Re: [ql-users] QL2004

[Jochen Merz]

Dear Geoff,

lots of things need to be said, but two are most important:

1. You will be missed.

2. I am glad I can return the compliment of the fact, that you never let 
me down too. And I believe that applies to your customers too.

Pity you did not come to many of the pre/after-show events, especially 
at Eindhoven. Maybe you would have re-considered your decision (still 
time to do it, another Eindhoven coming up). Same for Austrian and 
German shows - usually very nice events.

Don't know which of the traders you assume CAN nowadays make any money 
out of the QL scene, but that's definitely not me anymore. I think the 
time where J-M-S was running profitable or break-even has passed some 
years ago. But that's not the point. I avoided calculating the loss 
(just the travelling costs are enormous) - it's the fun that counts. I 
will for sure continue doing it for as long as possible, because I like 
the social side of it too - AT the show and before and after, just like 
Roy and Tony wrote. I am connected to the QL (or, more precise, the 
system SMSQ) in many ways. I use it. I like it. It has earned me money.
I wouldn't have seen half the world without the QL, I wouldn't have so 
many friends in so many countries and had met so many nice people 
without the QL, I'm very sure about this.
In less than 2 years, J-M-S will celebrate its 20th birthday .... well,
more than half of my total life connected to the QL - I can't think of 
leaving it.

Most of us had to reduce activities a bit - but that's natural. At the 
time when the QL was earning me some money, it was logical that I could 
dedicate more time to it. When this income was lost, alternatives had to 
be found and earning money costs time, quite natural. And this time had 
to be taken off QL activities.

I try not to complain, and I'm still trying to do my best in terms of 
support. Most of the readers probably do not really imagine what sort of 
effort it often takes to get QL Today out to readers every two months 
(thanks to Dilwyn, Roy, Bruce and the long list of every single 
contributor). The impact to other things is quite high, and as long as 
things are under my control I try to be extremely reliable. And the 
reliability and lack-of-response matters I raised some issues ago (to 
which you refer) have significantly improved. Sometimes things just need 
to be said.

So, some things just have to move a bit slower (which reminds me of the 
delay of the release of the high-colour stuff ...) but everything 
happens eventually. "Gut Ding will Weile haben" is a German saying,
which means (sort of) "Good things take their time".
I am still glad things are the way they are, because they could be worse 
(i.e. not much or nothing happening at all). A lot has happened over the 
last year; most of it is working fine - it still needs to be put into a 
distributable form. We are all working on it.

Whenever QL Today is in envelopes and in the post, so many other things 
need to be done which had to wait while I was preparing the magazine, 
that not much time remains until the next QL Today needs to be started. 
Pity, but reality. Since I had to start QL Today (it was all born out of 
desperation when IQLR suddenly disappeared ...) the programming time was 
more or less totally eaten up - as you can retrace easily. I still feel 
that QL Today is very, very important and has helped a lot during all 
these years it exists. Not much I can change here...

Out of the few hundred QL users there are probably as many usages of the 
system and maybe as many reasons to go to QL meetings or not.
But that's fine - because this individuality is what we all have in common.
I still use SMSQ for my daily work - QL related and not QL related.
This is not connected to being a QL dealer. Even if I had to stop being 
a QL dealer tomorrow (no, no, I don't plan to do this!!!!!) I would 
still use the QL. And even if I would not use SMSQ anymore (no, no, I 
don't plan to do this either!!!) I would still try to keep the contact 
to so many friends up. And I know from the past that keeping connected 
is easier if there is something which connects you, even if that's only 
the reason to meet or talk, not the subject.
I hope you will not give up the QL when you give up being a QL dealer - 
I hope you will still come to QL shows every now and then, enjoy them 
like we do .... and when you come to Eindhoven next time, just plan a 
bit more time in. Even Roy & Tony with their often tight ferry schedules 
make it for 2 hours to the Chinese - always a funny, interesting and 
enjoyable event.

Most of the things you say I agree with. And we do not just lose a QL 
Trader if you stop, we lose much more. And we also lose YOUR view of the 
QL scene - in talk and in your articles, often a critical view, often 
saying something which needs to said .. you too are part of the 
equilibrium you mention!
A very unique scene, impossible to describe, but definitely something I 
do not want to miss!

Jochen