Problems of the FIP Web Sites Competition 2002

The answer from Mr. Francis Kiddle, Chairman, FIP Philatelic Literature Commission

We have got the official answer to the official PWO e-mails concerning the non-delivered Critiques of the FIP Websites Contest 2003. It was received the 22nd June 2003.

 
Dear Mr Manta,
 
I am sorry that you have found the need to write to me, and I fully appreciate your concerns.
 
With regards to the 2003 Competition, I will go on record as saying that all critiques will be sent to entrants within one month of the announcement of the results.  It will be a condition of membership of the Jury that full critiques are given to me prior to the announcement of results, thus permitting me time to review all critiques before they are sent to entrants.
 
2002 was a very difficult year with major problems, some extremely serious, with certain judges.  I still have very few critiques to hand, which I regret most sincerely.  At the moment I do not see a way forward to resolve this issue, but am still attempting to achieve something, however small.  It is not satisfactory, and that is why I am being firm for the 2003 competition.  If we can not achieve the target this year, then I shall recommend to FIP that the competition is abandoned.
 
In mitigation, judges give of their time and money generously.  Judging websites is difficult, and few literature judges have the necessary experience and ability to understand many of the websites that are entered.  As websites get larger and larger, the time taken to study them in the necessary depth, becomes longer and longer.  A hardcopy book is easy in comparison.  All of us attempt to provide a service, but sometimes it is extremely difficult.
 
I hope that we shall have your, and the PWO, support.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Francis Kiddle
Chairman, FIP Philatelic Literature Commission
 

The answer of the PWO to Mr. Kiddle, with copies to several FIP officials, as of 27th June 2003, follows.

Dear Mr. Kiddle,

...

... But OK, let's forget all these strange things, and let's concentrate on your lately received answer concerning the Critiques. I find your e-mail quite confusing, for the following reasons.
 
You write: "2002 was a very difficult year with major problems, some extremely serious, with certain judges.  I still have very few critiques to hand, which I regret most sincerely." On one hand, I don't understand how could the jury establish a Palmares if it hasn't the written Critiques. Do the members write the Critiques much later, after the contest? Does it make sense?  Don't the Critiques themselves serve in the establishment of the Palmares? On another hand, I don't understand why haven't you spontaneously informed the participants about the problems that you experience, about sure delays in delivering the Critiques, or even about the impossibility to deliver them? Why have you done it only under PWO's pressure, and only by informing me?
 
Therefore, do you consider the information politics of the organizers, that you represent, really efficient and credible?
 
Why should it be better in the future? Have you found new, more serious or more healthy or more ??  candidates for the jury?
 
You write: "... judges give of their time and money generously". We appreciate that, but where are the results? Just to mention that we, the philatelic webmasters, give much more than they for the philately on the Web...
 
"Judging websites is difficult, and few literature judges have the necessary experience and ability to understand many of the websites that are entered."  I agree, but which is the conclusion? Why should they be literature judges? Why not, for example, have among them several experienced philatelic webmasters? Please notice that PWO proposed already earlier its support to the FIP, without getting any reaction. There are also several qualified philatelic webmasters outside the PWO.
 
" If we can not achieve the target this year, then I shall recommend to FIP that the competition is abandoned." Taking into consideration everything that was written, I would say that you shouldn't recommend to the FIP to abandon a good idea. Please consider that philatelic webmastering is an important part of the future of the philately (and of its present too). What happened proves only that you have eventually falsely started, and that the rethinking of the whole, eventually with the active participation of the philatelic webmasters, has become stringently necessary.
 
Considering the actual situation, the PWO will not make publicity for the FIP Websites Contest 2003. But privately I will nevertheless continue recommending to our members to participate, and I will give myself an example by doing this, like I have made it quite each time.
 
The PWO, based on the experience of its most qualified members, is ready to make proposals to the organizers, in order to help them improving the present contest. But for this, PWO should firstly see them showing some real interest, and also see in the future more seriousness as well in their working as judges as in their communication politics.
 
Today the FIP Websites Contest doesn't serve the philately on the Web like it should, and it became rather counterproductive. So let's put it together on the right rails!
 
Best wishes,
 
Victor Manta
PWO

Please see below two comments from RCSD.

... I believe we can state for a fact that FIP has let down not only all (participating) webmasters, but also itself as a (serious) organisation. I am dismayed of a very "wordy" answer that really says nothing except that FIP does not intend to deliver. Their attitude is no less than fraud.

In Denmark the popular saying is: "FIP or FUP?" meaning "FIP or FRAUD?" (FIP means "beard" - V.M.)

Under the circumstances webmasters can live without FIP, but can FIP live without the webmasters and webmastering -- the modern way of displaying and exhibiting internationally?

Fédération Internationale de Philatélie -- Mon Dieu!

Do you FIP or FUP
when your website's up?
Can you stay to play
or just pay their way?
Seems t'me, the game's a hoot
No reviews to share the loot!
Webmasters come and drop a dime,
well, just this "one more time"

Links:

 
Published: 06/27/2003. Revised: 08/06/03 .
Copyright © 2003 the presentation
by PWO & Victor Manta, Switzerland.
All rights reserved worldwide.