A few years ago I threw out all my MTFCA club magazines for the past 30 or 40 years. No one wanted them. And I can just look at the CD-ROM if I want to see anything. And they took up a huge amount of space and they were dusty. Today, I just threw away another half of garbage can of them. Along with the same volume of Model A Ford Club magazines ( I barely read these at all...). I tried a local bookstore and Goodwill but they would not take them for free. I just do not have the space to keep them. The local T Club (East Valley T's, Mesa AZ) sends out its monthly news letter by email, everyone seems to love that, and it is GREAT! I can look at it where ever I am, and it costs the club virtually nothing to print or mail out, and we can have all the colored pictures anybody wants and it can be as long as anyone wants. And I can just save it to a folder on the computer, forever. So my gripe or request it to opt of of the hard copy and just get ti electronically, since the hard copy is not wanted by me, in that is is a horrible waste of resources for me to get this magazine in anything but electronic form. It wastes a lot of national club money and time for printing and postage, and I really do not want to see it in hard copy form. So I would like to opt to just get it electronically. I would thin someone could scan it in about 5 minutes and just post a link to it for us paid members, even if everyone at the Cub office were too lazy to enter my email address in somewhere and push "send" one a month, rather than pay the freight to get it to me in the snail mail. Think of the money the MTFCA club would save on postage and printing, think of the natural resources to be saved, and I will save space too in my downsizing world. Could we get with the 20th century please? How do I do this? If it isn't possible, why not? I just think not to do that these days is really silly and wasteful. Thank you!
Amen!
Orange County MTFC gives you the option. It is emailed as a pdf file.
Long Beach Club recently raised dues, although they have over $20K in bank.
IA want mine hard copy,and I keep them. Our local club did the email thingy and the news letter has never been the same. You guys can keep your high tech crap.
Members of the Puget Sound Chapter get a choice - Emailed .PDF in color or snail mail in B/W. About 2/3rds of the membership gets the newsletter electronically. Some have asked for and get both the electronic and paper versions.
I would like an option for an electronic version of the Vintage Ford but understand that many in the membership may still desire/require a paper version.
In a perfect world, it would be nice if those receiving only the electronic version were to get a small discount on their dues in recognition of reduced expense to the club. I understand that this would incur some additional administrative work. Our club admin folks should be receiving compensation (IMHO).
Did you try placing an ad to see if anyone wanted them for the cost of postage? I don't mean a few at a time but all or none.
Don't throw them out..... Drop off several copies in the doctors waiting rooms when you go there. At least I like to think they get enjoyed by others, and who knows, you may be responsible for someone getting bit by the Model T "bug."
Joe, that is an excellent idea. I'll have to try doing that.
The clinic where we go throws out all the mags they don't place there. I think there's payola involved, as the mags are specials for Dr. offices, with drug ads.
Besides, you don't want more sick people getting interested in Model Ts.
Barbershops are better.
The two T clubs in San Diego offer the newsletter by regular mail or in pdf format by email.
Maybe the BOD of the MTFCA should consider joining the 21st century, just an idea.....
I wasn't trying to block any of the members from getting their hard copies of the magazine, as I can certainly understand the feeling you get to read something actually in your hands ( personally I won't read an e-book, I hate those, but I did quit reading the Sunday Paper about 15 years ago in hard copy), nor was I trying to get some kind of discount on my dues, but I'd just be happy to see the club save some money on postage and printing, and put the funds to other good uses to promote the hobby or just have some fun. It seems like such a painless effort to put it on pdf. and let the members get it emailed to them, to let us look at it on line, if they so desire. Perhaps the cost of the magazine could be halved, and the funds would just be found money, for the Club if this option was offered. I think I would look at the magazine and enjoy on line, but if it is at home dumped in the magazine and newspaper pile, then I am lucky to see it once. Thanks, Rollie
My take on the subject is that leaning over a computer screen reading anything is not my idea of relaxation. This magazine is wonderful reading and full of well written tech tips. My idea of relaxation is sitting in the easy chair with my feet up drinking coffee in the mornings or a glass of wine in the evening reading this wonderful Magazine. I save them all and frequently read past issues for advise or tech tips.---- Just one (Ozzie old fart's)opinion.Harv
John,
"I wasn't trying to block any of the members from getting their hard copies of the magazine..."
I realize you weren't, but that's what would probably happen if a large number of magazines were delivered digitally. I can't speak for MTFCA's situation but, during my time on the MTFCI board, it was discussed that the printing cost per magazine would go up drastically if the number of copies fell below a certain level. So yes, on one hand, the cost of printing/sending a number of magazines could be eliminated if done digitally. However, it may be more than offset by the added cost to print fewer copies. I don't know how it all adds up, but I do know that's it's more involved than meets the eye.
It can't cost more to print and mail 2,000 copies than mail and print 5,000 copies.
John, Some people would complain if you wiped them with a wet rope, they would say the rope was not wet enough.
The next thing you will want is a talking "Vintage Ford" or a computer version with pictures so you not have to read it at all. I do not know how you will handle the pictures cause if you are to lazy to read, you are probably to lazy to look.
What I a trying to say is leave well enough alone, most of like the "Vintage Ford" magazine.
Uh, maby just get a usb port hooked to our brain so we dont have to do anything but walk over to a socket in the wall and learn all we need to know for the day? got the idea from a fellow down the road that has a implanted hearing aid in side of his head.just a hole there in the side of his head and he can hear good :>0
I like hard copy.
I cant believe you thru away those magazines? Ever heard of ebay or at least a ad in the paper or something?
Willie, there is an app that will read a PDF file, so once the MTFCA start sending the VF in an email, you can have it read to you. Whoopee.
The e-mail is fine for up to date reading, but if one wants to save it and read later, it is much easier to save the mags. At least for me it is. I usually clean out my e-mails about once a month and delete all I don't want. Then there is the obsolete computer. Just when I got used to using Windows a new version came out and I have to learn all over again. I will stick with the paper versions.
Norm
Not to attack anyone but for myself if all I could receive was an email or other digital copy I would cancel my 40 year membership. I save and want to use the copies for reference. Don't want to have a small screen to mess with in the shop. I also like to sit down at my leisure and read; not sit in front of a hard to see small screen. Reading the forum and a few other things is just plenty of screen time for me.
I have every copy of the Vintage Ford since Vol.1 #1 in 1966 to date. At least let us old farts get the hard copy until Vol. 50 # 2! I don't do Computer books or magazines!
I too much prefer hardcopy to electronic, because it's easier on the eyes and I just enjoy reading in bed.
The next time anyone has a stack of car mags or newsletters they're thinking of throwing out, please offer them on the classifieds first to let folks know they are available, thanks!
Ralph,
"It can't cost more to print and mail 2,000 copies than mail and print 5,000 copies."
Yes, that seems like a reasonable supposition but you don't really KNOW that any more than I do. However, costs go up drastically with reduced numbers.
Kinda hard to throw a electronic copy of a magazine down on the table in the shop for folks to browse thru while visiting.
I wonder if there is a app to point at the words as they are being read by the computer? Kinda like when Thomas the train song is being sung on tv.That way we could use it as a educational tool for children and maby induce more intrest in the hobby.
Jerry, of course it's cheaper.
Postage would be 60% less.
Printing would not be the full 60% less, but basically with printing there is a high "first copy" cost (typesetting, layout, press prep etc.) and then a very moderate per-copy print cost. The high initial cost is essentially spread out over however many printed copies.
When I was a magazine publisher in a previous life I would tell the printer they could keep that valuable "first copy" and just sell me #2 and so on. They never went for it.
IF ANYBODY ever decides they want to throw their copies away for free, I don't care how many you have, I want them.