Mike Walter was kind enough to copy me on his response to my recent
submission.  I like Robin Pratt a lot.  My criticisms of the AMICA
Bulletin should not be misconstrued as a criticism of him or his
abilities.  I've not read the Bulletin since Mike Kukral took over.
He has my sympathies.  Editing the Bulletin is probably a thankless
job and having to rely on submissions to get it published certainly
puts the editor at the mercy of the readers themselves.

I want to make sure it is understood and that my criticisms were not
just about the quality of the Bulletin, but the use of print media for
distributing information to a group that would like to grow rather than
shrink it's membership.  If MMD has taught us anything, it's that the
internet is the best medium for fostering communication and knowledge
sharing for groups with limited membership.

I realize that older individuals in particular are uncomfortable with
totally electronic/paperless systems, but the cost savings alone should
be justification enough for AMICA to take notice.  I also understand
that having a physical paper medium has benefits because I can give
a copy of the Bulletin to someone who does not have internet access.

But that begs the question:  Is the hobby being best served by limiting
the content found in the Bulletin to paper?  Having free access to
the content on the internet would certainly help foster more interest.
My recollection is that the publishing of the Bulletin represents
a considerable share of AMICA's yearly budget.  I think there are more
interesting and beneficial ways to spend that money.

One option would be that AMICA increase it's preservation/education
efforts and spend money placing instruments in local museums or
subsidize the restoration of instruments in public collections.  Many
municipalities have local historical societies and museums which are
often visited by schoolchildren.  What better way is there to expose
the next generation to these instruments?

Other options could include organizing custom roll recutting efforts
or publishing even more reproductions of catalogs and manuals or other
printed matter that would be of interest to a collector.  AMICA has
done a marvelous job of doing so in the past.

I would gladly pay to have a nice recut roll or two or a frameable
advertising reprint once a year in exchange for my membership fee,
rather than a printed Bulletin every two months or so.  The Internet
provides us with ample ability to disseminate information at very low
cost and very high speed.  Having a printed bulletin or journal adds
costs that need not be there and puts up barriers of exclusivity that
do nothing to help the hobby.

As for the personalities of those who find these music machines
interesting, eccentricities are a given.  I realize every group has its
"characters", but collecting of any kind seems to attract unpleasant
people.  Too many see the hobby as being one of competition rather than
one of stewardship.  That is unfortunate.  No-one can change human
nature.

Ed Chaban

 [ I think the members of the mechanical music societies want the
 [ annual membership fees to support publication of a nice journal.
 [ Modern electronic publications simply aren't as appealing as good
 [ old-fashioned paper journals which can be displayed to guests
 [ without using a computer.  -- Robbie