Discussion on the Future Direction of Model Engineer and Workshop

[JasonB]

On JasonB Said:

There does seem to have been some odd editing and page layout going on of late. Take the Sirius article mentioned in another post.

It is supposed to be about correcting an error (not actually an error) yet the two largest photos are of the parts that are said to be wrong. The actual correction is the smallest of all the drawings which even if there was an actual error seems to be completely A about T as the correction should be more important. It could easily have been reduced by a page then only two wasted rather than 3.

This is an issue I have discussed with Martin and Diane. It’s difficult, as we have to estimate the length of an article before it is designed, and sometimes proportions of drawings make the ideal sizes awkward.

The very short timetable for ME made it particularly hard to correct such imbalances easily. With MEW I am sometimes able to expand or contract articles or ask for them to be laid out again.

I have talked to the chap who prepares figures and in future we will be indicating size to the designers, where practical, but laying out pages is as much an art as a science.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Yes it really needs someone who at least has some grasp of the subject to decide which images are important and need reproducing at a reasonable size, the less important at a smaller size and some not used at all. Just because a layout looks nice does not mean it best conveys the subject matter.

Will the practice of randomly placing adverts continue? Although a lot don’t like it, this does seem a more efficient way to fill in an odd 1/3rd or 1/2 page rather than pad out an article to fit or in the case of the Sirius leave an almost blank column at the end.

[derek hall 1Participant @derekhall1]

In view of the Sirius” thread, and the “non” drawing error….

Since many designs and subsequent drawings do contain “real” (accidental) errors, maybe we could have an occasional half page in the new mag called “Critical Drawing Errors Identified” for example, and any suitable corrections and amendments?

Good luck with the new magazine, I might just become a re-subcriber!

Derek

[Author]

Posts