanks for clarifying.

[Frank]

I think the society needs to sort out what the Forum is for.    NGRMOnline is a very vibrant forum on general narrow gauge modelling and so this forum needs to be something different.   

It could be just 009 specific modelling issues, but this is more or less what it is now and the number of members interested in this forum as well as NGRMOnline is fairly small it seems.

It could be a place to update members on society sales activities, and is used for this occasionally.   It could also highlight trade developments.   

It could be about Society issues, which is I think the real difference between this and NGRMOnline.   However it would need new topic headings to legitimise this and also a more direct link to the Committee which currently does not seem to exist.  As far as I know the Committee does not frequent this forum nor have any report on what is being discussed, and neither is there any feedback from the Committee to this Forum.

I'm glad to see Chris taking an interest and hope this may result in improvements!

Frank

[Frank]

Someone raised the Handbook ...

I have written a fairly detailed section for this on Radio Control.  This was submitted as a draft some time ago (years not months) and is now undoubtedly in need of an update.   I am very happy to update it but someone needs to tell me that now is the time to do it as it will soon be published.  I only want to update it once.

If it was online and in effect continuosly updatable this would not be a problem but as Chris says, people do like paper copies and if you have it as a book you can sell it.

Frank

[Chris Ford]

I spoke to Comm's yesterday. There are no plans to change the forum, but due to Society website alterations coming up it will (digitally) separate at some point, but the actual interface should stay the same.
I want to push the forum slightly and will gently do so over the next couple of months in the NEWS. As I outlined earlier the main problem is lack of use: on its own it's inert - it needs people to make it work, and that does mean nice people who don't shout others down or trivialise questions that may be asked. It's not a trivial question if you don't know the answer. I understand there were some problems with this in the past and this may have tarred it with a negative brush for some people. The people that DO use it now, have to act as ambassadors to some extent if it is to remain and move on.
In the meantime here's a photo of Ted, just to see if the photo transfer works OK.

[rod335]

Chris, whilst I appreciate WHAT you are trying to do, I am not sure I understand WHY you are doing it. People will use this forum if they want to. There is no rule that says they HAVE to, unless of course use is made compulsory.

As for Frank's comment that the Committee don't monitor the forum, this is just plain untrue. Several of the Committee and the Directors regularly view the forum. Just because they do not post all the time (unlike some) that does not mean they are not keeping up with it. For example I don't usually post often but that is because there is rarely a topic I feel I either want or need to post on. As for his comment about the committee (etc) not being visible, why should they be? Are the Directors and their actions visible in industry? As I have said before, it is very easy to sit on the sidelines and carp just for the sake of doing it. I am aware of Frank's extensive postings about radio control. This, as an example, is a subject I would never post on because I have no interest in it and do not find the subject appealing in any way. Are you suggesting I should post on it because the topic is there even though I have no interest in it?

[Tom Haythornthwaite]

[A little while back Chris very sensibly suggested we move discussion of a handbook to somewhere else.  I have posted some thoughts in the existing 'Just an Idea' thread.]

[Chris Ford]

Chris, whilst I appreciate WHAT you are trying to do, I am not sure I understand WHY you are doing it. People will use this forum if they want to. There is no rule that says they HAVE to, unless of course use is made compulsory.

I'm suggesting nothing of the sort. What I am questioning is the low percentage of registration in the first place and the subsequent (natural) low percentage of posting. 180 registered has been mentioned, so I'm guessing at about 30-40 regular 'attendees'. That's what 3% of 1,800 odd Society members? That playing against 2,000 registered on the 009 FB group. So it's not as if there is a lack of online desire. My feeling as I've said several times is that it may be a lack of awareness that it exists.
Why am I doing it? Why not? Help me out. Lets make it move.

[rod335]

I'm still not quite sure of the reasoning. I think the percentage registered for the forum and also the much smaller percentage actually using it have remained static for several years now. But does that matter? It seems to me you are saying more members should use the forum just because it is there. A couple of years ago, I think, the 009 Yahoo group closed because of lack of support. I would suggest to you that those who are interested in the forum use it and those that are not interested, the vast majority of the members, do not use it. Would there be any benefit to the society, or indeed the members, if more used it?

It has been suggested that the forum be used for discussing society matters. That, to my mind, is not the way things should be done as it opens the door to political lobbying. If members wish to raise society matters in any form, the correct way to do this is by contact with any of the Directors, especially the Chairman or Secretary, not by public discussion.

[Chris Ford]

Second point: Agree. To a degree. See my last point.

First point: More people, more discussion, more interchange. To me that is the fundamental point of this or any other similar organisation - connection. i.e. if I need some brushes for a Minitrix 2-6-0 (which I do) asking a possible 30 people is going to result in less positive response than if I ask 1,000. Add a dozen other examples here.
The 009 Society is fundamentally about connection and little else; here that connection is almost instant. Hence my earlier point about if we don't keep moving forward it will cease to be relevant. And to pick up a sub-point; the society is there to benefit the members, not the other way around. 'Would this benefit the society?' shouldn't come into it. The members are the Society.

BTW the metal wheels worked a treat.

[Malcolm]

It has been suggested that the forum be used for discussing society matters. That, to my mind, is not the way things should be done as it opens the door to political lobbying. If members wish to raise society matters in any form, the correct way to do this is by contact with any of the Directors, especially the Chairman or Secretary, not by public discussion.

I was wondering when we would get back round to the 'official channels' argument.  Some on here will remember the discussion a year ago regarding the Society Heritage Collection which resulted in myself and others writing to the Hon Sec.  The matter was discussed at the Jan 2018 Directors Meeting and other than a brief  note on this forum that suggested some information would forthcoming we have heard absolutely nothing.  So why should we go through 'official channels if we get no feedback?  It is like sitting on a train in the middle of nowhere for ages without any explanation as to the cause of the delay other than 'there has been an incident'.  It makes for at best a frustrated membership and Directors that are seen as aloof.
That said I did find one 'official channel' that did work.  I had cause earlier in the year to contact Chris regarding the lack of 009 News Front page photo captions. Whilst Chris did not publish the letter I do note that there have been brief captions for the front page since then.  I am of course now wondering whether a letter to the Editor concerning the Heritage Collection would be an appropriate course of action  ::) but before I go down that route I will contact the Hon Sec for an update.
For those of us who live out with the boundaries of the area groups and whose nearest narrow gauge exhibitions are Leeds and Rainhill we miss all the usual interaction (and gossip) so 009 News and the Forum are what keeps us in touch with our fellow modellers and are therefore essential lifelines.  With regard to news both are only partially successful, for example I would agree that the lack of a Trade Liason Ofiicer at the present time is leaving a large information gap that needs to be filled asap.  It was one of my must read pages in the News.
Malcolm