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Post by Ani-Chay Pinn on Nov 10, 2005 16:25:29 GMT -5
Qui-Kel posted this a few days ago and I've been pondering how to express my surprise....
Hi There This Is Qui-Kel Jinn. i just spoke with Tanthos And Pitched him the Idea of A monthly printed Newsletter For The Assembly. I would like to be the one to organize this I would like to have some of the other council's imput on this subject ....without severe sarcasm.
And I just can't manage it.
I've DONE real, print-and-mail, newsletters -- harassing contributors for material, editing, layout, mailing list, those wretched stick-on labels, getting estimates from the printer, getting money from the readers, picking it up from the printer, collating, stapling, buying stamps, taking it to the post office. And it's been ten years since I've had to do anything like that.
The internet has LIBERATED many fandoms from the curse of communicating by snail-mail. And it is WONDERFUL. Why, why, why would we want to go back to the copying, stapling and mailing, not to mention the harassing, buying and sticking??? Why don't we just start chiseling out our missives on stone while we're at it?
And for a fan group that is primarily web-based, like TJA....well a hardcopy newsletter is NOT a good idea.
I think the only purpose for snail-mail for TJA would be for things that really do need to be mailed, like t-shirts, patches, photos, etc. Text and images do not need to be snail-mailed anymore. < ;D happy dance ;D >
This is jaryk I was there with Qui-Kel when he pitched this idea to Master Jorlac and he thinks the idea is a great thing for Qui-Kel to do.Qui-Kel and I are in the process of working on one now. I LOVE THE IDEA, I think Qui-Kel has a lot of great ideas and this one is at the top of the list. Hmmmm, I'm not sure if this reply references Qui-Kel's post about a hardcopy newsletter or the replies about a regular e-mail newsletter. Which is it?
In either case, Qui-Kel, Jaryk, your postings have notable grammatical errors in them. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are the creed, the mantras, the life-blood of all editors. IMO, you really need to present yourself better for an editing proposal.
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Nov 10, 2005 17:49:49 GMT -5
And who is going to pay for this? Stamps cost a lot more than webhosting. Personally I would not want one. As I said, why get something in the mail when I can receive it online. I don't even get bills in the mail anymore, save for a few. If I want a hard copy, I'll print one.
I know of one sci-fi club that sends their newsletters via email, but members who don't have online access can opt to have it mailed to their home for a fee.
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Post by Xana on Nov 10, 2005 18:39:18 GMT -5
It's a good idea but not a ver practical one. And I'm not sure we have enough information to print. An online newsletter is the way to go if we ever have enough to send out.
Another sci-fi group I belong to does a printed newsletter. They go through some major hassles to get it all done and printed in time. Oh, the headaches! It's a beautiful newsletter, but oy, the problems!
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Post by Qui-Kel Jinn on Nov 10, 2005 23:25:25 GMT -5
Well maybe this printed idea was not the best idea, maybe we should back up a step then and maybe think about an on-line newsletter then. Would you guys think of that as a possibility, cause i do believe that we need to keep people a little more informed about things that are happening in the TJA. I am trying to be a very active person in this even though some people are acting like they do not want anyone to have any good ideas but themselves. I do have alot of Ideas that I would like to share with all the members of the TJA, if people would just give me the chance
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Post by himiko sabbrawrra on Nov 10, 2005 23:32:42 GMT -5
Well I think it's a brilliant idea. I can't say for those that act like a spoiled sport though. I myself love getting mail that means something besides receving a bill. Yes it does cost stamps and paper. I can see the sides here. I would love to recieve a letter everymonth. For those that don't want mail thinking it could be "Junk" then why not go both ways? Why not do e-mails for those that wish it and then do a snail mail for those few?
Hosestly leda you wouldn't be doing the work. Others would that have the time. I myself have good ideas and I also am very active and want to know whats going on here. You can't always depend on the intenet to keep track of news. What if something happened that prevented anyone from beng able to answer mail?I mean no disrespect by saying this but I think this is a great idea and should be considered for the benift of all the Jedi here.
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Schph Gochi
Message Board Member
"traveling through hyperspace ain't like dustin' crops boy"
Posts: 9,278
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Post by Schph Gochi on Nov 11, 2005 5:18:56 GMT -5
I do a newsletter for our restoration group....I used to do it on paper....it was a pure pain to do that...and can get expensive when you look at the amount of people we have as both full members and message board members...we want to include the message board people because, hopefully, they will complete their costumes...and join..
For my restoration group...I ended up with a free trial of Adobe's PDF....after trying all sorts of other ways to deliver e-mail newsletters.....my newsletters are done in Publisher...but if you don't have Publisher on your computer...you can't open them...so I tried Word...I figured everyone had Word....not so.... so PDF files ended up the way to go because Adobe "Reader" is free....so anyone with a computer can open it...
and...obviously...since we are primarily an "on-line" group...everyone here has some kind of access to the internet...delivery via e-mail is the only way to go...
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Post by Leda EmBorr on Nov 11, 2005 5:48:37 GMT -5
I am trying to be a very active person in this even though some people are acting like they do not want anyone to have any good ideas but themselves. I do have alot of Ideas that I would like to share with all the members of the TJA, if people would just give me the chance Who is not giving you a chance? You pitched your idea to Tanthos, you've brought it up on these boards, and you are getting responses. I did not say or think I would be doing any of the work. I have enough to do, and I do it happily. You stated in your first post that this was something you and Jaryk wanted to take on by yourselves. That much was understood. It seems that you are not listening to the reasons that people are giving you for why they think we shouldn't do a mailing. If anyone has another opinion, as himiko sabbrawrra does, then they are entitled to that opinion and are free to post it. Debates are two sided... The TJA council has had a newsletter in the past, it is not a new idea. It is on our list of things to do for the website, and your suggestions are always welcome. ------------------------------------ Also, everyone please keep in mind that flaming is not allowed. This is a discussion. An offer is being made to help the club, and there is no need to put people down, or to name call.
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Post by Jedimom/Cor-Al Gelkar on Nov 11, 2005 6:15:06 GMT -5
A newsletter is a good idea, but it is just not practical. As a journalist, I now there are costs -- both monetarily, emotionally and with time -- most cannot conceive. Even e-mail newsletters can take a huge amount of time. We at TJA have had newsletters inteh past, but a lack of time and "real news" was a factor. Perhaps as we grow the newsletter will come into play again. But I am not sure that this is the right time.
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Post by Xana on Nov 11, 2005 23:41:26 GMT -5
I agree with Leda and Carol. Having been here since the beginning, I can say that lack of any real news was a mojor issue for not having a newsletter anymore. Schph had the good idea of at least a quarterly newsletter. I have no idea what happened to it. We all got so busy with other issues, creating a new website and so forth.
Also to consider, besides the money and time factor, is that the newsletter would have to be Council approved. Not much of a problem, but still, you need to be aware of it.
MORE of an issue, is that it would have to be Lucasfilm approved because it's a printed item. All printed items with our logo and SW related must be LFL approved. We have trobles enough getting LF to return our e-mails and phone calls on business cards, banner designs, and T-shirt designs. Eventually, they get back to us, but one time it took many months and phone calls to get our name and T-shirt design approved. Soemthing else to consider.
Remember, like Leda siad, you asked for feedback, and you are receiving it. Just because people don't agree, doesn't mean we are downers or know it all. It means we have had prior experience, both in TJA and in other clubs, and are sharing our ideas with you. Feedback doesn't have to be positive to be valid. And we do appreciate everyone's ideas! We have all had ideas that sounded good at first, and then didn't fly due to practical reasons.
Lastly, this thread is for advertizing ideas. The newsletter is not an advertizing item. If you have more ideas that need to be discussed, FLAME FREE, then please start a new thread for the newsletter idea, be it printed or online. An online newsletter sounds much more practical and I have no problem with it. If any more flaming contiues, I will delete/edit posts.
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Post by admin on Nov 12, 2005 0:21:40 GMT -5
I as well will second Xana's above comments that Flaming (To make insulting criticisms or remarks, as on a computer network, to incite anger) will NOT be tolerated by anyone!
This is supposed to be a discussion.
As far as the newsletter goes, I did talk with Jedi's Lyghtsyder and Jinn about starting the newsletter back up. It would truly though, be too much of a cost and time issue. And yes, we would have to get LFL's permission for every new one that we printed and mailed. And that could take a long while to get!
I am excited about a continual interest in how we can further our name or make this group more exciting and better. I hope, one day soon, we can get the newsletter resurrected. Keep the ideas coming everyone!
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Post by Qui-Kel Jinn on Nov 12, 2005 12:04:08 GMT -5
I have moved the Newsletter Debate to a new thread in the council chambers
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Post by Ani-Chay Pinn on Nov 12, 2005 12:37:33 GMT -5
For advertising....does anyone check on how the rest of the web links to TJA?
-- what do you get when you google (or other search engines) "The Jedi Assembly"? -- what do you get when you google "Jedi costumes"? -- are links to TJA on Star Wars sites current, or there at all? -- are links to TJA on other costuming sites (not just Star Wars ones) current? -- are links to other costuming sites on TJA current?
That sounds like the kind of thing that should be done at least semi-regularly and reported to the Council/discussion forum about.
Now when I search for "501st Legion" on wikipedia.com, I get a hit under "Imperial Stormtrooper and and they have their topic, too. When I search on "The Jedi Assembly", it doesn't come up with anything. Maybe we need to look at what they've got and see if we can add our own entry as well?
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Post by Xana on Nov 12, 2005 20:39:05 GMT -5
I think Tanthos did that already. But he can answer that better than I. I know many people have found us by searching for Jedi boots and such on Google.
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Post by himiko sabbrawrra on Nov 12, 2005 23:44:54 GMT -5
That's what I find when I google... I put in Boots and TJA is on the page. I've never seen advertisments though on the official star wars site though
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Post by Ani-Chay Pinn on Nov 13, 2005 0:56:28 GMT -5
I think you have to pay real $$ for actual web advertisement and not just being visible to a search engine. Even moreso for ads in convetion programs or anything in print. That's much more complicated.
But what about wikipedia? If the 501st is in there, it makes sense for TJA to be there as well. Anyone can write an entry, but it would be best if the Council actually saw it before any posting happens. Opinions?
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