[TheForge] Conference Light

[Saint Phlip]

On 3/2/07, Bruce Freeman <FREEMAB at pt.fdah.com> wrote:
> Phlip,
>
> Don't waste time polling.  Polling has to be done aggressively like the professionals do to get enough response to be meaningful.  Before that, even, you need professionals to set up the questions to not bias the answers.  But the short answer is, don't bother with polling.  People don't return questionaires.  People don't like filling them out.

I hear you Bruce, but we've got to start somewhere.

> You're much better off taking a good idea, vetting it with folks who may have useful opinions, and going with it.  We're not dealing with a black or white issue, like an election.

Ah, well, blacksmiths ALWAYS have opinions, although how useful the
are, erm, can vary ;-)

> If BAM isn't going to hold the conference, then just go with it - but don't really expect ABANA to help.  Instead, put together a preliminary proposal of what you'd like to do, then engage the regional chapters (Say, MD/VA to Ohio to NY to NE) to cosponsor a regional blacksmithing conference.  If you get enthusiasm, do it.
>
> Bruce
> NJ

Well, I seem to have bitten into an elephant, or at least a large
steer, so I'm going to try to keep biting, at least until my dentures
slip ;-) I'm going to try this poll business as a start- at least when
I'm done, people can't say they didn't have a chance to express their
opinions. Meantime, I'm still looking at holding a conference. The
more questions I see, the more doable it looks. And, if I get too
frustrated, I can always slap some metal with a hammer ;-)

-- 
Saint Phlip

Heat it up
Hit it hard
Repent as necessary.

Priorities:

It's the smith who makes the tools, not the tools which make the smith.