Online publications
Patrick Skelly (ScoutLdr@AOL.COM)
Mon, 30 Dec 1996 11:55:17 -0500
This is in response to "supply wish list, merit badge books", but with a new
title. Please pardon the length.
The idea of BSA providing Merit Badge books online is very much to be
desired.
But stop for just a moment and look at "The BSA" purely as a business. What
business classifications predominate? Three, in my mind. They are:
- Publisher
- Retailer
- Personnel Management Services
BSA holds the copyright on all of its publications. BSA sells the Merit
Badge books, and several thousand other items, as a part of financing its
total business.
Would the loss of revenue from placing just Merit Badge books online really
hurt BSA this year? I doubt it. Five years from now? Perhaps. But even if
I am wrong, BSA has the right to decide how its publications may be properly
distributed.
You can bet that BSA is looking at these questions right now. I'm not at all
comfortable thinking that they have the right people looking at them, but
that's another matter. We have no right of access to those people, nor even
to know who they are.
If BSA would listen to me ... they won't ... my recommendation would be to
put *Requirements Books* and real-time updates for them online - for all
program levels. Doing so would - my view - 'balance the books'. Fewer
Requirements Books would be sold, but it would be made up for by higher sales
of referenced publications.
Yes, I know there are scanned or re-keyed copies of requirements from priced
documents out here on the web, and on thousands of personal computers. But
nowhere have I found evidence that any of them were done with the permission
of the BSA *national* office.
When you come to *that* bottom line, we're not being fair with BSA. On the
other hand, BSA isn't being fair with us. They need to openly look at
emerging avenues of publication and distribution though people who understand
information technology, and can be pragmatic about its introduction.
(Hey, BSA, as you read this, I would like to recommend an international
expert in the computing field and eminent Scouter - no, it's not me - to work
with you on this task. But you have to ask me!)
Pat Skelly <ScoutLdr@AOL.com>
forum leader, Scouting Online, AOL
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Footnote: Please have the courtesy of not copying this entire message if you
find it worthy of response. Thank you.
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
