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Re: National Sunbeam Club (long)

To: MWood24020@aol.com
Subject: Re: National Sunbeam Club (long)
From: Chris Thompson <chris@cthompson.net>
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 20:13:52 -0500
Steve Laifman volunteered to make it happen a few years ago, and he made 
it happen.

A group of listserve members several years ago brainstormed the idea of 
a national club.  The idea was about how the internet changes 
everything, and how we could use it to create a national, nea, 
international, group or "club".  It was precipitated from this list, and 
it is now called Tigers United.  The idea was closely tied to using this 
list - hence the initial, at least, inclusion of indexed tips picked up 
from the listserve repository.

We recognized that the primary value of the various clubs was the 
exchange of information about Tigers.  What we also recognized was that 
information was basically lost to any new members of newsletter-based 
clubs.  What was needed was a *permanent* repository of information, 
available to all.  Equally important was to put in a structure so that 
*anybody* could contribute - that it wouldn't be up to one person.  
Hence the structure of the Tech Tips section.  And it would be totally 
inclusive to all the other groups - it wouldn't intend to compete with 
them.  It has the best set of links to all the clubs internationally and 
encourages visitors to be involved with them as well.

Just like any club is driven by a couple of hard-core people who really 
drive the thing, Steve L took the lead, and drove it.  There is no doubt 
the TU site is the #1 repository of information about the Tiger on the 
web even though it's the most recently introduced.  Maybe TBON has more 
information in certain areas, but a prospective Tiger owner isn't likely 
to pay $500 for it to learn more.

I've been a member of TE/AE for the past ten years.  I enjoy getting the 
newsletter once a month in my mailbox, but it's a quick read.  And it 
often includes stories and tips that were picked up from this 
listserve.  Between the TU web site and this listserve, I get everything 
I need.  I *would* pay to be a member of both - in fact I do tithe every 
year to Mark B to help keep this listserve up and running.  And I tithe 
to TU by contributing information in the rare cases I have something to 
contribute.

Face it fellers - this model is the future, and it's grreeat!  What 
would a national club offer you that you can't get from this list and 
regular contributors to TU? What I don't understand is why somebody 
would put all the effort into writing an article for a local newsletter, 
to a chosen few, only to have it discarded or put in a pile when it 
could be made available throughout the world forever by submitting it to 
the TU web page.  What's missing is the face-to-face arm twisting that 
is used in the clubs to get people to contribute to the newsletters.  
Contributing to TU is just as easy.  Who volunteers to make *that* 
happen?  The structure is there. 

Chris
B382000331

>I also agree, however, that a National or International club would be a  very 
>good thing. Who volunteers to make it happen?
>Mike





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