1. Home
  2. ⚙ Stationary Engines - UK
  3. Web based manuals

Web based manuals

I've been talking with Tim in the states this afternoon, regarding Paul's problem with the manuals on Internal Fire being downloaded and sold on the internet.

Tim suggested a couple of things:

1) Make the pdf files viewable but non-printable in high resolution. 2) Make them downloadable but only at low resolution. 3) Print a ghost image of the museum's name across them all so it takes a lot of work to get it off. 4) Put a bit of code in the file so it can be identified as originating from Internal Fire should a dispute arise in the future, a la IBM copyright in the original BIOS code. 5) Editing the code of a jpeg as in 4) above.

Using the print screen function in 1) will allow a printable image but the copyright info will be present for anyone to see.

The rest is a pain for other genuine users but will stop any obvious cloning.

I've raised with is again as the stuff Ray Hooley sent is potentially valuable if released with protection, and I wanted to know what options we had to protect the stuff from clandestine copying and profit-making by unscrupulous third parties.

Any comments/suggestions would be appreciated.

We are off home now, had enough for one day...

Kind regards,

Peter

Peter Forbes Prepair Ltd Luton, UK email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk home: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

Reply to
Prepair Ltd
Loading thread data ...

I'd go for making downloads available to registered IF users only (registration is simple so shouldn't put anyone off), and a ghost image/watermark.

Anything which does not allow printing would put me off as, luddite that I am, I still find it easier to flick through printed pages than pdf's etc on the screen.

Reply to
Nick Highfield

Everything is back as was and will stay that way for the moment. These copies are done at a low res anyway, just enough to make them useable.

Watermarking is practical in some ways and I even have a full set done now. The watermark has to be on the original TIFF not done using Acrobat as it is still too easy to remove. However, even on the original TIFF there are a number of tools available to do the removal.

At the end of the day our intention is to provide information to help people. The ripping off is only a problem to you if you are hung up on the monetary value of the items really. The IF registration process is off putting to a lot of people who don't like their details held in any way. I had to do it to provide traceablility of email/newsgroup/photo use.

I appreciate the thought that people seem to have put into protection but I think at the end of the day it just won't work. The best protection is getting the site more widely known and ensuring that people know that they don't have to pay for it because it is there free.

The original scan/conversion process produces a set of pages/file sizes/bitmap layout that are unique so provide enough proof that the image came form us. Precedent has already been set for this.

I intend to carry on making info available to people and would hope that everyone else will contribute rather than think of their possible "loss". We still get nearly a 100 downloads a day and an awful lot of emails saying thanks so we know the service is of value to real people.

Its Christmas, forget the a*******s of this world and concentrate on the good ones.

All the best Hazel and Paul

p.s. Lots of engines running New Years Day if anyone is out this way.

-- ____________________________________

Internal Fire, Museum of Power, Wales

formatting link
(under construction)

Reply to
Paul Evans

I haven't got my own post on the screen yet! despite having sent it before we left the factory...

I can partly agree with that, Nick, but it's a lot of extra work for Paul and his people whichever way you look at it. I'd like to find a way that we are all happy with so that some of this stuff is available without too much aggro, for genuine collectors and engine people.

Folks like Ray Hooley are not computer literate, and I need to protect his archive as much as possible from people out for a quick buck.

Peter (back home)

-- Peter & Rita Forbes snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk Engine pages for preservation info:

formatting link

Reply to
Peter A Forbes

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.