New rules for BOM contest

[El Destructo]

                                       Scott.....................................

[Del the cat]

I have no idea what a subscripion in the UK would cost and how long I'd have to wait for the mag'?
I don't like E'mags, you can't flip through them the same as you can a real mag'.
I was under the impression that it was a two way street, this forum provides publicity and expertise given freely which benefits the mag.
Times are hard, in the UK we have improverished bankers and a government of millionaires to support.
Del
BTW. I didn't much like the comment about winning BOM would get me to jack up my prices. I sell maybe half a dozen bows a year at a price varying from cheap to my special 'pretty lady' rate which is a mere token.

 

[bobnewboy]

I cant believe all the hoo-hah this is causing.  This website is one of the most friendly and accepting I have ever found.  I love the site and the magazine, even as an overseas subscriber (UK). 

Del, at 68 USD (£46.80) for 3 years including delivery the printed PA magazine has to be the bargain of the century here in the UK.  Most motorcycling (my other hobby) mags here in the UK are around £4 per month, and not much less if you subscribe, so the price I'm paying for a 3 year subscription with overseas delivery is about the same as buying a UK monthly motorcycling magazine for year!  The delivery time varies, but I usually get my copy of PA a few weeks after publication.  I can live with that as there's nothing else quite like it for content and practical archery advice.  Compare and contrast with The Glade or Bow International - snore!!!

If I'm honest I'm not too bothered about BOM - although it is great to see what some of you guys can do - so that doesnt impact my enjoyment of the website and the magazine.  I have a full set of back issues as well, bought separately, as they are chock-full of useful info and articles.  I will continue to subscribe, but only for the real, printed magazine.

Cheers, Bob.

[JonW]

I buy my mags from a guy that has a little Trad shop where i live. I buy them there to support that gentleman, because I usually purchase something else as well. This appraoch by PA makes me feel like when the T.V. evangelist that tells me if I send him my money it goes a long way to getting me to Heaven. That (I hope) may not be the intention of PA, but that is the impression I get.

Jon W.

[yehti]

It seems that for some people if they dont have something to complain about they just arent happy.  If times are as tough as some are complaining about then it would seem that it would only make sense to cut back on non-essentials like, oh I dont know, internet service.  one month of internet service costs more than a year subscription to PA.  While I dont post much I do enjoy reading both the magazine and the web site.  Show your support for the things you enjoy and move on.

[Justin Snyder]

Lombard, you are right, SMF is free. Now that we established that maybe you could provide the space on your personal server with enough memory and enough bandwidth to support the amount of data that is transferred continually. We also need power and internet redundancy so that the server never goes off line. Im sure you also have the knowledge to set up the software and maintain the data bases, there are several. Oh and we need this all for FREE. Thanks......

[Del the cat]

...Del, at 68 USD (£46.80) for 3 years including delivery the printed PA magazine has to be the bargain of the century here in the UK. Cheers, Bob.

OK.. I'm suitably chastened, I'll just have to sell another 23.8 staves to cover it .
Or maybe I could just have your back issues
Del

[hillbilly61]

It seems that for some people if they don't have something to complain about they just aren't happy.  If times are as tough as some are complaining about then it would seem that it would only make sense to cut back on non-essentials like, oh I don't know, internet service.  one month of internet service costs more than a year subscription to PA.  While I don't post much I do enjoy reading both the magazine and the web site.  Show your support for the things you enjoy and move on.

You want to here about hard times, Then you should be living with me for the past 2 months and at least the next 2. My church has paid the electric bill which was over 400.00 because of this heat. I've made arrangements with other utilities for payments. Even our landlord is working with us.  We don't have the $ to do ANY of those things you take for granted, like going out to eat, movie, drive to the park, take the family to see the fireworks. Dropping internet service? I would in a heartbeat, but they would still get the $$ because I'm under a contract and it's auto deducted!!! TV. I dropped to the lowest package they have. so I can at least get my local news. Also same as internet. I think you're getting the idea. Sorry for the rant( which I never have here ) but some things should have not been said.

[dragonman]

I would say that the PA has to be the best forum on the net for learning about wooden bow making and probably has some of the most skillfull and knowledgable wooden bowyers in the world participating in it. The number of members is growing at a fast rate ,there are nearly 1500 members more than there was when I joined just a few years ago. The success of the forum must surely be contributing considerably to the sales of the mag.  It must surely be the best possible marketing and advertising strategy to look after and encourage the participation of the forum members. The quality of the forum vouches for the quality of the mag.
Unfortunately these days people are more interested in reading off the screen than reading physical ,printed material and this trend seems set to only get worse. Investment in the forum would then seem the way forward in terms of marketing the mag.
  Like Scott D said above, maybe if the forum could be more cross linked with the magazine to let its members know whats in  the mag. then they might be inclined to subscribe because they are attracted to it and want to buy it.
I have no idea what the mag is like, I've never seen one, its not for sale over here ( I dont think), Why would I want to buy something I have never had contact with, or seen the quality of? If this is my case there must be many others like me on the forum..... maybe. Far better to attract people than to pressurise them through guilt etc.

David Hook.

[yehti]

Hillbilly i am not, I repeat not, pointing fingers at anyone.  With that in mind there are always exceptions to every rule.  I am sure there are those individuals who are in dire straights.  I also understand there are the youths (15 year olds) that are on here because they were introduced by a family member who is a subscriber to PA and they dont have their own subscription but want to participate in Bow of the Month.  Again there are always exceptions but that is not the situation that most find themselves in, JMHO.  If I offended it was not my intent.  I hope that your situation changes for the better soon and good fortune again smiles upon you. Congrats for having a caring Church and support in your community during your times of trouble. 

[Kegan]

The BOM contest is part of the Magazine. Takes money to print the many pages of large colored photographs. The forum itself is still open and free. Is not being allowed in a contest really that big a deal that you would actually feel the need to NOT subscribe? It's not like PA is a big magazine either, and "rolling your own" certainly doesn't draw in advertisers like, "buying product X will kill you big bucks!"

If you like the magazine you should want to subscribe anyway- regardless of who says what, or what you can or can't do. You get it faster, you support the magazine more effectively, everyone wins. However this may have been presented it doesn't change the fact that BOM is a large part of the site as well as the mag, and it's only fair that there be some sort of carry over both ways. There certainly isn't a lot of "material" being taken from the forums for it, seems the forum is just becoming it's own entity seperate of the magazine. Not sure how "grateful" they need to be when there's no interest in the magazine, just more folks using their forums...

[ken75]

once more i am cornfused is it a subscription i need or a perscription   

you dont have to be crazy to come here but it dang sure helps 

[peshikthe]

my only suggestion is that PA wait until the bom contest  for june is over so that all the individuals who enterd under the old rule be allowed to finish the contest under the old rule and not be disqualified from the bom contest by not being subscribers and the july bom contest be operated under the new rule, instead of, if i may paraphrase" changing the rules during the game" if this is done the change will be much better recieved.  i plan on subscribing, it is a great site and magazine. awesome people, just my 2 cents.   

[Keenan]

Wow, Just reading up on all this and I must say that I am blown away by some of the offenses a few have taken.  Come on people this is really petty. Think about it, when you go to a 3-d shoot you pay anywhere from 10-25 dollars to shoot and enter the "contest" when you enter a fishing derby there is an entry fee. If it's a big buck contest or the lottery, it is a pay to play world.  If you win the BOM you are honored and certainly spotlighted for your achievement. I know that I have been given more honor then I think I deserve from the few times that Ive won and certainly have PA and the members to that for that. What I'm saying is this: Entering BOM is a contest that, at it's very roots and heart, was set up to pay tribute to those outstanding bows that you all create. PA didn't have to do it, but has offered it for our benefit.  I personally would feel a little embarrassed to squabble about being required to be a contributing member.  I am very thankfull for this site and magazine and all that PA has done here. I am more then willing to show it by my subscription to the magazine.  I chose this route before it was encouraged and I don't feel I was forced or coerced by any to make that decision. My .02

[mullet]

 ;DLombard;

 Challenge excepted! You gift a couple of Subsciptions and I'll donate to your ASTB Shoot. Geographical statistics probably won't work anyway.

 And, there is a few people that is  doing the most whining that weren't here a few years ago when it took a lot of begging and certain new rules to keep the Primitive Archer Mngt from getting rid of the whole web site.

 And for everybody that thinks the Mag is reaping all kinds of benefits from this site, just look at all the indignant people that don't have a subscription, but complain the most. This Magazine lives and dies based on Subscriptions, this free site is their way of saying Thanks.