Is it true that our access to the digital archive going to disappear?

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Is it true that our access to the digital archive going to disappear?

This topic has 113 replies, 31 voices, and was last updated 19 August 2013 at 12:26 by PekkaNF.

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8 July 2013 at 20:09 #38864
The Merry Miller
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@themerrymiller
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8 July 2013 at 20:09 #124132
The Merry Miller
Participant
@themerrymiller
Evening all,

I have noticed that in the MEW issue 205 something that could be the beginning of an exodus!!!

On page 8, there is an advert for taking out a new subscription for the magazine.

The implication is that you pay £44.50 for the year for 13 issues only. It makes no mention of free access to the digital archive anymore.

Have I missed something or is is it true?

It used to be a selling point giving digital access to back issues but not apparently any more.

It was last mentioned, as part of a new subscriber package, in issue 201, from then nothing!!!

Len. P.

P.S. Perhaps DC1 could comment.

Edited By JasonB on 08/07/2013 20:45:19
8 July 2013 at 20:20 #124133
JasonB
Moderator
@jasonb
Well the website is still saying subscribers get access to the digital archive but it would not be the first time MHS have said different things in different places.

It would be worth copying this page if you have taken out a subscription expecting access should it not be forthcomming.

J

Edited By JasonB on 08/07/2013 20:46:12
8 July 2013 at 20:42 #124136
The Merry Miller
Participant
@themerrymiller
Hi Jason,

Yes please if it's not too much trouble.

My own subscription, I can't remember when I took the existing one out.

Does the subscription manager send out reminders? like with (most) other magazines.

Some of my magazines, they come back for a renewed subscription when you have six to nine months left (at a hefty discount mind)

Might be worth MEW taking a leaf from their books.

Len. P.

Edited By The Merry Miller on 08/07/2013 20:46:47
8 July 2013 at 21:16 #124138
John Coates
Participant
@johncoates48577
I think with MEW once you subscribe that's your rate forever, If you want to unsubscribe then resubscribe to get a free gift then you take the risk of a higher subscritpion rate. As has been said elsewhere if they contact you, you might unsubscribe and they've lost income, so they don't run that risk.

My Linux Format subscription has been going since issue #1 and never gone up. I started with MEW about issue #162

John
8 July 2013 at 21:36 #124141
Robbo
Participant
@robbo
JasonB,

I think the important point to note in your link is the question "are you a DIGITAL or PRINT + DIGITAL subscriber?" If so you have access ………….. to the archive..

This implies that subscribers to the printed magazine only (such as myself) will not have access to the Archive, though I do have access at present.

Perhaps this will apply only to new subscribers? But don't hold your breath while we wait for MHS to enlighten us.

Phil

Edited By Robbo on 08/07/2013 21:40:04
8 July 2013 at 21:52 #124142
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
I got an email describing the new digital app (iPad/Android/PC) for downloading and reading ME/MEW via the PocketMags reader. As part of that it stated:

"In addition to downloading and keeping each new issue of Model Engineer via the app, you can of course still access the online archive* (previously referred to as the Digital Subscription) for the duration of your subscription at http://www.model-engineer.co.uk in the usual way."

(The asterisk led back to the "Terms and Conditions" published on this website)

That "duration of your subscription" caused me to wonder whether it meant only the current subscription (in which case it's to be expected because that's what I payed for with my digital subscription) or whether it includes renewals and new subscriptions too.

Renaming the online issues from "Digital Issues" to "Archive" might lead one to suspect that that is all they will be – a repository of old issues for magazine subscribers with ongoing issues being covered through Pocketmags.

I did install the PocketMags reader on my PC. I've used this reader before and personally I don't like it much although I guess it isn't any worse than the current, online flash reader. The pocketmags app does allow you to download and read issues offline but despite the fact that the help tool clearly states that there is a button available to allow printing of a page I could find no such button in my installation. I suspect it has been defeated in the MTM/MHS (whatever) implementation of the app.

If the current online access is curtailed, this would be a killer for me. And since I refuse to pay the rip-off charges for the paper mag in Canada …..
9 July 2013 at 07:49 #124150
John Coates
Participant
@johncoates48577
Must admit having bought all the back issues of MEW I have the "real" versions which are better than the online early ones ones because when I have looked at them the pages seem fuzzy which makes dimensions and photograph detail hard to see. I guess the latest ones are converted from the digital originals whereas the first ones are scans.

But it's a valuable portable resource and when I get my workshop built being able to access them from a PC will be great. The paper originals are far too precious to risk near oil, cutting fluid and swarf
9 July 2013 at 16:18 #124167
Robbo
Participant
@robbo
You are correct John, early issues have been scanned, modern ones are digital anyway.

I noticed a chap on ebay selling CD/Roms of issues 1 to 163 of MEW for a few £££s. (That's 1990 to 2010).

If we are going to lose digital access that could be a good buy!!

Myself I have paper copies from no 1, scanning at home produces a much better result than the archive.

Phil
9 July 2013 at 16:31 #124169
Russell Eberhardt
Participant
@russelleberhardt48058
Come on David C. What's the official answer?

Russell.
10 July 2013 at 10:23 #124201
MAX THE MILLER
Participant
@maxthemiller
Quote from a leaflet I received with ME issue No. 4460.

"-from July 2014 the online archive will no longer be available with print only (or as previously described 'complete package' ) subscriptions."

So it is true, that for most of us, our access to the digital archive going to disappear.

Max.

Edited By MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:24:41

Edited By MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:25:13

Edited By MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:26:29

Edited By MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:26:52
10 July 2013 at 11:00 #124203
Ziggar
Participant
@ziggar
the only reason i subscribed was to get access to the digital versions

if that access ends then my subscription will also end soon after and i will take to reading the magazine stood in Smiths with the rest of them……
10 July 2013 at 11:05 #124204
Russell Eberhardt
Participant
@russelleberhardt48058
Posted by MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:23:56:

Quote from a leaflet I received with ME issue No. 4460.

"-from July 2014 the online archive will no longer be available with print only (or as previously described 'complete package' ) subscriptions."

So it is true, that for most of us, our access to the digital archive going to disappear.

So – make a note to renew next June

Russell.
10 July 2013 at 11:08 #124206
HomeUse
Participant
@homeuse
The observations?comments? from both the Editors are very pronounced by their absence
10 July 2013 at 12:30 #124213
Nicholas Farr
Participant
@nicholasfarr14254
Posted by Russell Eberhardt on 10/07/2013 11:05:34:

Posted by MAX THE MILLER on 10/07/2013 10:23:56:

Quote from a leaflet I received with ME issue No. 4460.

"-from July 2014 the online archive will no longer be available with print only (or as previously described 'complete package' ) subscriptions."

So it is true, that for most of us, our access to the digital archive going to disappear.

So – make a note to renew next June

Russell.

Hi, I recieved my latest issue today as well with the leaflet and while what Russel says is true, you do have an option to upgrade, allbeit with a little increase in the price. The new digital editions will give you a better option also.

Regards Nick.
10 July 2013 at 14:59 #124223
Steambuff
Participant
@steambuff
Nick,

I believe the new Digital Editions do NOT allow you to print a page … if so it is worse than what we currently have.

(Can someone confirm if you can print or not)

Dave

Edited By Steambuff on 10/07/2013 14:59:21
10 July 2013 at 15:35 #124225
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
When you have a magazine open, the "Help" says that you can print "a page" by clicking on the icon at the bottom left. I can find no such icon. I presume MHS/MTM have had it defeated in their version.

If anyone else can find it, please let me know.
10 July 2013 at 16:33 #124229
Robbo
Participant
@robbo
Posted by HomeUse on 10/07/2013 11:08:16:

The observations?comments? from both the Editors are very pronounced by their absence

I expect they learned at an early age, as I did, that it's not a good idea to poke your finger into the fire!!

But the leaflet mentioned still doesn't make it clear if this applies to existing or new subscriptions. I think we can assume that it's all of them, but MHS never make anything clear do they?

Phil

Edited By Robbo on 10/07/2013 16:37:46
10 July 2013 at 17:01 #124231
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
I get the impression that the editors are no more in the loop on this than the rest of us. It may be that they want to get the facts straight before commenting.
10 July 2013 at 17:29 #124232
Keith Long
Participant
@keithlong89920
Sid

I can't speak for the editions of ME in the archives but I can for the MEW ones. To print a page you have to have the page viewed in "magnified format" ie just looking at one page not the double spread, and then the "print this page" icon or rather box appears – but it may (will) take some spotting!!

Look at the top centre egde of the page – thats where it is – on my computer at least. The problem is that the "print this page" writing is in black text on a transparent background, so depending on what the background is you may spot it or not. If you get a normal page showing with black text on a white background then you'll see it but against a colour you may not. Fortunately the "print" box stays put so once you've found it you know where to find it again.

I think if you want multiple pages the best bet is to print the pages to "file" ie your hard drive and then print them off from there. On my machine they save as pdfs so a pdf editing program should be abe to combine the separate pages into one file for you for future reference, as going through this route saves them to your own hard drive. Also print the pages to file is for me anyway a lot quicker than printing to paper live on line, and allows me to batch print them afterwards or to use the "duplex" function on my printer to get them back to back and save paper.

Keith
10 July 2013 at 17:38 #124233
Roger Vane
Participant
@rogervane67137
To me, the notice is far from clear as to what you can, and cannot do with the new digital edition.

As a humble PC user (as opposed to iPad, iPhone, etc), I need some answers before spending my cash and signing up ….

How do I download and store these editions (including the whole archive) to my Windows 7 PC? (As far as I am aware 'apps' are a feature of Windows 8 and not previous versions). How do I extract and print selected pages from that download?

I think that we all need some more details.
10 July 2013 at 18:17 #124235
Gone Away
Participant
@goneaway
Keith,

yes I'm aware of all that with respect to the existing, online archive (both ME and MEW) … but that wasn't what I was talking about. I was responding to Dave's comment, immediately preceding mine, about the new Digital Editions via PocketMags (see my earlier post farther up) …. which seems set to replace the current online digital copies and which has no apparent way of printing (even though it claims to).

Hasn't anyone else obtained the PocketMags reader (for PC – because printing from iPad or Android might be problematic anyway) ) and can confirm my impression of the (lack of) printing capability?
10 July 2013 at 19:50 #124238
Diane Carney
Moderator
@dianecarney30678
Apologies for the delayed response, we were indeed ‘getting our facts straight’.

In reply to the points above we have been advised the following:

Queries relating to the digital archive/new digital editions:
· The digital archive will still be available, but it will be available as part of a new Print + Digital Subscription package and a new Digital Subscription package. We are however honouring all existing subscriptions that were promoted as including the digital archive (access for these subscribers will expire in July 2014, but subscribers are able to upgrade to the Print + Digital Subscription for a few pennies extra per issue).
· These new packages will for the first time, allow subscribers to download and keep each new issue of their subscription (on a PC, iPad, iPhone, Android or Kindle Fire device; an offline reader for Apple computers is also planned to be launched later this year) – as well as having access to the existing digital archive to which we will carry on adding new issues. Please note that although we will honour existing subscribers’ access to the digital archive until July 2014, these subscribers will not have access to the downloadable digital editions unless they chose to upgrade their subscription to a Print + Digital Subscription.
· We have now fixed the issue with printing pages through the Pocket Mags offline reader – thank you for flagging this up. There should now be a small printer image in the bottom left hand corner of the screen in the offline reader. Click this, then select the page you want to print, and that should be it! Please contact help@pocketmags.com if you have any further issues with this. Also, just to advise, Pocket Mags are in the process of redeveloping this offline reader, so there should be a nicer updated version coming out soon!
· As mentioned above, the new digital editions can currently be downloaded and kept (to read offline if you wish) on a PC or on an iPad, iPhone, Android or Kindle Fire device. To be more specific for PC users, the supported operating systems are: Windows 7, Windows 7 Service Pack 1, Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows XP Service Pack 3. If subscribers would like further advice on whether the reader/app will work on their computer/device we recommend that they email help@pocketmags.com. Apple desktop computers (iMac etc) are not currently supported but should be by the end of the year. This is not, of course, within our control.

General Comments/Queries:
· Regarding the query on subscription renewals; if you subscribe by Direct Debit then you will continue to automatically renew at the rate that you signed up at, if you have subscribed by credit/debit card then you will receive a series of letters/emails.
· For those who only wish to have the digital editions and do not wish to have the paper magazines we recommend subscribing to the Digital only subscription which is a lower price and will give you access to the digital archive and downloadable digital editions to the systems mentioned above (please note further devices/systems will be added in due course).

Hopefully that covers all of the queries here; we are in the process of putting together an FAQs page (www.model-engineer.co.uk/faqs) to better support subscribers, so will be adding the points above to this page very soon!
10 July 2013 at 20:59 #124240
The Merry Miller
Participant
@themerrymiller
Food for thought Diane.

Could well be worth continuing with the subscription for only tuppence or thrupence increase for each issue

Thanks for the info.

Len P.

Edited By The Merry Miller on 10/07/2013 21:00:34
10 July 2013 at 21:17 #124241
Robbo
Participant
@robbo
Thanks for that Diane. As a Direct Debit subscriber I look forward to finding out just how many extra pennies will be needed to maintain my access to the digital archive.

But "D" (digital) day is a good way off, and we have to survive another winter before then!!

Phil
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