GWA website

**S* H* <s*@saxonholt.com>**

Apologies to those members of list who are not GWA members for the 
following discussion, but as has been pointed out this list is the only 
way to discuss GWA.  And now that I see GWA Board members are listening 
here, I will follow a thread about GWA website

> Also great ideas for the GWA web site -- having links available 
> online, and
> a combined feed resource makes a lot of sense. One of the great 
> benefits of
> an online database of members/resources is that it's updated instantly 
> --
> you don't have to clip address changes out of Q&T and tape them into 
> the
> directory for a year. And the directory could be in pdf format, as 
> well, for
> anyone who prefers having a printout in a binder. There would also be
> significant savings of $$ and trees -- if the board feels most of the
> membership is ready to make the switch. They probably need to know how 
> many
> folks are still stuck with dial-up connections -- assuming everyone 
> has made
> the switch to computers for writing and research by now. ... out of
> curiosity, do you know if all the board members are on this listserv?

I have not always been known for tact and being busy I will get to the 
point. The GWA website is nearly worthless to me.  All my other trade 
associations ASMP, ASPP, SAA all have much more usable information and 
advocacy.  Perhaps because I am a photographer primarily and not a 
writer this would make sense, but the GWA site needs to catch up with 
technology.  It is no secret the world has changed because of the 
internet.  There is no changing the way we use it for communication, 
research, shopping, and now web based applications like Google docs.  
No doubt, one day very soon I think, we will not need our own computers 
and hard drives, just a keyboard and internet access.

The internet is full of blogs, interactive databases, interconnected 
resources, and community building forums.   The GWA site should do this 
for the group.  I know many members love the meetings but I am not one 
of them.  (No offense to my friends I see there, and in my experience I 
see friends there -  I do not make them).  This is surely one person's 
opinion, but the big yearly meeting is too big and complicated both to 
organize and to attend.  Much more productive energy would be well 
served creating a community building website.  Of course, our 
volunteers are not web experts so one can not simply apply volunteer 
energy to web site building, but still, where should we put our 
resources ?  The surveys we commission ?!  Really, who uses this 
information to any advantage?

My solution is to increase dues so GWA can hire more staff to upgrade 
web related member services.  The dues are too low to support a major 
technology upgrade and maintenance.  I know this has come up before and 
many members can not pay more, as they are part time professionals; but 
this group of part time professionals is skewing the collective nature 
of the group.  Or maybe not.  If GWA wants to stay as a 
semiprofessional social organization that is absolutely fine, and I 
will still be a member.  Social networking is a good thing but in my 
rapidly changing business environment I need more professional 
resources about new technology and media and quick access to usable 
information.  This list should not be the place a GWA member finds out 
about blogs, self publishing resources and e-commerce information.  GWA 
does not provide that unless it is a once yearly topic on a vacation 
trade show <g>.

Rant soon to appear in the blogisphere...

Saxon Holt
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