The VMR Magazine

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Ian Grace
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The VMR Magazine

Post by Ian Grace »

Trials are being conducted with a view to releasing the VMR Magazine online through the website, in addition to the hard copies and CD copies already available. The benefit to the reader of being able to download the Magazine are that it would be instantly available upon release, could be read on your PC or printed out - in black and white or full colour, it would be in full print quality, not photocopied (which really screws up many great photos). As a Word document (or actually one per article), it would be fully searchable (e.g. for a name, registration number, chassis number, etc.), and so on. From the Register's point of view, the production and shipping workload and cost could be dramatically reduced.

Members will probably be offered the choice of how they want their Magazine - hard copy, CD and/or online. It has been suggested that subs should be £25 for the hard copy option (with access to the online version), but would be reduced to £15 for the online-only option.

The downloadable files would probably be in Word format, not pdf's, which would offer more flexibility in saving, searching, extracting images, etc. , and more people probably have MS Word than Adobe Acrobat. And you could even correct all my typos! :wink:

I plan to put M 126 in the Members' Area some time in December (it's printed and awaiting collating right now), so people can experiment before making their decision. An if we do go ahead, we will need to rejig the Member's Area so that everyone will have an individual username and password, so that we can keep control of access to those who up to date with their subs!

If webspace permits, all back issues could be similarly made available online, enabling you to save and print all the foregoing Magazines in full colour!

Before we put too much effort into this, what does the team think? :D
DF9053
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Post by DF9053 »

Brilliant idea gets the thumbs up from me.

Adobe is free for a reader licence and in wide use (http://www.adobe.com/uk/ for the download), but the MS Word version would be more versatile as its easier to extract the pictures - not for those with low bandwidth though!

Jeremy
john49
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Post by john49 »

Herewith my support for the VMR mag on line. The advantages of instant release, fully searchable contents, and a lower sub are pretty compelling.
I look forward to a successful trial.
John McDonald
New Zealand
Ian Grace
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Post by Ian Grace »

john49 wrote:Herewith my support for the VMR mag on line. The advantages of instant release, fully searchable contents, and a lower sub are pretty compelling.
I look forward to a successful trial.
John McDonald
New Zealand
John, what is the standard paper size in New Zealand and Australia - presumably A4? The US is 8.5" x 11", which is the format of the printed Magazine. Each page is going to have to be re-worked if it is to print correctly on A4. This may not be a big job, but would only be worth it if there was a sizeable take-up. Incidentally, M 126 is going to the Post Office in about a hour from now. :D
john49
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Post by john49 »

Yes, A4 is the standard paper size in NZ, but I can't confirm for Australia.
Leave wider margins to ensure all the copy gets on to an A4 page!
While I like getting something other than bills through the mail the technology exists to speed things up and make life easier for the editor. Lets use it-what do others think?
SideValveMan
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Re: The VMR Magazine

Post by SideValveMan »

Ian Grace wrote:*SNIP* The downloadable files would probably be in Word format, not pdf's, which would offer more flexibility in saving, searching, extracting images, etc. , and more people probably have MS Word than Adobe Acrobat.
Adobe Acrobat Reader is free and is very common on the vast majority of computers today. Many PC software applications install Acrobat as the accompanying documentation is provided in PDF format.

The whole point of PDF douments to to protect the original document content from ateration/change (although with a little knowledge this can be done). Searching and copying is also possible.

Your suggestion of MS Word format seems sound, however the files might be quite large in size (?).

A possible alternative might be in HTML format (and zipped) so that the contents are displayed using any browser software (Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Opera etc) as these are even more common than MS Word and would even work on systems such as Unix. Zipped would mean minimum storage and faster downloading.

:|
Ian Grace
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Post by Ian Grace »

OK - trials completed successfully. M 129 will be the last printed Magazine and will ship by snail mail around early October, and M 130 will be the first e-Magazine. pfd and A4 format, downloadable from the Members' Area, and the password for the Members' Area will be changed for each Magazine and distributed by e-mail to all paid-up members at the time of Magazine uploading to the site. The Magazine will be available on CD for those who genuinely cannot download.

Between now and December the e-mail address list will be overhauled. If you don't currently receive the monthly e-Newsletters or if your e-mail address has recently changed, let me know.

In parallel with this development, all subs will be aligned on January 1st 2008. 2008 subs will be adjusted for each member depending on their paid-up date, and thereafter all subs will fall due January 1st each year. This will greatly help iron out the errors that creep in with quarterly subscription renewals going out and ensure that only paid up members receive the quarterly Magazine password.

Subs will remain unchanged, the savings in Magazine production and posting becoming available to support expanded parts manufacture and support of our rallies and activities.

Full details in M 129 and the October e-Newsletter.
Highlander
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On line magazine

Post by Highlander »

Dear Ian and team, As probably one of the oldest (age) member it must be the way forward. I struggle with just sending e mails and this reply, for me is hard work. What is bandwidth? I have a modern lap top and if the worst comes to the worst my granddaughters will print my copy!!!! Please all note my new address_- alisterreid@tiscali.co.uk. My subs are on their way. Alister.
Highlander
Posts: 489
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On line magazine

Post by Highlander »

Dear Ian and team, As probably one of the oldest (age) member it must be the way forward. I struggle with just sending e mails and this reply, for me is hard work. What is bandwidth? I have a modern lap top and if the worst comes to the worst my granddaughters will print my copy!!!! Please all note my new address_- alisterreid@tiscali.co.uk. My subs are on their way. Alister.
Ian Grace
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Post by Ian Grace »

M 129 finally shipped at lunchtime today - given a fair wind, it should be with everyone by Christmas. Every member will receive a subs renewal notice with the Magazine - unless they are already paid up to and including M 134. Sum due has been calculated individually for everyone to take them through to M 134, after which, in January 2009, everyone should be on the same page. If you would like to know what you owe, just e-mail me.

Every member who was at the Summer Rally will also find a CD of rally images in their Magazine - almost 700 megs of photos selected down from nearly 3 Gigs of rally photos received!
Toby
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Post by Toby »

Wow! Excellent work, especially as the camera I used was not brilliant. Look forward to receiving it. :D
if it's got wheels or chips - it'll cost you dear
Ian Grace
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Re: The VMR Magazine

Post by Ian Grace »

Just as our website banner proclaims, we are making history. By the time you read this, you should be able to find the latest VMR Magazine - M 130 - in the Members' Area of the website - as a set of Adobe pdf files. All in glorious high-resolution Technicolour. The hard copies will ship next week so will be with you in about three weeks. Or you can print your own now! 8)
chris lambert
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Re: The VMR Magazine

Post by chris lambert »

Despite my tendancy to Ludditeism (is there such a word?) I really like the new online version of the magazine. It is great to see the images in colour and at their true resolution. I will admit to printing the pages, so that I could sit and read a real document as opposed to reading from a screen, which is just not as satisfying as being able to turn over a page. The winter 2007 edition is another good read whichever version you prefer.
Chris
PS I will still look forward to the full, bound, paper version version dropping onto my front door mat. Strange really as I cant rationalise it!
Last edited by chris lambert on Fri Oct 02, 2009 7:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
DF9053
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Re: The VMR Magazine

Post by DF9053 »

This is great, despite the PC running like a snail at the moment the web format is brililant, and so quick, no three week delay to receive it.

A great milestone for the club

Cheers
Jeremy
Ian Grace
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Re: The VMR Magazine

Post by Ian Grace »

This really obviates the need for the CD version of the Magazine. Only four members take their Mag in this format, and it takes hours to set up, design and print the labels, etc. So I propose to quietly let the Mag CDs fade away...
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