Membership Site

[petercom]

Thanks, actually we don't have trouble attracting HFW readers to our site, in fact most of our visitors come from HFW links.

We'd like to be able to provide lots of things free, but we have a website, webhosting, premises and staff to pay for, plus exhibition expenses and so forth, so there comes a point where we have to make a small charge for some of the services we offer.

Naturally you can expect the design notes to accompany a product in our catalogue. The trouble is that you won't see these until the product is on sale.

As for back issues these are under the jurisdiction of the magazine. Generally I would expect the magazine to provide such equipment reviews as it thinks necessary to attract visitors to the website (which is just what SOS and Stereophile do), as free downloads. This whole issue is just a little complicated by the fact that most mags will start being available to read on the 'net soon as pay per view.

A number of electronics mags offer construction article reprints or back issues as a paid service, for example Wireless World and EPE (and their Australian counterpart). In our case WD retain copyright for the designs so HFW have NOT bought the publication rights except that we provide the content for them to publish in the magazine.

Anyway, enough of the background. What I was proposing was a site, or section of the forum, where all the DIY supplements were archived and which could be accessed for a small annual charge. Remember that we don't have free webspace. We pay, like everyone else, for webhosting and traffic density. We already provide this forum FOC, yet it accounts for most of the storage space and traffic on our site. We don't mind because the information on it supports our products and attracts new users/buyers. However the archive could be considered a different issue.

As I said before we did/do have plans to sell the archive on a CDROM which several of you have expressed interest in. It seems to me, though, that an archive which was continually kept up to date and refreshed would make much more sense. Hence the poll.

[Bizzie]

I think that it's a good idea Peter and would have no problem with paying for the service. It would be a lot easier to find the articles I want to read if they are all in one place.

[Greg.]

Hi Peter,

I originally voted for the last option because I subscribe to HFW, but on reflection, having the arcive available here for a small charge would be enormously convenient and much easier than pulling out my bulky files to search for and then locate the relevant suppliment, so I'd like to change my vote to the first option, but I don't think I can do that myself

Best wishes,

Greg

[colin.hepburn]

Hi all
I too am interest in this to have articles I want with easy access I'm not a subscriber to HFW but i do order it from my local shop So yes you have my vote peter
Colin

[Assie Ian]

Hi Peter.

I think it is a great idea because I only got Jan copy of HFW last week so I'm about 8 weeks behind anyway so it would be great for people in Australia @ New Zealand.

Regards Ian.

[RobHolt]

I voted for option 1 despite the fact that I subscribe to HFW.

There is nothing more frustrating that having a good idea for a mod and turning the place upside down trying to find the damned issue of HFW, the old supplement or the original kit instructions.

An archive would be a superb idea and as Peter says, publications to the archive are historic and do not effect sales of the curent issue of HFW.

Alternatively, what about bumping up the HFW subscription price by a £ or two and giving members access to the archive?

[julianr]

I also would support an increase in the HFW subscription to have access to the archives.

Personally I think that putting out past articles is an excellent idea. And even if there is a fee or charge for this service - that, I feel is perfectly acceptable. An interest in past projects exists and I'm sure that such a service can also help generate further (future) interest, not only for the projects, but also for the magazine itself.
Regards,
Dimitrie.

[david beard]

I'm in favour, despite being a HFW subscriber, my reason is that I simply don't have room to keep all of my magazine back issues and wouldn't mind paying a modest fee to be able to download articles as and when I wanted to.

cheers

Dave

[Scottmoose]

Seems a good idea to me & a small charge is reasonable.