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  Aroideana and the Newsletter.
From: "Ron Iles" roniles at eircom.net> on 2001.05.15 at 03:37:01(6454)
If I'm allowed, here are my latest two PENNIES. Aroid L is open to all
people whether or not they are IAS Members. If the talk on Aroid L is
readable, informative, helpful, welcoming, friendly fun as it has been for
me, maybe EVERYBODY who talks or listens can become sufficiently inspired to
join us in the IAS? Should not Aroideana, a MORE FORMAL(?) publication
and the (MORE INFORMAL) Newsletter together be interesting, informative and
readable to attract and impress ALL Members? Aroid L although it needn't
be either is often both. The three Arenas are surely not exclusive to each
other? but educationally and for the purposes of promotion of their e but
partly interdependent in enhancing readership? Aroideana is a JOURNAL for
the publication of key "Scientific Papers". Individual "Papers" may or may
not be relevant to their PRESENT interests but as one learns, they may
become useful later. I am a Chartered Member of the Institute of Biology.
Its Members range from Associates to Fellows with a huge range of interests
and abilities. The "Papers", specialised, technical and general are all of
very high Scientific quality. There are discussions, "Letters via the
Editor" stimulated by the "Papers" as well as peripheral advertisements etc.
In the Publication there is always something for everyone but most is NOT
for everyone! Obviously Technical Treatises have to be definitive and
their is limit to how "popular" they can be. The Status of Aroideana
depends on Scientific accuracy and unambiguity, the excellence of its
Papers. The IAS Newsletter seems presently to be a nebulous jack of all
trades and a servant for too few. Does it need new specifications to help
frustrated long suffering Editors? I would suggest that the Newsletter
should contain peripheral and on-going information not as suitable for
Aroideana. In "attachments" who's who, their interests, collection lists of
genera and species, Members' Births!, Marriages, Deaths, Life Changes, Lists
of Wants, Surplus & Exchanges, Reports of developments in Horticulture, of
Journeys into the Forest if they come back, advice on growing, Sources,
good and plants, Public Botanic Garden specialisms and whether they are
commercial accessible to Specialist Collectors, Warnings, Group Trips, Group
Strategies. etc It might also re-structure the best of what sometimes is
otherwise "lost" in the PUBLIC Aroid LEnthusiast "Advertising" Site and
information which is more for or ONLY for Members NOT the World, his Wife
and Big Brother?

Surely Aroid L ought increasingly to attract new and lapsed old Members to
Membership Support of the IAS. It works so hard to promote the Plants and
enthusiasm by talking about them on the net. I do notice that some of the
many contributors to Aroid L, previously me too were or still are NOT
Members. Maybe for some it's a shopping site for just rarities for which
they could surely be IAS members? (The IAS Membership List may not be up to
date? Please EVERYBODY join and we CAN get the things which mostly suit
everyone happening FOR EVERYBODY. It would be a mistake to popularise down?
It would be discouraging to me if found that the occasional Papers in
Aroideana were not definitive. Maybe more fine pictures, diagrams, details
of habitat etc etc would make the most technical MORE definitive yet more
appealling and readable? Should not content quality, relevance, and
readability be RAISED for all three arenas? I apologise for lowering the
tone of Aroid L with too many chuckles. I'll do better with your help and
suggestions in the Newsletter and try to raise the tone of everything you
need me to! It's now after midnight again. This is addictive! All you
quiet spectators out there! Please! Identify yourself! Speak! Big
Brothers and Sisters become IAS Members and we'll help you with YOUR
problems too! Please!
How about putting the Newsletter on a Membership only site structured and
synergised strategically to attract more and more Members? Let's keep
improving everything and making it easy to find wot's wot, when, how, why
and where?

I'm serious this time. Got any Spaths for the Ark? I'm shopping and I'm a
Member!

Ron

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