Jeffrey Boyd Garrison;84573 wrote:

Well done! It looked iffy there for a moment, but I do believe the Bismark has been sunk. :D

I certainly hope so. I never would have thought the idea of a facebook fan page would be met with so much resistance. If we, as a group don’t want to do it, that’s fine - but no promises that I’ll ever understand why.

It makes no sense to me that an organization interested in promoting something chooses not to promote it on one of the most easily accessible (to us) and most heavily trafficked websites in the world.

I thought it was a slam dunk.

Jeremy Corbally-Hammond;84578 wrote:

I certainly hope so. I never would have thought the idea of a facebook fan page would be met with so much resistance. If we, as a group don’t want to do it, that’s fine - but no promises that I’ll ever understand why.

It makes no sense to me that an organization interested in promoting something chooses not to promote it on one of the most easily accessible (to us) and most heavily trafficked websites in the world.

 

I thought it was a slam dunk.

I would think so as well.  There are reasons that there are books being published on the subject of "promoting your business with facebook".  Facebook is getting more hits than google now, and if that’s the case, then you need to go to where the people are.

You don’t fish where you know there aren’t any fish.

Having been here a while ago, and wandered back recently, I think one underlying "big picture" concern hasn’t changed: the issue of infringement of arms, the possibilities of legal protection in the US, and behind all this, the activities of the bucket shop industry.

Other issues aside, there is a good core message to get out to a wider public: "family name crests" don’t exist, anyone who tries to sell you one is cheating you and probably stealing from someone else, and if you haven’t inherited arms and really want some, creating them is the only viable option.

To that end (if no others), a facebook page would be very useful indeed.

(Also, it’s not like our Armorial roll makes any attempt to hide our real names, so the privacy issue is moot.)

as a FB fan (freak some would say), i would support a lively FB page.

as a heraldry fan (freak some would say), i love this MB and society and i have been at odds with it and it with me more times than i care to remember over the years. it is the only one i have committed to being a member of, except for IAAH now that things have changed for the better.

as someone who is probably in the middle-tier for age around here (39 as of June 3rd), i find myself in between the ‘that gets old’ crowd and the ‘lazy and never look things up’ crowd.

so…i guess i would say that while i’ve had run-ins with Joe and Fr. Guy and other "old-timers" as far as the MB is concerned over the years (mostly of my own stupidity) i’ve always thought they had much, much wisdom on heraldry i could learn from and have learned from. i still look to them if i am uncertain on many issues, frankly.

i also remember being new here. i remember how nice people were to me. i try to do that for new people when i encounter them here. i hope that stays the same despite how annoying some of the things may be. i also hope that newbies don’t get their panties in a bunch—as i used to—when old-timers like Joe or Fr. Guy etc would get frustrated and loose patience with them. hopefully everyone chill-axes, as my players all say, and does what is best for the society in all facets.

(the above ramblings have no merit other than me being able to waste some time and internet space with my own meandering experience and are best suited for like useless activities )

Technically - facebook fan pages don’t have to be set up by their respective subjects. They are FAN pages after all. In fact, (this may have changed more recently) but Coca-Cola’s very successful and active fan page is not run by the company itself. I, as a fan of AHS, could set up a page to share with other fans. I just think it would be better done if AHS would administrate and drive it.

Jeremy Corbally-Hammond;84751 wrote:

Technically - facebook fan pages don’t have to be set up by their respective subjects. They are FAN pages after all. In fact, (this may have changed more recently) but Coca-Cola’s very successful and active fan page is not run by the company itself. I, as a fan of AHS, could set up a page to share with other fans. I just think it would be better done if AHS would administrate and drive it.

If the regular board members wouldn’t have the time to put forth the effort to run something like that, I’m sure another one of the members would be willing to contribute their time.  It would be something I myself would be willing to do, though a question of qualification would come into question.  Or perhaps Jeremy would be interested?

I am unavailable to attend the general meeting of members. Will the topic of a society fan page be discussed? How might I propose such a creation? Is there someone available who may serve as a proxy to propose it for me and perhaps vote on my behalf?

If there’s ever a question about too few administrators, I could easily set it up as a volunteer.

I won’t be able to make it either, but I also support the creation of a facebook fan page and would be willing to help with it if needed.

I do not have a Facebook page because I feel very strongly that such sites are trite. While many important and accomplished individuals use this method to stay in contact with others and to make contacts. I believe that simply partcipating in a social network in which utterly anyone can participate soils and degrades the user of any standing.

While many participants of this forum use Facebook for their daily amusement, one should ask if this Society’s credabilty and reputation would be enhanced or diminished by having such a page.

David—don’t hold back—tell us what you really think! 

I’m not a Facebook fan either, but more from technical incompetence and limited computer access.  Wife & kid really seem to like it.

The purpose of a facebook page for AHS would be as an aid to help promote education of the art, and tradition of heraldry.  You have to actually promote yourself if you want to further your business, or your organization, which entails going to where the people are. Years ago companies I’m sure had the same argument against websites to promote your business.  But now it would be foolish to start a business in most cases, without a website. Honestly part of the problem is that the majority of the people who are interested in heraldry, are at least middle aged, and they aren’t interested in how the younger generation is communicating.

One option is to shut ourselves off from advancing our organization, and continue to keep it more of an exclusive club.  Where we can sit around muttering to ourselves about traditions, and admiring eachothers arms until we’re all old and nobody cares what we’re talking about.  Then the only exposure most people are going to get about heraldry, will be coming from bucket shops, and I don’t think anybody here wants that.  Or we try to make an effort to promote ourselves to the younger generation through social networking websites like facebook.  Then maybe there will continue to be interest in the next generation, about something I believe everybody here is passionate about in their own ways.

Yes we have our own website, with a pretty solid member base…but I honestly would like to see AHS make some steps forward, instead of being content where we are.  As soon as you stop advancing, you immediately start taking steps towards fading.

David Pritchard;86894 wrote:

I do not have a Facebook page because I feel very strongly that such sites are trite. While many important and accomplished individuals use this method to stay in contact with others and to make contacts. I believe that simply partcipating in a social network in which utterly anyone can participate soils and degrades the user of any standing.

While many participants of this forum use Facebook for their daily amusement, one should ask if this Society’s credabilty and reputation would be enhanced or diminished by having such a page.

Is the credibility and reputation of the British Monarchy enhanced or diminished by having such a page?

http://www.facebook.com/TheBritishMonarchy

What about the Royal Heraldry Society of Canada?

http://www.facebook.com/groups/35284796074/

The President of the United States?

http://www.facebook.com/barackobama

The answer to your question is that the existence of a facebook page has no affect at all (positive or negative) on the credibility and reputation of an organization (except perhaps through your eyes.) It is merely a medium of promotion - one employed at every level of society.

I wish I could have attended the annual meeting - I have a day job that conflicted with the schedule. It’s a bummer the topic of Facebook didn’t come up.

David Pritchard;86894 wrote:

I do not have a Facebook page because I feel very strongly that such sites are trite. While many important and accomplished individuals use this method to stay in contact with others and to make contacts. I believe that simply partcipating in a social network in which utterly anyone can participate soils and degrades the user of any standing.

While many participants of this forum use Facebook for their daily amusement, one should ask if this Society’s credabilty and reputation would be enhanced or diminished by having such a page.

I know… progress sucks, doesn’t it?
The sworn bookseller of the university, Master Andry Musnier in The Hunchback of Notre Dame wrote:

"I tell you, sir, that the end of the world has come. No one has ever beheld such outbreaks among the students! It is the accursed inventions of this century that are ruining everything,—artilleries, bombards, and, above all, printing, that other German pest. No more manuscripts, no more books! printing will kill bookselling. It is the end of the world that is drawing nigh."

A FB page can be set up with quite a bit more control than most people use.  Every one of my posts defaults to Friends only.  I don’t accept "friends" from people or places I do not already know and I ask for recommendations/knowledge of persons who ask for friendships via others.  The FB pages reflection on the organizations is directly related to how well it is set up and managed - just like a forum…

J. Stolarz;86909 wrote:

The purpose of a facebook page for AHS would be as an aid to help promote education of the art, and tradition of heraldry.  You have to actually promote yourself if you want to further your business, or your organization, which entails going to where the people are. Years ago companies I’m sure had the same argument against websites to promote your business.  But now it would be foolish to start a business in most cases, without a website. Honestly part of the problem is that the majority of the people who are interested in heraldry, are at least middle aged, and they aren’t interested in how the younger generation is communicating.

One option is to shut ourselves off from advancing our organization, and continue to keep it more of an exclusive club.  Where we can sit around muttering to ourselves about traditions, and admiring eachothers arms until we’re all old and nobody cares what we’re talking about.  Then the only exposure most people are going to get about heraldry, will be coming from bucket shops, and I don’t think anybody here wants that.  Or we try to make an effort to promote ourselves to the younger generation through social networking websites like facebook.  Then maybe there will continue to be interest in the next generation, about something I believe everybody here is passionate about in their own ways.

 

Yes we have our own website, with a pretty solid member base…but I honestly would like to see AHS make some steps forward, instead of being content where we are.  As soon as you stop advancing, you immediately start taking steps towards fading.

Ditto everything Josh said.