Server Upgrade and Site Functionality Issues

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Thanks for dealing with the issues Darren and to Colin for forwarding them.

I've got no problem with the security of the site, just that I have to go through a couple more screen presses each time I access the forum and post. It's a hard life!

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 04/07/2022 14:58:33

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Darren,

Album links to feature articles appear to be working fine now. Thanks.

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by Darren Hendley 1 on 04/07/2022 13:00:26:

Posted by Chris E on 02/07/2022 13:36:48:

They are updating the archive but there is a real problem.

The text is great. Pretty well however much ou enlarge the page the text retains its clarity. This makes reading the page very easy – much better han before.

BUT

The same isn't true for the pictures. They are very low quality and just get worse as you make the page large enough to read the text. They really are very poor. The pictures are way below the quality that they had before.

I am mentioning this before they have converted most issues to the new system in the hope that it cn be changed.

As it is I wouldn't value the archive very highly.

Hi Chris, this is fixed – it was a compression setting which has now been put right. We are just working out how to fix the issues already there.

Thank you.

I await the update on the issues already in the archive and, of course, the issues to come.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by Darren Hendley 1 on 04/07/2022 13:00:26:

Posted by Chris E on 02/07/2022 13:36:48:

They are updating the archive but there is a real problem.

The text is great. Pretty well however much ou enlarge the page the text retains its clarity. This makes reading the page very easy – much better han before.

BUT

The same isn't true for the pictures. They are very low quality and just get worse as you make the page large enough to read the text. They really are very poor. The pictures are way below the quality that they had before.

I am mentioning this before they have converted most issues to the new system in the hope that it cn be changed.

As it is I wouldn't value the archive very highly.

Hi Chris, this is fixed – it was a compression setting which has now been put right. We are just working out how to fix the issues already there.

Thank you.

I await the update on the issues already in the archive and, of course, the issues to come.

I am assuming that you have realized that there is the same problem with the RCM&E archive.

Chris

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

They removed the old magazine archive about a month ago and replaced it with a few issues that had great text but awful pictures. Is anything happening with the very partial (most issues missing) and very low image quality archive?

I know that two weeks ago they said that the problem was fixed but nothing has happened. The articles in the archive have not been fixed and no new issues have been added.

As I pay for the archive I am feeling cheated both here and with RCM&E.

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Posted by Chris E on 13/07/2022 07:31:24:

They removed the old magazine archive about a month ago and replaced it with a few issues that had great text but awful pictures. Is anything happening with the very partial (most issues missing) and very low image quality archive?

I know that two weeks ago they said that the problem was fixed but nothing has happened. The articles in the archive have not been fixed and no new issues have been added.

As I pay for the archive I am feeling cheated both here and with RCM&E.

Sorry you feel cheated Chris – there is one person working on this, across four titles. It's a massive amount of work. We have fixed the problem with image quality, we wanted to do that before we uploaded any more. Everything we upload from now on will be fixed, but we have to upload the old stuff again – we will do this, but will concentrate on getting more years up first. There will be more boats and RCM&E added today.

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Anyone having problems wit the insecure site message on older Android devices – this should be fixed now. If you see it again, please let me know your browser and OS.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by Darren Hendley 1 on 13/07/2022 09:10:10:

Posted by Chris E on 13/07/2022 07:31:24:

They removed the old magazine archive about a month ago and replaced it with a few issues that had great text but awful pictures. Is anything happening with the very partial (most issues missing) and very low image quality archive?

I know that two weeks ago they said that the problem was fixed but nothing has happened. The articles in the archive have not been fixed and no new issues have been added.

As I pay for the archive I am feeling cheated both here and with RCM&E.

Sorry you feel cheated Chris – there is one person working on this, across four titles. It's a massive amount of work. We have fixed the problem with image quality, we wanted to do that before we uploaded any more. Everything we upload from now on will be fixed, but we have to upload the old stuff again – we will do this, but will concentrate on getting more years up first. There will be more boats and RCM&E added today.

Might it be a good idea to tell us when you have posted the new issues so that we can report any further problems before they become too big?

 

Edited By Chris E on 13/07/2022 09:57:26

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I have had a look at the 2018 archive posted today. It is now absolutely fine. Thank you for your efforts.

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Posted by Chris E on 13/07/2022 22:50:51:

I have had a look at the 2018 archive posted today. It is now absolutely fine. Thank you for your efforts.

That's great Chris, glad it's looking ok. We had to start completely from scratch as we weren't supplied with the software that runs the archive. I'm hoping what you have now is better – or will be. There are several years added to RCM&E too.

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

It is now 5 weeks since any new issues were added to the archive. What is not happening?

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Posted by Chris E on 20/08/2022 09:27:07:

It is now 5 weeks since any new issues were added to the archive. What is not happening?

Sorry Chris, sods law. The person helping us has left – I think this was too much for him! Then I was on holiday. I'll get some more up by the end of the week.

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

There are now 16 years available in the boats archive. Does anyone know how many years were available previously?

ARCHIVE LOGIN

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

I haven't looked at them yet but thank your for your efforts.

To answer your question the original archive went back, I think, to January 2007 which was when, I understood, the publishers started putting the magazine together on a PDF basis. Before that I was told that there was no recoverable record of the magazines.

The sight of parts of a 1984 magazine is fantastic. Might there be more?

Sometime ago I mentioned that it would improve the archive greatly if the free plans could be included and that digital subscribers had access to them as part of their subscription. You suggested that there might be progress in that direction. Has anything happened or be likely to happen?

 

 

Edited By Chris E on 02/09/2022 12:03:38

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Hi Darren,

I notice that the archive does not include the series of Annual Special Issues published between 2010 with the 60th Anniversary Edition to 2015. I edited five of these issues with the 2014 Warship Special being published in house.

Full list is

2010 60th Anniversary Commemorative Issue

2011 Construction Special

2012 Plan Feature Special

2013 World of Model Boating Special

2014 Warship Special

2015 65 Years of Model Boats

Do myou have access to these?

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 03/09/2022 19:33:39

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Posted by Colin Bishop on 03/09/2022 19:32:58:

Hi Darren,

I notice that the archive does not include the series of Annual Special Issues published between 2010 with the 60th Anniversary Edition to 2015. I edited five of these issues with the 2014 Warship Special being published in house.

Full list is

2010 60th Anniversary Commemorative Issue

2011 Construction Special

2012 Plan Feature Special

2013 World of Model Boating Special

2014 Warship Special

2015 65 Years of Model Boats

Do myou have access to these?

Colin

Edited By Colin Bishop on 03/09/2022 19:33:39

You don't happen to have the PDFs do you Colin? I've used everything MyTime sent me.

[Darren HendleyKeymaster @darrenhendley1]

Posted by Chris E on 02/09/2022 11:51:06:

I haven't looked at them yet but thank your for your efforts.

To answer your question the original archive went back, I think, to January 2007 which was when, I understood, the publishers started putting the magazine together on a PDF basis. Before that I was told that there was no recoverable record of the magazines.

The sight of parts of a 1984 magazine is fantastic. Might there be more?

Sometime ago I mentioned that it would improve the archive greatly if the free plans could be included and that digital subscribers had access to them as part of their subscription. You suggested that there might be progress in that direction. Has anything happened or be likely to happen?

Edited By Chris E on 02/09/2022 12:03:38

Hi Chris – I've now uploaded everything MyTime supplied me. 2007-2022 which fits your dates above. I also found that snippet of 1984 – if we can locate more older issues we will absolutely add them. If anyone has any scans they would like to donate I'll happily add them. I'll chase up the plans and see what I can find out.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

You don't happen to have the PDFs do you Colin? I've used everything MyTime sent me.

Darren, I do have PDF files but not sure if they are in suitable format. I have emailed you some samples.

Colin

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi all,

It's become quite an issue with the more recent Free Plans not being passed to Sarik to add to the plans available to purchase, this was always going to become an issue when another company owned the plans range other than Mytime Media who sold the plans range to Traplet who went under !!

Here are two of my designs which were free White Marlin & Osprey and two Wild Duck & Invictus of Allington which are available from Sarik

This is some of my fleet at the model show over the weekend at Headcorn Aerodrome , plenty of local clubs in attendance, and a good size pool for sailing.

Regards Ray

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I have been discussing the Special issues with Darren and it looks hopeful that five of the six can be reconstructed from the files on my PC. The 2014 Warship Special Bookazine was produced in house by MTM and the source files are not available to Mortons.

Colin

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Great effort there Darren in getting those copies input. It would be wonderful if earlier copies could be made available as well though I appreciate it could be a mammoth task!

Is there an archive of all the previous paper copies anywhere (who were the publishers before MTM out of interest?) though folks do dispose of large collections from time to time but I suppose those opportunities are becoming less and less.

ChrisF

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Chris,

MTM originally had a beautiful complete set of bound copies of Model Maker/Model Boats going back to 1950. I spent a day at their premises going through them looking for material to be included in the 60th Anniversary Special issue which I edited in 2010.

Since then, they went through several downsizing office moves and I heard that at one of these, the bound issues were not well treated. Whether they still have them I have no idea, I don't think the management placed any value on them.

Former editor John Cundell also had a more or less complete set and when he was proposing to move house in 2016 I arranged to collect them from him and they were stored in my garage for several months while I tried to find a suitable home for them as a history of model boating. Giving them to an individual was not an option as any suitable individual was likely to be getting on in years and upon their demise their heirs would not appreciate the value of the collection which would likely end up in a skip. The various institutions I approached simply were not interested including the Brunel Institute at Bristol who hold the MaCGregor model boat plans collection. Apparently modelling isn't within their collection remit and they had been obliged to accept the MacGregor plans as part of a larger bequest.

Eventually and with the help of Dave Wooley, the British Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port and who hosted regular model boating events confirmed that they would be very happy to take them and this resulted in me taking the collection to the Canal Museum at Towcester where it would be collected for delivery to Ellesmere Port. All seemed set fair but shortly afterwards I think there was a change of management and direction at the Waterways Museum and nothing further has been heard.I suspect that the collection may still be languishing in the boxes I put it in!

The British Library should have a full set of the magazines as part of their remit to collect all UK published material. On here Tony Hadley has a very comprehensive collection. My issues go back to the mid 1960s but I don't have all of the earlier ones.

Colin

[Chris EParticipant @chrise]

Posted by Colin Bishop on 05/09/2022 19:35:35:.

………………….My issues go back to the mid 1960s but I don't have all of the earlier ones.

Colin

 

If we could get all the way back there it would be really great news. Personally I would regard every issue added as a victory.

If this is going to happen would it be sensible to start with 2006 & work backward as and when possible.

 

Edited By Chris E on 05/09/2022 20:25:52

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It won't happen Chris. Who has the time to scan in over 3000 or so pages?. Plus bear in mind that that much of the material is of no real interest now, regatta results and show reports made up much of the content. There was a lot of stuff about NAVIGA which hardly anyone in the UK is interested in anymore. Yes there is some good material, plans for example, but there is a lot of time specific content which is irrelevant today.

It would be a labour of love and couldn't be justified on a commercial basis by Mortons or anyone else. The material back to 2007 is all on PDF files which are 'quick wins'. Just putting my Special Issues on will take me several hours and I already have the material on file but it needs to be rearranged in the right order.

Colin

[The Long BuildParticipant @thelongbuild]

Interesting as around 2010 I traded around 20-30 copies back to them as they were missing from their collection.

Took me a while but I have a complete set of Model Boats / Model Maker going back to Issue 1. The Wife is overjoyed with it !!!..As to complete the set I had to buy issues in bulk just to get the ones I needed, still have around 260 MB and 190 MMI to sell

3000 pages, more like 55,000

[Author]

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