mag topics

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Re: mag topics

Postby lankyjames » Tue Mar 12, 2013 9:00 am

kelvink wrote:Unfortunately though its too late to send for this b=next issue. I emailed an article last week but it has already gone to print.

Would be good to know when copy needs to be in for.


Going to print sounds so odd these days, is it possible to get the magazines supplied in a digital format?
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Re: mag topics

Postby Stuart » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:00 am

lankyjames wrote:
Going to print sounds so odd these days, is it possible to get the magazines supplied in a digital format?


Hans published three magazines in just such a format.

they're on this page http://www.midas.orba-design.com/

mcf01 to 03 magazine pdf.
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Re: mag topics

Postby lankyjames » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:11 am

Don't you mean; http://midasownersclub.co.uk/downloads/ ? ;)

I had forgotten about those pdf's! Should definitely be an option for digital delivery.
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Re: mag topics

Postby Hans Efde » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:04 pm

When my car is finished I intend to produce a few more of these magazines. When I made these mags my idea was that I produce the pdf files for the forum and the hardcopy for the club. I would say a hardcopy is always nicer to have and read than the pdf file. So you get value for your club fee. But there was resistance from the club that they were almost identical and also the membership numbers still kept declining. Therefore I decided to stick to the forum which supplies the main contents for the magazine. Forum magazine 1 and 2 are similar to printed club mags while no.3 is a unique forum magazine. When I start editing again, I would be interested to know if there is interest on the forum for a hardcopy magazine. When I have the pdf file ready it's quite easy to have a good quality hardcopy forum magazine produced similar to magazine no. 3. One step further would be a sort of magazine with travel stories, meetings and tips and the major part the capture of a restauration thread. As an example I have published Riches convertible rebuild and David's Watson conversion in previous club magazines. My big wish is a story of the Midas history spoken/written from the mouth of Harold Dermott together with the pics of his unique factory fire saved photo album.

As we have seen, cyber attacks on this forum have caused loss of pictures and other data. Once it's in a pdf file and -even better- in a hard copy magazine it will never be lost.
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Re: mag topics

Postby lankyjames » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:28 pm

Hans Efde wrote:When my car is finished I intend to produce a few more of these magazines. When I made these mags my idea was that I produce the pdf files for the forum and the hardcopy for the club. I would say a hardcopy is always nicer to have and read than the pdf file. So you get value for your club fee. But there was resistance from the club that they were almost identical and also the membership numbers still kept declining. Therefore I decided to stick to the forum which supplies the main contents for the magazine. Forum magazine 1 and 2 are similar to printed club mags while no.3 is a unique forum magazine. When I start editing again, I would be interested to know if there is interest on the forum for a hardcopy magazine. When I have the pdf file ready it's quite easy to have a good quality hardcopy forum magazine produced similar to magazine no. 3. One step further would be a sort of magazine with travel stories, meetings and tips and the major part the capture of a restauration thread. As an example I have published Riches convertible rebuild and David's Watson conversion in previous club magazines. My big wish is a story of the Midas history spoken/written from the mouth of Harold Dermott together with the pics of his unique factory fire saved photo album.

As we have seen, cyber attacks on this forum have caused loss of pictures and other data. Once it's in a pdf file and -even better- in a hard copy magazine it will never be lost.


Hans, I quite like the idea of a forum-magazine that is provided digitally, I can easily email it out to all members of the forum - such that even those that do not participate (or possibly have forgotten about the forum) can get a monthly (bi/quad etc) update on what has happened, including restorations and mods etc. This might just spur the quiet members of the forums into being a bit more active :)
Also offering the option of print via a small fee should easily be possible.

As for the forum attachments, David still has the backups of these, they are not lost! They just need moving over to this new hosting which David has notified he will be able to do when he has a spare moment. I can then keep a backup so we don't lose anything (hopefully ever!).
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Re: mag topics

Postby kelvink » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:27 pm

I used to be the editor of a couple of magazines and had looked into doing a similar thing to be available on-line. A big consideration is the bandwidth as it can become a problem. Admittedly my magazines were much much bigger and were typically around the sixty pages mark and full A4 glossies not too dissimilar to Complete Kit Car, though not the same level of readership.

Another thing to consider is that if the magazine were on-line then there would be little motivation for people to join the club so, whilst the motivation in spreading the good word about the Midas is commendable it might actually have an adverse effect and kill the club.
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Re: mag topics

Postby davidj » Tue Mar 12, 2013 7:48 pm

I think that Kelvin has hit the nail on the head. [b]

The Club Magazine is up and running at the moment and is supplied four times a year in colour to all the club members who pay their subscriptions. If you go on digital line with the magazine you kill the Club stone dead complete with all the events that the club runs when the money runs out. It is difficult enough to collect in the subsctiptions as it is. It takes up a considerable amount of the Committee's time.

It is interesting to note that some of those promoting this idea are non members or non payers.

Why not publish on line the cover page and the index to encourage others to pay their sub and hence maintain the MIDAS OWNERS CLUB and its events such as Stoneleigh etc.

However if you want to close the club carry on down this path or ask the committee to close the club at the AGM at Stoneleigh.
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Re: mag topics

Postby lankyjames » Tue Mar 12, 2013 8:27 pm

davidj wrote:I think that Kelvin has hit the nail on the head. [b]

The Club Magazine is up and running at the moment and is supplied four times a year in colour to all the club members who pay their subscriptions. If you go on digital line with the magazine you kill the Club stone dead complete with all the events that the club runs when the money runs out. It is difficult enough to collect in the subsctiptions as it is. It takes up a considerable amount of the Committee's time.

It is interesting to note that some of those promoting this idea are non members or non payers.

Why not publish on line the cover page and the index to encourage others to pay their sub and hence maintain the MIDAS OWNERS CLUB and its events such as Stoneleigh etc.

However if you want to close the club carry on down this path or ask the committee to close the club at the AGM at Stoneleigh.


I can publish the front cover pages / index page on the MOC website if it can be provided? I can also push it to all members of this forum (currently standing at 280!), that could generate some interest.
I'm a little upset to hear Kelvins articles did not get to print, I was looking forward to it.


This is an honest question which maybe other members may also not be aware of;
Would the club close if subscriptions died off?
Surely if the club went to free-only the only things that would cease would be the magazines and any shows that cost for a club stand?
What exactly do the subscriptions go towards?

Transparency is key for a good club :)

Edit: The magazine could still be provided digitally for members of the MOC only? It doesn't have to be free for all, but it could become free after a period of time ( a year for example ).
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Re: mag topics

Postby Hans Efde » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:06 pm

I think the biggest problem of the club is that the marque is dormant. No new cars or new kits. So you don't get more and new owners. Also there is a point in time where internet took over. In the eighties you only could get info or find a car via the club mag or meetings (and ofcourse the kitcar magazines). I recall Hughie Brodie who did a fantastic job by producing more than 20 or 30 (I lost count) excellent club magazines. Via his mags I bought my first and second Midas. But nowadays forums like this give more and faster news and it's much easier to find a car, even as rare as a Midas (my present Convertible was an internet deal). It's not just the Midas club, but all clubs suffer from this. I don't think the problem or the solution is in the mag, how it is presented, digital, hardcopy etc. It's just in the numbers. Hopefully one day the market is ripe again for a Midas sports car. The major competitor GTM has been killed by Westfield, so the road is free for a Libra successor, but this time with a Midas badge! (I know I am just fantasizing)
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Re: mag topics

Postby b1zbaz » Tue Mar 12, 2013 10:50 pm

Hans I could not have put it better myself a new Midas is needed an it needs to be blisteringly quick and incredibly stiff for top notch handling with jap car reliability
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