PCW guidelines & improvements in 2009

[Hugh Evans (PCW Editor)]

Dear Polo friends,

Only a year ago I hatched the idea of creating this little polo networking website to see if I could find Polo contacts in Singapore for the holidays. Not only did I hook up with some great people that December but since then this idea has spread like wildfire (Just in the last month we have had 18,170 visits from people in 131 countries!). Your enthusiasm has built PCW into a huge global resource and contacts directory to bring Polo people closer together. I’m a great example of this as I’ll be meeting with many of you during the Palermo Open in Argentina at drinks, Polo and at the final itself... pretty good for a part-time Polo player/ part-time computer guy who’s never been to Argentina to see how the real stuff is played!!

So with PCW’s one year anniversary only a few weeks away it’s a good time to establish some member-generated guidelines for the use of the site and to take on board your ideas to develop the site further in the year ahead. Over this year I have been offered a range of suggestions about appropriate use with regard to things like advertising, language, and unsolicited commercial offers... and enhancements to the site such as better search features, travel services, etc... and now I am opening up the floor to you all to make suggestions and offer your input.

Fire away...

[David Marlett]

Bravo Hugh. I remain a great fan! PCW is directly responsible for the launch of the first movie to feature polo: Of Kings & Cowboys. I have been perhaps one of the greatest beneficiaries of your most excellent idea. The Of Kings & Cowboys Group here on PCW is now the second or third largest PCW Group. And many of our investors came to the film through meeting me on PCW. (Note: PCW has not endorsed the 'investment' in the film in any way.) And thank you for relaying the 'making of' the film blog on the PCW home page. Though things have gotten a bit sluggish during this economic slowdown, the film is very much on track, and will be a HUGE worldwide promotion of this great sport we love. THANK YOU HUGH!

[claudia hodari]

PCW : Congratulations !
PCW : Keep on truck'in in 2009 !
PCW : Will improve yearly !

However, what a success, for me, it has already been in less than one year :

I personally met wonderful, new friend's like; Jennifer, Kristie, Uneku, Guillermo, Maria Claudia, Barbara, Jesse, Louisa, Rachel, Luis Daniela, among others, thanks only to PCW .

Polo 4 Peace was first promoted on PCW. Bg told of us of the Iraqi Polo Team's hope to play on PCW , and that dream was made a reality by Dr. Inge and other PCW members.

Now at Palermo, in 2009 and beyond, many more of us will meet face 2 face: as well as on / only after / and thanks to PCW & cyberspace..

My suggestion for improvement is: Let's all take more advantage of this site in order to meet. learn from, and support others in the world's fascinating polo community,

Gracias, de nuevo Hugh, y a ustedes... que son muchos y muchas para nombrar individualmente... C.

[G Bezak]

.. a language decoder ... whatever you write could then be decoded into whatever language you want .... ie. english to spanish or english to german or russian or asian or french .. and vice versa ... that would be cool ... cheers !!!!!

[Bg salam]

HI frind
super Hugh. thankings a lot what you did .I hope in future every things go to right and more progress in every where in world existly polo game .we will be happey if polo become OLMPIC or world association as FIFA.

[claudia hodari]

Why should Polo not rally around Peace ?

It's good for Iraqi
It;s good for Peace
It;s good for Polo..

Hello! My name is Kim Lute and I’m writing regarding your wonderful i-Report submission on Iraq’s Polo for Peace. I would like to feature them in a show called “i-Report for CNN” on our international network, CNNI.
Is there a good time I can contact you for a quick, taped, telephone interview? I would like to get your thoughts on your submission. Would tomorrow work?

I answered the question "why do you think it is important for CNN to Internationaly cover Polo 4 Peace.?

1. Because this is the best news to come out of Iraq in the past 7 years..
2. To help promote Peace and the date, September 21st , as World Peace Day.
3. Peace, is a noble enough cause for the world's polo community to unite behind while increasing Polo's image

I was moved when I saw this flag on PCW . Bg, I will follow Dr. Inge's lead and support Iraqi Polo Teams .

[Catriona Brown]

Hi Hugh - I won't be making it to Palermo for various reasons but hope you all have a blast. I really would appreciate it if you could have a separate area for commercial pitches - advertising section for travel, equipment, used tack, investments etc and an ability for members to report an inappropriate post in the other section. I have met some great people on line with PCW but have also met a lot of people who turn out just to be trying to get money and that makes me hesitate to open the site and feel somewhat disillusioned about the sport. I also do not think it is good for a commercial person to have the ability to automatically (?) be the first person to greet brand new members on PCW, I suppose ' report that as an in appropriate post ' would work or maybe just not announce new members. I think the only person/missive to greet new members should be a welcome from PCW with an outline of what's on the site and this would be a good time to slip in the appropriate behaviour rule.I am sure there is a way you can auto generate that to save your fingers! Also i would like to see/help create a section for bonuses and discounts for PCW members only and do you want me to design a PCW players shirt?

[Hugh Evans (PCW Editor)]

Hi Cat,

Thanks for your excellent suggestions. This is exactly the type of feedback I am looking for. I'll take it all on board.

As for a PCW shirt - fine idea! Maybe we could consider a number of designs from the PCW community (I'm feeling a competition coming on...) and get them made for distribution on the site?

Also - thanks G Bezak for your suggestion & BG, Claudia & Dave for your very kind words!

Hugh

[claudia hodari]

It would be super to have one of the teams at the PCW Polo Potluck Picnic in Pilar on Dec. 5th wearing these new shirts Catroina and Hugh. What do you think ?

Also, I have sincerely welcomed many people first getting on this site.

Sorry your not making it trhis year to Palermo. Who do you think will win ?

Hugh, keep practicing ... we have a 4 goaler behind you confirmed for Asia.

[Catriona Brown]

I love the idea about member locator for travelling.
Claudia thanks for the information about Palermo but we have had heavy rain for two months and my building projects are delayed and need babysitting, I will be standing in concrete dust and you in the grass! Boo hoo Poor me
Shirts - I don' think we will get the design and manufacture together that quickly, I am pretty sure we can get the manufacturing done here in Mexico efficiently and economically distribute from here if that helps
talk about going Off Topic! sorry Hugh we'll be good now

[Jennifer A Mack]

how elaborate or simple would you like the shirt design to be? I would be happy to give it a crack. I would appreciate the use of a couple of great polo pics of your recommendation to base it on. How many colors? Is is a small embroider logo for the pocket or a t-shirt style you want?
The first thing that comes to mind for me is black and white and one other color only.
The second idea is just the PCW logo as we see it above.
Of course I am offering my service for free. I think this site is very refreshing.
Jennifer Mack

[Hugh Evans (PCW Editor)]

Thanks for the offer Jennifer. Most Polo shirts are simple with bold colours. Some have bold logos others are one or two colours with a chevron, sash, in quarters, or in horizontal strips. Having seen your art I can see you have great talent. We'd love to see what designs you come up with - just bear in mind that the shirts are typically blocks of colour with a logo ironed or sewed on.

[Jennifer A Mack]

OK!
Lets see what comes up...and of course I won't mind if you take it or leave it. :)
I need a couple of days, I read above your time is extremely limited.
I'll give it a shot.