Fate of the asopa.com.au website
06 July 2008
This is an important piece of housekeeping on which I need your views. In 2002 I set up the asopa.com.au website as the first ASOPA internet presence. Then, in early 2006, this ASOPA PEOPLE blog was established, since which it has taken over all the functions of the website and all of the important content.
ASOPA PEOPLE receives about 100 ‘hits’ a day from readers and is the main vehicle for maintaining an ASOPA internet presence. Further, in terms of a quick reference point to the ASOPA story, an entry I have made in Wikipedia provides a good general introduction to the history of the School.
It is now time for a decision to be made on whether I continue the old website or not. Money has to be paid and paperwork completed. My inclination, unless persuaded otherwise, is to let go of the original asopa.com.au site. You can email your views to me here. Or, ideally, let all our readers share them by clicking on the Comments link below. I shall take silence as mute assent that the original site can be safely discontinued.
Discontinue the old site, Keith. There seems no point in having the two sites. Your current blog is excellent and says it all. It's wonderful to see the rapid progress being made in the PNGAA and its interaction with the Federal Government. Also the ongoing increase in membership. Well done!
Posted by: Phil Charley | 22 July 2008 at 11:55 AM
Sorry about the spelling of privilege
Posted by: Col Booth | 14 July 2008 at 05:51 PM
All the ASOPA website material (except for some photos) has been transferred to ASOPA PEOPLE. And 'The Mail' will continue to be published each month as an e-newsletter and also as a supplement to this blogsite (see 'The Mail' under ASOPA PEOPLE EXTRA at left).
Posted by: Keith Jackson | 14 July 2008 at 02:23 PM
Masta Kit, we are not yet dead, just a little inactive at the moment. It seems logical that the original ASOPA website has reached its used by date. If the decision is to close it, we both hope that its contents could be relocated to ASOPA People. But Wendy instructed me to say that please keep "The Mail" going, if possible. She likes the Gossip.
I note that you have spoken again to the great Gough and his mate. At the Bikpella Pati at Southport in June, I had the priviledge of a brief conversation with another great Aussie....Mat Foley, formerly of Rabaul, and a truly great man.....Matt Foley was a Coastwatcher along with Lou Searle, Rod Marsland, Snowy Rhodes and Jack Reid, all of whom I had the priviledge to meet and know in Rabaul in the 60's. Matt also is lucid and appeared to be in reasonable health. I know that the other coastwatchers I mentioned have all passed on, and Matt may be Australia's lone surviver from this heroic band of men. He would be a very worthy member of PNGAA and his story should be told, preferably by someone like Peter Fitzsimon, but you too could do the job.
Posted by: Col n Wendy Booth | 13 July 2008 at 06:47 PM