Re: e-mail directory, web geek requests, etc.

[krandall@world.std.com]

At 11:05 AM 1/1/99 -0800, you wrote:

>  * Has the November/December TAG arrived yet?  I notice I only have
>    Sept/Oct contents up.

I don't think it has left the printers yet.  The printer called me looking
for diagrams only a couple of days ago.

>  * Any speaking engagements to announce?

Karen:
Thurs. Jan 14 - Maine State Aquarist Society
Tues. Jan 26 - Worcester (MA) Aquarium Society

>  * Bookstore page has been updated.

Great!

>  * Robert's suggestion of an e-mail list on the web site:
>
>The main problem that will crop up in trying to do this is that the member
>profile is changing month-to-month, and any such list on the web site is
>only as good as the synchronization between the main member database and
>the published list.  I think hand-tweaking is out of the question; after
>you've done it once or twice and start having to account for people whose
>membership has lapsed or their e-mail changed, you'll go mad. So it needs
>to be automated.
>
>The second problem (IMO) is that the membership form should probably have
>some extra check box that says "OK to list my name and e-mail address"
>before we go around publishing it.  Another field for the database.

Actually, I think this is issue #1.  I don't think we should post
membership info on the web without prior permission

>Here is one possible way to do it: I can write a script or program that
>automatically extracts the appropriate information from the AGA database
>file and generates the pages.  Then it would become the resposibility of
>the membership director to regularly run the script and e-mail or upload
>the result.  Alternatively the database could be uploaded on a regular
>basis and the script run from here.

Either of those sound great as long as Jack is comfortable with the details.

>Another possibility is just to run a free service on the web site for
>listings and don't worry about whether people are members or not... it
>then becomes the responsibility of the individuals to keep their own info
>up-to-date, and we don't need any form of synchronization.   downside:
>will have less participation because requires individuals to do the work,
>not a perk of being a member, will get out-of-date for most entries.

I don't think that's such a hot idea.  I think it's a waste of space to
have an incorrect, out-of-date list on the web site.  Let's either do it
right, or make the decision not to do it at all.

Karen