Neo-Tribal Metalsmiths newsletter

[MongoForge]

thanks for the pic, i always wondered
what they looked like.
You should be getting some
mail middle of next week :cool:

Thanks Mongo! I guarantee it will be worth it. This opportunity may never happen again. It's a genuine piece of original N-TMs memorabilia! Don't miss out!

Get your N-TMs badges here!
taigoo@msn.com

There's only 10 left. Don't miss this amazing deal!

They're good for any full moon party, world wide!

[prizzim]

I'd like to contribute an article, on the new forger's perspective. I can outline what I learned before picking up a hammer, some critical first lessons, obvious mistakes, and key developmental areas. More importantly, I can show a pictoral progress report of my first year of metalsmithing, and pose some continuing questions to the masters.

In terms of bandwith on the Atlanta Virtual site, if their newsletter is any indicator, we need to minimize the impact of images on the viewer - I think my last issue was no more than 35k... this requires discipline and sacrifice of large, high-res images in favor of small, low-res pictures that get the point across. If authors wish to really show off, perhaps a link to their own sites where they keep images would be more appropriate. "to learn more about chris's anvil placement, click here!" or something to that effect.

I'm really diggin' this whole thing. Let's keep it moving.

That sounds great! We need some alternative perspectives! I'll try and get the digital stuff worked out with the man (Alex). Hellllllllllllpppppppppp!!! hee hee,... no ... we can handle it, no problem.

This will be great!

Thanks y'all!

Here's to the future of metalsmithing!!!

O.K.... here's the deal. It's going to cost more than I thought, to "do it right". If we want it, we'll have to pull together and raise up some money. Plain and simple. I think it would be worth it, but it's really up to y'all. I'll do what I can to help get it going, but my resourses are limited. If the group doesn't pull together, we won't be able to do it. I really don't want to handle the money, and still am not sure what to do with it. Somebody help me out here. Is this doable?

[prizzim]

Details, man, details.

How much money for exactly what sort of service? I think if people are gonna pony up, they're at least going to want to know these things. How do people pay - directly to Alex? Or through a middleman? How is the newsletter distributed: via email, or just posted on some web space? How much storage space are we negotiating?

Transparency in the 'business' of NeoTribal Metalsmiths is vital to the full, unrestricted participation by its members. This is not just me, this is true of all organizations. The more informed the 'people' are, the more comfortable they are with the 'change' that's coming.

[KNAdmin]

Men,

I think you guys are underestimating the potential of the NT enterprise. You don't have to turn into a money grubbing operation, but certainly you could set it up more officially, offering some things that can basically cashflow your efforts together. As long as you make money in a non-profit, or profit sharing type of way, then the whole movement can grow and stabilize. Stuff like advertising on your newsletter, instructional videos, t-shirts and hats, those things could be very cool and also add extra benefit to the community that you're creating together. You guys are bigger than you think and you could basically make this thing pay for itself, allowing you to organize in a meaningful and professional way.

Actually, you are the only organization of your type in the industry. You attract an excellent member audience and your work is really good. It doesn't matter if you use my company as a host provider or not. The point is, you can up the level of play and ultimately improve your position ... and condition.

I'm here to help in any way you need. Were I asked, I would recommend an official site where top level officers/contributers would get personal e-mail addresses on the NT domain with webmail. You would get a autosubscribe newsletter system (very important for communication and expansion of the ideals), and even provision private storage on the server account which you could allow top contributing members to use as an upload/image posting service from the domain account you share. In fact, you could basically setup your master NT host account as an internal reseller where members could setup personal website accounts (private) at the discounted reseller rate (the reseller being the organization). The benefit would be that you could allow your more web oriented members who have sites hosted on various systems to all group together under one hosting league at a great savings ... on professional servers.

There's so much you can do, both on and off the web, with a proper setup ...which would magnify and legitimize the NTM ... that it's sad that you haven't already done it. You guys are big enough ... and good enough!

Besides, as members of the AV system you would have immediate access to post and sell knives, community projects and other related goods on the CKD main site for free. But, it's your decision as to what you want to do and are willing to set in motion. It's for sure though, that you will be where you are today, tomorrow. That is, "if" you continue on the same path you are on today ... good or bad. However, you "can" decide to move it forward, if this is your will!

I'm here ... we're in, if you need us ... and, we know what to do to get you started if and when you can iron it out.

Let me know ...

Alex

[jeffro]

Hey Tai,

I'd like a badge from ya.
I just got back on this forum again.
I need to get the photo thing going again.
The Logo for the Society of primitive Technology is really cool. I think we need a logo like that, I will try to think of something.

Jeff

Thanks Alex.

I'm afraid that I am digitally unequiped. Does anyone understand what Alex just said?

I think we need a middle man for the money right now, but I could be wrong.

O.K. folks... here's the way I see it. Alex is exactly right. There is a lot more we could do with this group, if we got our act together.

It all comes back around to square one, "reformation". We need a treasurer, and a decision making body, of some kind, to decide how our money will be used. I feel that if we can not organize a "core group", then the decisions should be made by the folks who donate the money, they would own it. This is just my take on it. I could be wrong. What's your take on it?

Meantime, if Alex could give us some figures on how much all this would cost with AV, and exaclty what we would be getting, we would have a clear idea of what we were doing. I'm in favor of following Alex's advice, because he knows more about it than I do, and is also a much better business person.

Thanks Jeffro!

Only 8 badges left.

(Sorry, my post is now reduntant after Tai's. Just trying to help.)