[Chapter-delegates] Update on Membership System

[Alan Levin]

hi all,

On 17 Mar 2006, at 3:19 AM, Rajnesh D. Singh wrote:
> Good to hear of the positive progress and in particular the expected
> reduction in signup screens.
> Looking forward to further quick and efficient progress.

I wish I could be as positive.

I wrote this email pasted below a while ago but seems like I must  
have sent it from a wrong address. Sorry about that. David, can you  
please make sure that Peter gets it. Thanks.


Begin forwarded message:
> From: Alan Levin <alan at isoc.org.za>
> Date: 02 March 2006 11:07:51 AM
> To: chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org
> Subject: Welcome Peter! and thanks....
>
> Hi all,
>
> I noticed this in the member newsletter,
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> Peter Godwin appointed as ISOC's IT Director
>
> and I see the presentation Peter gave to the board earlier in the  
> month:
> http://www.isoc.org/isoc/general/trustees/docs/Feb2006/ISOC-IT- 
> BoT-20060210.pdf
>
> It mentions "Planned activities" including:
> - Survey of future system requirements (chapters, AC, org members,  
> staff)
> - Evaluation of open source membership system update
> - Open source membership system prototype
> + 15 others....
>
> Fabulous news. :)
> I hope the board agreed to all these and priorities. I look forward  
> to seeing the minutes.
>
> Peter, A very warm Welcome! I realise that you have big shoes to  
> fill and wanted to say that ISOC-ZA remains committed to help ISOC  
> HQ out in any way we can.
>
> Unfortunately I have to report that based on the previous  
> discussions around the current membership system we have had to  
> make drastic interim decisions.
>
> On 25 Jan 2006, at 4:58 PM, I wrote:
>
>> Lastly and most importantly, please could you advise when will this
>> problem be fixed? (if need be we can put up our own membership
>> application form in the interim, so please send us a date asap).
>>
>
> The problem I was referring to in that email is the fact that we  
> were not receiving new membership applications. David has reported  
> that "the critical errors have been fixed" and others "queued for  
> later".  We are still not receiving new member applications and as  
> an outcome, ISOC-ZA had to decide to stop referring new members to  
> the global membership form (from our web site http://isoc.org.za/ 
> membership.html) in favour of our own application form.
>
> I hope that it is acceptable if we regularly send authorized member  
> lists to ISOC, and that they will be included as global members.
>
> Looking towards the future I thank Wladek for taking the time to  
> document much of the history as well as this list:
>
> On 08 Feb 2006, at 1:03 AM, W. Majewski wrote:
> List of basic shortcomings is much longer that you mention:
> - no database interface for local repositories and front-ends
> - no record of individual activity and membership history
> - no support for local events and meetings
> - no support for chapter's membership fees collected locally
> - no support for local special interest groups and their projects
> - no support for local newsletters
> - no single-sign-on functionality for local or global content and  
> services
> - no support for local org members
> - no triggers to remind members about renowal of their membership
> ... and much more.
>
> I noticed that mailing list integration hasn't been discussed and I  
> wanted to mention that for ISOC-ZA this is paramount (i.e. ISOC-ZA  
> prefer to have a fully functional mailing list integration rather  
> than "support for local newsletters", i.e. in addition to our  
> announce list, we have numerous sub-committees as well as  
> discussion lists).

warm regards to you all,

Alan