I have trawled through the posts on the open forum over the past year,. I cannot find any instance of a post or response that could be classified as infringing upon the intellectual property, goodwill etc. of the soc: even using the all encompassing definition set out in the chairman’s recent post. As a result of the forum posts I think I may be beginning to understand the logic behind and, the basis of the decision taken by the committee regarding access to the forum.
In my view thee committee has failed to understand the difference between the website and the forum. Those of the view that the forum is detrimental to the soc are mistaken: the problem they have identified is not the open forum but if it exists may be the website and in particular the links section thereof.
It could be argued that the linked sites contain information; possibly on matters that the soc might wish to claim intellectual property rights, that may reduce the incentive for Scott owners to join or remain members of the soc. However these links are to sites that exist in their own right and no action by the club can affect the content or existence of such sites.
To alleviate the problem the committee has identified would require that the entire website to be shut down or at the very least the links section of the site removed. Such action is doomed to failure. Google is our friend.
Finally can I add that the data upon which the committee based their decision has been powerfully challenged by Brian Marshall and as such it should cause the committee to reflect, that in arriving at their decision; did they had a clear understanding on the impact of the open forum on the aims and objectives of the soc and did they have accurate information on the composition of the open forum user base.
rjv
