All in favour of a PDF COPY OF DUTTON TORQUE

[Dave Taylor]

Chance to speak out here gents and ladies, would you welcome a PDF version of Dutton Torque to run a long side the hard copy. Say Aye on here.
For those of you with internet access don't answer

[Adrian Southgate]

In my role as a member of the committee I will take this information and communicate it to the other committee members in an unbiased and honest form. I am prepare to make amendments to the members renewal form, which every main member will receive, to offer them the option of a downloadable edition of the magazine. I can't go back on a decision made at the AGM all by myself but I can and will re-propose it with amendments.

I personally like the hard copy of the mag however I respect the fact that there are other methods of delivery that are more economical and environmentally friendly. 

I can't do any more than suggest change  and if its agreed upon help to implement it in anyway I can.

[Adrian Southgate]

If I might be allowed to chip in at this point and answer Nick's points directly.

1) Sort out the database if it is broken (I know a professional DBA who may be able to help if it is really stuffed) to ensure we have a good list of members and contact details.

This has been done and the 'database' is now stored on an excel spreadsheet while work is in progress.

2) Work out who has a current subscription and contact those who have not.

Done

3) Park lapsed subscriptions (but keep the details for possible future use as required)

Done, now automated procedure.

4) Concentrate on people who have active subscriptions

I am doing and that is why people who haven't paid or to be more exact haven't been recorded as paid have not been sent a mag.

5) Produce DT in PDF format for email distribution by default.

DT has been produced as a PDF for the printers but it's huge. Make it available to download as an option to hard copy is a possibility. I would also be agreeable to people opting out of the postal copy if they so wished and getting it as a download. But it should be an opt out choice and hard copy by default.

6) For the very few who ask for an special exception (no email/internet for example) offer to print the PDF copy on a home printer and post out.

One third of our renewals are still done by cheque or postal order as people don't have or don't want email or internet access.

7) Place copies of the PDF edition in the members only section of the web site so available if eaten by email spam filters etc or changed email addresses etc.

There is a big difference in the size of the file used at the printers and the size of an online document due to photo compression post editing for website use. There is probably some automated process for this but as yet I haven't had time to look at it.

Please bear in mind these last two are my opinion not that of the club. However that being said I do know exactly how many postal only reminders I have sent out since May. 77, of which only two have now decided to renew by electronic means rather than cheques.

We also send copies by post to kit car magazine editors, honorary members etc and that they all respond saying how they enjoy reading it as hard copy.

I think the members should be given the choice to opt out if they wished but if some do opt out then do we then have to reduce their membership fee's ? ... 

[Big Vern]

I dont agree with the opt out of hard copy - it should be the other way you opt in and pay extra to cover the cost of printing. thats the only fair way. Most magazine editors usually prefer an electronic document to hard copy these days.

So if only one third of the renewals are now done by post then two thirds (somewhere around 200 members then) are online and not the 30 - 40 I was told last week. Thats significant, and given that I used to renew by cheque each year even though I have been online since the early '90's may suggest that some of that 'third' are online but choose not to renew online. Not, therefore, proof they have no online identity then. Stop trying to present excuses and ASK everyone.

[1midz0wwbl268]

The problem Steve is that if you ask to increase fees, then people would ask what else do i get, i think that if fees  do go up, the club will have to change, and become more regional with limited funding for those groups, but then you open a right can of worms, with some taking more than others because they are more active, perhaps we should ask do we need the DOC as it stands, there is a need for what Daryl and Ade do  on a national basis, but what about everyone else?  regional set ups could cater for its local areas  with the things that effect the whole club decided at commitee level.

[Dave Taylor]

One thing we have not considered is we already have better than PDF File DT, we have this site. It is always up to date, covers all topics. It will handle one liners (Daryl, Martin) and full articles with photos, technical pages and advise (see thread about Martin's ignition). This works.
I like a mag to sit and read, but if the club can't sustain it with current fee's perhaps it should be one DT a year the month after the AGM with minutes of the AGM and Financial statement and other DOC stuff.
Only a thought.

[Paul Sheridan]

Was going to join in the topical debate, but decided the Phaeton would benefit from my time instead :-)))))

Buuuuuutttttt for the record;

DT on PDF ...... YES

 

 

[1midz0wwbl268]

Got the thumb screws ready Steve?  or do you hang them by their fingertips from the rafters? 

just be careful they dont pop you into  a wheel barrow , £10 for the guy mister 

[Paul Sheridan]

This is the time of year when my wife puts me into a straight jacket and hides me under the stairs ...... must be something to do with my home made thunder bombs and the fact that I blew a van to bits ..... three years ago to the day, not allowed to play anymore :-(   PMSL.

[Dave Adams]

The point is that without a current members list there is no dutton torque priinted or PDF...........
This issue only came about because of thd lack of posted copies not due to the lack of a DT to read.

[1midz0wwbl268]

When we all were kids, there was work, I dare say that Devonport employed a lot of people in your area,  I worked for Bae at Weybridge , it was still British aircraft coproration then, and still very busy building  or modifying VC10's and making Concorde parts, i used to be able to freely wander into the workshops where the noses were being made , and  all in all it was a very interesting place, also we used to "play" on the bits of Brooklands that were still there, it used to annoy the works police trying to enforce the 20MPH speed limit  when we were racing each other round the old track 

[1midz0wwbl268]

The Weybridge site used to employ several 0000's and it was over 2 sites with the runway down the middle, so you can guess what used to happen, friday 2 pm, hell for leather down the runway,  Monday 9am, in managers office  getting a bollocking  for it, and alway the same 4 guys, 

its now the site of Brooklands Museum, i returned there a few years ago, didnt recognise any of where i used to work, which was just round by the old barnes wallace tower back then, that was the offices, and the other buildings were just storage sheds

[1midz0wwbl268]

i think this needs its own section