[AGA-mcm] AGA and internet forums

["Phil Edwards" <biotypical@hotmail.com>]

Everyone,

I understand your time constraints and have a lot of respect for what you 
do.  I know there are also a million and one Forums-du-Jour to participate 
in.  I'm not asking you to take all of your scant free time and participate 
willy-nilly on any forum you can find.  What I am asking is that we all give 
*a little* time to APC and/or The Planted Tank, two forums which we are now 
involved with.  Even within those choices one can limit participation to 
only the sub-forum which we now sponsor.  I can see no higher purpose for 
the AGA than to help beginners be successful and continue with the hobby for 
many more years.  It's good for building a future market too...look what Joe 
Camel did.

One of the things I was asked to do when I came on here with Cheryl two 
years ago was to find new ways of increasing our membership and general 
participation in the hobby.  Well, this is it.  I can't say it any more 
plainly than this:

Internet forums are the current state of the hobby when it comes to mass 
communication and participation.  If we want the AGA to remain current and 
not become a group of folks who are members only out of a love of tradition 
then we *have* to participate in the internet forums.

We have approx. 1000 members.  Places like APC, TPT, Plant Geek, 
AquaticQuotient, and AB have multiple thousands of members who aren't 
members of the AGA.

Like I said in my first plea to the general membership.  If we're to be 
truly 100% successful in our mission statement(s) then the AGA, members, 
Advisory Committee, and BOD all need to participate more frequently.  If 
that means you can give 10 minutes once a week to give two helpful comments 
in the one sub-forum we sponsor that's great!  It's two comments that would 
have been there and it shows those folks who're hardcore internet-runners 
that there is more to the AGA than a $20.00 subscription to TAG and a 
convention.  If you can give more time, that's awesome too.  What's really 
important is the message it will send to non-members and members on the 
fence alike.

I'll make everyone a deal.  I'll spend 15 minutes a week on a task that you 
want done for the AGA if you'll spend those 15 minutes participating in the 
New to Aquarium Plants forum on APC, as soon as Art gets the graphic up.

Phil


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