To those who have emailed with questions,

I received your email.  I am really glad to hear from someone about the Web Site.  The following will be a long response to your email.  I hope that you will forward this communication to any and all who may be interested at all about the use and accessing of http://www.ussbrinkleybassdd887.com .  First of all, I appreciate all criticism of my work and ‘Critique’ of the ‘Web Site’.  The only way I can make the ‘Web Site’ what we need it to be, is to receive feedback and then ‘Morph’ the Site to reflect our ‘Requirements’ and our unique ‘Function’.  Please bear with me as I attempt to ‘fill you in’ on the ‘enormity’ of this ‘project’ and the ‘magnitude’ of the ‘work’ which is being accomplished out of my ‘vision’ without any ‘tools’ to work with and with very little ‘input’ from anyone who may be willing to ‘assist’.  Feedback is a very important ‘tool.  I will ‘share’ with you my ‘Problems, Hopes, Vision, and Needs’.  It is my hope that all ‘members’ will ‘eventually’ ‘find’ the Site and then ‘use’ the Site to ‘fill their memory jars’ with everything that the Site can and will make available.  Again, I appreciate your ‘Interest’ and ‘Input’ and I ‘need’ your ‘assistance’ and ‘collaboration’ in making this ‘great medium’ available to ‘Association Members’ and all ‘Bass Veterans’.  Please look at the following ‘Points’ as a ‘communiqué’.

1. I have been working 40 to 60 hours per week on this Site for at least a month.  Everything I have accomplished is completely from my own ‘Vision’.
2. The ‘Site’ was a private site which was designed as an ‘Information Sharing Site’ only.
3. The ‘Association Web Site’ idea was not even thought of until we decided that it ‘Should be Done’ about a month or so back.
4. The ‘Association Function’ has been ‘Grafted In’ such that it will now be the ‘Focus’ of the Site.  The ‘History’ and ‘Chronology’ through ‘Photos’ and ‘Stories’ will follow as I/We very slowly receive the thousands of ‘Items of Content’ which are ‘Out There’ in ‘Scrapbooks’ and ‘Private Collections’ of ‘Memorabilia’.
5. I quickly ‘Morphed’ the Site to ‘Provide’ a ‘Skeleton’ which will eventually fulfill the ‘Dual Functions’ as the ‘Official Association Web Site’ and a ‘Depository’ and ‘Memory Jar’ for the ‘History’ of Brinkley Bass.
6. This ‘Web Site’ should never be ‘Finished’.  It should become an ‘Organism’ by which and through which the ‘Association Functions’ and by which and through which all ‘Bass Veterans’ can ‘Collaborate’ in the ‘Sharing’ of  the ‘Bass Story’.
7. Of necessity, the ‘Web Site’ is presently a ‘View Only’ Site.  In other words, all ‘Content’ will have to be ‘Delivered’ to the ‘Web Manager’ who will ‘Immediately‘ ‘Build’ ‘Necessary Pages’ and ‘Post’ the ‘Content’.  Anyone in the ‘World’ ‘WWW’ can and hopefully will access the ‘Web Site’ in order to ‘View’ the ‘Content’.  We have to maintain this ‘Open Access’ concept in order to ‘Acquire or Secure’ the thousands of ‘Items of Content’ that we want to receive.  At this point in time we have to maintain the ‘Web Manager Posting’ concept, because we have no idea who are ‘Members’, who are ‘Bass Veterans’, what is ‘Valid’ for ‘Posting’ or who should be allowed to ‘Post’ ‘Content’ to the Web Site.
8. Today’s Communications Concepts are a reality.  The ‘Internet’ is the only ‘Viable Method’ of ‘Mass Communications’ today.  The ‘Internet’ is ‘THE ONLY TOOL’ through which and by which we can keep the ‘Association’ alive today as well as ‘Record’ the ‘History’ of the Bass in such a way as to make the Bass Story available to all Bass Veterans and their children, grand children, families and friends.  The ‘Internet’ provides the only method through which ‘My Generation/the INTERNET GENERATION’ will get involved to the degree that we hope for, which will provide the ‘Collaboration’ required. This may be bad news for many of the ‘Members’ and ‘Bass Veterans’.
9. In order to get ‘New Blood’ involved in the ‘Association’, we have to use ‘Available Tools’ efficiently.  ‘Officers’ and ‘Board Members’ should have ‘Good Computers’ and have ‘High Speed’ access to the ‘Internet’.  They should have ‘Email Access’, and then use it effectively.  Members and Veterans who wish to ‘Collaborate’ in telling the ‘Bass Story’ or just hope to ‘View’ the ‘Site’ should have the same.  The ‘Domain Hosting’ company provides for enough ‘Email Addresses/Boxes’ to provide a good ‘Internal Communications System.  If the ‘Association Officers and Board Members’ provide for themselves the ‘Basic Tools’, we can provide the ‘Tools’ for ‘Effective Internal Communications’.
10. I have attempted to make the ‘Web Site’ as ‘Intuitive’ as possible.  It is basically a ‘Point and Click’ Site.  I have made ‘Buttons’ available for every conceivable ‘Scenario’.  Even though the Site is ‘Point and Click’, education is very necessary.  Many ‘Bass Veterans’ may not have any ‘Understanding’ of ‘Navigation’.
11. Who do I/We ‘Educate’?  How do I/We ‘Communicate’ with those who hope to ‘Use’ or ‘Access’ the Site?  I have attempted to ‘Acquire/Secure’ the Email’ addresses of a ‘Core Group’ of those who may be able to ‘Use/Access’ the Site and then pass the word.  You are helping in this ‘Search’, but we still don’t have a ‘Core Group’ to educate.
12. As I receive ‘Feedback’, I will start to understand the ‘Weaknesses’ in ‘Web Site Navigation’ as well as the ‘Experience Level’ of the users and I will attempt to ‘Educate/Train’ by ‘Posting’ ‘Aids’ to facilitate ‘Ease of Navigation’.
13. For now, I will attempt to ‘Share’ with you and all others the ‘Basic Concepts’ used in ‘Building’ the ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Navigational Concepts’.
14. First of all, ‘Navigation’ is accomplished through hundreds of ‘Buttons’.  If it looks like a ‘Button’ it will probably take you to another page.  Most ‘Pictures’ also double as ‘Buttons’.  Click or double click on almost anything and you will probably be transported to another page.  The ‘Button’ will have text which will define the ‘Page’ where it takes you.  ‘Pictures’ will take you to pages defined by the ‘Picture’.
15. The ‘Home Page/Index Page/Entry Page’ is made up of three ‘Columns’.  The Left Column is mostly ‘Informational’.  The Center Column is mostly ‘Buttons’.  The Right Column is mostly ‘Navigational Tools’ which facilitate ‘Navigation’ to the ‘Historical/Chronological’ ‘Function’ of the Web Site.
16. The ‘Association’ ‘Function’ is accessed by and through ‘Association Buttons’.  Everything pertaining to ‘Association’ is the ‘Light Bronze’ colored ‘Buttons’.  Most ‘Gray Buttons’ will take you to ‘Bass Stuff’.  Information about the Web Site are mostly ‘Violet/Purple’ colored.  Some ‘Brightly Colored Buttons’ down the middle will take you to ‘Good to Know Information’ for all ‘Bass Veterans’.
17. Until I/We establish ‘Viable Personal and Mass Communications’ with ‘Association Members’ and ‘Bass Veterans’, I will attempt to use the ‘Web Site’ and ‘Web Site Pages’ to ‘Educate/Train’ those who hope to ‘Use/Access’ the Site and those who eventually will ‘Collaborate’ and ‘Contribute’.
18. The ‘Buttons’ which I hope to use for ‘Navigation’ during this ‘Education/Training’ phase are as follows:  Messages to Members, Operations, Information, and others which will provide ‘Navigational Tools’ for ‘Everyone’.

Please access the Site and ‘Navigate’ through the ‘Point and Click/Button’ concept.  This is a ‘Skeleton’ which has very little meat on its bones.  The ‘Site’ is in a ‘Constant State of Change’. 

Please forward this ‘Email’ to any and all who may hope to benefit through accessing this ‘Web Site. 

Please send me anything which will enhance the ‘Site’ and/or add to the ‘Content’. 

The ‘Site’ is ‘Open’ and easy to use/view.  Pass the word.  I will do my part in ‘Providing’ the access.  I am relying on the ‘Association Members’ and ‘Bass Veterans’ for the ‘Content’. 

Thanks for your continued ‘Interest’ and ‘Input’, keep in touch, 

Bill ‘Smokey’ Stover – Association Historian/Web Manager – Bass Veteran – 1964/1968 

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