NBTV Newsletter.

[gary]

It's hee-ee-ee-re

Ok the newsletter arrived today (2-4-13).

Postmark? Reading 21-3-13.... hmmmm....

Well the international postal system has potentially delivered it in a week so I can't complain about that can I?

Troy? Harry? can you confirm delivery (and postmark) please?

[Harry Dalek]

No news letter perhaps i am no longer a member waiting for something never sent ...

[aussie_bloke]

My newsletter has just arrived today so I'm happy chappy!

[gary]

My newsletter has just arrived today so I'm happy chappy!

What is the date on the postmark Troy?

[aussie_bloke]

Same date as yours, 21/3/2013.

[gary]

I have asked Jeremy to have a look at why some of the newsletters were posted 2 weeks after some of the others and he has kindly agreed to do so.

He also kindly gave his permission to post the following extract from recent correspondence from Jeremy to me:

"I'm absolutely aware that electronic delivery is attractive to many and I want to stress the Committee are not averse to it. The only reason we haven't implemented it so far is the heavy workload it entails - discussed in Vol 37 No 4 page 15. The fact is that very many members want to retain a paper newsletter, so 'electronic' and 'paper' memberships would need to be run in parallel, and therein lies most of the complexity. All suggestions and opinions are extremely welcome!"

[Steve Anderson]

Right, increased workload....I'll do it...end of discussion, no?

Steve A.

Maybe try it as a one-off experiment to start with...

[gary]

It's difficult to formulate a conclusive argument Steve when we don't really know what is going on at the "coal face". Whilst it is definitely conceivable to me that the form of the newsletter for electronic distribution and the form required for printing could, and probably should, be the same thing, perhaps there are some technical obstacles we are unaware of.

I think understanding the processes involved with the printing would be a good first step in properly evaluating whether electronic distribution is feasible (when assuming it is a secondary method subservient to the main printed form that is).

In addition, and after reading the V37,4,p15 summary, I am not sure why electronic (for this argument say it is a pdf) form of distribution is automatically thought of as being a download mechanism with all the commensurate security issues. Why can't it simply be emailed to those members who have "opted in" - that way it is always tied to the membership and if that member resigns or stops paying the subscription then it is automatically stopped (just like the printed version).

The pdf could be password protected for added security - if it came to that the document could be 128 bit encrypted with a "one off" key that is provided to the member on paying his subscription each year.

There are many, quite straight forward, ways it could be done.

I am encouraged further to promote this method after being made aware that members are now being emailed when there subscriptions are overdue - a great innovation.

[Steve Anderson]

Gary, I'm with you on this. Unless the newsletter is compiled in some weird and wonderful way, the process of conversion to (say) a .pdf, the inclusion of members details and other security measures is a no-brainer...

I converted a copy of a newsletter recently from the scans I make and it took less than three minutes...just as an experiment you understand.

If someone wanted to make pirate copies of the newsletter...its already being done....but not by me I might add...

Steve A.

The attachment is an example, the scanning was done at a fairly low resolution...and not protected...

[gary]

Indeed, the effort in scanning a hard copy is easily matched by the application of the most simple and rudimentary security devices (e.g. password protected pdf).

There may be some argument for making the pdf (or other format) image based rather than free form text etc. to make the "lifting" of some material more difficult.

Again, if the newsletter is "pushed" to the recipient then it could only be the recipient who could pirate it - and they can do that with the hard copy with the aid of a cheap scanner.

[M3DVQ]

From previous AGM discussions I'm 90% sure that the newsletter goes to the printers as a PDF already.

Really all that is needed is a script to go through a list of members who have requested an electronic copy and "tattoo" the pages with a watermark or whatever, then send them off as an email attachment to the matching email address.

If it's done properly the first time it will be more or less maintenance free after that.

[AncientBrit]

I suspect that the politics will be the major barrier, not technical.

But I think that Steve A and Jeremy are on very good terms so I am hopeful.

Cheers,

Graham

[Steve Anderson]

But I think that Steve A and Jeremy are on very good terms so I am hopeful. Graham

Indeed we are, but it's not Jeremy the idea needs to be sold to.

Now, I raised this point some days ago and I'm surprised that no-one has followed it up whereby I mentioned that those who cannot attend the convention for whatever reason, who are fully paid-up members, have no say in the discussion nor the voting...I quote myself...

One of my concerns is the 'system'. The NBTVA as it gestated was a UK-centric organ. A large percentage could make it to the convention/AGM. That has changed. And those that cannot attend who are all fully paid-up members have no voice.

Surely that needs to be addressed.

Now, in the next day or two I will be raising this point with Jeremy in the hope that it may get raised at the forthcoming AGM next weekend. My little poll shows that of those that voted 60% would prefer the .pdf version.

Obviously with only 10 votes cast it's not representative, and those who would prefer the .pdf version are more likely to vote for choice rather than those who are happy with the ways things are.

I am not aware of the statistics of the NBTVA. How many members they have, how many attend the convention/AGM and how many actually vote on whatever may be the matter at hand, i.e. how much of a percentage are actually represented?

Thoughts?

Steve A.

[Steve Anderson]

From previous AGM discussions I'm 90% sure that the newsletter goes to the printers as a PDF already.

Indeed, and seeing that it eventually ends up as a .pdf on the back-issue CD it has to be done at some point anyway...as pointed out previously by Gary...

Steve A.

[AncientBrit]

I haven't attended the conference recently but a few years ago typical attendance figures would be around 15 to 20 at max.

Cheers,

Graham