Nick,

You make a great point about how the internet has impacted this hobby in
general. 10 years ago the only way to find a plant was to look for an ad in
the magazine or telephone a grower and ask if they had something special in
their collection. Today we just get online and read the online ad
(webpage). If we find what we want we can email or order it online and
never have to talk to another person.

The other way the internet has really impacted the hobby involves how we buy
plants in general. I still love to roam around a greenhouse and pick the
best plant. Ask Al how much time I can spend just roaming around and
comparing one plant to another. But many time I can go through the Oak Hill
website and pick hundred dollars of plants that I want and with a couple of
keystrokes have them at my home in 3 days. 10 years ago we would have to
use a catalog, write a check, put a stamp on the envelope, walk to the mail
box.....ahhh technology!

I don't have any statistics but I know I haven't bought an orchid book in
many years. All the information I need is available with a quick google.
Pictures are here online. Care instructions are often more complete online.

I still subscribe to the Orchids magazine as well as IPA and ODC but am
reaching the point where I am wondering if it's worth the money. You are
correct that the $200 a year I spend to get the magazines could be spent on
a couple of great plants.

Good Growing,
Gene


wrote in message
oups.com...
Al wrote:
I am not trying to K-nock the AOS. I like the AOS, I have been getting
that
"Bulletin" (Now called "Orchids") since the 1980s, however....

http://www.orchidweb.org/aos/orchids/osd-listing.aspx
The grower/vendor listing above on the AOS website is an interesting
case to
help answer your question

They list vendors by state for the USA. When I first bought my listing
for
Virginia it was $50 for *two* years. Then it jumped to $100 for *two*
years. This renewal period, for just *one* year (July 2006 through July
2007) it cost $100. So the price doubled from last time.

In the early 90s, the primary appeal of the AOS bulletin was the
advertisements. Now, the ads are almost completely irrelevant to me;
if I want a specific plant, I google it. If I want to browse multiple
nurseries, I head over to orchidmall.com. Consequently, it is the
actual content of the magazine that is more important to me now. I
find more to interest me in the Orchid Digest, so there's no point in
renewing the AOS Bulletin. I don't submit orchids for judging, so from
a purely selfish point of view, AOS membership really isn't of any
benefit to me any more. For the cost of 12 issues, I can buy a really
nice hardback book or a basket full of seedlings.

Nick