Suggestings about updating the authentication guides

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Posted By: <b>Hankron&nbsp; </b><p>For some time now I've had posted from the main page of my website (cycleback.com), 4 online authentcation guides (prints, old photos, old baseball photos and wirephotos, baseball cards). Three of the guides are one-of-a-kind, and no similar guides on the topics have every been published anywhere (which, by definition, makes them the best guides on the topics ever published). These were at one point paper books, originally printed a number of years ago (I think the newest is from 2001). At a point I decided to take the paper versions out of print, and put everything online. Peronally, I liked (and like) the idea of having everything available free to whomever wanted to access it, whether it was noon in Houston or noon in Tokyo. Also publishing paper books is a pain in the toots, and having stuff posted online is so much easier, even if you make no money.<BR><BR>This situation is that it is time to now update the guides (slowly, one at a time), both for content and displayablity. Some of the guides (baseball photos, most notably) were put up in a slapdash wat and it really has to be redone so it looks nicer. Considering the paper books were illustrated (some completely in color), the most obvious problem is that two of the guides have NO images, and the baseball one has really crappy images.<BR><BR>I am looking for suggestions on how to fix, change, embelish the new online versions. This include what new info or topics should be included, what new resources or links, what kinds of images, WHAT FACTUAL ERRORS OR CONCEPTUAL ERRORS need to be fixed, general or specific lightbulb ideas. I know of a couple of factual errors that should be fixed, though never got around to it. I everyone to comment. I would encourage that those from MastroNet, Beckett, GAI, SGC, PSA, etc etc to give ideas on what needs to be developed. I encourage comments from people who have never talked to me before.<BR><BR>I'm not fishing for compliments and wish people to only contact mee through the below email. All comments will be between me and the emailer.<BR><BR>comments@cycleback.com<BR><BR>Lastly, if no or very few people comment, I will interpret this that the mini-authentication sites are in satisfactory state are not used, and that I should 'leave crappy enough alone' ... I have a brand new (non-sport) guide I'm working on will move on to that.<BR><BR>Thanks<BR>David <BR><BR><BR>Lastly, if there

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Posted By: <b>Hankron</b><p>As I myself saw a wide variety of big fixable areas, I will interpret the lack of any response to mean that the online guides have gone sour on the shelf interest-wise. I've decided to remove the baseball-related online guides, though most of the non-sport will remain. As maintining a healthy large website neccesitates regular weeding (dead links, unused pages, bad images, etc), the deafening silence actually is a practically worthwhile response.

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Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>maybe if you give it a little more time, you'll get what you want...but if not, and if you try some time, you just might find...you get what you need.

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Posted By: <b>Dave</b><p>David,<BR><BR>I'm such a newbie to vintage collecting, some of the topics here really scare me. I've tried not to post too much, mostly for fear of being naive.<BR><BR>I did read the whole book on your site about grading cards and counterfeit techniques, and found it fascinating. I doubt I'll ever need the advanced techniques you describe, but my reading at this site makes me question any purchase I may make, and have given me enough tools of evaluation to make me a better buyer.<BR><BR>I'd hate to see your book disappear, as it served me well as an instructional into to counterfeiting, and relatively easy ways to look for it.<BR><BR>So, count this as a vote for keeping it, or updating it.<BR><BR>I'm worried enough thay you will remove this from your site, I will download a copy just for my records.<BR><BR>Dave<BR><BR>

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Posted By: <b>Hankron</b><p>Scott, with respect, all I was doing was asking for some advice and opinions to help the guides. I wasn't asking anyone to bend over backwards or write out checks. That not a single person felt it worthwhile to even email me and say 'boo' was a cystal clear vote to me concerning whether I should maintian the online baseball guides. And, frankly, I don't know how I should have interpreted the response in a different way.

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Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>David - it's only been four hours January 27 2004, 10:13 PM <BR><BR>maybe if you give it a little more time, you'll get what you want. <BR><BR>This isn't real-time, man.<BR>

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Posted By: <b>Hankron</b><p>Scott,<BR>It's all a moot point now. The baseball photo book and the wirephoto book will be re-issued in their original format: printed booklets at a cost. These two little guides were very good sellers for me before I put them online ... The baseball book is officially out of commision and won't be issued as a book or in other format. I originally published it in book form circa 2000, and sold a grand total of about 4 books (Does that count as My Worst Trade Ever?). This not only expains why I was willing to put that one online for free, but that it's the humaine thing (for me and the book) to officially put that thing out of its misery. <BR><BR>The two non-sport guides online right now will stay there (I wasn't going to use the opinions of Net54 to determine the viability of a fine art print guide). Nothing else on the site will be removed either, other than normal web editing ... I'm also actively working on another guide, though I'm not sure if it will be directly put on line or issued as a paper book.<BR><BR>As noted before, maintaining a workable and aesthetic large website means regularly updating, weeding and editing-- so the fact that I am changing things this way or that way now is normal course. Again, I'm not not complaining about the lack of response, as getting opinions in a variety of forms (including lack of response), is important in determining how the site should be set up and what should be featured.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR>David<BR><BR>

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Posted By: <b>Hankron</b><p>I would like to add something about myself and my website. I am an independant historian and make no salary from what I do. I don't work for a museum or archives, I don't write LOAs for a fee or have Sotheby's hire me to judge their items. If I had some sort of grant or financial support I would love to keep all my guides and other resources online, but this is a luxury I don't have. I enjoy being indepenant as I only do what I am interested in or what I feel is important, but there are always inherent constraints as to the scope and depth of what I can do and what information I can provide at what cost.<BR><BR>I would have (and actually planned on) keeping the said guides online for free, but felt, that with the apparent only casual interest in them, it was best thing to remove them. It takes serious thought to decide what guides (especially when they offer unique content) should be available for free and which ones should not, as there is cost (monetary and emotional) to offering such material online for free (the guides are one-of-a-kinds and are copyrighted intelectual property and can potentially make money in different formats). The lukewarm response to the guides and their developlement convinced me that they shouldn't be offered for free anymore, and that different content should eventually be put there instead.<BR><BR>

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Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>I prefer print copies over online versions because people tend to put more thought into things that are published, editing is generally better, etc.<BR><BR>Your logic for removing pages did not make sense to me - if you want to remove info from the web-site and sell it, then just do that;otherwise, be content in your altruism. <BR>

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Posted By: <b>Julie Vognar</b><p>as I have in the past. I find ALL of it fascinating and rewarding, and would hope you didn't plan to remove ANY of it. I certainly don't feel qualified to suggest amendments, though.<BR><BR>

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Posted By: <b>slacks</b><p>I'm not a frequent poster, but I learned a lot from your website. I just saw your post and checked my bookmarks and saw that you already removed it. That was fast!<BR><BR>I understand if you want to start charging for your efforts, but don't get the impression that nobody cares aboput your website. I'm kicking myself for not downloading and saving your site earlier because I just bought about 20 raw T-206's and I wanted to use your advice to look them over before the return period expires.<BR><BR>I'm sure you can, with effort, find something else interesting to put on your site, but authentication is a very compelling subject, especiaally as prices are rising and the fakes are becoming more commonplace.

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Posted By: <b>LEON</b><p>I bought 2 of David's books a few years ago (guess I was one of the 4) and use them to help in my authentication efforts. The authentication one is very informative and the history one was nice to look at..... best regards

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Posted By: <b>Hankron</b><p>I had not realized that some people were regularly using the baseball authentication online guide. As such, I will make that book available in printed format. Likely I will put the pages in a ring binder or such, and it will be easier to read and prettier than on a website. The guide was originally issued as a printed book, so everthing will be avaible in nice-looking book format ... Please realize beforehand, though, that the book is large format and in full color, so the printing cost is not cheap (the little photo booklets are dirt cheap). So I will try my best to make it available to those who lamented, but won't be able to offer it for $7.99 shipped or such ... This 'ring binder guide' won't be available for a little while, in part because I have to start by finding which CD the book is on.<BR>

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Posted By: <b>runscott</b><p>Your books are excellent and practical.