Charter Member privileges

[GaryP]

I just wanted to post something about this in response to a couple of recent posts by new folks that I have seen in the threads. There are some privileges which charter members enjoy over their web member breathren and sisters. These include, but are not limited to:

1. A personal gallery on the website
2. A membership card that many LFS honor and allow for a 10% discount.
3. Participation in door prize drawings at monthly meetings.
4. Discounts for special club events such as the Mike Paletta event.
5. Access to the charter member forum.

Yes, we did kick around the idea of limiting the access of web members to some forums on the website a few months ago. This idea was never implemented. Rather then taking away privileges of web members we decided to try to increase the privileges of charter members after the upcoming implementation of a new software package. The basic web member privileges will remain the same.

If you are interested in becoming a charter member, please contact our treasurer, Sherri. The cost is $25/yr. and payment can be made by paypal, by snail mail to the MAAST PO Box, or in person at one of the monthly meetings.

Thank you.

[MattK]

Do you have a date of when you will be switching to the new software?
Also, have you made a decision on adding a Nano Forum?

[brewercm]

Just to jump in here and tag onto what Gary already has posted. The below link is to the voting results that were posted a while back after much debat and plenty of time for people to vote.

I'm not sure if there was ever any mention of adding a nano forum or not Matt. We can bring it up and see what the response is.

http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=18818

[MattK]

A while back I took it upon myself to do a Poll:
http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=18888

[hammondegge]

thanks Gary

[SBreef]

To all of the Web Members,

Most all of the Larger, more established Internet Aquarium Clubs/Forums, LIMIT Web Member access in some way!
ReefCentral, no search for web members.
DFWMAS, limited access
MARSH, limited access

Smaller start up sites, no problem for most. But wait until they start to get Larger. Access will someday become an issue.

Also, I remember at one time, MAAST was going to not allow Avatars for Web Members.

[falcondob]

To all of the Web Members,

Most all of the Larger, more established Internet Aquarium Clubs/Forums, LIMIT Web Member access in some way!
ReefCentral, no search for web members.
DFWMAS, limited access
MARSH, limited access

Smaller start up sites, no problem for most. But wait until they start to get Larger. Access will someday become an issue.

Also, I remember at one time, MAAST was going to not allow Avatars for Web Members.

On Reef Central you cannot post to the "For Sale" forum AT ALL, paid member or not, until you have posted 50 times. Interesting....

[TexasTodd]

It's pretty easy to get your 25 bones back with the 10% discount.

I've even had shops in Houston and Dallas honor our card! :)

TT

[caferacermike]

OK ok ok, so if I do pay up I will get a discount card, full access and a gallery? Hmmm, tough call. I am a member at many othr huge sites with over 5,000 memebrs and it is all access for free, including callery. You only get 12 pics hosted and you get unlimited if you buy in. It does all sound good and I do want to start going to these aluminati meetings. But then again $25 is a sweet aiptasia rock, and I've had my eye on this one with over 12 heads. What I really want to know is, will I get to join or at least meet the secret click (sic)[clique ed.] that SGTDIRK mentions?

[JimD]

Its so secret, you'll be a part of it but you wont know it,

[GaryP]

Heck, I supposed to be the grand poobah of the click and I didn't even know it.

[Ed]

All hail the Grand Poobah!:w00t










Sorry, couldn't help myself. Guess that makes me a member of the clique as well. :innocent

[GaryP]

Heck, I can't be the grand poobah. I don't even have the hat, or even a cool pony tail like you.

[MattK]

Do you have a date of when you will be switching to the new software?
Also, have you made a decision on adding a Nano Forum?

I still never received an answer.

[brewercm]

Do you have a date of when you will be switching to the new software?
Also, have you made a decision on adding a Nano Forum?

The answer to the first is not yet. I believe that they are in the process of talking with Chris and finding out when would be the best time to do this.

Answer to the second is I myself have not heard it brought up until this thread. I've only been on the BOD for a short time and we've only had one meeting since that did not cover that topic. I'll defer on that subject and let others that may have more information scoe forward.

[MattK]

Sounds good Cliff

[GaryP]

There is a pro and a con to having specialized forums. The pro is obviously that the forum is focused on one topic. The con is that it spreads everything out so much that unless you are just a dedicated MAASTARD you're not going to check all the forums. Heck, I don't even do that now. So, you might post a problem that someone has the exact correct answer for it, but you'll never see it because he doesn't go to the nano forum very often. He's out reading through the posts in the general forum. Let us kick it around after we get the software up and running and we'll see what we can do.

[JimD]

As long as the subject title is viewable in the left column, it has a better chance of being responded to, at least untill it gets burried. More and more people are scaling down these days, myself included, I think a nano forum would be fun. We just dont want to go overboard on specific interests. Nano's and full scale reefs require different husbandry and the forum separation could be good.

[Ed]

Another benefit of being a Charter Member is being eligible to enter the TANK OF THE MONTH! Contest.;)

You can be famous, and win prizes too! 8)

See this thread for submission guidelines and a list of prizes:http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=16826

Enter those tanks now. The committee will soon pick a new winner for August.

In the meantime, be sure to check out Clint's July Tank of the Month, it is outstanding! :D

[MattK]

I just thought it would be easier to add the forum when y'all are switching software. Jim is right, more and more people are going nano. I think people are smart enough to decide what questions are nano specific and which are general topics. If you didn't see it the first time, here it is again:

http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNp ... mp;t=18888

[GaryP]

OK, we'll do a poll after we get the new software running and see what interest there is in a couple of specialty forums.

[gjuarez]

A nano forum would be nice, mainly because they have special needs and more and more people have them now, myself included. Actually, I have had a nano since the Nano trend came around. ANyways, I think it would be cool and it could spice things up a little.

[MattK]

OK, we'll do a poll after we get the new software running and see what interest there is in a couple of specialty forums.

Why do we need to do a poll AFTER the new software is up and running?
Wouldn't it be easier to do it BEFORE and add them while the site is down?

[GaryP]

The site isn't going to be down. Its like turning a switch. Chris has the new software already up and running now on a test basis. I'll talk to him about it.

I was referring to a poll to explore the interest for some other specialty forums.

[MattK]

The MAAST website will be going down at approximately noon on Sunday April 9th, and will be down the remainder of the day, and possibly late into the early party of Monday the 10th.

This is being done to move the site over to new software. The new software being implemented is VbPortal with VBulletin (This is the same software used by Reef Central).


I was under the assumption that it would be.

[werp]

I am confused. Do we have new software or not?

[GaryP]

No, not yet.

[MattK]

No, that was a quote from the first time they were going to switch software. It hasn't happend yet.

[Shark_Bait]

The con is that it spreads everything out so much that unless you are just a dedicated MAASTARD you're not going to check all the forums. So, you might post a problem that someone has the exact correct answer for it, but you'll never see it because he doesn't go to the nano forum very often. He's out reading through the posts in the general forum.

I have a suggestion to you but thought that everyone is doing...

just under the Announcements but above the forums on the right side there is a link that says "View posts since last visit". That does all the searching for you. It just puts up a list of what's new. So a person would not have to go into the "nano forum" to see the new post just look at everything new and read the headlines. Maybe you are doing this but thought I would throw it out there. Makes things way easier than going into every forum and seeing what's new... Hell that's where my bookmark points to

[werp]

When is the new software suppose to be installed?

[MattK]

I believe that they are in the process of talking with Chris and finding out when would be the best time to do this.

[Bill S]

Rob, you are correct, that's how I "use" this Forum. Works the same way with vBulletin. I almost NEVER go forum by forum.