forums.MyMSC.ca

[Lindsay]

David et al,

I run discussion boards for one of my other web sites so I set up a set of boards/forums that MSC could potentially use internally at:
http://static.atlanticmasters.org/msc/index.php
Perhaps we could try carrying on these discussions in the communications committee forum on the above site? It would be a good test to see if it is effective.

I could easily set up something oriented for use by a more general audience. Based on the traffic levels of swimaging I am not totally convinced that there is sufficient critical mass for message boards to fly, and I don't know people's general preferences for web based discussions versus email. Personally I much prefer the web based approach as exemplified by the USMS forums ( http://forums.usms.org/ ) over email. I find it much easier to follow conversational threads on the boards than in my email, and to ignore conversations that I am not interested in. Also, I decide when I want to look at the forums instead of having emails arriving at random times. Mostly I just get too much email in general.

I think the main challenge with the web site will be finding people to write a fairly continuous stream of interesting articles or features. Generating a constant stream of interesting content is tremendously difficult. Meet reports are one of the easiest things, swiminfo.com and swimnews.com are mostly meet reports. A lot of people find meet reports boring, especially if they don't know the swimmers but there is definately a segment of the membership that would be interested. One thing to think about is ways to get the site users to generate content, as is the case with message boards. An interactive milage log for the million meter challenge is another example, where users enter data on their own progress and you provide the ability to look at how other people are progressing.

Christian's rankings are another example of something that is regularly updated, and certainly new national and world records occur on a regular basis and can be written up.

Another angle to ponder is communication versus "entertainment". What is it that MSC needs to communicate to the members and how does that translate into web content? For the rest, how much effort to what end should be put into making the MSC web site a popular destination? Communication and service are somewhat different goals. Do we want to put a lot of effort into creating a nice web site or should we concentrate on delivering services/programs? In terms of regular swimming content do we want to compete with swiminfo and USMS? Do we have the resources? Of course, a nicely organized and nice looking but mostly static site is also an option. If we go that route we can forget advertising and translation into French is easier.

I tend to get most excited about using the web as a means to deliver programs rather than as an online magazine.

Just food for thought.

Lindsay

[2go+h2o]

This has potential for better communication for those who are Master swimmers or interested master swimmers.
Communication of events, coaching clinics, meets could have a separate catagory.
Something like the USMS where it is catagorised, easy to read what interests you . The scope from forums, to coaching, specialized topics, (eg new records set, swimmers who have overcome adversity, remebering fellow master swimmers etc), provincial reports and upcoming events.
I feel communication is weak. Although the computer is not my first choice, if this discussion forum became more active (Yikes one topic was posted in 2005 and has not had a reply!!) perhaps general interest will improve.
Reading about National events, the board, as well as Provincial all on one forum would be good.
As a long time member I learnt there is an Open Water National Committee. Information like this maynot be of interest to everyone, but it is to me.
With the small electronic bulletins from my province that get buried in a pile of emails, and mostly are only provincial news, maybe a forum where a person can read up to date meeting results, upcoming events etc may help us to be all informed more easily?
When does this web page get updates? I am wishing to read the minutes from the national AGM held in May.
If the updates are behind, then I somehow doubt communication will be enhanced.
just my thoughts!

[Jonathan Miller]

Valid points for web-based communication, versus e-mail...
I've never really thought about it from a pure e-mail back-log
perspective, considering I've always liked to read, some people
don't I suppose... Especially if it is petty bickering, understandble,
but bound to happen with many different viewpoints.

At the end of the day, something is lost when there
isn't a mechanism for discussion, but the advantages
may suit your needs better... (A singular message of
your choice)

It's possible that I've been too foccussed on trying to
entertain through (swimaging), which has limitations when
there are members who would rather not recieve my
mail, the twist is there are many others who do, and
so the creative capacity is reduced to a common
denominator, which is potentially less connected to
genuine emotions, the very thing that makes sport so
rewarding in the first place.

My only qualm with the Web based forum is that you can't erase a possible mistake, whereas an e-mail can be simply deleted. In this
format the original author of a posting can edit their remarks, but
the others who join the conversation can't. Perhaps that's one
reason there has been few replies.