The Internet Z Car Club (IZCC)

[bpilati]

Not too long ago there was a little scare that maybe the IZCC mailing list dying or dead. Well there erupted a lot of chatter about that. :paranoid:

I remember when this club began, and I remember talking to Mike about it. Anyone around then will remember it was not an easy decision for Mike and for those of us that support his effort to start this club. It was feared that a split would breakup the Z community and fragment it permanently. Well it didn't happen that way, but lots of other sites have sprung up since then. :classic:

I think and hope that Mike would agree that we should never let the IZCC lose it's status as the mother of all online Z clubs. I think we should do what we can to maintain its viability. What ever we should do will be a personal decision by each member. I just wanted to voice my opinion and bring this to the attention of those who may not know the history of the online Z community.

[Zak's Z]

I think we should do what we can to maintain its viability. What ever we should do will be a personal decision by each member.

I visit that site regularly, but I'm not sure I'm getting what youre suggesting. What do you suggest happens to maintain its viability, and does that suggest that something is in fact happing to that site?

Just asking for clarity.

Zak

[bpilati]

Not the site so much as supporting the mailing list and its existence as an entity. I would like to see some improvements to the site, but that's up to Carl. The site was designed at a time when web browsers were competing, and so was made in such a way so all browsers could access it. That is no longer necessary, and a little sprucing up of the site wouldn't hurt. But it was thought by some that due the growth of other Z sites on the Internet , that people weren't coming to the Z Home very much anymore, or participating in the mailing list.

[jmortensen]

Forums are just plain better than mailing lists. This coming from an admin of both a forum and a mailing list. I can tell you that there is probably 100x the traffic on the forum if not more.

I think the ability to look for what you're interested in and not have 15,000 emails in your inbox makes the forum format more appealing. That said I don't know that an IZCC forum would be much different than the classiczcars.com forum. I just don't see a lot of distinction between the two user groups.

[Arne]

Bryan, I agree - in theory. But in reality, I have tried to join the IZCC (and the mailing list) at least 6 times over the past 14 months that I have been a Z owner, both using the web form, as well as e-mailing Tony Fruzza (Membership Chairman) directly, at both his zhome.com and personal addresses. Has never worked. I haven't quite given up, I tried again within the past few weeks. Still nothing.

[Zs-ondabrain]

It took me five tries and many letters to get a responce and get my Z registered on the list of Z owners. I personally just wanted to see my name up there with all the other 240Z owners. But it took a little effort on my part.

It's not a regularly maintained site like CZC but the info is invalueble when it comes to Z car history. Keep trying Arne.

Bryan, I understand the whole "viability" issue but as long as the site is still there and accessable, I would'nt worry about it too much.

Dave.

[a7dz]

I belonged to the mail list years ago and quit because of the endless emails on subjects I had no interest. I still visit the site from time to time. But, quite frankly it does not have what I am looking for these days.

I too have registered my car there only thing is the numbers are not correct tried to get it fixed no go so far oh well.

[Arne]

It took me five tries and many letters to get a responce and get my Z registered on the list of Z owners. I personally just wanted to see my name up there with all the other 240Z owners. But it took a little effort on my part.

I actually got both cars registered on Carl's site - the first took several tries, but the red car got posted with no drama. But actually joining the IZCC and getting a member number has proven to be far more difficult.

[DeesZ]

I honestly see so much "difference" that I see no competition at all. I enjoy both sites for what each offers. I spend more time here, but am not a stranger over there, either. Loss of either one would not please me. Is there a way each could better promote the other? The Z-community needs both IMHO.

[Victor Laury]

Why not Merge? Why have two? Classic Z car is not a club. IZCC could adopt the forum as IZCC forum central. Keep the info site and mailing list intact. The ONLY issue I can see is IZCC is all models and ClassicZcars.com is an S30 forum.

[hls30.com]

Bryan,

Unfortunately you have just illustrated the one problem with the IZCC mail list. It isn't an active entity-that is not to say people don't R and R there, it is to say, the technology of a forum is more conducive to immediate interaction than a maillist. I have been an IZCC member for several years, and I visited the site regularly for years before I joined. I am on the list(as well as the roadster list) and I have always Read but never Responded.

In looking at my own use of Z home, I find that I have used it as an encyclopedia, and this site as a the neighborhood pub where I can cary on a conversation conversation-but with a tape recorder function-I have even refered to Zhome in responding here.

The technology of the IZCC maillisthas not kept up with the convenience of a true forum.

Zhome has tremendous value in its information, but in all honesty, a maillist as a meeting place is like washing your car with water carried a bucket filled with a hand pump, while a forum based conversations are more akin to using a variable pressure washer at the local carwash. They will both get the job done, but given a choice...

In order for the list to grow, it must evolve into something more readily interactive.

I don't say any of this to critisize what is and what has been the IZCC only to call to attention that the goals have not changed, but the effective technology to attain them has.

Will

[Mr Camouflage]

I actually got both cars registered on Carl's site - the first took several tries, but the red car got posted with no drama. But actually joining the IZCC and getting a member number has proven to be far more difficult.

Mainling lists, arent for me. I prefer forums, and this is the best Z forum I know of.

Didn't Mike arrange something with the IZCC so that when you signed up here you got a IZCC number. I recall being told I had a IZCC number because I was a members here, but have never tried to join the IZCC. I cant find anywhere that tells me my number now though. Or maybe that was a CZCC number? Anyways, the important thing was I had an onion in my belt, as it was the style at the time.

this might have been it: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6077&highlight=IZCC+number

It seems that feature got lost in an upgrade. I wonder if we still get discounts at places?