Web space

[Ron]

Hi everyone :)

Time to stir the pot once again!
I have the old hosting space sitting around collecting dust. It seems a shame to let this just sit there unused. I want to give the space away to someone that :

a) Needs it!
b) Will use the space to contribute to the card modeling hobby *only*
c) Is *not* a vendor and has *no* intentions of becoming one
d) Will not use the space to conflict with this site but will work in conjunction with this site
e) Is somewhat comfortable with html, php and mysql or willing to learn
f) Will *not* plaster the site with ads, banners, click-throughs etc.
g) Will make the site's default language English although any other secondary language is great

The space has 500mb of physical storage, 100 POP email addresses, 5 gigabytes of bandwidth per month along with full PHP and MySql database support. The only thing that really needs to be done is a site installed and a domain name pointed at it. Any bandwidth usage that exceeds the 5 gigabytes per month will also need to be paid for by whoever takes the site. To avoid that problem, we can host bandwidth intensive stuff like new releases or whatever here. There is aprox. 1.5 years left with the hosting package

The space will be given to whoever can be persuasive enough and can demontrate their need and commitment. I know that the requirements are strict but we want this thing to truly reflect the nature and comraderie
of card modeling

All the best :)

[ripper]

Hi Ron, as we were disscussing that before - why not to slice it into ten-twenty parts? It could be used for displaying models to download, etc?

[Huey]

better yet, why not use it for a paying member site for those who are serious with the hobby and not contended with just downloading freebies? i mean think about it, a site wherein designers and members can meet online. i know this has been discussed before but this time, its an alternative site for paying members and still keep this site free for everybody. i'm sure nobody's going to complain about that

[Huey]

Ron,

from the looks of it, seems nobody really cares what you do with the old site. i think you've given enough time for everyone to put in their comments or suggestions. whatever you do with the old site, I wsh you the best and good luck

[Peter H]

Huey,

I think it's not the that no-one cares , it's the conditions that Ron has put on the use of the website.

The condition is that it's to include carmodelling and yet not conflict with this site is in a way a paradox, probably more to the hard work of Ron in producing a the "Carmodels" site with so many directions of endevour available.

As for php,sql,xyz experience, eh it's relative, you could just have one huge html page with all that would be needed, but again, this technical reqiurement would scare off people.

To set the record straight I put in an application and attachement of a proposed design and had my email stripped and a curt reply by whatever "anti virus" software manages the cardmodels email. Seriously though I doubt I could do so much space justice and a group of modellors would be a better proposition doing free models or whatever. Mind you since most card modellors are so passionate about what they do I doubt even a group could be constructed and function without testosterone getting in the way.

Peter H

[Gil]

Peter,

I actually wrote a missive which was never sent due to strong reconsiderations on my part...., but now this.

I think that Ron isn't looking for an instantaneous reply but rather to have us all take some time to think out the subject and discuss alternatives.

Abandoned sites with little traffic litter the internet. A site like this one is difficult to come by and what's even more miraculous is the number of dedicated and good willed people who populate its environs. That's something to treasure...., now what to do with free space? The technical requirements do cause people to avoid commitment but like all things these things can be learned but do require a time commitment that differs from that of cardmodeling (you can read this as "work"). The thought of better editorship on getting contributors to formalize their work for publication is one area that needs attention. With the right touch these could be arranged into a living online library/magazine for the art of cardmodeling. Ron and Rick have made a great contribution just keeping this site going and the hidden message that we're missing is that they need additional help and are asking for ideas from the constituency.

So, in conclusion, it's my suggestion that Peter H become the Chief Editor for the innaugural issue of "International Card Modeler".

I'm not sure Saul is still in business. The site was still open but hadn't been updated last time I checked. His site was having access problems making a visit there a real chore of patience.

Let's hear from the constituency, Gil

[Ron]

Gil, amazing idea. Lets get this thing organized. Peter, I concur with Gil's nomination of you to the position of chief editor. If you want the position, I'll make the site happen. I can handle any or most of the coding on the server.
See..this is progress

Ron

[Maurice]

Gil

Recheck your access to the site. Most of us have had no difficulty reading the latest edition of the ezine.
We have also been made aware of Saul's present circumstances and are hopeful that he will soon be able to return to full activity.

Maurice

[Huey]

well I'm glad this thread finally got going . sometimes you really need to say something out of the blue just to 'stir' the hornet's nest. my question is, do you really want to 'compete' with Saul's e-zine? It's still functioning and Saul is just on medical leave. Maybe this needs a little more brainstorming.

[Peter H]

OK...now that the "fog has cleared", I'd be glad to edit a set of pages as I get a free ride on the forum with a others hard work and lucre. Be aware I'm low tech. and KIS.

Also if you want me (or anyone for that matter) then you need
1) A "letters to the editor" forum.
2)Out of respect for who has gone before and a chance to stop a duplication of articles a publishing date at the 14th of each month.
3)Somewhere to put the zips of previous material.
4)A minimum whatever or it's held over to the next month...

INPUT REQUIRED!!!!!

[Gil]

Peter et al,

This is treading fairly new ground...., a webzine is a fairly new invention and needs to be thought out as applied to this area of interest. This site has most of the table of contents for organization. I think that we just need to think through what the focus should be for the content. Building? Technique? Software? Tools? Design Tips? And so on. Let's assume that we've got a great big clean piece of white paper to work on..., just what do we want scribbled on it? Think it over for a day or two and scribble some notes. Most of the material will come from this site and that should be part and parcel of the plan in the beginning. Just need to get a long term goal in mind to give the text some umph for a real purpose in life.

Thoughts for now, Gil

[wunwinglow]

I do hope some space can be put aside for storage of models for download, free and payware. The payware stuff could generate a useful income stream for the main site. While the site is THE BEST for card modelling on the web, the one thing we don't have are models for download!

Not only that, it might provide some impetus for those of us who need a regular kick, to actually finish something; no names, no pack drill.....


Tim P

[Square]

As an online E-zine I would really like to see a step by step How to ... as space and bandwidth are limited and Ron will allow this site to host pics .... do the how to there and the pics or diagrams here ... in the parts bin? ....
ie. how to use pepakaru and design the model .... as the model is already done all we would then be doing is repeating the how to acheive it
same with recoloring so on and so forth
start with the free or common programs that most of us already have
tell us what to click and when and why
and I really wouldn't advertise this fact of doing this as you might just get overloaded with members let them find it out slowly and build over time

[charliec]

I like the E-zine idea but think that the focus should be disjoint from Saul's e-zine at cardmodelers.org. We already have a fair amount of material in the forums which might be a good resource for a continuing e-zine feature. There are literally dozens of clever ideas and solutions buried in the forums which are difficult for a newbie (or even or oldie) to find. Extracting and summarising these as a sort of compendium of solutions wouldn't be difficult (although time consuming) and would be (imho) a valuable resource on the Web. This would, of course, be a parallel activity to the tutorials.

Perhaps we shouldn't think of this work as an e-zine but more "encyclopedia cardmodelling" with regular releases/updates. At least we wouldn't be slaved into a publication cycle - check out the editorial in the latest cardmodelers.org e-zine about the enforced discipline of timed releases.


Regards,

Charlie

[Peter H]

OK - I'll add a bit more at this point,

You have a resource that has all sorts of goodies, bandwidth, space and extra gizmos. Frankly to me the most attractive component is the bandwidth. It can let you put up material for a lot of people to look at. The rest rest in a way is icing.

You want an outcome. it can be an experience or an object (virtual). So far I read 3 votes for an experienece and 2WG wants designs. As I see it so far no problems, they can all be accomodated.

Frankly one thing I would like to add is the concept of "flattening" out cardmodels forum and teasing away at it to find all the things it doesn't do then showcasing them and after a period hand them over and move on to something else.

As 2WG has hinted I don't do a lot but I think I've read enough to see so many different concepts and I'll lend a low tech way of approaching them that I think you'll find it interesting for a while.

MORE INPUT PLEASE !!!