The future of Mac forum

[grwebster]

stay tuned, there are some recent developments that hemp our forum to prosper, yet maintain out fellowship

Christian braun of hobbydb and Mac will be collaborating in the future. he will outline his plans here shortly

Please welcome him
GR

[Joschik]

We have started talking to GR about http://www.hobbyDB.com, a new concept in web-based collecting applications. The idea behind hobbyDB is that it’s powered by a central database that covers models and what we call “RealThings” (eg real planes, real airlines, real plane manufacturers). These are all interrelated so you can easily and quickly find (for example) all Boeing models, all models of a specific Boeing or all Boeing models that are in the livery of a particular airline. There will also be a sophisticated search/filter system which allows you to create highly customised queries so, for example, you can find all twin-engined British Airways planes made between 1970 and 1980. There’s also a collection management system and ultimately the site will be set up for trading, allowing users to buy and sell directly from their collections with ease.

All database listings are user-editable, so users can add or change information on entries that are already there as well as adding new entries across all categories. We have started adding Ron's HBM's planes, will add GR's current and past collection soon and have the benefit of advice from John Beugels, Patrick Despature and a few others on taxonomy and other issues.

Please NOTE that at present, the site is still in beta and under ongoing development, so not all features are in place; search is somewhat more limited than described above and you may experience slow load times during hours of peak usage. Plus some design features are still being worked on.

I am extremely keen to get YOUR feedback while the site is still in this phase, and am very much open to suggestions and ideas for the site, so please take a look around, try out the features and send me your thoughts via PM here. I am also more than happy to show you the site via Skype or web conferencing software (sounds much harder to use than it is).

Christian

[Epap]

Very interesting, Christian, but a few questions, please. I see on the website, that you have serious replicas of airliners, not just "toys". Does this mean that you will cover all diecast models, including the many military items put out by Corgi, Dragon, Hobby Master, and many others, which certainly do not fit into the "toy:" category? If so, will you also include the many models offered by part work subscription lines from publishers like Hachette, Atlas, DeAgostini, etc? Also, from what I see so far, such a database would be of interest to members of other forums. Would access be offered to them as well? Finally, I'm not entirely clear on how your new website operates and what connection if has to this forum. Will it be free to all comers and rely on ad revenues or other means for support? Thanks for any light you can shed.

Ed

[Joschik]

Thanks for checking it out and sharing your thoughts and questions. Here some answers:

"Does this mean that you will cover all diecast models."

We like to list every plane model (and every rockets, helicopter, car and other item) and we also like to give users the ability to only see what they want to see, for example:

Only 1/200 scale commercial plane models
Only plane models made of Tin up to 1960
Only Lufthansa related items
Only planes with Rolls Royce engines
Only Wiking models
etc

"If so, will you also include the many models offered by part work subscription lines from publishers like Hachette, Atlas, DeAgostini, etc? "

Yes, ideally they will have relationships with their maker (say IXO) and their range they are part of (say Altay WWII Aces)


"Also, from what I see so far, such a database would be of interest to members of other forums."

Yes, absolutely, as all of us will benefit. We already work with 5 other forums, see who they are here (with more to come).

"I'm not entirely clear on how your new website operates and what connection if has to this forum. Will it be free to all comers and rely on ad revenues or other means for support?"

I hope a close relationship as this forum has deep knowledge of more difficult areas (we get the Herpa catalog from Herpa direct and that is not very difficult). The site is meant to be free and will make income from creating a marketplace (it will operate more like Amazon where planes can be offered for sale and only incur a fee if they sell).

Any other question welcome. I am also happy to do a call or screen-sharing session (is easier than it sounds), in particular if you like to contribute.

[ramseyd]

Will you continue to cover the Identification models (id models, spotter models, silhouettes)?

[Joschik]

Not really for me to comment but I do not think there are any changes as far as this forum is concerned. And as far as hobbyDB is concerned, we would love to cover these. Would love to chat about ID models and will send you a PM.


Christian

[grwebster]

I will confirm, MAC forum with all the categories continues as before
all types of aircraft.
we just now have added potentially 350,000 other contacts who will be able to access our forum. we have 500+ members on the forum as it is now- so more info, more exposure, but our casual collecting fellowship stays as it was back with the magazines TPN and MAQ, and now the MAC forum
One thing that is not yet set up but will be soon is an on line inventory you can use for your cataloging your collection and sharing it or not with others.
this will be useful if and when you wish to trade or sell you collection or parts of it. Just a click and it will be offered on line.

So Dennis- only improvements foreseen, and much wider exposure
GR