Several members of the Guild of Battlefield Guides have written messages of support and appreciation of the site for which I am grateful - thank you.

A message was recieved from a member of the Guild that offered an alternative view. An extract from it is shown below.

If there is one thing that this world does not need it is 
ANOTHER military web site.

There are hundreds of thousands of them out there and they are 
all linked so that you can spend days or weeks  scrolling 
through them. 

To take only the areas in which I have an interest - specialised 
Crimean War websites carry more detailed info than TCBIA ever 
could , likewise Great War specialist web sites , WW2 specialist 
websites , SCW specialist websites and so on. 

If someone has a query about a battle or campaign they will go 
for an answer to a specialist ( like me) or a specialist web site. 

They will not go to a generalist website like TCBIA.

That does not mean that I am hostile in any way to you or your 
website but, although we may have a link to TCBIA from the GBG 
website, I will be arguing at the forthcoming GBG council meeting 
in July that is all the contact that the GBG should want or need 
with TCBIA. 

Information logged on it is either so superficial or generalist 
in nature that it is of no value or, is so detailed and valuable 
that it will be used or misused in many ways outside the original 
authors intent.

I hope that people do not see it as the only way to advertise 
themselves as guides because I hope , now that I am a badged 
guide, I will soon be offered the opportunity to advertise who and 
what I am on the GBG website itself.

Best Regards and no hard feelings



		

The message has prompted me to publish the thought processes that caused me to create the site and offer it to the Guild of Battlefield Guides and to comment on the message above.

If there is one thing that this world does not need it is 
ANOTHER military web site.



		

I agree absolutely that the world does not need another military web site. (There are thousands of new web sites created every day that the world does not need - but that of itself is not a reason not to create them !!)

My thought was that while the world does not need it, the Guild of Battlefield Guides might need the TCBIA site.

Before you jump to your feet and shout "ARROGANCE!!!", the reasoning behind the thought is given below.

• It is my opinion that the Guild should be something more than just a "Badged Guide producing organisation".

  It seems to me that if that it is all it is, it could slowly wither and die. Folks will get their Badge and the say something like 'OK, I have got my badge, I will just keep paying my fifty quid a year to allow me to wear it and get on with running my battlefield tours'

  It would be so tragic if that happened !!

• It seems to me that the Guild needs to be, or do something more than just being a "Badged Guide producing organisation".

  What that might be, I do not profess to know, but there are some obvious thoughts that come to mind.

• Maybe the Guild should provide some sort of Training.

  I hesitate to say "If there is one thing that this world does not need it is ANOTHER training organisation"
  BUT
  If the Guild does provide some sort of training, it means that lots of people in the Guild will need to do lots of work to organise, operate and provide such a service.

  Are there enough members of the Guild prepared to provide their time and energy to do that work ??

  Are there sufficient members of the Guild interested that have the time, energy and inclination to be trained ??

  Is it a "one time only" exercise, or will there be a sufficient 'client interest' to make it a viable ongoing venture.

  If it does flourish, is the Guild happy and prepared to handle the criticsms and objections of the big Training Companies ??

  Finally, will Badged Guides find a Training service sufficiently interesting to keep them actively involved with the Guild ??

• Maybe the Guild should publish a Magazine.

  I hesitate to say "If there is one thing that this world does not need it is ANOTHER military magazine."
  BUT
  Has the Guild got the cash to launch such a venture ??

  If the Guild does provide some sort of magazine, it means that lots of people in the Guild will need to do lots of work to organise, operate and provide it.

  Are there enough members of the Guild prepared to provide their time and energy to do that work ??

  Who would the target audience, what would the circulation be, would it be 'Cash neutral' or would it be a 'Loss leader' ??

  Finally, will Badged Guides find a Guild Magazine sufficiently interesting to keep them actively involved with the Guild ??

• TCBIA was conceived as something that might help the Guild to be something more than a "Badged Guide producing organisation". The vision for the site can be seen by pointing to and clicking here.

  I know and accept "If there is one thing that this world does not need it is ANOTHER military web site."
  BUT
  I think it could help the Guild to a wider audience. It could help the Guild to continue to be a living, buzzing, active, exciting organisation.

  If the Guild does accept the web site as an 'wholely owned subsidiary', it means that lots of people in the Guild will need to make lots of postings and join in a busy and lively newsgroup, in order to keep the site as a living entity.

  In short, the majority of Guild Members would need to "actively buy into the site" to make it viable.

  If such a majority does not exist, then the Guild should not accept the gift.

  Are there enough members of the Guild prepared to provide their time and energy to "buy in" ??

  Finally, will Badged Guides find the TCBIA web site sufficiently interesting to keep them actively involved with the Guild ??

• I do not know the answer to the questions about the way forward for the Guild
  BUT
  I do know that it is a question that need serious and careful thought.

  You might be interested to express your opinions on this subject - may I suggest that you could visit the TCBIA web site (Log In if you wish, but it is not necessary) - open the "Communicating" folder, go to the Newsgroup page and leave your opinions there.

I have taken the opportunity to comment on some of the other points in the EMail message.

If someone has a query about a battle or campaign they will go 
for an answer to a specialist ( like me) or a specialist web site. 

They will not go to a generalist website like TCBIA.



		

That could be true - it would be up to the Webmaster and members of the Guild to make the the TCBIA web site universally known and respected. It would be possible for the many experts that are Guild members to establish their own specialist areas within the site.

It is limited only by our imagination.

. . . . and it is for the good of the Guild, if the members want it to be !!

I hope that people do not see it as the only way to advertise 
themselves as guides because I hope , now that I am a badged 
guide, I will soon be offered the opportunity to advertise who and 
what I am on the GBG website itself.



		

I never thought that it would be the ONLY way. It offers a 'do it yourself' instant way of publicising yourself. Use it or not as you wish !!

I am moved to idly wonder if the Guild Webmaster (or the Guild Website Editor) have the time, the energy or inclination to keep and up to date set of member profiles on the GBG website itself. Believe me, for over a hundred profiles, that is not a trivial task, I know, I have tried to do it in other places.

Or maybe you say "it is only for badged guides" - if so, how would the significant number of members that do not ever intend to be Badged view that - is the Guild really only a "Badged Guide producing organisation" ?? If so, maybe I misunderstood when I joined !!

Best Regards and no hard feelings



		

Thank you for you best regards, no hard feeling were created. Looking at, and thinking about other folks opinions is part of life. Thank you for taking the time to express your opinions.