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David M. Knights

IPMS/USA Member
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Posts posted by David M. Knights

  1. This apparently cannot be stated often enough -- as a non-profit we are severely limited in what we can earn from outside the society (non-members) without loosing that non-profit status - and we are audited annually by the IRS.

     

    While we appreciate the suggestions, this is not something we take lightly as we have to deal with it a number of times each year.

    We don't have a problem if we give it away, either to members or everyone.

  2. As John R says above, ALL OF THE ISSUES OF THE QUARTERLY AND UPDATE ARE AVAILABLE.

     

    One article at a time. For IPMS members only. The indexes are up on the website,

     

    I scanned them and indexed them. You can read about part of that in my article on the 1/144 B-52 in the latest Journal.

     

    One big bugaboo right now is Digital Rights Management. If we send out pdf files, we have no control over who copies and passes on our copyrighted material.

    And using a service like Zinio is more expensive per issue than printing, unless we double our circulation.

     

    Free information is a great idea unless you're trying to pay for the printing and distribution.

     

    Jim, first, thanks for having done this. However, I'd like to see more. I'd like to see IPMS USA put all these online and downloadable for any member. As for DRM, frankly I don't see it being worth trying to prevent it being "stolen". It is information we aren't using and I don't think we are going to sell it.

     

    Let's give it away and it may end up attracting some folks back to IPMS. In any event, we'd being doing something "For Modelers"

  3. David, one reason might be the variation in scanners, scanner programs and scanner skills. Then there's simply the sheer amount of time that'd be required. Plus you'd have to have someone to put all the resulting files on a new section of the IPMS website...more work for the webmaster...and on and on. Another possibility would be, for those of us with at least some of the publications and the ability, to turn the publications we have into pdf ebooks and made available to the membership for a nominal sum...some small amount to recompense us for the time involved. Remember, most of the scans are going to have to be tweaked or otherwise adjusted for optimum viewing...and the majority of our older pubs are black and white. Depending on how they've been stored, you also have to deal with fading or other deterioration. Then there's the question of copyright. Would we even be able to do anything I've suggested without getting permission or approval from the board?

     

    I'm game for the stuff I have...and remember, what I have goes back to the very beginnings of IPMS/USA...and I know you are for what you have. What say anyone else reading this?

     

    Richard

     

    I've scanned and PDF'd a number of older issues. It takes time, but not as much as you'd think. While I've provided individual members with copies of select articles from old magazines, you can't make them available or distribute them widely without IPMS/USA permission. They hold the copyright. I wasn't suggesting anything other than IPMS/USA making them available to current members.

  4. SNIP

     

    David, as far as your other point, a digital archive of all IPMS/USA publications that have been produced over the last fifty years, that is an excellent idea. If that is done, it needs to be freely available to any paid member. I have quite a lot of the early publications...as soon as I can figure out where they are. In particular, the early years of the IPMS Quarterly and Updates.

     

    Richard

     

    Sadly Richard, I have been advocating for this for 10 plus years. I've even scanned some of the back issues. I don't know why we don't make this available. Its not doing anyone any good locked up in a few old members basements.

     

    FREE THE INFORMATION!!!!

  5. Robert, I think we will eventually go there, but unless you make a near complete transition to electronic production, the cost savings wouldn't be as great as you think. (of course, the postage cost would go lower.) The cost of producing a printed magazine is all in the first copy printed. The paper and ink for subsequent copies is in the scheme of things, pretty low.

     

    On another point you raise, back issues, I am all in favor of making the back issues of the Journal and previous publications available digitally. Heck, I'd even give them away, but if we could sell them and close the current budget gap, that would be great too. I have a lot of the old publications, and there is a ton of useful info in them that is lost to current members.

     

    FREE THE INFORMATION!!!

  6. Add to what Gil said above, Judges are human. They sometimes miss things. At any show, including the Nats, the awards are what those judges saw and liked on that day. Different day, different judges, possibly a different result.

  7. If you are a member of IPMS/Canada, you'll notice that they've gone to having 4 printed magazine issues (RT) a year and they distribute an e-zine (BeaveRTales) emailed to all members 4-6 times a year.

     

    This seems to be a great way to get more content to the members and still have a printed magazine for the Luddites or those who just prefer a hard copy magazine.

     

    Is this something IPMS/USA should consider?

  8. My senior math project involved proving a hyperboloid could be projected into a flat shape, a question I asked my professor because I wanted to design a better cage mast in photoetch. After 6 weeks I turned in my research and informed the professor I had failed.

     

    A week later, I got my project returned with a grade .... A!!

     

    It seems I proved enough to him what he knew already. It is physically impossible to project this onto a flat surface. I managed to do the best I could when I designed the ISW cage masts.

     

    Now I am working on a 3D drawing of a cage mast to produce in resin when I get my laser stereolithography machine in a few weeks. I'll be making custom formed cage masts for the BB guys out there, in 1/350 and 1/700... possibly even 1/200 but I don't theink the machine will be able to produce one that large.

    I think sterolith 3d printing is the only way to produce these items. Like a lot of stuff, photoetch can't accurately reproduce the item.

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