<VV> Communique Publishing (Was: Dues Increase)

[Harry Jensen]

Hello--

First, I think we all should agree that CORSA needs to still produce a 
printed Communique. I don't think anyone has suggested that we eliminate 
the paper Communique.

Second, to distribute an online version of the Communique by e-mail or by 
site login requires the infrastructure in place to verify membership, 
assign user names and passwords, etc. Although we are working on it, it is 
not 'here' yet, and it might be sometime until it is. (I'm learning MySQL; 
sample databases are already on our site.)

Third, the only efficient way to distribute an electronic copy of the 
Communique is by republishing it in HTML. I have just saved the Sept 2005 
issue of the Communique as a PDF using Adobe's 'Screen' preset. It is over 
6 MB. It is simply not efficient to distribute large PDF files by e-mail or 
by posting them to the web. (My ISP routinely rejects files larger than 5 MB.)

If we do distribute them by HTML, someone has to produce the issues, ie, 
there would be an additional cost to 'layout' the online version, and if 
there are fewer printed copies, the cost to lay them out would be borne by 
fewer people.

Fourth, production costs are not linear, so that the fewer printed 
Communiques we produce, the more each one of them costs per unit. Printing 
costs involve a lot of setup and currently those costs are distributed 
among all of our members. If we had fewer printed copies, those cost would 
be borne by less people, further increasing the cost to them. Most likely 
those are the folks who can least afford it, because they are on a fixed 
income.

Bob, I hate to lose any member, but I simply don't understand the economic 
benefit of producing the Communique TWICE. Should CORSA have more online 
content? Yes! Should we do more online for members and chapters? Yes! The 
technology situation today dictates that we produce one version of the 
Communique. Tomorrow's tools may allow us other alternatives.

This is only $3 per year increase, the first in EIGHT years! $35 adjusted 
for inflation would be $41.25 today.

Bob Marlow has written a fine post about the other benefits CORSA provides. 
One additional thought is this forum: In 1997, VirtualVairs was hosted on a 
borrowed site; today it is paid for by CORSA. Yes, many of you have sent in 
donations for the new server, but CORSA provides the basic costs.

Why? Because it serves not only its members, but its chapters, and the 
Corvair community as a whole. And in the end, that's what CORSA should be 
all about.

--H


At 07:18 AM 9/2/2005, boB wrote:
>Corsa should be able to save a lot of money by issuing electronic versions 
>of the Communique in place of the paper versions.  Corsa has chosen not to 
>do this, apparently satisfied with the current situation.
>
>I am not satisfied with the current situation and will not renew my 
>membership.

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