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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I received this message from Dave Ellis, who is
actively working on the database structure and web space with Marissa Andolina
and others. I should have noted that the "sample" manual is something I
originally wrote back in 2001, when some of us were first discussing the concept
which has since grown into SCG. Obviously, a lot more thought has gone
into the "Manual" since then, and as Dave points out we now intend the manual to
be in electronic format (at least initially - perhaps eventually printed), and
we will be encouraging the use of digital photography for gathering and sharing
data. We have agreed to set as the minimum standard 3.2 mega pixel images
for the archives, although we can certainly use smaller images for communicating
with each other.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Also, Dave mentions the fact that we may end up
archiving a lot more data than will ever make it into the manual - this is
especially true of video imagery, which may be of use in research but prove too
large to fit into the manual.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Finally, I intend to post my previous letter and
future communications on my personal web site until Marissa gets our own website
up and running (probably a few months, at least). I will also include a
link to it on the SCG footer.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bill Hubbell</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=dellis1@rochester.rr.com href="mailto:dellis1@rochester.rr.com">dave
ellis</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=whubbell@umich.edu
href="mailto:whubbell@umich.edu">Bill Hubbell</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=SGEAST@INTERLOG.COM
href="mailto:SGEAST@INTERLOG.COM">Stan East</A> ; <A
title=mandolin@rochester.rr.com href="mailto:mandolin@rochester.rr.com">SAM
ANDOLINA</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, August 14, 2005 2:20 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [SCG] Welcome to the Stock Corvair Group - Activities
Update</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Bill....great document....that oughta get
folks juices flowing and cranked up!!!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Only one minor comment.....in your sample reference
manual it was great that you showed an "excel file" or table as a possible
data entry besides text; to present information on a particular
topic/detail,,,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However,,,you probably should have noted that we
will be surely using digital photos...to the agreed minumum standard of 3.2 Meg
images...I recongize that is such recently agreed upon scoop..that it might not
have made it into that email... </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>A suggestion; at your next
opportunity/communication; inform our SCG membership that digital
images are a given as a data input source, and that 3.2meg images are the
minimum standard,,,per our previous decisions...(I personally believe that
the effective use of </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>digital images is what is going to make this effort
extremely efficient and entusiastically embraced by the members of
SCG....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>ie how is that unique weld in the trunk of a
Canadial Built car suppose to look......two or three images will take the
place</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>of the literal 2000 words of text!!!)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>An observation....we expect to format the data
structure via year/model/trim level/transmission/powerplant and A/C, (yes or
no.).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and not have multiple trim levels qued in the same
file structure......</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I doubt if you've yet had a change to look thru
it..but that concept is demonstrated in the data file structure that was
attached to </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>a email I sent you yesterday....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I met with Marissa last eve and she has approved
the concept/format/approach of those two data file structures from</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>a "database technology" perspective...and that is
good news...(both are attached in the same email, yr/model/trim
level/trans/powerplant data structure is the first one,,,and the Detailed
Content Data Structure is the second one,,,,,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and muchas gracias to </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Stan East for providing me the documentation defining the sequence and
detail used in concours evaluation...all of that scoop</FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>is encorporated into that file....He helped me realize that my initial
anal engineer data structure organized by </FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=2>operating system was indeed logical,,,but was totally inefficient from
the standpoint of using the data structure to drive the actual</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>process of physically collecting the data whilst
evaluating a vehicle..so I redirected my thrust..and I really think we've got a
good</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>place to start....especially in getting the
uniqueness for wagons, FC's and Rampsides slipped in there....) </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have requested a detailed critique from a limited
number of folks to get the content closer to perfect for the end of the
month...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and after submission and approval by the
appropriate SCG leadership...we can then make those fomats availble for broader
review...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I would be willing to make the updates, and keep
track of the "most current" revision of those files during their review
process...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>At somepoint we will need to agree that they
are sufficiently accurate to use them to drive the "formal" creation of the
data base,,,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and then to be used as the "vehicle" for the
</FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>individual "forum" groups to gather their
data...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I expect to maintain document revision control via
a numerical suffix or prefix on the file title.....that way when we chose
to</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>issue an update..we can inform everyone the latest
revison is now....say #4, and widely distribute it to assure everyone
is</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>on the same page...no pun intended....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>One last conceptual issue to cover......in the
midst of discussing how large the database could/should be....an
observation...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>even if we we granted unlimited space, for free by
CORSA or whomever....we really ought consider the outside limit</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>for what we would make available to SCG
folks for their purchase and use....</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I suggest that would be one DVD disk,,,at max
of 4.7gig I believe, for each of 3 logical groupings.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Series I, Series II, and
FC's/Ramp-LoadSides......maybe at first we can get it all on
one????</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>We can archive video to the tune of hundeds of gigs
if we so desire on a </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>server somewhere...but what
we make routinely available,,,,the goal I believe you clearly have articulated;
is to make the data a cheap, access </FONT><FONT face=Arial size=2>easy for the
SCG folks...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>and almost every local Corvair club has now..or by
the time we have something ready to make available...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>will have someone with a DVD reader available to
them....thus giving them easy access to the data they desire...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Put it in their laptop and take it to the local
tech session to display...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ok,,,,,Now to get ready to get out of town on
vacation for a few days...will be available again Friday the
19th...</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>dme out...</FONT></DIV>
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