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| Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... | |
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Clix Pix
Posts : 48053 Points : 49392 Join date : 2009-09-25 Location : ɐsn `ɐʌ ɟo ɥʇlɐǝʍuoɯɯoɔ
| Subject: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Sun Jul 24, 2016 2:19 am | |
| First of all --it would be helpful if the original site owner's name were spelled correctly in any supposedly official written material: It's Paul Wood, not Woods.
So SBFII is losing money now......not surprisingly. This should be a heads-up to look at current things differently, shouldn't it, rather than to start talking about fund-raising? Whoa -- Fund-raising? For WHAT purpose? Stop and take a serious look, people. WHY is the site losing money? WHY is there apparently significantly less interest in the site or in Susan herself? If Susan's career is indeed winding down, what is the point in pouring more money into "supporting" it?
I seriously think it is time that those on the board and the so-called "member owners" of that site started considering shutting down that whole formal SBFII nonprofit organizational structure. How many members are there who really consider themselves "owners" of that website? How many participate actively on a daily basis? How many would be just as happy if it were a forum available on a free hosting website such as what is done on this site and others? There are a number of very good sophisticated and flexible free forum software programs available now. How many people even care one way or the other about the software, as long as they can access the site? A major problem with the current forum software, of course, is that it is very much out of date and has been for a while, which probably is a significant contributing factor to the problems members have experienced and complained about.
IMHO maintaining that website and forum as an actual formal, legal organization really needs to be reconsidered, especially now that Susan's career is less active and from the looks of it, going to continue to be so. The reality is that SBFII isn't truly a real "organization," per se; people are free to come-and-go on that website and when they lose interest, well -- they're gone. No one really has any obligation to that site -- except the members of the board. Those who are on the board are locked into following various legal requirements and hierarchical structure, and of course since this is not an actual totally nonprofit tax-exempt organization, they still have to file a report with the IRS each year. What's the benefit?
Getting back to the forum and its software: clearly members are still grumbling about the "Gator" situation. Even those of us who are no longer on that forum know about this. It's a huge, icky problem and has been for a long time. Well, for one thing (IMHO) SBFII has been wasting their organization's money by using outdated forum software, and for another their database is undoubtedly damaged beyond repair. Too many times there have been comments about one or another of the mods or admin shuffling threads and posts around. (Some of the damage was done long ago, too, though, already laying an unstable groundwork.) Databases don't do well with a lot of that kind of activity; it upsets their natural hierarchical structure. Remember, this stuff is all mathematical and hierarchical, with 00s and 1s and so on..... Interference with that causes serious problems.) Another issue was undoubtedly created when they flipped back-and-forth between a shared server, a dedicated server and then back to a shared server. That would create further instability of the database and other data. So, in summary: an outdated forum software program, too much moving things around, and what would be perceived as being a major shifting back-and-forth between servers....it's no wonder that SBFII has problems! with its forum and probably its other main part of the website as well.
It appears to me that SBFII's primary administrator has been and still is clearly unable to deal with and remedy the technical aspects of the situation; unfortunately from what I understand she has been and still is distracted by issues in her personal life. Maybe it is time she is politely and firmly permanently relieved of her responsibilities. Don't the members (again, supposedly joint owners of that site) who are still there at the forum and website as it now exists at least deserve an administrator who is truly on board and who is truly interested and actually taking action when various (tech) situations come up?
Perhaps there are others out there who could take on this challenge....but I realize this finding that person might be extremely difficult, as I doubt that someone with the appropriate knowledge, training and background is actually participating on that site as of now. Anyone who might have been is probably long gone for various reasons. This brings me back to the concept of simplifying things overall. The SBFII board really needs to consider other options as far as the forum software and hosting services are concerned. Actually, they could even drop the whole forum thing altogether and just use social media for their communications. From what I understand, they've been able to promote and talk about Susan via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. That's free, costs nothing..... and no adminstrative/tech hassles with which to deal, either. That's all in the hands of Facebook and Twitter, respectively.
Seriously.... When things get to the point of the SBFII board beginning to talk about fund-raising, then everyone concerned really needs to take a long, hard, analytical look at the situation as it is right now. What could be done differently? How? Why? By whom? What would be the purpose of fund-raising? THESE are the things which they should be discussing at their annual meeting -- if there will be anyone interested enough to participate.
_________________ |
| | | trennie
Posts : 16416 Points : 16414 Join date : 2013-01-17
| Subject: Re: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Sun Jul 24, 2016 2:34 am | |
| - Clix Pix wrote:
- First of all --it would be helpful if the original site owner's name were spelled correctly in any supposedly official written material: It's Paul Wood, not Woods.
So SBFII is losing money now......not surprisingly. This should be a heads-up to look at current things differently, shouldn't it, rather than to start talking about fund-raising? Whoa -- Fund-raising? For WHAT purpose? Stop and take a serious look, people. WHY is the site losing money? WHY is there apparently significantly less interest in the site or in Susan herself? If Susan's career is indeed winding down, what is the point in pouring more money into "supporting" it?
I seriously think it is time that those on the board and the so-called "member owners" of that site started considering shutting down that whole formal SBFII nonprofit organizational structure. How many members are there who really consider themselves "owners" of that website? How many participate actively on a daily basis? How many would be just as happy if it were a forum available on a free hosting website such as what is done on this site and others? There are a number of very good sophisticated and flexible free forum software programs available now. How many people even care one way or the other about the software, as long as they can access the site? A major problem with the current forum software, of course, is that it is very much out of date and has been for a while, which probably is a significant contributing factor to the problems members have experienced and complained about.
IMHO maintaining that website and forum as an actual formal, legal organization really needs to be reconsidered, especially now that Susan's career is less active and from the looks of it, going to continue to be so. The reality is that SBFII isn't truly a real "organization," per se; people are free to come-and-go on that website and when they lose interest, well -- they're gone. No one really has any obligation to that site -- except the members of the board. Those who are on the board are locked into following various legal requirements and hierarchical structure, and of course since this is not an actual totally nonprofit tax-exempt organization, they still have to file a report with the IRS each year. What's the benefit?
Getting back to the forum and its software: clearly members are still grumbling about the "Gator" situation. Even those of us who are no longer on that forum know about this. It's a huge, icky problem and has been for a long time. Well, for one thing (IMHO) SBFII has been wasting their organization's money by using outdated forum software, and for another their database is undoubtedly damaged beyond repair. Too many times there have been comments about one or another of the mods or admin shuffling threads and posts around. (Some of the damage was done long ago, too, though, already laying an unstable groundwork.) Databases don't do well with a lot of that kind of activity; it upsets their natural hierarchical structure. Remember, this stuff is all mathematical and hierarchical, with 00s and 1s and so on..... Interference with that causes serious problems.) Another issue was undoubtedly created when they flipped back-and-forth between a shared server, a dedicated server and then back to a shared server. That would create further instability of the database and other data. So, in summary: an outdated forum software program, too much moving things around, and what would be perceived as being a major shifting back-and-forth between servers....it's no wonder that SBFII has problems!
It appears to me that SBFII's primary administrator has been and still is clearly unable to deal with and remedy the technical aspects of the situation; unfortunately from what I understand she has been and still is distracted by issues in her personal life. Maybe it is time she is politely and firmly permanently relieved of her responsibilities. Don't the members (again, supposedly joint owners of that site) who are still there at the forum and website as it now exists at least deserve an administrator who is truly on board and who is truly interested and actually taking action when various (tech) situations come up?
Perhaps there are others out there who could take on this challenge....but I realize this finding that person might be extremely difficult, as I doubt that someone with the appropriate knowledge, training and background is actually participating on that site as of now. Anyone who might have been is probably long gone for various reasons. This brings me back to the concept of simplifying things overall. The SBFII board really needs to consider other options as far as the forum software and hosting services are concerned. Actually, they could even drop the whole forum thing altogether and just use social media for their communications. From what I understand, they've been able to promote and talk about Susan via their Facebook and Twitter accounts. That's free, costs nothing.....
Seriously.... When things get to the point of the SBFII board beginning to talk about fund-raising, then everyone concerned really needs to take a long, hard, analytical look at the situation as it is now. What could be done differently? How? Why? By whom? THESE are the things which they should be discussing at their annual meeting -- if there will be anyone interested enough to participate.
_________________ Oh please. It just takes intelligence, reasonable computer savvy and a steady character. Plus, the willingness to put in whatever # of hours a week are required. Anyone on the current board or on the prospective board is perfectly capable of handling it. Truss is already co-Administrator, she would be fine but she still has a big job to do in Holland, so I don't know if she feels she has the time to take it on by herself. Or that being in Holland most of the year would be a problem. Any technical aspects like bookkeeping or computer problems are already being handled by other volunteers. Obviously, a vote should be taken on ditching the current server and what problems that would cause, if any. |
| | | Clix Pix
Posts : 48053 Points : 49392 Join date : 2009-09-25 Location : ɐsn `ɐʌ ɟo ɥʇlɐǝʍuoɯɯoɔ
| Subject: Re: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Sun Jul 24, 2016 2:55 am | |
| Your lack of understanding of what it takes to actually develop and maintain a website and in addition a forum with its own software and technical ssues is clearly showing here, Trennie..... Do you really think that "anyone on the current or prospective board is perfectly capable of handling it...." Sheesh!!!!!!
Seriously, the most significant issues (cutting to the chase and eliminating all my earlier blather) that the people who are interested enough to participate in the upcoming SBFII meeting this Sunday really should be looking at, considering and asking questions about are:
1) The need to continue with the current nonprofit formal organizational structure and considering what would happen if/when the organization is dissolved. How much of a difference would it make in the long run?
2) The need to continue paying for hosting services and outdated forum software or to incur the additional expense of updating said software
3) The need for a truly knowledgeable, competent and honest new administrator on the tech side of things
4) Looking ahead at the potential of Susan's career and to what extent it will continue ...what exactly would be involved? How much would fans want or need to be involved? Why or why not? |
| | | trennie
Posts : 16416 Points : 16414 Join date : 2013-01-17
| Subject: Re: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Sun Jul 24, 2016 3:29 am | |
| - Clix Pix wrote:
- Your lack of understanding of what it takes to actually develop and maintain a website and in addition
a forum with its own software and technical ssues is clearly showing here, Trennie..... Do you really think that "anyone on the current or prospective board is perfectly capable of handling it...." Sheesh!!!!!!
Seriously, the most significant issues (cutting to the chase and eliminating all my earlier blather) that the people who are interested enough to participate in the upcoming SBFII meeting this Sunday really should be looking at, considering and asking questions about are:
1) The need to continue with the current nonprofit formal organizational structure and considering what would happen if/when the organization is dissolved. How much of a difference would it make in the long run?
2) The need to continue paying for hosting services and outdated forum software or to incur the additional expense of updating said software
3) The need for a truly knowledgeable, competent and honest new administrator on the tech side of things
4) Looking ahead at the potential of Susan's career and to what extent it will continue ...what exactly would be involved? How much would fans want or need to be involved? Why or why not? Yes, I do think I have a much better idea of the character, intelligence and capabilities of the present board members and present Co-Administrator than you do. You haven't been there for years and don't have a clue, so stop being stupid and bitter. |
| | | Clix Pix
Posts : 48053 Points : 49392 Join date : 2009-09-25 Location : ɐsn `ɐʌ ɟo ɥʇlɐǝʍuoɯɯoɔ
| Subject: Re: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Sun Jul 24, 2016 4:00 am | |
| I know the cast of characters there, more or less, and I know who has been nominated to join the board, who is leaving the board, etc., etc., so I'm not quite as much in the dark as you may think. Aside from that, I have a really good memory for past history and feel that it has already been long past time that JudyOkla be relieved of her current duties as Admin, especially as apparently for the last little while she has not been really paying attention to her responsibilities to SBFII, having been distracted by other, more personal issues. There is also some rather sordid history regarding her previous handling of the database...and I am still appalled that she was ever chosen to be an Admin there in the first place, given what went on in the past.
OK, Trennie, so I'm still waiting to hear your list of people you think could effectively and knowledgeably handle the various technical challenges facing SBFII....... Personality and intelligence have nothing to do with this. It's all about actual hands-on tech knowledge and skills. I do know that the current recently appointed co-administrator's strong suit is not at all in the tech aspects of running a website and a forum........ |
| | | Clix Pix
Posts : 48053 Points : 49392 Join date : 2009-09-25 Location : ɐsn `ɐʌ ɟo ɥʇlɐǝʍuoɯɯoɔ
| Subject: Re: Another SFBII Annual Meeting......Maybe This is the Time to Consider Some Things...... Wed Jul 27, 2016 2:49 am | |
| Well, from all reports the Annual Meeting was kind of boring and not at all well-attended. No surprise there, given the time of year and the fact that many people have probably long since lost interest in that site anyway.
The new board is about to assume its duties. I really hope that the members, both those who have been on the board for a while and the new members just joining really do take into consideration some of the issues that are now inherently part and parcel of SBFII, the things which I have mentioned in my earlier posts, and that they actually attempt to do something about them sooner rather than later. Ignoring these problems, doing nothing about them while general members complain and board members continue putting their heads in the sand isn't going to make those issues go away..... |
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