Model Engineers Workshop Lost The Plot

Pistols at dawn. Has it finally come to that?

Meanwhile edition 256 is another splendid issue. What a particularly well-writen piece is the first part of the methodology for building a flute, together with some of the pitfalls and a lot of the background.

Never mind the typos Neil, just keep up with the current quality of the magazine.

Mike

Would somebody please put David's Teddy back in his pram.

Jason B ......just why should there be errors in submitted work? If someone submits work and receives payment part of which is paid for by the subscriber surely an accurate and error free manuscript is a minimum requirement

What information do you have that the cover price would double, have you invented this cost?

Have you even made a enquiry to anybody as to whether subscribers would be willing to pay more for an 'error free' magazine?

Given the cost of setting up a workshop and the cost of materials, plus a modest calculation for depreciation on your expenditure over a period, doubling the cost the cover price would be almost insignificant.

John

And there are some who want to continue this slanging match.

Not the most friendly forum is it?

My comments in bold .J

Have you ever written anything for MEW or ME?

I got issue 256 of MEW this morning, but didn't open it as I was heading for the gliding club to fly the big glider. Having now skimmed it I see that I have a short article in it. While I do my best to eliminate errors using a spell checker and by proof reading, both on screen and paper copy, there is always a chance that an error will sneak through. All one can do is to minimise the chances.

Andrew

I'm sure David is right.

Neil

I do so wish I was perfect. Then I could criticise everyone I want to. Until I reach that state, I'll get someone else to check all my work, and bite my tongue.

Regards

Richard.

Ah the life of an editor only a club bulletin and even there the ex-editor whinged and whine about me changing the logo' he created tens years previous. The fact I added colour and updated it didn't matter. The new and updated sponsor adds used also 10 years old replaced he didn't understand why they needed to be LOL something about the sponsors were getting requests for machines at those prices i told him.

Producing brochures for tour company they brought in a proof reader at great expense to cut printing costs by cutting words a friend of the CEO's. I reproduced the rough copy and printed it out handed it to CEO to read. After his long weekend off he stormed in asking what this crap was?? I told him its already at the printers like he signed off on. he was on the phone to the proof reader in seconds. That was the end of her $$$ paid job.

Oh I had to other bosses between me and CEO who also proof read each.

With the best will in the world humans are fallible. That is why software has bugs, airplanes crash and I occasionally have burnt toast with my breakfast.

Error free just does not exist within the human realm, the best we can hope for is to minimise errors, and in the case of a magazine, I expect that this task falls on the editor.
Given unlimited time and resources I have no doubt that Neil could put out a 99.9% error free MEW. Unfortunately, like many things in life, compromises are necessary. The publishers are likely acutely aware of just how far they can push the buying public before alienating enough readers to no longer make the magazine cost effective especially given just how much print media has suffered in the Internet age.

Besides which even the expensive £15 an issue peer reviewed professional journals sometimes get it wrong. viz. the 1997 article in the prestigious medical journal "The Lancet" which erroneously linked MMR vaccinations to autism and single handedly triggered a major reoccurrence of some not too insignificant childhood diseases.

At the end of the day when it comes down to it, one really has to accept that MEW is a magazine written by hobbyists for hobbyists and to simply enjoy it for what it is.

Clive

Edited By clivel on 11/06/2017 01:03:23

Lost the plot?

You probably have. Or been on the mardy nuts

👍 Clive !

Couldn't have said it better myself .

A few errors here and there just adds character to the magazine and reminds me of the fact that MEW is a magazine that is edited by a fellow model engineer not a professional editorial team .

Ian .

Edited By XD 351 on 11/06/2017 07:03:43

Or a very good reminder that were all human, who would grudge somebody this when we all make mistakes and a pretty harmless one at that?

Michael W

I'm so glad I don't work in the publishing industry anymore. I get to putter about in my shed and if I make a cock up nobody need ever know about it. I just quietly do it over again, when I feel like it. Luverly

I think Mark Twain summed it up well when it comes to the joys of editorship: "I am not the editor of a newspaper and shall always try to do right and be good so that God will not make me one."