MNZ and the internet

[scrivy]

Holy Shit! Did scrivy just post something serious??? Surely that can't happen too often.

Thats more like it........

Heh heh heh............ Cunt! Remove this thread now............ LOL!!

He obviously left his computer unattended, and a girl scout tapped out a few replies while he was entertaining the other one with his etchings..

She earned a merit badge for playing with magnifying glasses.............

[SWERVE]

I can totally see the point, smart idea Billy! Some of the conversations here I feel harm the sport in terms of the bigger picture, Sponsorship.
Keep KB for the razzing, that's the fun stuff!

At least the whole interweb world won't be privy and able to access the "sensitive" stuff?

I doubt MNZ are going be critical of sensitive racing related topics discussed in a closed off forum, as opposed to a easily accessed - open to anyone - don't even need to sign up to read - public forum.

EDIT: And perhaps link a profile to the MNZ license? So everybody is open and there's no chance of anonymity.

well said that man +1

[Billy]

well said that man +1

Ummm,I think you mean Lady,You remember what they are ..........don't you?

[suzuki21]

Im an ex mnz licence holder so therefore what say should I have now? NONE! I am not a current member, I have an opinion on most things but I shouldnt be allowed a say on what happens on the track or about rules. People that dribble about "I know what is good for the sport" may not even race or have been in that environment so I back Billy. Public people should have a say? REALLY? They have no idea.

[SWERVE]

Ummm,I think you mean Lady,You remember what they are ..........don't you?

Apologies to the party concerned........ didnt check the profile , just agreed with the post.... assumed it was a male poster.
So difficult to know the gender of people these days with anonimity of the net............ even have a problem face to face sometimes
more beer.... oh shit did i mention alcohol
Vagely remember about them "female types" ..... but racin takes up to much time!

RE - QUOTE Well said that lady..+1

[Genestho]

well said that man +1

How did you know I didn't shave my legs today? Hmm?

Ummm,I think you mean Lady,You remember what they are ..........don't you?

HAH! Billy, you called me a Lady!? (Cheque's in the mail) Hehe

Apologies to the party concerned........ didnt check the profile , just agreed with the post.... assumed it was a male poster.
So difficult to know the gender of people these days with anonimity of the net............ even have a problem face to face sometimes
more beer.... oh shit did i mention alcohol
Vagely remember about them "female types" ..... but racin takes up to much time!

RE - QUOTE Well said that lady..+1

*Curtsey* No offence taken, I'm ok with my masculine side....

[scracha]

Billy, I agree that a closed MNZ members forum is actually good idea. However, admin, getting folk to signup and "traction" is a first class PITA (especially the first item on that list). Many of us have been there, done that.

Why reinvent the wheel?
How about asking MentalTroosers to create a closed subforum on Kiwibitcher that a few MNZ member(s) can moderate
OR
Do similar with farcebook (generally has the advantage of real names etc too).

The anti Intertwebber old farts can keep using ye olde telephone and postal system if they wish to spend more time and money than necessary.

Also, how you gonna correlate who's a current MNZ member (and who's roadracing) without some sort of interaction with the MNZ secretary or online database?

Last but not least, you need to ensure that valid outcomes are made public if it's a closed forum. Dont' want it to end up as some old boys club where everyone who's not in it is left in the dark. Say what you like about Kiwibiker but it's openness has got a hell of a lot of people into racing, asking questions and finding out about events and rules that they'd otherwise be in the dark about.

[Skunk]

I'm with Billy on this. We do need a place to discuss things that may be legally sensitive or have far ranging negative impact on the sport as a whole. My understanding is the forum can be opened to anyone - ex-racer/organiser/whatever but the first method of getting in would be MNZ licence.

http://www.cakefarts.com/

Thanks Spyda - being looking for that... Best you don't ask.

[jellywrestler]

Thanks Spyda - being looking for that... Best you don't ask.

just be careful you dont get cake in between you keys...

[Billy]

Billy, I agree that a closed MNZ members forum is actually good idea. However, admin, getting folk to signup and "traction" is a first class PITA (especially the first item on that list). Many of us have been there, done that.

Why reinvent the wheel?
How about asking MentalTroosers to create a closed subforum on Kiwibitcher that a few MNZ member(s) can moderate
OR
Do similar with farcebook (generally has the advantage of real names etc too).

The anti Intertwebber old farts can keep using ye olde telephone and postal system if they wish to spend more time and money than necessary.

Also, how you gonna correlate who's a current MNZ member (and who's roadracing) without some sort of interaction with the MNZ secretary or online database?

Last but not least, you need to ensure that valid outcomes are made public if it's a closed forum. Dont' want it to end up as some old boys club where everyone who's not in it is left in the dark. Say what you like about Kiwibiker but it's openness has got a hell of a lot of people into racing, asking questions and finding out about events and rules that they'd otherwise be in the dark about.

Yip,

Ive had a brief chat with MT today and am awaiting an email from him with further info and the office were the first peeps I spoke to,to see how we can set it up,There appears to be little problem there,Have spoken also with the big kahuna as well and he is all good with it provided it is operated outside of the general office duties you guys pay them to do.

Nope I think we need a secure forum where we can discuss sensitive stuff with out prejudice and there is still always going to be KB for other racing type chat,Although I do have way bigger plans for the site in the future,Which would include pages that were open to the general public with all sorts of other info like events etc,

At the moment though the focus is on getting the secure forum operating as soon as is practical,April 30 is deadline for proposed rulechanges to be on the website for submissions,A lot of work has to be done before then .

[Mental Trousers]

Shane could probably answer this but couldn't there be a restricted access area here on KB?
For example access gained via MNZ reg No's

That's easy enough to do.

However, the problem isn't the technical stuff. MNZ is an organisation that cannot be seen to be associated with the utter shit that goes on on a site like KB. Having a private sub-forum on here you then run into problems with people saying I saw the MNZ guy tell everyone on KB when in fact it wasn't in the general forums but the private, hidden sub-forum.

Anything like an MNZ forum would have to be on a completely separate site, if only to avoid any sort of legal complications.

As for traffic to an MNZ forum it isn't as critical how often people post on there. As long as it serves it's function, ie to inform members and discuss various issues, then it won't suffer the fate of most motorbike forums. The trick is to make sure the members know when there is something there without spamming them every other day and that they all have access.

[lostinflyz]

surely a free and open discussion is the only discussion that's useful. The easier it is to find information the more likely it is to be known by all. Hide away behind barriers and no one will know what you want them to know and you will have no idea what you need to know. Most senior officials seem to be prominent members of most modern communication forums, apps, facebooks ect. but there seems to be a massive reluctance to use these to disseminate information and prompt discussion, bar announcing how rubbish we all are at knowing rulebooks and having decent discussions like this one. Adding new sites, forums or communication tools will only ever make information and discussion more closed, and therefore useless.

I have no idea where the whole legal ramification nonsense comes from. Not a single person on here voices an official opinion from MNZ as far as i am aware. Appreciate there are sensitive issues, but even these require robust conversation, the likes of which can sometimes be uncomfortable, but none the less are still immensely important discussions to have in a open environment.

[scracha]

Nope I think we need a secure forum where we can discuss sensitive stuff with out prejudice and there is still always going to be KB for other racing type chat,Although I do have way bigger plans for the site in the future,Which would include pages that were open to the general public with all sorts of other info like events etc,

Then a private "MNZ Racers" Facebook group is far and away your best option Billy. Until (if) google+ gets a critical mass then Facebook's got the best tools (has integration with PC's, TV's, tablets and moby phones...even older ones), is super easy to manage and is most likely to get MNZ racers using and discussing stuff on it. Because many are likely to be already using Facebook they don't have to fark about registering on yet another site. You also can wash your hands of most of the admin, forgotten passwords, legal, anti-hacking, site update stuff, etc

https://www.facebook.com/about/groups/

[Skunk]

I have no idea where the whole legal ramification nonsense comes from. Not a single person on here voices an official opinion from MNZ as far as i am aware. Appreciate there are sensitive issues, but even these require robust conversation, the likes of which can sometimes be uncomfortable, but none the less are still immensely important discussions to have in a open environment.

The best example I have is one we had at Vic Club. We used to run long track at Manfeild. Someone made a very public statement that it was unsafe and the only solution was an airfence. Once that statement was made Vic Club must run an airfence just in case someone crashes. Otherwise Vic Club faces very serious questions about whether it took 'due care'. Financially it's the end of long track at Manfeild.
Had that been done in a private discussion it could have been discussed. The same concussion may have been the result; but there could have been discussion.

Next issue is the 'dirty laundry' side of things. We don't wish to look like we're a bunch of dysfunctional idiots (even if we are) to sponsors and public. We can deal with issues, complaints and suggestions openly with each other without putting any public off.

Remember, this is a PUBLIC forum. You don't have to log in to read it. It's searchable on the internet. That to me is NOT the way to discuss organisational matters. I don't know of any organisation that does. Even clubs have Committee meetings that members can attend. They don't tend to have them in the local Mall...

If you want input into MNZ and won't use the proper channels something else needs to be done; and what Sir Billy is looking at seems a good idea.

[Dave-]

Having slept (well) on this, I think it's a good idea, you'll just need to make sure an old boys culture doesn't form.

+1 Billy it's a step in the right direction.