Digital editions of Model Engineer and Model Engineers’ Workshop.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Sorry, printing is a dead duck in the new software.

 

I downloaded a copy and had a look at the options, you get two, print page or don’t print page, full stop.

 

No option for print all, the page is saved as a mixture of HTML, Flash and XML so it’s proprietary to the program.

 

I think someone should have done their homework first. can’t see it being dumped either as they have paid about £500 notes for the license to use it.

 

John S.

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by John Stevenson on 20/05/2010 14:45:52:

I think someone should have done their homework first.

Why are you assuming that they didn’t?

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

Well £500 is less than 20 subscriptions so they have probably lost that already, never mind those of us that want a refund because we now don’t have what we paid for.

 

Come on David, restore the old reader and put a bomb under whoever installed the new one without thinking it through properly.

 

Andy

[SverreEParticipant @sverree]

I have now – with great success used the “old” reader to download my many missing issues of MEW. The files were downloaded and stored as pdf-files.

 

BUT: When trying to continue my work of downloading issues, the new reader was suddenly there – with no practical way of downloading/printing !!!!!!

 

MEW responsible editor: THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE!!!

 

We have paid for a service, we have had it for a while – and suddenly it’s gone! Get the old reader back (or printing utility on the new reader) – or pay us our money back!

 

Sverre (in Norway)

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

Posted by Sverre Evensen on 20/05/2010 16:57:13:

I have now – with great success used the “old” reader to download my many missing issues of MEW. The files were downloaded and stored as pdf-files.

… and yet, not only did MHS choose not to supply the issues as pdf’s, they have specifically stated, in this thread, that they would not do so because they would have no control over circulation of copies.

 

Now think about your statement in the light of the new reader and its restrictions on printing.

Edited By Sid Herbage on 20/05/2010 17:18:35

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi There

I have not been involved with the changeover.

I am only responsible for the paper copy.

We have a new web editor, Kelvin Barber to whom complaints should be made.

 

However, my thoughts rightly or wrongly are that you are paying for 12 months access to a digital subscription.

Digital is just that, digital. It was never intended that subscribers download the entire collection of magazines as PDFs. That gives you access for more than the 12 months you have legally paid for.

 

You can still print the pages out and take them into the workshop.

 

I have forwarded an email received about this to management.

regards David

 

[SverreEParticipant @sverree]

Thanks David for your answer. Of course I see your point about access more than 1 year if you download a digital issue.

 

But, when you advertise:

 

1 Year UNLIMITED Access – just £29.99

 

Then unlimited access means unlimited access! That includes downloading, that’s how our digital world works. I tried the digital archive before I subscribed, and decided to subscribe to what I saw.

 

Had I tried the new reader – I would not have suscribed! Simple as that….

 

Seems like somebody in the managment suddenly understood what unlimited access means. But you can’t take back what you already have given us. So – give the old subscribers their rights back, and offer a new service of actually downloading old issues in high-resolution pdf-format for an “acceptable” cost per issue. (Like iTunes Store).

 

Regards Sverre

[Alberto GilbertiParticipant @albertogilberti52584]

When I subscribed last week I was happy for what I payed for!

I can not ask for a refound because I’ve already started printing some issues.

But as everybody is telling you David, is that the most important feature of this subscription is changed and the new rule is limiting our accessibility to the MEW Digital magazines.

Please get back to what we’ve payed for.

Thanks in advance.

 

Alberto

[_Paul_Participant @_paul_]

I thought I had forgotten to put my glasses on…..seems rather pointless me having my very nice high resolution TFT monitor now…

The viewable quality of the magazine in this new reader really is awful in comparison to the previous viewer.

Why the change? does it save a few coppers on bandwidth or is the software cheaper (perhaps freeware even).

 

Please return to the original viewer.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[TerrydParticipant @terryd72465]

Andy P,

 

Of course they may have lost many subscribers this year, but how many more will not renew their subscriptions next year and how many new ones will not subscribe at all.

 

‘Shot themselves in the foot’ – comes to mind.

 

I won’t be subscribing now, I was intending to, but no longer.  I can borrow from friends and scan what I need.  Not as convenient but more useful in the long run.

 

Terry

[Chris BanningerParticipant @chrisbanninger89672]

However, my thoughts rightly or wrongly are that you are paying for 12 months access to a digital subscription.

Digital is just that, digital. It was never intended that subscribers download the entire collection of magazines as PDFs. That gives you access for more than the 12 months you have legally paid for.

 

David, we actually subscribed to one year  “unlimited access” to the online archive,  as per the “Sample Model Engineers’ Workshop Archive Subscription”.

 

This trial sample issue that was put up, did indeed let us print the magazine as a .pdf file. Nowhere did it say that this was not intended. Nor did it say anywhere in fine print that we would legally only pay for less than what was offered by the sample trial issue.

 

I feel that it is not fair, to change the rules just a few months into the subscription. If you like, change rules for new subscriptions. But honor your existing commitments.  

 

Chris

 

 

[GorakParticipant @gorak]

Now that I’ve spent a little bit of time with the new viewer I have become even more disenchanted.  The limited printing capabilities are very annoying and certainly not what we signed up for when we bought our subscriptions.  The blurry, low-res text is very hard on the eyes and gives me a headache after reading for more than about 15 minutes.   However, the most annoying aspect of the low-res reader, and one that will likely make me seek a refund, is the fact that the dimensions on many of the drawings are completely illegible making the content itself pointless.

 

I really think your management team is doing your readers/subscribers a disservice by providing a very low quality product after initially selling us on a better quality product.  While I understand your concerns about controlling content distribution, addressing it by providing low quality scans and a low-res reader is not going to solve any of your problems.  In fact, you are alienating your customers and, in doing so, you are not only losing potential subscribers (aka revenue) but also losing repeat business from your existing customers.  Without realizing it, MEW has committed a classic “bait and switch” fraud by changing their offering after accepting payment.  On principle alone I would demand a refund of my subscription if this issue is not promptly addressed and dealt with.

 

I really think you need to take a step back and look at what your peers in the magazine publishing world are doing in regards to electronic content.   For example, for about 1/2 of what I paid for my digital subscription to MEW, I have bought an annual subscription to Fine Woodworking which gives me complete access to very hi-res pdf files of EVERY article ever published by Fine Woodworking.  Likewise, for about the same price as my MEW subscription I have purchased 10 years of Wood Magazine and Popular Woodworking, both in hi-res pdf’s.  I’m sure the publishers of those magazines had similar initial misgivings.  However, by providing a convenient, high quality product at a fair price, they are now reaping the benefits financially, regardless of any unauthorized/illegal distribution of the files.  There are better ways of dealing with software piracy than penalizing and inconveniencing your honest, paying customers. 

 

I sincerely hope that your management team reconsiders this new implementation and takes immediate steps to either restore the old reader (at the very least) or even provide better quality scans in pdf format.  Otherwise, I’m sad to say, I will be in line with the others demanding a refund for my 3 week old digital subscription.

 

Steve

 

 

[TomkParticipant @tomk39956]

 

I have been following this thread as a possible subscriber to the digital archive.

I am of the same opinion as most of the other posters that the reduction in

quality has put me off subscribing.

 

Out of curiosity I went to the Model Boats magazine site which is published by the same company. Same phone number for general enquiries as Model Engineer so assuming they are all one company.

 

My question to Model Engineering department is as they appear to be same company as Model Boats (No doubt I will be corrected if wrong) why does the model boat site still have the flexipage reader for their digital archives which gives you the better quality print.

 

TomK

[TendorParticipant @tendor]

I agree with the thoughts of most posters here.

 

I recently purchased a digital subscription on the basis of the sample product that was on offer.  That offer included the ability to print a whole issue in one go.  The product has now changed to something very different.  Surely this breaches your consumer laws?

 

I will seek a refund of my subscription as it was falsely advertised and/or not now being delivered as offered.

 

Pretty cheesed off with this.

 

Rod.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

”

My question to Model Engineering department is as they appear to be same company as Model Boats (No doubt I will be corrected if wrong) why does the model boat site still have the flexipage reader for their digital archives which gives you the better quality print.

“

 

   Because they haven’t got round to changing the Muddle Boat site yet TomK

 

  Regards  Ian

Edited By Circlip on 22/05/2010 12:17:28

[Kelvin BarberParticipant @kelvinbarber70274]

Regarding the digital editions MyHobbyStore has the following statement to make.

 

“We understand that some customers are concerned that they can no longer print the digital editions and we are sorry if this has caused difficulties. The digital editions were never provided on the basis that whole articles could be printed or downloaded – for copyright reasons, it was meant to be a facility to browse online. However, to go some way to helping our customers, the facility to be able to print individual pages is still available and any back issues or articles can still be ordered through our customer services department.”

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The print to PDF possibility was a loophole I suspected would soon be closed as it leaves the door wide open to put the entire archive on DVD and it is bound sure to finish up on ebay despite the copyright infringement. It appears to me that the older magazines do not support a high level of zoom without becoming rather blurred, the newer copies seem to fare rather better but these were probably produced electronically in the first place. The original viewer seemed to display the older copies OK so have they been compressed for the new viewer?

Mike

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

Ahh, so unless some Unscupilous person has downloaded them before the cut orft, that means my No1 to 52 issues are again worth £2,000,000 ???

 

   Regards  Ian.

 

  Still don’t stop some from creating their OWN  Archives on DVD though does it ???

 

  Second edit, So, this NOW means £29 a YEAR to VIEW archive editions with a limited print out facility????

 

Edited By Circlip on 24/05/2010 14:39:2

 

 

Edited By Circlip on 24/05/2010 14:44:20

Edited By Circlip on 24/05/2010 14:45:45

[AndyPParticipant @andyp13730]

My Lord Clip,

 

It only means a licence to view if your pc can run flash 10, which my workshop pc can not so my subscription is completely useless now.

 

Bait and switch scam is the best description I have seen, shameful behaviour from what should be a reputable company.

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

“However, to go some way to helping our customers, the facility to be able to print individual pages is still available and any back issues or articles can still be ordered through our customer services department.”

 

  So how much are issues 53 to 96?? Originals that is.

 

   Regards   Ian

[Author]

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