Advertiser and Diary IT column

Paul Spencer · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:10 pm Post subject: Advertiser and Diary IT column

Hi,

I don't know whether anyone has noticed that I have been writing an IT column in Advertiser and Diary. This gets published most months, but has been bumped a couple of times for lack of space.

I suspect forum members are the most likely to read this, so a few questions ...

Is this worth continuing?

Should I also publish the articles here so it is easy to comment and ask questions?

Any ideas for future topics?

Topics don't have to be restricted to those relating to the club's IT.

Robert Craven · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2017 8:52 pm Post subject:

Paul,
I read your articles and hope they continue, and I think it would be a good idea to publish them on this forum for comment and question, if you're prepared to put up with that.

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 4:11 pm Post subject:

Hi Paul,

It's a yes from me.

Experience with a regional committee suggests you have got an awfully long way to go to convince those people that IT is not just a flash in the pan which will go away if they ignore it long enough, as they have managed to do, with increasing resolve, for the last 30 years or so. For example, and rather by coincidence, my suggestion that we should use the club website's event attendee list, as described in your current column, was recently greeted with open hostility.

Maybe a drip feed of cheery IT articles will finally convince folks that we are no longer in the 1970's?

Good luck with all that.

Stephen

Paul Spencer · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2017 6:46 pm Post subject:

Hi Stephen,

Thanks for your response. East Midlands is the only UK region without a web admin. David Wright and I were talking about this on Monday, so I hope things will move forwards. All regions have been offered workshops in Wroxton to show them what they can do and how to do it. So far, Mid West and Midland have taken up this offer and left enthusiastic. North West Region has also expressed an interest. If anyone here wants to join one of these workshops just out of interest, let me know. It doesn't commit you to doing anything on the site!

When I organised the Blenheim event last year, I was surprised how many people decided to go directly rather than join a regional run. The effect of this was that I had to mail out about 60 sets of rally plates and instructions to individuals as well as the sets I sent to the regions. I had not been a great user of mail merge before this as I had never needed it enough to learn what to do, but I was amazed by the ease of producing mailing labels from the list of participants on the web site. The French tour I am organising is a much smaller event, but I have still found mail merge of emails useful.

John Murch · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 6:27 am Post subject:

I also read your column and think it a good idea to place the text on the forum.
keep it up, you are appreciated.
John

Chris Card · Guest

Agreed!

Chris

Al Coutts · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 8:59 am Post subject:

Concur with John Murch's post.

Paul Spencer · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:11 am Post subject:

Any suggestions for this month's topic?

John Murch · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 11:27 am Post subject:

In the past, there seem to have been fewer people knowledgeable about the more recent cars, we seem lucky to have the offer of expertise from John Robison. Perhaps a further plug for the forum with an example of a recent helpful posting. Also, as you do, a reminder that IT is vital to the smooth running of the club and that help is available, people have short memories.

Stephen Blakey · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2017 7:10 pm Post subject:

Christopher Carnley · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2017 10:02 am Post subject:

TMI! There is far too much information "OUT THERE".

Paul Spencer · Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2017 11:12 am Post subject:

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I have a forum article planned, but am waiting until we get the single sign-on so everyone has access without having to get a new login. I had hoped to have that by now as C-IT started work in January. However, things seem to have ground to a halt. I will chase it. Stephen's suggestion was the member directory, which I did in October last year. But you are right, Stephen, people still don't know. While I was in France last week, I bumped into Rita Jonas. She mentioned a member living close to the hotel we were in, and she was amazed not only that I could look up his address, but that she could have done so herself.

Since I need to do the April column this week, I may go for John's suggestion of an overview of the club's IT. But any further ideas will be very welcome.