Postcard Exchange : Time to split into groups?

[BWKate]

I don't mind sending the 40 or so postcards if everyone does their part and honours their committment. The only problem I'm having is the price but I'm willing to keep on going if everyone makes an effort to mail their cards. We still have some more to come from Round#6. On postage I spent $25.00 for Round #5 and $40.00 for Round #6. In Canada they don't give a special rate for postcards they charge the regular rate for anything up to 50gms. And for international it's double. Not that I mind. I'm just a little poor right now. For Round # 5 only one person didn't send a postcard and that person emailed me personally after I gently enquired. I will stay in then as long as I can. It is worth it.
BWKate

[SteveH]

Hrmm. Perhaps we're going about this the wrong way ? How about this:
Limiting the exchange to two times a year. Once in the spring to dig us out of the cabin feaver, and once mid-fall to decorate our houses for the holidays (note - this will work out for those south of the equator as well...abit in reverse ).
We haven't even gotten all of the cards from round 6, and people are already looking towards round 7. For me, as with Kate, the expense is one part of it - but quite frankly, I don't have that many good negs to use yet either .

[Nige]

I sent out my cards a week ago.

Got it yesterday!

[Mick Fagan]

Yes Bob F. I got mine yesterday as well, must have been the same postie as Nige. Full moon eh, any wolves howling in ther background?

Mick.

[Bob F.]

Yes Bob F. I got mine yesterday as well, must have been the same postie as Nige. Full moon eh, any wolves howling in ther background?

Mick.

Not in the UK - I think we ate them all centuries ago... I did once see a really annoyed badger (badgers taste even worse than hedgehogs) but that probably doesn't count...

[gr82bart]

I still say we wait and see until Round 6 is near completion before we decide on anything. We still have about a third of the folks who haven't sent their postcards yet. Call me skeptical, but I think the 'deadbeat' (there's that word again) rate will increase as the numbers increase. Where's that "half empty or half full" thread again?

Regards, Art.

[reellis67]

I like the idea of increasing the time between exchanges, but I think two per year sounds a little infrequent. I'd like to have a bit more time to print during an exchange - say an extra month. The print exchanges are not bad because it's only one print, or four for the group exchange, but 50 postcards will take me quite some time to print. I have a temporary setup and only have the capacity (time/space) to print about 20 cards per session, max, and that includes the mistakes. For the last exchange it took me 4 sessions at one per week (best I can do). I'm planning on getting started printing for the next exchange, but I'm busier than a one armed paper hanger right now so I don't know when I can get a head start.

As for splitting, I have to say that I strongly prefer to have the larger group. The steady flow of cards over two or three weeks is really quite nice and a smaller group would likely diminish the enjoyment of the exchange.

Please count me in regardless of the change, or lack thereof, in the scheduling for the next round. I've managed to make it on time so far - although it was close - so I think I can keep up this time too.

- Randy

[Shmoo]

One of the upsides of having a single group is that you all get to see what was sent out. In the print exchange, you generally only see a few pieces of work. That being said, however, if the postage or cost gets to be too high, you'll only get images from people who can "afford it" and will be missing out on some great images. You might want to see how many people sign up in the next round to decide what to do. If 200 people sign up, how many could afford it? If 100 sign up? 75, 60, 50...? I smell a poll in the making...

[Nige]

Looks like the vocal majority are willing to go to about 50 cards before making a switch to groups, so for this month (Round 7) we'll stick with the plan and it's "in once, in all".

I've half written a program that allows each person to specify their desired maximum number of cards. Just need to tidy it up a little and work out how to email each persons individual list from within MS-Access. We can have a poll over the next 3mths or so.

Thanks for your input.

Regards, Nige

[Nige]

Just a final note from me... I have the ability to produce and email individual lists based on maximum desired cards by person. Those that select the 'all' option (if this is ever implemented) would get a list with as many postcard "buddies" as I can create (slightly reduced from the total participants due to some having their personal limits)