Careless mistakes in issue 4483

[Carl Wilson 4Participant @carlwilson4]

"Magazines such as ME are not just hobby interest magazines but are technical magazines often retained by many readers as a future source of reference. This is why I was so disappointed with the mistakes made in the current issue.

If an obvious mistake like using the wrong photographs can happen then so can less obvious ones that could cause problems for future readers relying on the accuracy of ME when building models etc."

I think that whilst it is fair to say the the ME is a good repository for amateur machining information, it is not the Transactions of the I. Mech. E. It is a hobbyist magazine produced on a budget. You get a good quality publication and you get two a month.

When reviewing the magazine in order to build or research a model it should be a fairly simple matter to sort out something like a transposed photograph etc, especially since in such circumstances you'd be giving it some fairly serious study. I personally am interested in the study of technique and especially those invented to get around a certain machining problem, which the ME doesn't cover fully enough, in my opinion, but that is another story entirely.

I think for the cover price it is not a bad read. I don't have too a high an expectation of it. It is certainly not in the league of technical reference material (for me at least) and I would not use it as such. Best not to have too high an expectation of something that is produced by a small team on a budget, then you won't be disappointed.

That small team, I might add, do a sterling job to produce what they do.

Carl.

[LambtonParticipant @lambton]

Neil,

Thank you for your post.

No offence was taken and so no apology is necessary but I appreciate your nicely stated message.

Whilst we will have to agree to differ over my raising my disappointment on this forum I am very happy to remain friends with you and look forward to my Christmas card!

Steve,

You have a point but I thought this forum was for raising issues and stating opinions that may or may not be acceptable to all members.

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Posted by Steve Withnell on 26/05/2014 09:53:43:

Doesn't good manners dictate that if you spot an error in an article you PM the author or if it is an editorial problem you PM the editor? It's about respect isn't it?

Hear hear!

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Can you all leave a bit of meat on this bone please – the dog hasn't been fed.

[Diane CarneyModerator @dianecarney30678]

1) Hopper – thank you. You have it in a nutshell. It was indeed a problem caused by the print file substituting images from the wrong folder at the point of going to press.

2) There is no 'team', professional or otherwise. There is one person responsible for proof reading. Full stop.

3) To everyone else – I can and do take all kinds of criticism on this forum. I take on board some of the points raised but the one thing I absolutely refuse to accept is any accusation of laziness / lax attitude / carelessness. And I mean ABSOLUTELY REFUSE!

Diane

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Like some others on here I have been receiving ME for a good many years and also have a virtually full collection of all the A5 wartime versions.

There are often little mistakes or omissions and the norm would be to see a correction published a couple of weeks later, no hassle, but how it was bought to the editors attention could only have been by word of mouth or letter (phone perhaps if lucky enough).

A lot of us would not even begin a build until at least a few weeks had gone past or another modeller had started first to 'test' the water so to speak.

What I do find difficult to understand that with todays rapid means of communication that a known error on a drawing is hardly ever discussed during a build or added to a forum discussion, and I'm referring to projects that many have completed.

Would it be possible to have a 'Correction section' where anomalies could be recorded?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Lofty we already have that facility.

For drawings and articles relating to the mag here

For MHS drawings here

Though as you say they don't get used that much. I have been known to raise a drawing query or two in the past but there seems little interest, maybe people are just not building whats currently covered in the mag? For example in the issue being discussed Anthony mount manages to make 7mm high parts from some 6mm stock, wish I could make metal stretch like that

J

Edited By JasonB on 27/05/2014 19:55:08

Edited By JasonB on 27/05/2014 20:26:45

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

Hear Hear Diane,

It's one thing to raise a flag and point out an error or omission, but to make blatant accusations of carelessness etc without knowing the true facts is downright rude – and yes Lambton I AM one of those you have offended.

I see no place for rudeness or unfounded accusations on this forum, by all means raise an issue, but be polite and respectful.

Diane is doing a sterling job with ME and in my opinion has improved ME no end since taking over as editor.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

If I had made the same remark that Diane did then someone could have followed up with :-

"Now that was Stevenson's Rocket "

OK I'll get me coat……………………………

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Lambton on 26/05/2014 08:43:08:

1. Magazines such as ME are not just hobby interest magazines but are technical magazines often retained by many readers as a future source of reference. This is why I was so disappointed with the mistakes made in the current issue.

A quaint but outdated idea. These days, most publishers view their products as first and foremost a vehicle for advertising. That is what makes the money. The cover price/subscription does not even cover cost of production in most cases. We are no longer seen as readers; we are "consumers" — of both news and the advertised products. Hence the cutting back of editorial staff by doing away with the proofreaders and sub-editors that abounded in the days of yore. And great days they were too. I would not for anything be the editor of a small publication again these days.

Keep up the good work Dianne.

Nils illegitemi carborundum.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> I would not for anything be the editor of a small publication again these days.

You should try being a Forum Moderator…

:-/

Neil

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