jazztalk.net

This board is necessary but will die soon as it is unsustainable in traffic and cost.

To go forward or at least survive it needs several things.

A) a welcoming inclusive environment

B) a viable cost structure

C) an accepting management structure which maintains integrity and allows discussion

D) an expanded base of members

Now i appreciate scott's efforts in setting up this board and paying for it but for future viability it cant be a fiefdom where the owners views go or else. Especially when that owner acknowledges he can be difficult. There needs to be an acceptance of divergence of views. Discussions need to be robust and without fear or favour. Therefore several mods are needed.

As regards cost. Several people have said they would contribute but there has been little discussion on these boards i have seen. The costs need to be outlined and a fund created to pay the cost. People could be delineated as contributory members or members or guests. It should be clear that the contribution buys nothing but the continued existence of the board.

Discussions should be encouraged. This means high volume posters should be encouraged. I once looked at the old boards and 10% of members did 90% of posts. Discussions could be started out of trade mags etc.

Since most here use facebook a facebook presence could be established. There are many related jazz groups online and the board could be marketed there.

These are just ideas. I know i rarely post but thats cause sometimes discussions can be churlish or clubbish and the peoples who's views i admire or want to hear had been over the years had been drowned out by white noise. More traffic, different opinions would create a better environment.

Just ideas

As I recall, when Scott established this as a refugee forum, he declined financial assistance. He was paying the bills, so I was cool with the idea that he was going to "shape" this place how he wanted. If he's still paying the bills, he still calls the tune. I don't post much (or even lurk much), but that's just my life right now. If I had the time, I'd actively decide whether I want to hang out in Scotts world, Maybe. Maybe not. But I accept that it's his.

I'll chime in on a small matter only:

Scott Dolan wrote:Ron and I have done what we can to not make this JC pt. II.

Well, you could remove the subtitle "A refugee forum."

You know even in the replies here there is an implied churlishness and acceptance of defeat( its a dying medium) ( if i could snap my fingers) and even the old smartarseisms ( i want a ferrari too ). I wont bother anymore

Henry, there is nothing much I can add to what Scott has stated. We're doing the best we can, warts and all. All reasonable suggestions are considered, but mistakes will be and have been made. We're mere mortals.

From my perspective, portions of your initial post were quite judgmental and presumptuous, frankly. You also offered some salient points. I felt that Scott's response was quite reasonable and measured.

As with many things, Jazztalk is still a work-in-progress. Our hope is that everyone who visits will have something of interest to offer and will have a pleasant experience while here. Problems or complaints may be best addressed by way of private messages.

Respectfully,

Ron

When Mike Schwartz and Ron asked me to participate I told them both that I was uninterested in a "refugee furum," as it implied that newcomers were not welcome.

Pete C wrote:When Mike Schwartz and Ron asked me to participate I told them both that I was uninterested in a "refugee furum," as it implied that newcomers were not welcome.

Please take another look at the logo in our masthead, Pete.

I'm confused. Are refugees now not welcome?

Scott Dolan wrote:Aren't refugees, by definition, newcomers?

I'm not Pete, but . . . No.

The respected, authoritative dictionary Wikipedia wrote:The refugee is a person who is outside his or her country of origin or habitual residence because they have suffered (or feared) persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because they are a member of a persecuted 'social group' or because they are fleeing a war.

But anyway, the horse, she is dead and can no longer feel the beating---

Ron Thorne wrote:Please take another look at the logo in our masthead, Pete.

Look who's in The Alley:

Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Baidu [Bot], BeBop and 0 guests

I'm an old guy, still getting used to the whole small-world/web thing (though I've been on the Internet since 1986). I find it interesting to think of a Chinese search engine cruising through our discussions of Alaska, beer, Howard McGhee reissues and Peter W's new job.
http://www.baidu.com/

I check in a couple of times during the day. The damned site still keeps forgetting my name and passqword and I have to go through the log in over and over again and I tell it to remember.

Very irritating.

Moldy Fig, I have had the same experience (I blame Yosemite program on Mac). Hang in there!

I personally have never had that problem. Then again, I never log out so when I come back to the site I'm already logged in. Don't know if that's the remedy but it works for me.

Hey, what have I missed?

I'm working on it, I'm working on it!

I guess The Alley was the only time so many jazz crazies gathered. RIP

Any chance we could get say, a half dozen folks out there to commit to coming here regularly?

Or have most decided to make a permanent defection to Facebook?

Facebook is really no substitute for a place like this for me.

jwaggs wrote:Any chance we could get say, a half dozen folks out there to commit to coming here regularly?

Sounds like my last emcee job at our last show…
…kidding, kinda

or like playing doubles in tennis... just enough to keep the ball going back and forth, and maybe enough to get people to look in a little more regularly.

I think Steve(thelil) was trying to post regularly here for a while, but I don't see him much anymore here. He's on Facebook pretty regularly, though