Subject: Re: BDI Web Site

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 17:25:30 EDT

Susie,
Still questions unanswered but I think making your plane is much better than 
a conversation with me. When you get back let's have a real live 
conversation. Email for me when it's an involved issue is just too time 
consuming. We've already had three emails and I'm still confused about what's 
going on and where we are going. I still don't know what the website address 
is. As for the "pictures" if you mean bead strand what I gave you originally 
is what there is. I don't have the budget with me but there is as chunk of 
money that is for something and I don't know what it includes. Your software 
and domain page?  
Can you present something to the board as to what you would like to do? 
Frankly, I don't much care about the website since it has an extremely 
limited audience. So far, I haven't found anyone who looks at it. Perhaps we 
should ask the membership if they are interested. There is no point in 
spending money if they are not. There are still a good number of people who 
don't have Internet capabilities or people like me who have no interest in 
going on the net to read the bulletin! That said, I don't want to make 
decisions based on my interests. I would like others to have input. As I have 
mentioned, whatever you decide is okay as long as I have something to put 
into the budget and can explain if asked.
Have fun on your vacation. All this can be dealt with later. Deena

---

From: Susie <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 30 Aug 1999 12:03:48 -0700

> money that is for something and I don't know what it includes. Your software

I put in money for some software and two books. Software isn't as
important as I can type commands in by hand. Programs just make it a LOT
easier. But anyone else who wants to do it may want a program. If we
wanted any images we might want to get a graphics package like
Photoshop. 

Pictures referred to the bead strand and logo. When I imported the
Bulletin those pictures did not convert well. I think I can fix it given
more time.

The original chunk of money was for was the domain name registration
(getting us an easy to remember name) and web page (monthly cost times
12 months). I added a request for some software and books. That is less
important.

Here is the url for the BDI web page:

http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/3542/

Copy that line and put it into Netscape to see our current page. (Email
me again if you have problems) I want a name that is easier to remember.
It took me ten minutes to find that address with out my bookmark file,
and I know it is there!

> Have fun on your vacation. All this can be dealt with later. Deena

I won't be at the next board meeting. Although I can write up a more
detailed description of info for you. And I could also email it to
someone else as well. Maybe Connie? Someone who could explain it better?

A good chunk of the membership has email addresses, and potentially
could look at web pages. I think they probably would look at the webpage
if it had useful info on it. Even *I* never look at it because it didn't
have any useful info on it. [Plus it is hard to find, since the address
is tricky to remember]  And did you know that the page has had 1.4
MILLION hits to it (since june 1996)? Basically, a "hit" is each time
the page has been viewed by someone. [If you view the page yourself,
look at the very bottom where it says "You are visitor -Number- since
June 1996"] The number seems pretty high, so I am going to double check
with Carol Bugarin. So someone must be looking at the page. Plus
references to our page are listed on several comprehensive bead
information pages. (that is how I found the address for our page this
time)

The number of people with web access is steadily increasing and
computers are getting cheaper and cheaper. More and more things are
being put on the web, and I think we will eventually need a page anyway. 

My idea in having the web site was in part an advertising tool, both for
the Bead Affaire and to get new members. I work part-time at Crystal
Blue and lately I noticed that more than 50% of the beaders have net
access. I think it may be close to 75%. I often supply them with useful
information they can look up on the web. And one of the things I like to
tell newer beaders is about BDI. But the web page is very tricky for me
to remember, and it didn't have useful info on it either, so I don't
send people there.

And I would like to see better information on the workshops we offer. I
haven't signed up for one yet! In part, I like to see a picture of the
project in question. (This is more necessary for some workshops than
others) And perhaps a lengthier description. I only spend a small amount
on classes in a year, so I choose carefully. Webpages lend themselves to
showing pictures well. (although putting them on the bulletin board at
meetings might be nice) And printing out a detailed list of workshops
with pictures would be too costly to do as a mailing. 

I guess I wanted to put info on the webpage, that I have had trouble
finding in the past. And I suspect at least some other people would find
this info useful as well.  And we could print out a copy of most of this
info and place on the bulletin board at meetings.

On that note: I just thought of a neat idea too. We might want to supply
local bead stores with a stack of brochures on joining BDI. Either a one
page blurb, or a largish card, that would tell people what we are about
and how to join. It wouldn't cost much, and we might get some new
members. Also, info about the bead affaire would be handy too, I get
TONS of people at Crystal Blue asking me when it is several months
beforehand. We might want to have cards containing that information too.
(I can tell you how many times I hand write the date and address of the
Bead Affaire for people) This would be advertising, but relatively cheap
advertising, since all it would cost us is printing expenses. Something
to consider?

I think the bottom line is that the web page isn't critical. But it
could be a really nice tool if we want it to be. We can muddle along
with the free page we have. I think maybe we should make a detailed
budget and then propose it to the membership. If they decide to cut it,
then we can easily do that.  If you like I can help you explain things
at the general meeting. You could focus on why it could be beneficial to
us.

If you think you want to make a long distance call to talk to me, let me
know and I can arrange to be available. 

Hope things are going well for you!

-Susie