[Ansteorra] Electronic publishing

[Sunny Medlock]

>... I suspect, however, that SCA corporate might be resistant to such a
>change [separating the BlackStar subscription from membership] because the
>other kingdoms don't seem to have this problem.

Not true!  In Drachenwald, they regularly have auctions and the like to
raise funds for their newsletter.  Plus they are always trying to hand
deliver ones they can, and send military ones through the APO.

>> I am also interested in learning if we could go to an electronic copy of the
>> Kingdom newsletter....

>...Even if a reasonable majority of internet capable PCs have an Acrobat
>reader
>installed, the electronic distribution would not be for everyone and I would
>never advocate that the BlackStar be published electronically only. There are
>several valid reasons why the paper copies need to remain today and for the
>foreseeable future.

Again, Drachenwald was posting the newsletter on the web, and later had to
pull it.  Apparently, there was a conflict with putting something that
members had to pay for on the web where anyone could access it for free.
There were also some copywrite questions with the cartoons that were in
there.

Another issue with taking the newsletter off the web (and doesn't really
apply to this kingdom, but I will mention it anyway) is the way membership
is set up for people with European addresses.  For military members, it's
easy, everything comes to the military address, they are US members, and
there is no extra postage fees.  If they are non-military, their membership
options are different (and more expensive) and makes it prohibitive to
recieve both a TI and a kingdom newsletter.  Many locals had a TI (or
whatever) mailed to them and printed the newsletter off the web.  Worked
great until the BoD intervened.  I think that they have found a way to post
all the articles and event announcements on the web, without actually
posting the newsletter, thereby avoiding any copywrite or financial
conflicts.

Elisabetta