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Re: [AGA-mcm] AGA and internet forums
Before I go any further I want to say that I love TAG and am 100% Pro-AGA.
I would pay for a membership regardless of what I got out of anything the
AGA does because it is the one organization dedicated to furthering the
hobby I love so much. I know many people who also like TAG for all the
reasons they like aquarium books. It's a constantly updating book; and that
has some appeal to me.
Most folks I've talked to think TAG is just a couple of articles
surrounding an Amano article and is basically usless. That's a pretty
strong statement there, and I agree with Karen, if the majority of our
membership is really of this opinion, we might as well quit right now.
You're both right. It is a very strong statement but is what I have found
to be the prevalent opinion of the people I've spoken with regarding TAG.
This has come from folks active on internet forums both, plant related and
not plant related, as well as people I've met face to face. I've received a
lot of "That's nice, but....[it's not enough]" when I show them what they
get for their membership fees. When asked why they had that reaction 99%
said that they could get more for free over the internet. Ever since Cheryl
began giving me back issues of TAG to hand out at meetings/conferences/local
shops I've been getting that reaction from the vast majority of people.
Occassionally I'll get a bite, but it's rare.
Should we quit now? No! We should make an concerted group effort to get
people contributing. I know this has been an ongoing dilemma for us but
it's not going to get any better. The biggest problem we face with this is
people can and do write TAG quality articles for internet forums instead of
TAG. Why? They get instant gratification and feedback on their work.
TAG has a place in the world and it will always have a place. We will
always have members who prefer to hold something of substance in their hands
rather than look at a computer screen. I can't take my computer on long car
trips, but I can take my issues of TAG. Right now TAG is the best place to
get up to date information regarding the state of the organization, I can't
get that on a discussion forum.
I guess I would ask, WHAT do you think these particular people would want
from the AGA as an organization?
I've asked this question on every forum I've been to and of most folks I
talk with/meet in person. Overwhelmingly they say that they want the AGA to
have an internet forum. Quarterly journals, regardless of the quality,
can't provide the feedback and learning environment that forums provide.
The internet provides options and opportunities that a print media journal
can't begin to offer. People want a place where they can ask questions and
get answers/help to their immediate problems without having to wait three
months for the next issue to come out while hoping that it might have
something related to their needs in it.
To paraphrase multiple answers I've received from others: They want a
publication that is more than a reprint of Amano's work and a compliation of
email list discussions with a couple other articles added in. They want a
journal where they can learn things about keeping planted tanks. When I
think of this, I think of Neil's articles.
The solution? Get people to submit articles. For my part, I'm working on a
multi-issue article that will follow the life of my 20g tank from the
beginning to its first birthday.
And how will this change that perception?
Increased and noticable activity on internet forums that the AGA is
advertising on/sponsoring from -all- AGA members, but specifically those
members who folks recognize [that aren't already active on forums], will
show the nay-sayers that the AGA as an organization recognizes the current
state of the hobby. Participation on the internet forums is the next best
thing to having one ourselves. By doing so as AGA members we are showing
that the AGA really is an organization that is able to help people learn
about aquatic gardening at an every day level.
Starting up our own forum would prove to people that we are serious about
upholding our mission statement(s).
* To disseminate information about aquatic plants
* To study and improve upon techniques for culturing aquatic and bog plants
in aquariums and ponds
* To increase interest in aquatic gardening
* To promote fellowship among its members
Two serious, no sarcasm questions:
1. How can the AGA, through TAG, accomplish these purposes better than an
active discussion forum is able to?
2. If you had to choose between getting answers to all of your planted
aquarium questions and problems from a book or from a community of hobbyists
that will give you timely help specific to your needs, which would you
choose?
I was just talking with Sharon and she brought up a very good point. As an
active marketing executive/ad designer for a well known NASCAR based
business she gets a lot of professional publications. She said that to a
one they all have a website and many have discussion forums that compliment
the publication. What they do is print little bits of their articles online
and then say "if you want the rest, get a subscription". I see the AGA as
being at a place where that is probably our best choice for the future.
People have expressed a desire for an AGA run discussion forum and people
still do like TAG. If they got both they would get the best of both
options. They would get the daily help/advice that they desire from the
forum, and then TAG would be there to provide services best suited for a
print journal. Regular quarterly columns that aren't made available online,
except in teaser form, are what TAG can excel at.
I know I'm saying a lot of things that push people's buttons and that may
not be the most popular things to say. That doesn't mean that they
shouldn't be said. It's because I love the AGA so much that I'm pushing so
hard. We have been trying to figure out how to break the membership hump
we've hit for as long as I've been around, and longer. I've put a lot of
effort into finding out how we can do this and I really believe that the
internet is the only way to go.
I want y'all to know that I look up to every single one of you. Please
understand that I'm not attacking any one of you for any reason. I know how
hard y'all work at keeping this organization Photosynthesizing and that you
are all very strapped for time. I also know that if you could, you would
participate in every available venue, but that it's just not possible
sometimes. Life is more important.
Regards,
Phil
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