The Future of the SubCommittee?

[JWLaRue]

Okay, folks...time to give this particular 'pot' a vigorous stirring.....

As I posted in the SubCommittee Business Announcements forum a few days ago, we are suddenly without an editor for the SCR. And while I can tell you that inspite of this, the September SCR is at the printers, it is time for us to have an open discussion on a number of related subjects having to do with the future of the SubCommittee.

One thing that I ask each of you to keep in mind is that we are a member-driven organization. For all practical purposes, nothing happens unless members make it happen!

There appear to be several ways that this organization can go and I invite all members to contribute to this discussion.

In no particular order, I can see the following possible futures]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_question.gif[/img]?

Let's get some good, serious discussion going here. No flames will be tolerated, but all constructive advice and/or criticism is encouraged.

-many thanks,

Jeff

[thordesign]

Jeff,

I treasure the SCR and

Jeff,

I treasure the SCR and still have every issue back to the very first one. However, in light of the busy lives everyone leads and the lack of volunteers to carry the load I would like to make a few suggestions to start with.

1) Model the SCR as a web based publication where the members themselves can submit articles via a .PDF format or similar. After they are reviewed by the "editor" they are put out for all to read and enjoy. Nothing fancy, but it is there to read. If the members want to print it down to read they can have at it.

The members will still have to submit a small fee via paypal or some other online pay method. Each member would then have a password that would give them access to a members only chat room and use of the publications and articles.

2) Allow paid member access to the past articles of the SCR. That way all of the many years of excellent contributions will still be available.

The R/C microflight guys managed their group very successfully for a good number of years doing just this. I was one of the members. Their group has grown to the point now that there are several publications that cater to them. I am not suggesting that we will see growth from this. But, I am sugggesting that this has been done very successfully before.

I like having the printed word on paper in front of me. However, with this stark reality staring us right in the face, I believe that this may be a viable alternative that would require very little time on anyones part to maintain and still allow the SC to have some presence as an organized group.

[novagator]

Since I only have two

Since I only have two issues of the sub report, I would like to see them continue. but i have no problem if the stories are only posted on the forum and password protected for the members. That is how a alot of the sports sites are done.

Here is one that I am a paid member at.

www.gatorcountry.com It also explains where the gator part of my user name comes from. Take a look at the site and you can see that they have alot of content that is under lock and key to paying members.

[Guest]

Jeff,

I am not a member

[color=#000000]Jeff,

I am not a member of SC. But let me ask one question]

[JWLaRue]

Hi Boris,

The issue(s) are principally

[color=#000000]Hi Boris,

The issue(s) are principally people and content.

Based on our current dues rate, we do not bring in enough money to cover a professional editor nor even a part-time production editor on any long-term basis. (production editor would be someone charged with doing all the work required to actually put an issue of the SCR together)

Without an ability to hire out the work for the SCR, we need members to take on the task of putting (all aspects of) the SCR together.

Perhaps even more importantly, without members submitting enough material for the SCR...there won't be an SCR.

Matt & John]

[Guest]

Hi Jeff,

the real issue is

Hi Jeff,

the real issue is the MONEY as far as I can see it.
If we want to continue release and read SCR as part of SC mwembership appropriate actions need to be taken.

If the revenue need to be generated to support SCR publishing then it suppose to be in focus.

I think SC website and archive of SCR has inormouse potential as revenue generator. Just a bit of effort and some creativity - that all we need.

Bo

[bcliffe]

Jeff,

How about a combination of

Jeff,

How about a combination of the on-line version as Matt suggested and a single paper version per year. The paper version would be a collection of "the best of" for year 200x. The content could even be voted on by the on-line readers.

A big thank you to editor's past and present. It's a huge time sacrifice ... and a job well done each and every time.

Cheers
BC

[bob the builder]

I, personally, would like to

I, personally, would like to see a printed version of the SCR in my mailbox (albeit two weeks after everyone else has gotten theirs ).

Of course, what I want, and what can be done are two separate things. With no one to step up to the plate, we're all looking at a downgrading of the product that we'll be receiving.

I'm OK with a web-based publication, but someone is still going to need to be responsible for accepting articles, proofing them, and converting to a suitable format (.pdf or whatever). So... that brings us back to looking for someone to handle it.

IF someone is found, I could see a 'members only' area where a few dedicated forums could be found, access to the SCR articles, and as was mentioned, access to the SCR backissues. There will be issues with people giving their buddies copies of the files without permission, but that can't be helped without going into a lot of technical work. Perhaps we can look at talking with our web developer about those issues.

[Guest]

With regard to submission of

With regard to submission of articles- looking back at past issues it would seem as if a lot of stalwarts have vanished.

Norbert Bruggen used to write some good articles, but seems to have fallen away. Dave Merriman wrote some excellent stuff, but unfortunately decided that he no longer wished to continue.

I'm sure I and many others consider themselves as merely pursuing an interesting hobby, probably not innovating as such, maybe adapting designs slightly. I don't think there is much more to be done in model submarines as regards mechanical invention, a lot left with regard to electronics- but then that is very specialised stuff.

I pursue other branches of the modelling hobby- namely boats and aircraft.

I don't subscribe to any magazine or club for these activities- I get all the info I need from the internet!

This may sound rather selfish, but as that song goes- the times, they are a changing. Before the birth of the internet, the only way modellers could pass information from one to the other was via a magazine or face to face.

Now, with email and websites, modellers can instantly communicate using words, drawings, pictures and even movies.

However, I think at this present time, it will hurt the Sub Committee as an organisation if the report goes fully electronic, or ceases to be at all. Many aren't online, and many more won't ever be, either through ignorance or indifference. I know in the UK, there are a lot of modellers who don't use the internet at all.

As regards finding an editor, I don't envy the task.
Clubs up and down the UK are folding because they can't find members and/or people to run things.

I think this is down to a number of factors- change in working practices, rising property prices, change in culture- people aren't pursuing hobbys the way they used to etc. etc.

Andy

[dietzer]

Hi Boris,

The issue(s) are principally

[color=#000000]Hi Boris,

The issue(s) are principally people and content.

Based on our current dues rate, we do not bring in enough money to cover a professional editor nor even a part-time production editor on any long-term basis. (production editor would be someone charged with doing all the work required to actually put an issue of the SCR together)

Without an ability to hire out the work for the SCR, we need members to take on the task of putting (all aspects of) the SCR together.

Perhaps even more importantly, without members submitting enough material for the SCR...there won't be an SCR.

Matt & John]

Jeff,

I, for one, would hate to see the SCR die out, even if its replaced by an on-line magazine.

Could you perhaps give us more detail as to what exactly the editor's job entails? "doing all the work required to actually put an issue of the SCR together" doesn't tell me much, 'cause I have no idea of what it takes to put an issue together!

In addition to the tasks, please list any special software required, and whether it runs on a PC or a Mac, as well as an estimate of the amount of time needed each quarter to put together an issue.

Thanks,

Carl

[Scale Shipyard / WLU]

Good Afternoon everyone]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_mad.gif

Imagine if

Good Afternoon everyone]http://www.subcommittee.com/forum/icon_mad.gif[/img]

Imagine if you will....Marine Modelling magazine making the announcement that they are going to be a paid web based publication only, how thrilled would you folks out there who subscribe to that publication be?

The Scale Shipyard is taking up about 70 hours a week of my time now, althought I am looking through my files here to see what I can do to submit an article.

Jeff....how much material has been submitted and never used for one reason or another, I used to hear regularly about photos and material submitted, never to see print. Was this garbage that could not be used?

In the mean time where do we send material, should the members and readers of this board who want to submit articles continue to send them to you.

Here is another Idea, how about sending an issue of the SCR to the non-members who do submit material for publications, and a years subscription to members who submit material on a more regular basis.

Speaking as someome who has contributed a great deal of his life to this hobby and has received little or no recognition for this and sometime a few torpedoes aimed at him for his efforts....I would still hate to see this all just fade away now.
Submarines are a small portion of my business, although I seem to place more of my time and efforts into this portion of it.
There is still a lot of room to grow in this hobby if the people, ie: members wnat to help it along some.

W.L. Upshaw

[JWLaRue]

A couple of quick responses....

Lee

[color=#000000]A couple of quick responses....

Lee Upshaw said]

[dietzer]

Jeff,

Many thanks for the write-up!

Jeff,

Many thanks for the write-up! I know that took some time. Unfortunately, I still have some questions.

Your write-up didn't mention anything about the ads that go into the SCR. Who handles putting the ads together? I know Sam Reichart is in charge of Advertising Sales and Fulfillment, but does he put the actual ad together for you to insert into the SCR or does one of the editors do that?

I also noticed that there were six editors listed in the last several SCR's, including yourself. Who does what? Do you assign tasks by pages, or by article, etc?

Is the Adobe PageMaker provided for the editor, or does he have to buy his own copy?

Finally, it seems to me that whoever takes over the managing editor position better know how to lay things up in PageMaker. Or is it really possible to take a complete neophyte who's never laid up anything in any program, let alone PageMaker and still manage to get the December issue out on time?

Carl

[sam reichart]

Jeff,

Many thanks for the write-up!

Jeff,

Many thanks for the write-up! I know that took some time. Unfortunately, I still have some questions.

Your write-up didn't mention anything about the ads that go into the SCR. Who handles putting the ads together? I know Sam Reichart is in charge of Advertising Sales and Fulfillment, also noticed that there were six editors listed in the last several SCR's, including yourself. Who does what? Do you assign tasks by pages, or by article, etc?

Carl-
the individuals and companies that advertise in ther report generaly make up thier own ad copy, and over the years have gotten to email it to Jeff in PDF or some electronic format that can be laid into the Pagemaker software. I know Jeff has modified some of these ads for the advertisers in the past.

Just to be clear on one thing. I have really stepped away from most advertising duties, as my life's schedule has really changed. Nowadays, the vendors mail their payment directly to the treasurer, and the ads directly to the editor.

Back in the day, we would generate a fair amount of income from these ads. (I remember one year it was in the neighborhood of $1200 or $1300). That was decent money from lots of "localized" vendors (motly sub only related businesses). With so many vendors out of the business, it's pretty slim now.

That's why I always used to B**** about supporting the vendors in this hobby. Now they're getting fewer and farther between.

Someone else needs to step up to this position and try getting more advertisers of the larger coporrate variety.

End of rant.

[Guest]

Sam,

Do you think the likes

Sam,

Do you think the likes of Robbe, Graupner etc. will be interested in advertising to a thousand or so individuals, most, if not all whom are already only too well aware of their products?

Andy