2005 Members Manual

[NZcaver]

Mine just arrived today

One of the first things I noticed was that the members list is back to being grouped by states - rather than an alphabetical list of all US members like last year's issue. A big step BACKWARDS, in my humble opinion.

Not all of us spend our lives anchored to a particular state, or country for that matter (although I do think it's more practical to list overseas members by country). Can Gorden or anyone else tell me what advantage there is in listing members by state?

[Scott McCrea]

The format alternates every year. This year, by state. Next year by name. And so on... The best of both worlds. ;)

[pacaver]

Scott, you beat me to the punch!

[Phil Winkler]

This is the way it has been done for many, many years. The logic being that sometimes you might be moving/traveling to another region and need/want to find local members. Other times you might need to find a specific person.

Alternating the grouping and sorting provides both for many people. Of course, like any report generated annually from a database the annual Members Manual is but a snapshot of the data at a particular manner. The same data extract would surely differ if taken one week earlier or later. But, that is the nature of reports.

Speaking for myself I have kept the last two issues and the current one handy at all times. You just never know when you'll need to find someone.

[wendy]

I prefer the listing by states. A lot of times at caver gatherings I meet people and get their first name and where they are from, its easier to look them up in the manual this way.

btw I got mine in the mail today as well. thanks

[NZcaver]

Really? I recall the 2003 manual being listed by state, but I don't recall the 2002 being listed nationally-alphabetically. 'my bad. I throw the old ones away anyway. I guess it's good to hold onto the last 2 issues, and have both options to choose from.

This makes sense - thanks for letting me know. I'm much happier now...

[Squirrel Girl]

I *never* want to search for people based on state. In my world we'd do away with that every other year formating. But as Wendy pointed out, she likes that way better. She's not the only one, either.

This was part of a thread on the old DB. Had it not been lost, we could have referenced it. (not a complaint, just a wistful comment)

Indeed, I've got at my desk:
2002, by name
2003, by state
2004, by name
2005, by state

Let's hope we don't have another case where a state (Ohio, was it?) gets left out as it did a few years back.

I never throw mine out. Ok, so I'm a packrat and don't throw much out. But there are people who neglect to update their memberships, so they get left out of the next MM. Keeping old ones allows me to find "long lost" cavers. Sure, they might move and all, but I find it useful.

[JohnL]

I'm still waiting on mine, and my cave accident book...hmmmmm I just moved recently (a month ago) and I changed my address as soon as I moved. I will go check to make sure I did it right.

[Wayne Harrison]

Personally, I like it by state but alternating is a good idea.

By state, I can look up just Colorado and find NSS members I don't know (who might even live close to me) and make connections that way, in addition to through the grotto -- as not all NSS members are members of a grotto)

[Phil Winkler]

Back in the late 70's I was assigned to Ft Dix in NJ. I have always received the Monthly Mailings from the NSS Office which lists new members, address changes, etc. One month I noticed a new member who lived nearby named Kathy and I called her to see if she wanted to join our new Grotto (Central Jersey Grotto). A guy answered the phone and gave me the third degree about who I was, why I wanted to speak with her, etc., etc. It turns out Kathy was 9 years old and her father, Jack Igoe, had just joined her to the NSS.

We had a good laugh about it. Jack and I caved together quite a bit after that down at the Homestead at Butler Cave in western VA.

[George Dasher]

Alternating is a good way of doing it.

[hunter]

Just curious, has anyone considered including a CD which has both formats in the manual? Many text books come with them now and it can't be that expensive compared to the book.

Hunter

[speloman]

You Know The CD Isn't a bad Idea........ GoodThinking.

How Bout it guys?

[Phil Winkler]

Nope. If it was on a cd it could very well permit all the names to be extracted as data and put to illegal use for spam, junk mail, etc.

Besides, CDs don't work in the bathroom while the printed copy does. :)

[Marlatt]

[quote="Phil Winkler"]Nope. If it was on a cd it could very well permit all the names to be extracted as data and put to illegal use for spam, junk mail, etc.
[/quote]

Exactly - if/when the NSS publishes the membership list electronically, either by CD or online, I'll be removing both my phone number and email.

swm