Cosford 2011 (10th April)

[philp]

Hmm,
Can't access that link Kit.  It wouldn't happen to be under the UK Sig section would it?

[PR19_Kit]

Indeed it is, I didn't realise that section was so exclusive though.

[beowulf]

Indeed it is, I didn't realise that section was so exclusive though.

looks like it is  .....linky no workee

i didnt even realise there was a 'secret' exclusive section to this forum!...........kinda makes a mockery of the 'all welcome' attitude that is portrayed

[NARSES2]

i didnt even realise there was a 'secret' exclusive section to this forum!...........kinda makes a mockery of the 'all welcome' attitude that is portrayed

It's not that at all. It's just a part of the forum where those members who are also members of the UK IPMS What If Special Interest Group (which includes a few non UK residents) and the US IPMS Group can deal with any "business" matters such as show set up, themes for the Nationals etc.

Normally pictures from shows are posted in the main body of the website it's just that on this occasion for what ever reason they havn't been.

The UK and the US SIG's are not exclusive at all and are open to all IPMS members. The UK SIG also producers it's own quarterly Newsletter (I am the editor for my sins) and also provides a handy base camp at a fair number of UK model shows.

When I'm back from my travels I will start a thread on the general part of the Forum for the Cosford piccies and post them in to it. Won't be until after Easter though I'm afraid

Chris

[beowulf]

i didnt even realise there was a 'secret' exclusive section to this forum!...........kinda makes a mockery of the 'all welcome' attitude that is portrayed

It's not that at all. It's just a part of the forum where those members who are also members of the UK IPMS What If Special Interest Group (which includes a few non UK residents) and the US IPMS Group can deal with any "business" matters such as show set up, themes for the Nationals etc.

my point is that it is hidden cos i cant see any reference to it............if i dont know it exists, how can i join?

thanks for the explanation anyway chris

[NARSES2]

i didnt even realise there was a 'secret' exclusive section to this forum!...........kinda makes a mockery of the 'all welcome' attitude that is portrayed

It's not that at all. It's just a part of the forum where those members who are also members of the UK IPMS What If Special Interest Group (which includes a few non UK residents) and the US IPMS Group can deal with any "business" matters such as show set up, themes for the Nationals etc.

my point is that it is hidden cos i cant see any reference to it............if i dont know it exists, how can i join?

thanks for the explanation anyway chris

I do understand your point and I'll talk to some people about it. Must admit I didn't realise it was hidden. I thought it was simply blocked to non SIG members with an explanation. You learn something new every day.

Chris

[Nick]

If the What-If SIG section is hidden from ordinary forum users then that needs changing and quickly IMHO. Keeping the content hidden is OK by me but not the actual forum header part.

It would be best done with the message 'This section is for members of the What-If SIG, to join this please PM Martin*'.
(*or whoever it may be).

[thedarkmaster]

I must admitt i do not like the idea of there being a part of the forum i cannot acess and i don't like the idea that it's not advertised.

I've been on here around 3 years now and have only just found out about it...........not good chaps, makes it look secret!!

My opinion is that if the IPMS what if SIG wants a forum maybe they should have their own and not make themselves look elitist and have a semi secret one here .........but hey thats just my 2 pence

[PR19_Kit]

Let's not go off the deep end please guys.

There is a need for an IPMS WhatIf SIG section as part of the this Forum, for the reasons that NARSES2 explains. It would seem likely that the way it's ended up, with some Forum members unable to even know that it exists, was an error and it makes sense to change it.

No 'secret society' area is or was intended.

[/oil on troubled waters mode]

[Martin H]

nothing elitist about it, the sig area is purely for internal sig affairs. Votes on themes, funding, stand set up times ect.

In fact the bulk of the goings on in there are quite dull by comparison to the rest of the forum.

I suspect the reason the sig area is hidden from view to non sig members is a software limitation. It certainly wasnt the intention when it was created. Open to sig members (both UK and US sigs) to allow ease of internal management.

[Thorvic]

I must admitt i do not like the idea of there being a part of the forum i cannot acess and i don't like the idea that it's not advertised.

I've been on here around 3 years now and have only just found out about it...........not good chaps, makes it look secret!!

My opinion is that if the IPMS what if SIG wants a forum maybe they should have their own and not make themselves look elitist and have a semi secret one here .........but hey thats just my 2 pence

Why unless you are a member of the What-if Special Interest Group then the section has little interest for you. Its where they genally arrange shows, plan layouts, discuss SIG related issues and coordinate builds for displays so as not to clash. These discussion don't involve the general membership and nor should they. The What-if SIG has been associated with this website since at least 2002/3 and the admin team welcome its presence and involvement.

Its existence is no secret and has been mentioned many time before over the years, Martin H has made numerous posts over the years to promote the SIG and invite people to join who express an interest.

The only hiccuup has been that the show photos were mistakenly posted in the SIG section following on from a SIG show discussion rather than in the general forum where they normally appear.

The Admin Team

[Nick]

And for those who are really curious, here's a taste of the recent threads in the What-If SIG section....

Birthday Greetings - For Martin's Birthday
Shock Photos of OGL - Being rude about Martin!
Newsletters - Mostly requests for articles and comments on the 2-monthly newsletter edited by Narses2 for us
Booking Hotels for SMW2011
Stand design and Labels for shows
AGM and meet up
What-If SIG polo shirts
Resin parts - Special modelling bits created by or for us and available firstly to SIG members.
Events - What shows the SIG are going to, who will be where and what models we're bringing.
SMW Display - What we plan on showing at the biggest show of the year.

I don't have access to the stats but I suspect that the SIG members provide about half the posts on the whole site. Can any admin prove me wrong?

I think you don't have to be a member of the IPMS UK/USA to join the SIG. We should advertise ourselves on this site more, especially how to join. Would a STICKY at the top of the General Modeling forum do?

[NARSES2]

Newsletters - Mostly requests for articles and comments on the 2-monthly newsletter edited by Narses2 for us

Quarterly Nick - I have enough fun filing it 4 times a year let alone 6 

[The Wooksta!]

My twopennorth.

1.  The SIG never has and never will be elistist.  All are welcome to join, irrespective of modelling ability, colour, age, gender, politics, stupidity, number of heads, etc.  Technically, you should be an IPMS member to join a SIG but many SIG leaders turn a blind eye - the IPMS Committee want to enforce the rule but most SIG leaders aren't going to be their Gestapo.  I wasn't an IPMS member when I joined the SIG in 1994 either.  

2.  It's a club.  If you don't join, you don't get the benefits of being in that club.  I'm not a member of the CIU so I don't get the benefits of their cheap beer.  Do I complain?  No, I just accept it.  I don't have an axe to grind nor a personal agenda.  I just get on with it.  If I wanted to be a member, I would be.  The same goes for the SIG.  

[van883]

I agree 
Van