Curious about member status
Henry Yen
From: he...@panix.com (Henry Yen)
Newsgroups: mensa.talk.misc
Subject: Re: Curious about member status
Date: 18 Jan 2003 20:11:39 -0500
Organization: PANIX -- Public Access Networks Corp.
In article <UGZU9.73191$3v.12883@sccrnsc01>,
Vince <vincest...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>On Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:24:00 -0500, Mary wrote:
>>>> Well, what else would you expect in the Bulletin?
>>>
>>>Intelligent articles and discussion for a start. Oh, and since everyone
Personally, I find some of the Bulletin contents "Intelligent".
Perhaps your IQ is higher than the average Bulletin reader;
there are higher-IQ groups that all have some sort of paper
Newsletters. Given that they are necessarily much shrunken in
content, it seems difficult to say whether these might be
more to your particular liking; I get the impression that Intertel,
for example, has an unwritten goal of being less of a "Social Club"
than Mensa; their journal, Integra, from my sampling, however, seems
as scattershot as the Bulletin is. There are also internet-only
groups (Colloquy, Poetic Genius, ?) that might suit you better, as well.
>>>else seems to have weighed in, the 250 word limit bites. <g>
ISTR a spirited discussion about that limit recently. I also think
it's not such a good idea.
><snip>
>> Thus we get to the point of saying, if you want more, are you willing to
>> pay more? The general consensus is we want to pay the same or less.
>
>I would pay more (or the same) for a better quality product. Of course,
>that's just me. Also, if the quality were to go up, I would happily
>download and print out a pdf, saving both printing and mailing costs.
Again, my impression, but I think that the large majority (which doesn't
necessarily include myself, BTW) is much more price-conscious.
><constructive comment>
>To the bulletin powers that be: why not offer members a choice of
>receiving the bulletin on paper or electrons? Add an option to the the
>member renewal form/ or to the members only website.It would be better in
>a pdf format that could be easily downloaded and printed out in one fell
>swoop. It shouldn't be that difficult going from your prepress form to
>pdf. The online version is nice (and it is well done!), but I like to read
>longer documents on paper. However, even if you left the online version as
>is, you could still save the organization many dollars but not sending a
>print copy to those who don't want one - without a special request.
></constructive comment>
I am a fledgling Director of Greater New York Mensa; we are the largest
local group (a few more than 2,000 members). I have been cautiously
involved in Electronic Outreach for our group, and have tried to open
up discussion about alternatives to mailing our own local newsletter,
including e-mail and web availability. I'm not sure if our group happens
to be more privacy-aware than the general membership, but almost
fifty per cent of our members have not even supplied us with their
e-mail addresses, and a continuing low-level campaign to cull e-mail
addresses for a private local-group-only mailing list initiative has
so far resulted in a slow, shallow uptake. In New York State, any citizen
can get internet access at any Public Library. Also, our geographic area
encompasses an overwhelmingly urban/suburban area (New York City and
suburbs), so it's not as if our members are not accustomed to
computer/internet usage. I daresay our local group enjoys as much,
if not more, readily available access to the 'net than just about
anywhere except maybe California. Nevertheless, even though it's a topic
of energetic study and conversation on our Board, it's doubtful that
any large-scale electronic distribution of our newsletter will be
happening in the near future. I fear it's not as logistically simple
as you might think.
[ snip ]
>>>Just a suggestion, though. check the % of Mensans who are "inactive" or
>>>"former". Perhaps there is a reason.
>>
>> There are hundreds of different reasons. Yours is one common thread,
>> i.e., I didn't join for the social life.
Many, many members go inactive because of the confusion caused
by the Calendar-year membership/dues cycle. Also, I know that I have
encountered many former Mensans who state that they think $49
is too much to pay. Those people far outnumber the ones who
think the "push" avenues (Bulletin, etc.) are not sufficiently
interesting or good. On the other hand, the Mensans with whom
I most identify are not very interested in RG/AG activities,
although I'd say that's not a good example of either "social life"
or not.
[ rest snipped ]
Disclaimer: I have never been to an RG or an AG. I did not join
for the social "benefits". I did not become a Director for any
social reasons, either, although my being in that position is
forcing the pendulum to swing more in that direction.
--
Henry Yen <he...@panix.com>
netcom shell refugee '94. he...@netcom.com,henr...@netcom.com
Hicksville, New York
Vince
> In article <UGZU9.73191$3v.12883@sccrnsc01>, Vince
> <vincest...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>>On Tue, 14 Jan 2003 13:24:00 -0500, Mary wrote:
>>>>> Well, what else would you expect in the Bulletin?
>>>>
>>>>Intelligent articles and discussion for a start. Oh, and since
>>>>everyone
>
> Personally, I find some of the Bulletin contents "Intelligent".
YMMV, of course.
<snip other high IQ societies>
Nah, I decided to make a donation to the EFF.
> Again, my impression, but I think that the large majority (which doesn't
> necessarily include myself, BTW) is much more price-conscious.
Very possibly true.
<snip some newsletter stuff>
> I'm not sure if our group
> happens to be more privacy-aware than the general membership, but almost
> fifty per cent of our members have not even supplied us with their
> e-mail addresses,
I would doubt it, as they are already giving name, home address, and
perhaps a CC number. In addition to any "survey" information. However,
leads to my second constructive comment of the thread.
<constructive comment>
Mensa should set up/allow "pass through" email addresses. ie
"vincest...@mensa.org" which simply forwards (passes, does not store)
to "real...@realemail.tld" For those of you who are hams, check out the
service offered by the ARRL[1]. This would 1. Solve any (reasonable)
privacy concerns, and I'm sure many would like the "vanity" address.It
also has the actual benefit of not having to give your new "real" address
to everyone and their cousin when you change ISPs. I give out my ARRL one
almost exclusively.
</constructive comment>
[1] Yes, yes, I know that it's just too dreadfully complicated, and I just
wouldn't understand the myriad reasons why it's not possible. <G>
>I fear it's not as logistically simple as you might think.
<shortwinded>
Sure it is. the member chooses delivery method. Make a list. If they want
electronic, fine (saves money too!)email, otherwise mail it. Done.
</shortwinded>
<longwinded type="thibbit">
Let's take your case. The newsletter needs to pass through some
"pre-press" phase. This is most likely electronic. Track those who would
like it electronically in a db. A boolean feild that's tied to the member
number, or other unique id. run a query. Those who want electronic, e-mail
(or just post, for that matter!), run labels for the rest[2], just like
normal. Using some 'ferinstance numbers, you have 50% email addresses,
lets take it as read that 20% (because I like nice round numbers! <g>) of
that group wants the newsletter electronically.
You have just saved 10% of your monthly printing and mailing bill. What
has it cost? A computer literate person's time (volunteer or paid) to add
the field to an existing db (or spreadsheet <shudder>, whatever), write
the relevant queries, and set up the mailing process (or post to local
website, whatever). This is straightforward work, and should be a minimal
cost, however measured. The cost to initially populate the db, if a
prefference list exists. This would be boring, but not costly (even at the
american mensa level, even if the list were paper, and not electronic, it
would only be a few person-weeks). Maintaining prefferences. This could be
maintained in the same manner as address changes, etc. While technically
this would be incrementally more work, I doubt it would be noticable. Oh,
and if you had a printing quantity breakpoint, you might no longer make
it. Overall, you would save money. </longwinded>
[2]If it's like most large print jobs,your printer probably runs 5-10%
high to be on the safe side. This should be able to absorb last minute
"no, I want it on paper" issues.
> [ snip ]
>
>>>>Just a suggestion, though. check the % of Mensans who are "inactive"
>>>>or "former". Perhaps there is a reason.
>>>
>>> There are hundreds of different reasons. Yours is one common thread,
>>> i.e., I didn't join for the social life.
>
> Many, many members go inactive because of the confusion caused by the
> Calendar-year membership/dues cycle.
I've often wondered if it was intentional humor to have the membership
year start on April 1....
> Also, I know that I have
> encountered many former Mensans who state that they think $49 is too
> much to pay. Those people far outnumber the ones who think the "push"
> avenues (Bulletin, etc.) are not sufficiently interesting or good. On
> the other hand, the Mensans with whom I most identify are not very
> interested in RG/AG activities, although I'd say that's not a good
> example of either "social life" or not.
I think it is worth considering whether "too much to pay" bears any sort
of correlation with "for what I receive (and value)" I know that in my
case, it is a very direct relationship.
> [ rest snipped ]
>
> Disclaimer: I have never been to an RG or an AG. I did not join
> for the social "benefits". I did not become a Director for any social
> reasons, either, although my being in that position is forcing the
> pendulum to swing more in that direction.
--
Polymorphism -- It's what you make of it.
Steven
> Mensa should set up/allow "pass through" email addresses. ie
> "vincest...@mensa.org" which simply forwards (passes, does not store)
> to "real...@realemail.tld" For those of you who are hams, check out the
It is already available as an optional extra in some countries.
I have one at au.mensa.org
It would be better if every Mensa member had one.
The thread (Migration plans for mensa.* newsgroups)
mentions future plans for lots of great features like
this in the pipeline.
> Let's take your case. The newsletter needs to pass through some
> "pre-press" phase. This is most likely electronic. Track those who would
> like it electronically in a db. A boolean feild that's tied to the member
> number, or other unique id. run a query. Those who want electronic, e-mail
> (or just post, for that matter!), run labels for the rest[2], just like
> normal. Using some 'ferinstance numbers, you have 50% email addresses,
> lets take it as read that 20% (because I like nice round numbers! <g>) of
> that group wants the newsletter electronically.
Some tracking of whether a printed copy is to be sent is
already in place for the much smaller number of multiple
Mensan families that don't want extra copies.
They also get a discount.
If changing the database were an issue members not requiring
a printed copy could simply go on the existing discount plan.
A url and password could be sent by email and or post to
all members allowing downloading of an electronic version
without clogging up mailboxes with attachments or
tracking who doesn't want the electronic version.
The cautious uptake of Internet communication by Mensa is
probably more due to social issues than technological ones.