SI MONTHLY NEWS NOVEMBER 2005 Editorial

From SI Exco News

Web members

Many Servas members own a computer and regularly access the internet. Of these many use email as their main form of communication, more than phone or letter writing. For this form of communication there is the strong argument that it is cheaper and quicker than either the phone or letter writing. It can even be more accessible. 10 years ago I was having trouble contacting colleagues in Malawi for a joint project we were doing. So I cautiously got myself onto the internet and the problems were solved. More recently a friend trekking in the mountains in Nepal, feeling that he was away from contact with the world in general, turned round to see he was by an internet cafe. So how does this affect Servas?

Some countries are now offering their members the opportunity of 'web-membership'. This means that those who choose this option will get their communications on line rather than by post. Denmark is one country going this route and says that currently they have about 30 web-members although they do expect this to increase as more people move in this direction. This provides the advantage of faster communications in that internet is generally quicker than the post. It is also quicker to type something and send it on-line than to print it out, put it in an envelope and take it to the post box. Another advantage is cost. Sending an item electronically costs a minimal amount and can be sent to many people at the same time. Sending the same item by post can become quite expensive.

So the questions:

Which other countries are already offering a webmember option?

How effective do they find it both as a means of communication and financially?

Which countries are thinking about offering a web-member option and would like to be linked to a country already doing it for help?

Your answers would be gratefully received so that we can help those who are looking at the possibilities of web-members.

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...... and from a Chinese proverb:

With money you can buy …

… a house, but not a home

… a clock, but not time

… a bed, but not sleep

… a book, but not knowledge

… a doctor, but not good health

… a position, but not respect

… blood, but not life

I look forward to someone reconstructing this for Servas.

(I received this from a pilot who had then added a reconstruction of it for aviation)

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inserted by Amelia