Yup, I knew I was bucking the tide here.
My lists reach a direct base of over 7,000, and about 20,000 indirectly,
in the nonprofit world (take a look at
<http://CharityChannel.com/Forums/>). We reach charities of all sizes,
shapes and budgets. Yet, we've taken an exactly opposite approach to HTML,
as I've said.
I'm going to really alarm some of you with this: Not only do we permit if
not encourage HTML, but my organization regularly sends out web pages by
using the Netscape send feature. It allows us to provide the vast majority
of subscribers -- who have free Netscape or Internet Explorer browsers --
to receive surveys, job announcements, articles, and so on exactly as they
were created for the web site. We also send a text version at the same
time, so the small minority of folks who can't see HTML will have a text
version.
Not only that, but I also send out compressed video files with
self-executing applications, so that folks with Win95/98/NT can click and
play messages -- usually kept under one minute and 500kb in size. I'm also
getting ready to create a "radio" feature where we send self-executing
sound files to the audience.
I realize that by staying even with the technology curve, we will leave
some behind; but not most. If those left behind want to catch up, they can
go to Earthlink or (gasp) AOL and plunk down 20 bucks a month -- even an
old Windows 286 running Win3.1 can handle this stuff. Why should the rest
of us lose out on the wonders that technology is bringing because a
minority are still using the computer equivalent of stone tablets and
chisels? The trends in connectivity and hardware -- even hand-me-downs --
are toward ever increasing power and bandwidth. If we keep dumbing down
things, don't we take away the incentive for folks to upgrade?
Stephen C. Nill, J.D.
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AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY REVIEW
30021 Tomas Street, Suite 300
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 USA
Telephone: 949-589-5938
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