ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

I can not answer the question about non members who comment as I have no way of telling who is a member or who is not ! I do know it seems to be the same people, as Maureen said who comment or contribute to the site all the time no matter in what section the poems or comments are posted. There may be a lot out there who just have a look by the number of views on some topics. Hard to tell as it does not tell you who viewed the post.

I myself will log into other sites at times just for a look but not comment.

The aim of the association is to foster Australian bush poetry so if it is considered that making any changes supports those aims then the decision is easy.

Got a show to do see ya later on.

Bob

Could we perhaps have a "Novice" section or a "CONSTRUCTIVE critique" section? Or combine the two??
This is where words like 'nice' and phrases like "I really 'liked' that" are banned ??

(grist for the mill)

Not a bad idea Manfred. Trouble is, how does one discern a novice from not being a novice?

If someone wants critique they usually ask for it - and get it!

Need to figure out if there is a benefit for a members' section or whether it should all just be "forum users poetry". We used to have a note under our names on the old forum to say we were APBA members. If all poetry went in one section and members had a badge under their avatar, that would work wouldn't it?

Make comments possible from members and non members. Have to sign in still of course.

Heather

Perhaps members should also have a secret users name as well, then we could all torture ourselves trying to work out who was who among the users, perhaps some already do!
After that bit of brilliance I think I should go and pour myself a glass of red.

Terry

Touché el Terryodore!

Keats2

It worries me not one wit . . but Heather if we were encouraging members to wear their ABPA membership badges with pride then we would be 'tagged' as a member as we once were. I'm not precious about it at all, and as has been rightly pointed out being a paid up member does not neccessarily make one a superior poet, although one point I'd like to make is the term 'user' - it's not the nicest title is it? Even something bland like 'non-member' would be better. Or I'm sure there are some more colourful monikers . . what about 'testing-with-toe-in-the-water' . . or a sub-section for the likes of Hully and Matt who we all agree are "recalcitrant genius poets who are too tight to part with 30 bucks"

Cheers, Marty

Now what Marty just said is very important! We do part with $33 a year for membership, so to keep financial members, we DO require some perks on the site that are not available to non members. Or otherwise we encourage those who won't pay to stay non members and encourage members who only participate online to drop their payments because they gain nothing from it here. Doesn't matter if someone can write well. Are they willing to fork out towards the running of the site etc. What be the perks? Well that's what the discussion is about. Maybe there should be no access at all to the members poetry section and a couple of others by non members. That is ABPA members, not just those who registered free for the site. Suggestions??

morning all,

To add to Vic's point re: Lest We Forget. - I understood the previous method was; post poems in the general members poetry and then the webmaster would move any poems of merit, or that were approprate, to the LWF section. This section was a 'read only' and could not be commented on. This preserved, and concentrated with approprate respect, all LWF type of poetry. That way we could recommend it when we receive a request for poems to use on ANZAC day etc.

I know our current webmaster(s) are not men of leisure but it is a thought. I feel that having comments in this section distracts from the poems. (It can also lead to rambling threads) Perhaps this authority (or duty) could be intrusted to a member who is a Veteran himself eg Vic Jefferies. (If he was willing of course)

That has merit Zondrae. Would be interested in other opinions on that.
Thinking to use a 'Shearing' metaphor along the lines of ...

Visitors - Roustabouts
Forum User - Shearers
ABPA Members - Gun Shearers - (or UNIONISTS - What do you reckon Ross ??? )
Moderators - Wool Classers
Admins - Wool Pressers

... Just a thought ...

Let me know what you think.

M.

Nice - I really liked that Especially the Wool Classers

Do they know what they are looking for??? Micron, Tensile strength - no 'tender' wool, length of staple, brightness, crimp, colour,% of VM (vegetable matter). Any stain or skin needs to be removed. Only the very best, highest quality wool to go into your AAAA bales