Am I the only one to notice that, in the many times the issue of a closed
members only discussion group has been raised on this listserv and
elsewhere, the only voices speaking against such a facility are members of
Council and officers? When can we expect some movement on something that so
many people in the Society clearly want? It can't be any surprise to anyone
that this listserv is repeatedly used, irrespective of whether it is
appropriate or not, when it is the only such means of communication
available.

And on the subject of electronic communications (or lack of them), why on
earth is the Society producing hard copy Best Practice Guidelines and then
mailing them automatically to every member, whether they need/want them or
not? The cost of this must run to thousands, when we are told we can't
afford a commercially hosted and maintained website. Why can't such
documents be provided as downloadable pdf documents from the Society's web
pages - with colour images and graphics.

It is especially ironic that one of these printed publications is a guide to
designing websites, but without a single illustration or image to complement
the very worthy text.

David Hay
Head of Group Archives
BT Group plc
* Phone : +44 20 7492 8799   * Fax : +44 20 7242 1973
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http://www.groupbt.com/archives/




-----Original Message-----
From: Hardman, Nigel [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 March 2002 10:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: MISSING THE POINT


Whilst not wishing to fan the flames of dispute. The real point of Richard's
original memo was the fact that the Society has restricted discussion of its
Strategic Review to recognised internal forums within the Society. Whilst
this is right and proper in terms of not wishing us to to air our views
where others might see then, is it realisitc in terms of the number of
people who can actually attend recognised forums,  or will have the time and
inclination to actually make an individual response. In fact I have already
been concerned about the number of people who have told me they just binned
the papers. Also we have, in the last couple days, had posted two notices of
Group AGBMS, SRG and EAD/Data Archive Group, neither of which specifically
mention the Strategic Review as on their agenda. Although to be fair to the
EAD Group, it might be on their Business Meeting Agenda which is not
specified.

I therefore feel very strongly on behalf of those members, who do not have
the chance to attend a meeting or the time to pen a reply, that they do not
have access to the means for discussing this very important issue which a
list serve provides. This is not, before anyone gets offended, a dig at
Simon Wilson or the WAG, who I know have worked very hard to get us as far
as we are with the revamped Webiste and are equally frustrated that a secure
discussion medium has not yet been provided on the Society's website. It is
more a statement of regret that the Society could not have had this
particular facility in place prior to this Paper going out. I am sure that
we would have had a much deeper and more worthwhile debate about the issues
raised than will be possible by individual replies written in isolation of
each other and the returns from the Society Meetings which happen to meet
before the end of May.

Finally if we read and take literally the accompanying letter to the Review,
are we not allowed to debate the issues over coffee with our work colleagues
as this is not a recognised internal forum. After all not all our colleagues
might be members of the Society.

Another opportunity lost

Nigel

Nigel Hardman



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