Re: Website : Necessity or Irrelevance?

[Kalinowski]

On the subject of participation in this Forum.....

A short while ago (pre changes to the G3 management team) I vividly recall an amusing discussion with two Very Active Members at a garden running session on the usefulness of the web in locating information and exchanging ideas etc.

Both asked "what is the web, why do you need it, what is wrong with a book or the telephone?"

One member, now sadly no longer with us, said that as many long serving and also active members were in their mature years the web had no place at all. This might explain why the take up is low. Also I would guess after some 14 years with G3 that the "active participation" is circa 10%, whereas "thinking participation" meaning I'm thinking about it, is about 25%.

Personally, I use the web a lot to explore prototype railways, but only the European ones as the UK sites are really pretty naff. For example the French standard gauge Forum has well over 1,000 topics, 56 headline pages at last count and 100s of contributors. The Italian and Norwegian Fora are also very active.

[John Candy]

Peter,

The old website was almost moribund and in fact deterred me from joining the Society for about five years!
I eventually joined last August, after prods from Mike Williams each time I ordered wagon parts.

The older members may not appreciate the value of the website but if the Society is to attract a new generation of members, then it is a positive necessity.
The value of the website as a 'shop window' for the Society is inestimable and is a low cost medium for reaching an audience which would otherwise be unaware of the existence of both G3 and the Society.

For the website to realise its maximum potential, it requires to be regularly reviewed and the content updated but this can only be achieved with the co-operation of the older members who have the information and expertise to pass on.

The forum requires the more experienced members to participate in order that questions from newcomers can be properly answered.
If questions are asked but not satisfactorily answered, the forum will die and if the website does not evolve as a consequence of lack of material then that too will become irrelevant.

If that were to happen, then how many more potential Society members would there be, who (like me) might be deterred from joining the Society for want of a little 'window dressing'?

Next time the opportunity arises, please convey these thoughts to those who might consider the 'web' an irrelevance.

Regards,
John.

[MikeWilliams]

Peter,

Interested in your experience of on-line forums etc.  Could it be that British railway forums tend to be more parochial, and therefore split?  I know for instance there is a very good forum for the LNER which seems pretty active.  Each of the pre-Grouping companies has a society, a web site and often a forum, but its not all in one place.  I have no knowledge of mainland European railways to compare, but its an idea.

A few years ago I approached the NRM about them setting up an umbrella group to co-ordinate the various line societies.  This could address common problems like archival storage and copying, charitable status benefits and pitfalls, staff records etc - a sort of HRA for the railway historical research community.  They were not interested and suggested I try the R&CHS.  In the end I gave up.

As for the small proportion of active modellers, I am sure you are correct.  I am also sure that we need all members, active or not, since their subscription money helps the society to function.

Mike

P.S. Thanks for your letter Peter - great.  I'll respond when all replies are in.

[keith Bristol]

Very Much a requirement. most clubs societys etc have online technical help / news / chat. Keep going