Parker Letters....

[Mark Landskov]

....online? Greetings and Salutations! Now that we have online membership renewal capabilities, would it be completely out of the question to do the same for factory letter requests and payment? As always, Cheers!

[Jack Cronkhite]

Got my vote, if we're voting. :)

Cheers,
Jack

[John Dunkle]

Hey Guys!!!

Ummm - this has been discussed several times - and I have to say that Mark does an AMAZING job with the letters, so I will always defer to his input and preferences... I think that the issue is.......

Folks send in checks - and if the records exist - Mark Conrad does a superior job getting the research on its way...

But - if research information in the form of the factory books/records doesn't exist for that serial numbered Parker, Mark simply returns the check...

Now - by comparison - on-line payments are immediate.. So, if folks send in a payment (we now have their money) and if records do NOT exist - then it becomes a little problematic on returning the funds. As most know - in PayPal - PayPal takes a handling fee for each transaction. So - if we try to return the funds - all the funds are not there to return..? While a small percent, and might be inconsequential to many - it IS consequential to me - and I believe Mark as well...

Again - while I have some ideas - I would need to talk to Mark FIRST - and then present those ideas in unison with Mark to the BOD to whatever Mark and I might come up with and agree to on this topic. On my end - it would be easy to set it up and make it trackable - BUT....

The Research Letters are Mark's show - and I have to tell you - he does a thankless volunteer job for all of us... So I will always defer to Mark on this...

(Can you tell I hold a HUGE RESPECT for Mark Conrad?? He's one of the guys who say's "I'll get it done" - and just "does it" - each and every day....)

To Mark:

:cheers:

To all of you - many thanks!!!

John

[Jack Cronkhite]

Agree John. From the letters I see, Mark does a bang up job. Given the first step is to determine if records exist, once that is determined a single payment would work. Saves return cheque postage :) If a concern exists that the on-line payment may not be forthcoming after the work of determining surviving records exist, then I would think "contractual" language in the request might take care of it. I would like to think the crowd making requests is a group of honorable folks and that would be a non-issue. It is certainly a group of honorable folks contributing to this forum, from what I see.

The vitality of the PGCA, as an on-line presence, is enhanced by any action that can be taken without paper, ink, stamps, cheques and envelopes. I know the BOD will be looking at on-line enhancements and I think Mark L.'s suggestion could be another improvement.

For the coming generation(s) of collectors and shooters of vintage firearms, the on-line world is the natural order of things.

The paradigm has shifted a long way during our journey on this planet. Anybody else remember stick pens and ink wells and maybe even pony tail dipping. (That was pretty certain to invoke the yardstick remedy but almost irresistible when the circumstances were right.) :)

Cheers,
Jack

[Rick Losey]

The vitality of the PGCA, as an on-line presence, is enhanced by any action that can be taken without paper, ink, stamps, cheques and envelopes. I know the BOD will be looking at on-line enhancements and I think Mark L.'s suggestion could be another improvement.

For the coming generation(s) of collectors and shooters of vintage firearms, the on-line world is the natural order of things.

The paradigm has shifted a long way during our journey on this planet. Anybody else remember stick pens and ink wells and maybe even pony tail dipping. (That was pretty certain to invoke the yardstick remedy but almost irresistible when the circumstances were right.) :)



and I for one mourn the loss. I still daily carry a pen with a nib. Part of the interesting process of spending the summer restoring the antique sailing canoe I will paint this weekend was dealing with craftsman who cast bronze fittings and sewed sails and did business by the written word. It was refreshing.

But then again, my own father has said I was born a century too late.

OK now, off the computer and back to the book (entitled "Tattered Coat") I had started earlier whilst sitting behind our old stone house with my lovely wife, in leu of TV.

:)

[Dean Romig]

Tattered Coat is a great read.

[Paul Plager]

I'm new to our group, so I don't have a good grasp on the subject but I have been able to check on this site and been told that records exist for all 3 of my Parkers. Is this not enough to warrent sending funds electronicaly for the records? If this was done for all guns would there be a problem?