CFC Webzine Down

[Bob Armstrong]

The CFC Webzine is down ( not a great loss given its recent history ). But does anyone know why? Are they working on it? or is it just a glitch of some kind?

Bob

[John Coleman]

I received an email from the CFC office about a week ago:

"The Webzine is currently suspended and under operational review.
Please contact the CFC Executive for more information."

I'm surprised it's taken this long to close the existing site.

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi John:

How much are you paying them, that you get a special e-mail?!!!

Bob

[John Coleman]

The CFC doesn't do much worth paying for. I tried to get a tournament notice posted on the webzine, hence the email from the office.

You can find the tournament (July 18) on the "legacy site" www.chess.ca and also the local website http://home.cogeco.ca/~windsorchess/

[Bob Armstrong]

Hi John:

Thx for letting me know the " legacy " site is still available - I need to get at the Handbook and some GL's.

Bob

[Steve Douglas]

So let me see if I get this straight:

The CFC provides basically *two* services to the average member: ratings and a "webzine". The rating fees have been hiked twice in the past few years for no reason seemingly connected to maintaining the rating system. They are at a level close to ridiculous such that people seriously consider having tournaments rated by the CMA and pretending that everybody participating is just a *really old* high school student.

Meanwhile there is a facetious offer on the table from Tom O'Donnell which looks more realistic by the day.

Things had been a mess for many years in terms of member service and under the previous administration a team was put in place that very quickly got things turned around. Apparently the reward to them for that work was to be turfed on their ear.

The second member service had been a magazine. It was kind-of amateurish at times but it was something the members got in the mail six times a year ... and it did contain content you couldn't get elsewhere.

Then it became four times a year with no explanation.

Then it stopped altogether with no explanation.

Then it was replaced with a much trumpetted webzine that put Bob Gillanders and crew in the position of scrambling like mad to let every member know about this "improvement". (hint: mail them a letter--oh wait that costs money; email to dubious hotmail accounts is cheaper)

Then it suddenly transpires that those who were announced to oversee this webzine walked away from the debacle they saw coming.

Again, notice to the average member was/is non-existent.

NOW, the webzine has been shut down, apparently on the basis of a decision made a couple of weeks ago. Wonderful! Yet is anybody told? No. You simply get a webpage saying that you should contact your system administrator. The link on the CFC main page to this non-entity is still active and there is absolutely no posting of any notice as to why this "service" is not available any more.

I note that David Lavin has posted here several times in the past few days but I don't see where he has mentioned this pending change anywhere. Why am I not surprised?

BTW David, I renewed my membership last year in good faith (despite not having had a magazine or an explanation for many months). Exactly how long do you expect my, or any other member's, good faith to last?

Steve

[Kerry Liles]

... snipped a wonderfully concise summary of the recent history of the CFC

BTW David, I renewed my membership last year in good faith (despite not having had a magazine or an explanation for many months). Exactly how long do you expect my, or any other member's, good faith to last?

Steve

My good faith renewal was the last. I see absolutely nothing of value. If I buy anything chess related, it will be from Strategy Games. I don't even know what it would take to trick me into having anything to do with the CFC.

[Bob Gillanders]

Hi Gerry,

Could you give the membership an update on the status of the Webzine please ? A posting on the CFC discussion board or a note on the website explaining the problem and an ETA on when we can expect the webzine to be up again.

Thanks,

Bob

[Bob Gillanders]

A prompt reply from Gerry, but no news.

Gerry tells me the webzine issue is in the hands of the Executive and suggests I ask them. Are they keeping the ED in the dark as well ?

Communication, communication, communication !!!

uggrrrr......

[Kerry Liles]

A prompt reply from Gerry, but no news.

Gerry tells me the webzine issue is in the hands of the Executive and suggests I ask them. Are they keeping the ED in the dark as well ?

Communication, communication, communication !!!

uggrrrr......

I don't recall any time the Executive kept the ED in the dark ... must be a new thing eh?