where is this forum heading
Moderators: John Dean, Moderator
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Nick Allen
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am
- Location: Oxford
- Contact:
I have to express broad agreement with Ron -- the changes made to the site/bulletin board are giving an increasingly ramshackle appearance to the whole thing, and some of the functionality is just plain shoddy amateurishness.
Take a look at the RSA site: http://www.rsafrance.com/ It's not perfect, but somehow gives an air of enthusiastic activity! A user (aka would-be member) coming to that site is presented quickly with a range of useful articles/information/adverts...and a forum.
Take a look at the RSA site: http://www.rsafrance.com/ It's not perfect, but somehow gives an air of enthusiastic activity! A user (aka would-be member) coming to that site is presented quickly with a range of useful articles/information/adverts...and a forum.
033719
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Peter Harvey
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:50 pm
- Location: Mk-Northampton
- Contact:
Some forum statistics for you:
Feb 7th - Mar 17th 2008:
42 New threads, 339 replies, 46,489 views
Feb 7th - Mar 17th 2009:
47 new threads, 438 replies, 44,093 views
I don't guarantee the figures, but just cut and pasted into excel the furthest back I was able to get, with the most recent equivalent. Feel free to do the same for another period / check my figures.
The number of views is down from a year ago, but postings and replies (activity) is up it would appear. Statistically a relatively small sample given our overall annual activity.
I have been a (silent) member for many years and often viewed the forum to see what was going on and occasionally reading a nugget of gold. I was (and continue to be) immensly impressed by the technical knowledge so freely given when a difficult question asked. Such is the power of this and other forums. We're connected.
Sadly, the ying of the yang (or is it vice versa) is the open negativity that occasionally surfaces within this virtual world. Keyboard versus real-world behaviour must be a fascinating subject for the behavioural scientists.
We're doing our best to service the Association. The staff, the volunteers, the struts, the forum members. It's not a perfect world and it's getting more imperfect. We do our best to listen, to plan and react when appropriate.
Since this forum is one of our key 'shop windows', please let's make it as welcoming to all - a virtual representation of the welcome everyone experiences at an LAA fly-in, meeting, strut meet, or local hangar.
I will review the format of this forum and apologise for the technical glitches. We're currently under a huge workload in the office. I invited any techie types who wanted to help to step forward, but the tumbleweed still blows...
And finally, whilst the stream of consciousness flows and the tea gets cold. I don't always read the forum. If one bleats that something's not right and it should be changed, it's just a bleat. If you contact me direct, I then know and can address it. Thanks.
Pete Harvey.
LAA CEO.
peter.harvey(at)laa.uk.com
And in the half hour I spent on this, when really I should have been doing other things, I could have written another letter to EASA / more prep for our CAMO, worked on that emergency disaster plan, more work on the systems restructuring, another tweak to the finance and budget, the marketing plan, the Sywell event, replied to that solicitor, finished that article on kit building for that magazine, the article for our magazine, provided more info for John Brady and his MOUNTAIN of consultation work... Help!!!!!
We need more volunteer help in many areas. If you're keen to assist the Association, please get in touch.
Feb 7th - Mar 17th 2008:
42 New threads, 339 replies, 46,489 views
Feb 7th - Mar 17th 2009:
47 new threads, 438 replies, 44,093 views
I don't guarantee the figures, but just cut and pasted into excel the furthest back I was able to get, with the most recent equivalent. Feel free to do the same for another period / check my figures.
The number of views is down from a year ago, but postings and replies (activity) is up it would appear. Statistically a relatively small sample given our overall annual activity.
I have been a (silent) member for many years and often viewed the forum to see what was going on and occasionally reading a nugget of gold. I was (and continue to be) immensly impressed by the technical knowledge so freely given when a difficult question asked. Such is the power of this and other forums. We're connected.
Sadly, the ying of the yang (or is it vice versa) is the open negativity that occasionally surfaces within this virtual world. Keyboard versus real-world behaviour must be a fascinating subject for the behavioural scientists.
We're doing our best to service the Association. The staff, the volunteers, the struts, the forum members. It's not a perfect world and it's getting more imperfect. We do our best to listen, to plan and react when appropriate.
Since this forum is one of our key 'shop windows', please let's make it as welcoming to all - a virtual representation of the welcome everyone experiences at an LAA fly-in, meeting, strut meet, or local hangar.
I will review the format of this forum and apologise for the technical glitches. We're currently under a huge workload in the office. I invited any techie types who wanted to help to step forward, but the tumbleweed still blows...
And finally, whilst the stream of consciousness flows and the tea gets cold. I don't always read the forum. If one bleats that something's not right and it should be changed, it's just a bleat. If you contact me direct, I then know and can address it. Thanks.
Pete Harvey.
LAA CEO.
peter.harvey(at)laa.uk.com
And in the half hour I spent on this, when really I should have been doing other things, I could have written another letter to EASA / more prep for our CAMO, worked on that emergency disaster plan, more work on the systems restructuring, another tweak to the finance and budget, the marketing plan, the Sywell event, replied to that solicitor, finished that article on kit building for that magazine, the article for our magazine, provided more info for John Brady and his MOUNTAIN of consultation work... Help!!!!!
We need more volunteer help in many areas. If you're keen to assist the Association, please get in touch.
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Peter Harvey
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:50 pm
- Location: Mk-Northampton
- Contact:
Hi Rod
Thanks for the input.
It would be so simple opening the forum to all...and yes, we've considered it.
The potential problem is that the forum resides within the LAA website and therefore the LAA has a duty of care for the postings. We're not an ISP and the forum is not our core business - no advertising income(though it might be interesting to make it pay its way), etc, etc.
If this forum was at arms length, then anyone could post and it would be easy. But then you'd call it flyer, or pprune, not LAA. If either of the other forums were sued to closure, LAA would still provide the Permit service for your aircraft.
Maybe opening up the sales and wants on the forum.
Maybe opening up the technical.
Let's see how the fly-in section going public works.
Hanger chat often fills me with dread. We can't monitor it full time and one ill informed and ill timed posting could cause collosal harm to the Association. And yes, we've looked at distancing LAA, putting disclaimers, etc, etc. The fact is it's on our website, we 'control' it, therefore we are responsible. This might be contestable and we might win in court, but I really don't want to waste the Associations' time with an avoidable court case.
Melodramatic? Well, you wouldn't think so after some of the phone calls I received after a previous (and subsequently deleted) posting last year.
Back to work now...
Pete Harvey
Thanks for the input.
It would be so simple opening the forum to all...and yes, we've considered it.
The potential problem is that the forum resides within the LAA website and therefore the LAA has a duty of care for the postings. We're not an ISP and the forum is not our core business - no advertising income(though it might be interesting to make it pay its way), etc, etc.
If this forum was at arms length, then anyone could post and it would be easy. But then you'd call it flyer, or pprune, not LAA. If either of the other forums were sued to closure, LAA would still provide the Permit service for your aircraft.
Maybe opening up the sales and wants on the forum.
Maybe opening up the technical.
Let's see how the fly-in section going public works.
Hanger chat often fills me with dread. We can't monitor it full time and one ill informed and ill timed posting could cause collosal harm to the Association. And yes, we've looked at distancing LAA, putting disclaimers, etc, etc. The fact is it's on our website, we 'control' it, therefore we are responsible. This might be contestable and we might win in court, but I really don't want to waste the Associations' time with an avoidable court case.
Melodramatic? Well, you wouldn't think so after some of the phone calls I received after a previous (and subsequently deleted) posting last year.
Back to work now...
Pete Harvey
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Pioneer Flyer
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:40 am
- Location: Cardiff
...which presumably came from a member!Peter Harvey wrote:Melodramatic? Well, you wouldn't think so after some of the phone calls I received after a previous (and subsequently deleted) posting last year.
Pete Harvey
Sounds like the safest thing would be to shut the forum to all postings
Mike Birchall
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Will Greenwood
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:08 pm
- Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
- Contact:
Ahh, people saying they are experts and then sitting back complaining....hows it go, ah yes more tumble weed !! The LAA as stated by Pete Harvey would welcome some input by "the experts" for the web page. I would rather that we had a few volenteers to help than the moaners voice. I do not get paid by the LAA each time I write an article or take a telephone call on coaching etc, however not everthing can be done for free...that includes staff time in a busy office. I'm no IT expert and can see the need for re-vamping the web page, however getting that done on a budget without having another permenant member of staff to over see it, is expensive. Ask yourself this, are we a big fish in a small pond or still swimming up stream ?
Are the majority really being represented on here, or are we an assoissiation of retired persons with nothing better to do ? There is so much more to the LAA when you sit down and think of it as a whole, only problem is technology is ten times faster, and twice as noisey.
No animals, ego's or persons were intentionally harmed during this post.
Will Greenwood.
Are the majority really being represented on here, or are we an assoissiation of retired persons with nothing better to do ? There is so much more to the LAA when you sit down and think of it as a whole, only problem is technology is ten times faster, and twice as noisey.
No animals, ego's or persons were intentionally harmed during this post.
Will Greenwood.
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Nick Allen
- Posts: 458
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am
- Location: Oxford
- Contact:
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Will Greenwood
- Posts: 147
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2008 6:08 pm
- Location: EAST SUSSEX UK
- Contact:
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steveneale
- Posts: 294
- Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2008 11:00 am
- Location: Bristol'ish
""""Hanger chat often fills me with dread. We can't monitor it full time and one ill informed and ill timed posting could cause collosal harm to the Association. """"
Sound like the words of a "control freak", Mr Harvey. Hangar chat is the best bit of the forum, what is wrong with some spontaneous controversial comments, <oh sorry I forgot, we all have be sure we are towing the party line >. This remind you of another organisation, by any chance ???
That is the wonderful thing about democracy, we can ALL have our say without obtaining someone elses permission.
Where in lies the problem? Only members can post on here and you have obliged us to provide full names <unlike every other forum I am member of>. Will be easy for you to come and get the gulty party(ies).
Planemike
Sound like the words of a "control freak", Mr Harvey. Hangar chat is the best bit of the forum, what is wrong with some spontaneous controversial comments, <oh sorry I forgot, we all have be sure we are towing the party line >. This remind you of another organisation, by any chance ???
That is the wonderful thing about democracy, we can ALL have our say without obtaining someone elses permission.
Where in lies the problem? Only members can post on here and you have obliged us to provide full names <unlike every other forum I am member of>. Will be easy for you to come and get the gulty party(ies).
Planemike
Michael Blake
006295
006295
There is a great deal of perceived fear on the part of many people in terms of liability.
In the vast majority of cases this is complete rubbish. The only fear is fear itself - but it is crippling the voluntary section as a whole as people try and insulate themselves from the great bogeyman.
The BMAA have caved in - both in the G-STYX case and in withdrawing the PPG training courses. The LAA are redrafting the 'corporate' arrangments to the same end.
Ultimately all of this is futile - if you act illegally or negigently no amount of corporate paperwork will protect you. Conversely if you act reasonably within the law there is no real threat.
If the LAA really wants to be representative of light aviation then as an organisation and individually it must be much more outward looking and inclusive. In a committee structure and environment this is difficult to achieve and would take time. Being frightened of shadows means that is unlikely to occur.
Pete Morris
In the vast majority of cases this is complete rubbish. The only fear is fear itself - but it is crippling the voluntary section as a whole as people try and insulate themselves from the great bogeyman.
The BMAA have caved in - both in the G-STYX case and in withdrawing the PPG training courses. The LAA are redrafting the 'corporate' arrangments to the same end.
Ultimately all of this is futile - if you act illegally or negigently no amount of corporate paperwork will protect you. Conversely if you act reasonably within the law there is no real threat.
If the LAA really wants to be representative of light aviation then as an organisation and individually it must be much more outward looking and inclusive. In a committee structure and environment this is difficult to achieve and would take time. Being frightened of shadows means that is unlikely to occur.
Pete Morris