[H-GEN] Constitutional changes I will be proposing at the AGM

[Russell Stuart]

On Tue, 2010-08-24 at 17:03 +1000, Greg.Lehmann at csiro.au wrote:
> On the membership fees and online payment: Surely it make sense to
> make the online method the preferred method.

Only if it is automated.  Certainly the process will be automated from
the point of view of the person paying.  Whether it is automated from
the Exec's point of view remains to be seen.

The problem is if we wanted some wonderful streamlined system where the
money automagically ended up in our accounts, it would cost us a
substantial monthly fee.  So we can't have one of them.  Instead it will
end up in some offshore bank account [1], possibly in a foreign
currency.  (Offshore because we can't use Paypal, and the local ones are
far too expensive for our volumes. [2])  [3]  We then have to remember
to transfer it.  But we can't do it too often as doing the transfer it
also costs money on top of the %age fee.  And that is before we get to
the shenanigans Paypal and their ilk get up to with freezing bank
accounts because of their automated fraud detection systems, credit card
charge backs and what not.

I don't know which would be simpler to be honest.  Well I do.  Cash is
far simpler to manage.  It may be more work, but it is definitely
simpler to run.  You are I think looking at it as a banking retail user
who has become an internet banking addict.  Things look very different
if you are a vendor.

[1] Probably a UK one.

[2] Based on my google's of the net and looking at payment provider
fees.

[3] Despite my authoritative looking statements here I don't any
expertise in the area of online payments.  All I have done is a few
hours research on the net in preparation for implementing this system.
Input from someone who has had experience in dealing with several online
payment vendors (including paying their bills and sorting their
mistakes) would be very much appreciated.