I was just thinking, while watching my wife reading her Kindle. that it would be nice if I could get my magazine on one of those instead of getting a hard copy each month. It would be easier than keeping the magazine around, easier to catagorize them. Does anyone know if there are plans for MRR to offer subscriptions for the magazine on one of these readers? Thanks.
Interesting idea.
The publishing industry is heading in that direction. I don't own one yet, but in the short term I could read it on my laptop.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Phoebe VetInteresting idea. The publishing industry is heading in that direction. I don't own one yet, but in the short term I could read it on my laptop.
While I personally don't like the idea of everything going digital, any publication that wants to stay in business will provide versions that work on most/all readers. Presumably the readers can display PDFs so that's probably what it would be.
Yes I have, and I don't have any complaints reading it on line. I like Model Railroader better, as a magazine, but I do read and enjoy MRH.
My wife reads a lot, and our local library, which she uses frequently, has just started an E-book lending program. I have been thinking of buying her a reader, and if we decide we like it, maybe one for me as well. Availability of the things I read would definitely influence my decision.
I read MRH, but given a choice I still prefer paper. And I don't mind storing magazines and books one bit - they work without electricity. I thought to save the planet we need to use less energy? How many KWH will I use once I have read an electronic version as many times as I have read some of my hard copies? I Have MR and RMC back to the early 50's and re-read them constantly and am always researching projects.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRAL How many KWH will I use once I have read an electronic version as many times as I have read some of my hard copies? Sheldon
How many KWH will I use once I have read an electronic version as many times as I have read some of my hard copies?
Fewer KWH than the energy used to cut the trees, make the paper, print the magazines, and deliver them to you.
Nothing against electronics, I have a desktop and laptop computers in my home office and down on the layout. BUT I like the magazine because I can keep a few in the bathroom for those times when I need to relax and wait. Don't want to deal with a reader or laptop at those times.
Bob
I suppose it's the wave of the future, but they have been talking about e-books and e-magazines for quite a while, and the current generation of reader devices seems to be the first to catch on. Still, I'm not convinced that this is anything more than a solution in search of a problem.
I take magazines on vacation. If I go to the beach, I don't need to worry about not being able to read a screen because the sun is too bright, or running out of battery power, or having it stolen while I'm in the water. A bit of sand in the pages is OK with a magazine, too.
Yeah. And I like steam engines, too.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
krupa While I personally don't like the idea of everything going digital, any publication that wants to stay in business will provide versions that work on most/all readers. Presumably the readers can display PDFs so that's probably what it would be.
This is the first step to these things becoming the replacement for paper magazines and books, a standard format or the capability of the readers to display any format. The portable document format (pdf) has become an ad-hoc standard, but Adobe owns the rights to it, which may slow the acceptance of it as the actual standard. The reason I say this is that my wife has one of the original Nooks, and ebooks, for example, sold for the Kindle, can't be read on the Nook. Yet.
I picked up the Trains magazine collection on DVD as a Christmas present, and it's great. Minor flaws in the search feature, but easy to compensate if you know about it.
Phoebe Vet ATLANTIC CENTRAL: How many KWH will I use once I have read an electronic version as many times as I have read some of my hard copies? Sheldon Fewer KWH than the energy used to cut the trees, make the paper, print the magazines, and deliver them to you.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL: How many KWH will I use once I have read an electronic version as many times as I have read some of my hard copies? Sheldon
That is a straw man because 90% paper used to today is partly or fully recycled and even new paper is largly made from the by products of the lumber industry. If people stopped using paper intirely tommorow, if would not reduce the number of trees cut down by so much as one - until we find something else to build our houses out of. But I like wooden houses.
And, paper, at least at the pre consumer level, has been being recycled for a century or more now.
There are currently more acres of forest in North America than there were in 1800 - trees are not endangered by any means. In fact, the precentage of North America that is unspoiled wilderness is greater than in Africa.
The mail man is going to drive by here anyway, delivering one item or five, not much different. In fact, the more the Post Office delivers, the lower the unit cost is. That little jeep is going to get roughly the same mileage, full or half full. Same is largely true of the trucks, airplanes and railcars that move the bulk mail. And those postal employees get paid the same to deliver one piece or ten.
As for printing, either we build presses or computers, but something and someone has to do that work. But with paper I don't have to own or run a "machine" to use it or store it.
"progress" is often just different, not necessarily "better".
But what do I know, I'm just hick who lives is a 110 year old house that has NEVER put a roof or vinyl siding in a land fill, and my little HO trains don't have any brains.
Got a Kindle for my birthday in Nov and love it. Having used it awhile, thought I would sooth a few fears that have been expressed.
The Kindle (and Nook) screen technology is different form a computer or tablet or color ebooks like Sony, etc. It is more like an etch-a-sketch. You turn the page (press a button), the screen refreshes and then it uses no more electricity until the next page turn. It justs sits there while you read, until you turn the next page. The screen is not being constantly refreshed like on a computer screen...... so your eyes will never tire any faster than they will when reading a printed page. And it is crisp black on white. and you can adjust the font size.
This also means the battery on the new Kindle will go about a month ..... vs the recharge intervals for mobile phones, laptops, etc. And surely less than the energy used to produce a printed page as someone previously expressed.
A book or magazine downloaded (from Amazon or Nook) is kept on their servers forever, even if you delete it from your e-reader. You can always get it back and not pay for it again. You can get it back and use a search to find something. A Kindle can hold 3,500 books I think. If I could get MR on it and especially with an MR index yearly.... I'd go to it in a minurte. I know, I've got a zillion MR's in the basement archived and its a pain to find something.
I read papers and magazines in the bathroom too ....... but I've found if I just pick up my Kindle on the way its small in my hand .....and it will open up to whatever doc I want and to the last page I read in seconds. Its great waiting while your wife grocery shops, or in a doctors office waiting room, or on a plane.... or even following the scripture at church (can download a Bible less than $5).
My subscription to our local newspaper is on my Kindle (Columbus OH) ... and it "looks" like the newspaper, not like an online newspaper site. I payed for the Kindle with it...... printed subscription was $68 a quarter, and Kindle is $21 a quarter.... and print version is going to $85.
The most I've paid for a book is $9.99, but most are $6 or less. There are a ton of free books, and not just classics. There are free books on PC web sites that can be accessed. A book downloads in less than a minute.
I was one who embraced the thought of never getting one because it doesn't "feel" like a book. Know what, I found it is the "content" that makes the book and not the shape. But it feels just as good or better than a condensed book... thin and easy to hold.
There still is some fodder for the holdouts .... the Kindle screen technology is not yet color (but its coming). It is not good at searching the web or reading email (which it can) because it has a specific book reading purpose. The newspapers do not have comics or advertising (I can live without, and I do visit a site on the PC for my daily comics.... and for box scores, athletic league standings). Not a lot of magazines are yet in the fold but a good number of the biggies are. E-books from the public library are not accessible on the Kindle (and that may change before very long). The price of a Kindle for 3G access (like a cell phone) is about $40 higher if one doesn't have a home WiFi or in a WiFi area for download.
Summary: I'd be disappointed without my Kindle now. I hope MR gets into the e-book form soneday soon.
It is like hand laying track...... some love it and some don't. But e-books are much easier.
Hal
Hal, I'm glad you like it, but "easier" is very SUBJECTIVE. What is easier for one is not necessarily so for others.
I greatly dislike dealing with any large document on any type of computer screen format. And I have been using computers since the early 80's.
I forgot one thing in my prior post. The Kindle screen technology is such that it is perfectly readable in the brightest of sunlight .... I've tried it. In fact, it has a little less glare than a printed page. It can not be seen in the dark..... so a small light needs to be clipped on if reading in bed in the dark. On the beach slide it into a slip case and put it where your hotel key or billfold is when going in the water .... probable tucked down inside a beach bag with a towel? It is not big.
Sheldon:
Actually it is your argument that is the straw man. The amount of energy used by the e-reader is infinitesimal, and even recycled paper uses energy in the recycling process.
If you have an objection to the digital format, that is fine, but the energy argument doesn't hold water.
Sheldon. I really do respect your opinion and it surely is right for you. Not trying to change anyone's opinion. Or saying my way is the only way. Hope I haven't started a flame thing. Just describing my experience to those who are thinking about e-books and MR, or had a few wrong perceptions. Kind of why I mentioned the track laying thing. Some like to operate, some hate it. Some like doing scenery and some hate it. If I show a scenery hater.... an easy way to make hardshell... he then finds out that part isn't as hard as he had perceived it to be. It is still OK if he hates scenery, but he knows that part isn't as hard as he thought it was to do.
(Small note: I was in computers as a career from 1968 to retirement in 1998. I too do not think computers are easy to use for document processing and getting around within them, and I don't like sitting at a moving pixel screen for long period of times reading. In this case, I find the Kindle is close to a book and reads like one sitting in my easy chair by the fire and with a glass of wine. But that's just me!)
I have an older cousin who uses and likes a Kindle for travel, as it allows him to conveniently take multiple books along with him in one convenient "format". If he brought along the same hardbacks and packed them in his suitcase, I'm pretty sure that it would probably take up 1/2 or more of his storage space. Although I prefer "tangible" reading material (and I know my cousin does, too): If I were in my cousin's shoes, I would probably contemplate doing the same thing.
Like anything, electronic format has its place and its pros and cons. No one is holding a gun to your head to say that you HAVE to use one or even like it. Neither is it necessary to take semi-confrontational stances while discussing the topic.
I've been here long enough to see what effects the long winter months have on people's writing "skills". Some of you need to pace yourself...It's only the middle of January.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
My wife and I received a first gen. Kindle last year for Christmas and I have been reading MRH on it by using MobiPocket to convert the printer friendly version to Kindle format. The newer Kindles can read .pdf files, so the converter program is not required. Amazon will do the conversion for you, but at small price. If you are $ constrained (i.e. cheap), the MobiPocket is free. I still save the full version of the magazine on the house computer as it is easier to read, but the Kindle goes to porcelain library easily and it requires less to carry for multiple issues. I also back the Kindle up to the computer's external drive by plugging it into a USB port and the backup software treats the Kindle like another hard drive as well as charging the Kindle's battery.
Jim - Preserving the history of the NKP Cloverleaf first subdivision.
In so far as the KWH argument, the ebook readers that use the same screen technology as the Kindle use very little energy. The screens work thusly - An electrical pulse is sent to the screen, causing it to display a single page. That pulse need only be sent once, the screen will maintain that image until told not to, without using energy to do so. Energy is only expended when "turning the page".
Personally, until they can display full color images as clearly as a printed page does, I wont even consider buying one of the devices. I own several computers and Ipods, those work well for their intended purposes. I feel paper still works best for magazine and book reading.
[..cough...] although...to be fair, there is a cost to the manufacture and transport of the kindle, and also to the delivery of its electrical energy. There is also a whopping cost at some point to its disposal. We now know that, just in the cellphone industry alone, the disposal of all those rechargeable batteries is a huge environmental problem, and it is affecting children in third world countries who are disposing of the electronics in them, not just the batteries. I'm talking about the heavy metals in the circuitry.
Just sayin'...
Pastorbob,Generically readers are very portable, and much easier on the eyes. My wife and I both have Kindles, Christmas presents, and really like them. We have the least expensive ones. No color, paper back size screen, a poor format for a magazine.
When waiting for a doctors appointment I carried mine. While in another doctors office yesterday a woman pulled one out of her purse to help the time pass.
I will not be buying to many books in the future. There were three bookstores in the local mall, there is now only one. Both Borders and Barnes and Nobel are in financial trouble.
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One of the magazines is downloadable in PDF.
http://model-railroad-hobbyist.com/custom/MRH_downloader/mrh_downloader.php?xmlpath=.%2F&xmlsource=MRH_issue_011-01.xml
Springfield PA
My big issue regarding E-magazines, is that even though it works to read it. I think it is more suitable for newspapers and fiction! (read once and go on)
That is because I feel that if history serves me right, I often go back 10-20 years in the magazine collection to look at some good articles, and regarding the longevity of electronic info? I have already lost some important things due to "corrupted data".....
I can´t see how you could lend it to someone either, because if it is in E-form, as it would be illegal file sharing. The same applies if you sell your "E-collection"....
No, keep on with the standard format and maybe offer an E-format as a complement for subscribers?
Bad service in the name of science is never a good thing!
Swedish Custom painter and model maker. My Website:
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You wouldnt have to worry about data loss. It would be remotely stored on redundant systems. This is that cloud you hear the tech people talking about.
I like tech ( to a point ) like anyone else, but I prefer to have my MRR magazine in paper form, not electronic. Electronic isn't going to serve me any better than a paper copy. Now my wife on the other hand wants a kindle ( not sure why ) and says I should get one because some how she thinks it'll be more convenient for me modeling trains ( not true really , for me anyways ). I grew up on tech,but I think to much is going tech wise and that I do not like. Electronics break,this cloud thing can and probably will fail or lose data at some point. I'll stick to magz for the bulk of my reading MRR wise.
I'll be that old guy someday laughing when peoples tech stuff goes down world wide and they all panic!
My daughters got me a Kindle for Christmas.Just my opinion but I think its fine for books but me............I rather have my magazines the old fashion way.
tony314 Electronics break,this cloud thing can and probably will fail or lose data at some point.
Electronics break,this cloud thing can and probably will fail or lose data at some point.
Not really. That's kinda the whole reason it even exists. Its indestructible (within reason of course, a massive nuclear strike could do it) and invulnerable. The data is out there in multiple places you don't need to know about and it would be exceedingly unlikely that all the copies of it would be destroyed or lost.
NittanyLion tony314: Electronics break,this cloud thing can and probably will fail or lose data at some point. Not really. That's kinda the whole reason it even exists. Its indestructible (within reason of course, a massive nuclear strike could do it) and invulnerable. The data is out there in multiple places you don't need to know about and it would be exceedingly unlikely that all the copies of it would be destroyed or lost.
tony314: Electronics break,this cloud thing can and probably will fail or lose data at some point.
No, but it doesn´t solve the whole legal business regarding passing information either...
And even if the info is on a remote server(s), the case of accessing it after, lets say, 10 years? I´ll bet you´d have to pay for it again!
And the REAL problem is that, when scientists invented the Internet, it was meant as a place for universities to exchange information for free. That mindset has grown strong in the way we regard the Web today. There lies the biggest problem with selling E-books or mags, as many people don´t want to pay for a electronic "anything" on the web actually, but having it as a supplement for a real mag? Yes!
Many newspapers in Sweden (where I live) have E-papers, but you have to buy the regular subscription to get it, and then pay more to get it as well!
That won´t fly, I think.....
Admittedly I may just be a cynical old conservative, but trusting that someone, or some organization will maintain such a data base for free and forever, or even the rest of my lifetime, defies everything life has taught me about human nature, business, government and culture.
If I buy a book, and care for it, I KNOW that I have that resource.
But what do I know, I'm just hick with a pickup, some guns and some trains without brains.
As for having copies available in the future. Anyone want to guess how many copies of Tomkat-13's signs are out there now? The books I have on my Kindle are backed up at Amazon, on the C drive of my computer and on the external back up drive twice. That goes for all of the emagazines I have too. I'll not be parting with my copies while I'm breathing and those copies take up very little physical space. After 41 years in the IT business, I think the stuff will be around for a long time.