ECF Yearbook

[Sean Hewitt]

The board needs to decide under which Director the remit falls to produce the YB and then fund its production and leave the office staff to do what they are best at. The same goes for Chess Moves.

First, it needs to decide if prodcuing the printed yearbook is a worthwhile endeavour.

[John Upham]

The board needs to decide under which Director the remit falls to produce the YB and then fund its production and leave the office staff to do what they are best at. The same goes for Chess Moves.

First, it needs to decide if prodcuing the printed yearbook is a worthwhile endeavour.

True but it would appear that the CEO (at least) believes it is a worthwhile endeavour.

I am sure that the office staff would be relieved if it was outsourced from them.

[Mike Truran]

I don't believe I gave a view either way, John.

[John Upham]

OK, I assumed your previous reply apologising for its 2016 lateness suggested you were keen to see the YB produced in a more timely fashion rather than consider deprecating it.

For the record, what is your view? Continue publishing or halt?

[IM Jack Rudd]

I think, before we answer that, we need to ask a more fundamental question: what is the Yearbook for?

[John Upham]

I think, before we answer that, we need to ask a more fundamental question: what is the Yearbook for?

Having read more than one (I assume?) how would you summarise the content?

Let us, for arguments sake, say that you did not have access to the Interweb thingy or FaceTube, Twatter, YouBook etc. and persisted in purchasing paper copies of chess magazines

[Mike Truran]

For what it's worth, my own view is that if we were to discontinue the Yearbook the requisite information should be readily available on the ECF website. By "requisite" I do not mean things like detailed contact lists for country and league functionaries/coaches/journalists, event reports, league tables etc etc, all of which are available on the relevant websites. The ECF should point people in the right direction for the information, not replicate that information. Lists of things like past event winners should also be readily available on the ECF website itself.

In answer to John's most recent post, I suggest (and again I stress that this is my own view) that if non-internet users want the hard copy version to continue they should put their hands up to volunteer to help produce it.

That is of course there are enough of them left.

[Sean Hewitt]

I think, before we answer that, we need to ask a more fundamental question: what is the Yearbook for?

Having read more than one (I assume?) how would you summarise the content?

Let us, for arguments sake, say that you did not have access to the Interweb thingy or FaceTube, Twatter, YouBook etc. and persisted in purchasing paper copies of chess magazines

I think you need to microsegment a little further

Don't have internet access

and

Want the buy the content

and

Prepared to pay the break even cost of publishing (including putting the content together)

I know that when this exercise was run for the grading list, the ECF were left with very few (if any) takers

[John Upham]

I think, before we answer that, we need to ask a more fundamental question: what is the Yearbook for?

I know that when this exercise was run for the grading list, the ECF were left with very few (if any) takers

What if the takers are not able to communicate that they are takers as they are not aware that there is a ongoing discussion of the matter?

Catweazle may well be a keen recipient of the YB but he continues to struggle to use the "Tellingbone".

[Mike Truran]

Well, you've got me there. For once, why don't you tell us what you think?

[John Upham]

The content (at least) of the YB should continue and be published as a pdf but if this is to be done it needs to be properly proofed and checked.

The big question I guess is to print and distribute the YB.

Some people like to collect them rather like bound volumes of British Chess Magazine.

So, you do not wish to divulge your view?

[Mike Truran]

Which bit of my post timed at 2:38 pm escaped your attention?

[John Upham]

Which bit of my post timed at 2:38 pm escaped your attention?

All of it so apologies Mike!

Failure to refresh has been one of the main banes of my life I am so informed.

[Bill Porter]

As a historical tool the Yearbook is extremely useful but maybe the time has come to replace it with an on-line living document.

The matter of historical record is important.

AFAIK, the English Chess Federation's attitude on internet publishing varies from 'do not bother about archiving' to 'actively prevent any archiving;' e.g. apart from some duplicate posts on this forum, there's no reliable record of anything in 'Not The English Chess Forum' or whatever the English Chess Federation called it.

Until the English Chess Federation has a proper archiving policy, anything published only online should be regarded as briefly alive, then dead forever.