SECOND CHA MANAGER RESIGNS!!

Air your views regarding the CH Old Blues' Association, what it's delivering and what it should/could deliver. A chance to get your voice heard on what you'd like from YOUR Association...

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Katharine
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Post by Katharine »

How do you sign up for the CHA Newsletter? I have just been looking at the website, but didn't see it anywhere.
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Post by kerrensimmonds »

Dunno, Katharine.
You should have received it by e mail (though I did not.... but do know that several others did, today).
I suspect that wiith Zoe gone, and Wendy now on leave, the link to get the Newsletter (as an extra provision) entered onto the CHA website has not yet happened. Lou Barr is responsible for the website but her work is conditional upon material being forwarded to her. Given that Zoe is now in pastures new, maybe that link to Lou has not been implemented for the August Newsletter? Who knows?!
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CHA NEWSLETTER

Post by Foureyes »

Concerning receipt of the newsletter today when there is nobody in the office. There is something very odd about the transmission of the Newsletter, which is related to the computer system used at CH and in the Counting House. My understanding is that in the past when Zoe/Wendy tried to send the newsletter out to the standard Old Blue distribution (ie, several thousand addressees) the system just could not/would not handle it. As a result they have to send the Newsletter out in batches of 20, or so - which, not surprisingly, takes forever. Don't blame me or ask me why - this came from Wendy and it makes her very pissed off. You would have to ask her for the details, but I understand that it has nothing to do with Lou Barr.
:shock:
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Post by kerrensimmonds »

I am sure (in fact I know....)that you are right about Wendy having to send out the Newsletter in batches (with which I agree with you, this is unacceptable in today's technological sophistication). But Wendy is now on leave for two weeks. I can't believe that she did half the job, then bogged off with the intention of doing the other half when she returned? This does not fit the profile of the Wendy who I have known and 'loved' for more years than I care to remember.
I was most definitely not suggesting any criticism of either Wendy or Lou, in my last message - and I deeply regret if any such criticism came over to other readers.
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Post by jtaylor »

Correct - nothing to do with Lou (or I, in my semi-editor status of the CHA site)

The issue is a dual one I think - primarily the CH email system limiting the number of "To:" recipients for an email, and secondly internet spam filters which detect mass-emails and then flag them as "spam", hence meaning some won't receive them. The important thing is to ensure CH isn't marked as a "Spam" email sender, otherwise many more email could be blocked from them.

When I send the reminder emails for the forum, I've had to write some emailing software which sends the emails one at a time (and hence how you get your username in the email), on a timer - I can leave it to go for a bit, and it just keeps sending them one-by-one.

RE. the CH problem, I believe they have looked into commercial software which will batch-up emails into small numbers and send them automatically. BUT, this relies on having the email addresses in a format which can be imported/read by the software.
With the current outstanding work for the CHA/Counting House database, this seems to muddy the water every time.

Re. subscribing to the email newsletter - simply email Wendy (administrator@chassociation.org) and she'll add you to the list...
(Again, something we could do separately to have a "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" facility for the newsletter, however the steer is to ensure we don't do anything new which doesn't integrate with the database - but the database is beyond the horizon...)

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Post by sejintenej »

kerrensimmonds wrote: I queried the lack of the Newsletter for me in July and was assured that it had been sent (it was suggested that it had gone into my spam folders, though I knew that this was unlikely as I check them several times daily).
Kerren
So that (and June) was not just me! (and I also check my spam filters) though I did get at least one of those by snail mail. I can see Julian's points about
a) the potential for being considered a spam distributor and
b) the need to fit in with a database which is beyond the horizon (I suspect he is referring to an 8086 compatable one rather than Startrek)

but at least he has been looking at the problem for solutions.

On a different tack I wonder if Wendy reads these messages!

David
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Post by carong »

jhopgood wrote:The next Old Blue is at the stage where the office looks at the proofs as sent by the person who sets it into a format usable by the printers. (Quark for those who understand these things). Given that the office is now short staffed and about to enter the holiday period, there will undoubtedly be a small delay.

Forgive me if this looks a little strange - this is my first ever posting!

I have been following the thread about the delay in publishing the Old Blue, and have today left a voicemail for Sam Rider offering my services as a professional proofreader.

I'd be happy to help!! :D
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Post by kerrensimmonds »

Welcome Caron!
(Perhaps Georgia would like to get on the Forum, as well? The Emperor is a regular contributor....)
It would be good if your offer to help is accepted.
Kerren
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Post by jtaylor »

Re. the email newsletter approach, I'm looking into a formal "mailing list" facility we may be able to utilised, which would remove a large amount of admin - BUT, it would be independent on the database.

It would enable us to provide a zero-admin "subscribe" option on the CHA site, along with an "un-subscribe" link in each newsletter email, without any human intervention...

Not sure where we'll get to, as will have to carefully balance the pros & cons carefully....

J
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Post by J.R. »

I haven't received a recent newsletter either, and all my span gets dumped into my deleted box so I can quickly check I haven't missed anything.

Actually, we use IncrediMail which allows us to identify exactly who we accept as authorised incoming addresses.
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Post by Mid A 15 »

Mine arrived from Zoe's address yesterday
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Post by sejintenej »

J.R. wrote:I haven't received a recent newsletter either, and all my span gets dumped into my deleted box so I can quickly check I haven't missed anything.

Actually, we use IncrediMail which allows us to identify exactly who we accept as authorised incoming addresses.
Several of my email service providers allow me to enter an email address into the address book and any message from such address(es) is automatically diverted from spam to my email box.
OTOH I think that some elements in the information transfer chain block known spammers before their messages can get to the addressee's ISP - that is, I suspect, what JT is concerned about.
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Post by Vonny »

Mid A 15 wrote:Mine arrived from Zoe's address yesterday
Same here.
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Post by kerrensimmonds »

Well, I still have not received mine (neither to my home nor my work e mail address, and I used to receive it at both). Fortunately a Good Friend has forwarded theirs to me, so I can see what it says, now.
I did not get the July Newsletter, either... but in an e mail today Sam Rider (Director of Development) has suggested that my copies of the Newsletters are being diverted into spam folders. There is already discussion on this, on this Forum. I check my work and home spam folders several times daily (I have to, because of the extent of rubbish that I receive) and I can confirm that the CHA Newsletter has not been in any spam folder, whatsoever, thus far.
Sam Rider asks that I tell her of other people who have not received their August Newsletter, so she can check the e mail distribution list. Everyone.. it's sr@christs-hospital.org.uk.
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LATEST NEWSLETTER

Post by Foureyes »

Can anyone explain this, please? I received my copy of the CHA Newsletter at 0139 on 1st August - no problem there. However, I note that in the address box it is labelled as "From. zm@christs-hospital.org.uk" and "To: zm@christs-hospital.org.uk" with my name/address appearing nowhere.

I am NOT complaining, NOR am I criticising, I am just curious as to how an e-mail which was (apparently) sent by Zoe to herself ends up with me!!

:shock:
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