Wouldn't this be cool with The Restorer™ ~or Model A News™

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

What do you supposed the chances of this ever happening with either the MARC or MAFCA magazine?


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[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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[Kevin in NJ]

It would be nice.

Then I could sell off my mostly complete set of both magazines and make my wife happy.

I believe Mustang club has all their issues available online to members.

Imagine if the JS were put into nice electronic fashion so they could be on hand held devices.

With what I see of the T club I sometimes wonder about changing vehicles. A nice brass T looks like fun.

[Old182]

Great idea, Brent. If anyone could make this happen, it's Helen at the Model A News.

[Model A Man]

I have the first 10 years on a disc that I bough from MAFCA.

[Jim Mason]

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Imagine if the JS were put into nice electronic fashion so they could be on hand held devices.


I OCR'd my copy of the JS and carry it on my palm. Along with an electronic copy of the oct 28 parts book, the standard parts book (isbell), a database I made from the latter two listing parts by use, by finish, etc. and a couple others. I also made a 5x7 copy of each book that I have in a three ring to carry to swap meets.

the only problem I see is with piracy. Anytime anyone see either the electronic version or the 5x7 versions they want a copy...and get p.o. when I won't give it to them. For each copy they sell of the electronic version there would be ?? copies made for friends, the club', for resale whatever. I realize the death of print, and all the rest. don't want to start that discussion...fwiw,jm

[Kevin in NJ]

There are a lot of arguments made about illegal copies. Too much worry is placed on loosing revenue to piracy.

Yes that will happen, lets be real, it happens with the paper copies too.

Research in the industry indicates that piracy does not really detract from the revenue. Generally, piracy tends to support more sales as people would prefer to try a full product before spending the money. A lot of the people that pirate everything they see tend to not buy anything anyway. So you are not really losing sales to many of the pirates.
If you base your model on the concept that people are going to pirate the materials you might be able to leverage your way into more sales. If you can find a way for people to find enough value in the material or the support behind the material then you may find more people deciding to purchase your product. It all hinges on forward thinking individuals in the group coming up with a clever marketing plan.

Back to the recording industry. The executives appear to be dead set on total prevention of piracy. There is a lot of our tax money being spent on trying to make laws to appease the recording industry that does big dollar lobbying. Not trying to be political, just a realist. The lobby effort has been the bases of a lot of odd rules that are being made today.
If you want to read more the wander over to this page:
http://www.dslreports.com/

In the end, if you have a good product priced right then it will sell.

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[2manycars]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

What do you supposed the chances of this ever happening with either the MARC or MAFCA magazine?


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Probably about the same chance as a snow ball in hell. I think the idea is great, as is the idea of the JS being digital, but I doubt if either club is going to do that any time soon.
Isn't it true that the model T club now has more younger people then the model A clubs do?
Maybe that contributes to the differences.

[Jim Mason]

I see your point but I don't think the record industry or software industry is a good analogy. In both cases your are selling multi thousand copies. In the case of the JS or MARC News/Restorer you are talking about a thousand or or three copies. 10% piracy of a record still leaves a big chunk of change for the record industry and a huge product catalog to spread the loss over. In a cottage industry a 10% piracy rate would really hurt. i.e. 200,000 music cds at $20 =$4,000,000 10% more 'sales' for piracy =$400,000 lost sales. 2000 Marc news cds at $20=$40,000 10% more 'sales' for piracy=$4,000 last sales. Also making the magazine available on CD would kill the Technically speaking book sale (How to Restore on the MAFCA side) The record industry can spread the loss over the millions(billions?) in sales for all their products. Marc has to spread the loss over the $thousands in sales. <p>You are probably right, CD will be the future...but how do you get there with out strapping the club?....fwiw,jm

[Jim Mason]

Vince, Good point. I wonder how it has effected there cash flow. <p>Even if I purchase the electronic version I would keep the paper version. I just like books I guess. Also I find that I have greater comprehension with paper. I also can proof read a paper copy much faster and with better accuracy than and electronic version. I've read numerous 'books' on my hand held and do enjoy reading that way, but somehow sitting with a cup of coffee/tea/whatever and reading is far more enjoyable. Hand helds/kindle/whatever just lose the 'feel' of reading. I have the national geographics on CD and find that I don't use them the way I used to use the print versions. (that magazine has lost it's appeal to me, big time btw). I also have MAD magazine on cd) The CD version has excellent search feature and make it extremely easy to find the specific article I'm looking for but, I now no longer have the collateral articles to interrupt me and expand the information I receive. It's much like the new fordbarn v the old. This format is much less time consuming but, I wonder how much I've missed because I don't get caught up in the sidebar conversations. Of course I'm probably the exception. I used to look something up in an encyclopedia and wind up 'wasting' and afternoon with all the other stuff I'd run across...fwiw,jm

[peters180a/170b]

If they were to be put on CD then who would want to buy the years of magazine of both clubs? Sorry i still like to get all 3 mag. in the mail. And yes Vince i am working on a 5 deep draw file cabinet too.I just started later..l.o.l. maybe because of my age.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by forever4

All good points, but how is the Model T club able to rationalize it?

I will pose that question at the board meeting next week in South Dakota but I suspect the time/cost to stock previous magazines, keep them organized, and then ship them is likely viewed as a low r.o.i. anyway, so this digitized concept probably helps preserve history of the club. The other Model T club actually produces DVDs for technical info. Also, so that we are clear, the current magazines are still sent in paper form as the DVD/JD only has issues thru 2009.

Originally Posted by 2manycars

Isn't it true that the model T club now has more younger people then the model A clubs do?
Maybe that contributes to the differences.

I don't know if that is truly an accurate statement. In the past few years at the MARC meets, you are seeing more youth activity, --but I think that can be attributed to activities for them emphasized more. The biggest difference I see between participating at a Model T national vs. a Model A national is how the family particpates. At a typical Model A national event, during the day the men are off doing their thing (tech seminars, judging, swap meet, etc.), the ladies are off doing their thing, and the youth are doing their activities. At the Model T event, the youth and (grand)parents are probably spending 90% of the time together during each day doing the activities.

I would guess the biggest possible difference is the way the two club's budgets are set up. I know the Model T Club Int'l has aligned their annual operating budget so that their annual membership dues cover these expenses. I also know that MTFCI club sales is not really a money maker per se' in their focus but more of a way to advertise and serve their members. Maybe THAT is the underlying reason for not worrying about piracy?? Let me also be quick to mention that if MARC or MAFCA sets up their annual operating expense budget structure using proceeds from club sales to subsidize that budget, there is nothing wrong with doing that! One way or another, the money must come from someplace.