PAMPA - Big News!

PAMPA is very pleased to announce the availability of a new, low-cost membership category!

$25 dollars provides a full PAMPA membership and access to the PAMPA Website, including downloadable .PDFs of Stunt News and other benefits delivered to other membership categories as physical items. (Magazine, CD). All the benefits of membership aside from a paper magazine, for half the cost!

I think this will be a real boon to those otherwise interested but unable to swing the the (substantial but necessary) cost of delivering magazines and CDs. We all understand that the recent price increases for PAMPA membership put it out of reach or didn't meet the cost/benefit criteria, and we had been bandying this about for a year or so, but with the recent availability and proven practicality of providing the magazine on the website to the other membership categories, it's proven to be quite practical. We didn't want to act before we were sure it would work, and now we know it does.

The "boon" aspect of it definitely applies to the international members as well. Face it, $95 is A LOT of money. Now, you can get it for the same cost as US members.

One thing to note- the pictures in the downloadable (and CD) versions are all in color! That puts it one up on the printed magazine.

Note that this is practical only for those with reasonably high-speed Internet connections. The May/June SN is about 23 meg. If you have dial-up be prepared to wait a very very long time and I would suggest the chances are nearly zero of completing it without a disconnect at some point. But any sort of DSL/cable/T1 will work. I use free municipal Wi-Fi at about 300 kbps average and it's fine.

Note also that for the time being, you will still need to sign up conventionally - no on-line signup yet.

If you are interested, bop on over to:

http://www.control-line.org/Portals/PAMPA_Common_Files/PAMPA_Membership_Form_2008_1.pdf

and download a membership form.

Brett

Great! That means the print version is only $25 a year, which is now a bargain!

It is really nice to offer this option, as most of us would like to have the print version (oddly, long term storage favors paper!) and the additional "halftone" quality of the digital files. There is no way PAMPA could absorb the cost (my opinion) of creating good high quality 1/C halftones from amateur photographers.

So, the downloadable version is as much a boon to those of us getting the print version as for those who opt not to get it. A true Win-Win solution for all concerned.

Larry Fulwider

>Great! That means the print version is only $25 a year, which
>is now a bargain!
>

Larry, Brett did not say the print edition is now $25, he did say the the full color Web Membership (minus the hardcopy and CD) is $25. Maybe I misunderstood you, but this needs to be very clear to all concerned.

>It is really nice to offer this option, as most of us would
>like to have the print version (oddly, long term storage
>favors paper!) and the additional "halftone" quality
>of the digital files. There is no way PAMPA could absorb the
>cost (my opinion) of creating good high quality 1/C halftones
>from amateur photographers.

Mind explaining this one?

>
>So, the downloadable version is as much a boon to those of us
>getting the print version as for those who opt not to get it.
>A true Win-Win solution for all concerned.

Yes, the full color medium resolution Web Membership download Stunt News is a boon to those with high speed internet. It is available to all the PAMPA membership no matter what category of delivery you have paid for.

>
>Larry Fulwider

>Great! That means the print version is only $25 a year, which
>is now a bargain!

I think *I* understand what you mean, but just to be entirely clear

- what we are talking about is a membership with *only* the downloadable SN for $25. No Print magazine and No CD for the $25 membership category, just access to download the PDF version.


Brett

> I think *I* understand what you mean, but just to be
>entirely clear
>
> - what we are talking about is a membership with
>*only* the downloadable SN for $25. No Print magazine
>and No CD for the $25 membership category, just access to
>download the PDF version.
>
>
> Brett

Yes, I was making a little "play on words" -- er, numbers.

$50 -- Full Membership with printed SN;
-25 -- Full Membership w/o printed SN;
$25 -- Cost of Stunt News.

That was a reference to those who complained of spending $50 a year for SN, as if that was all there was to PAMPA.

Honest, I got it!

Larry Fulwider

>Honest, I got it!

So did I - I just wanted to make absolutely sure that there was no confusion about the real deal for others.

Brett

p.s. I figure that in about a week, Dave Gardner's mailbox is going to explode!

Larry,

Earlier this year or before, I forget, you wrote to me about HalfTones. We do not deal in black & white photos anymore unless they are only available that way. So, again, please explain what it is you are attempting to put across with your suggestion.

Thank you,

Hi Brett

Sounds like a good deal esp for us overseas people. I have one question:-

As we are now approaching the middle of the year and the membership expires in December, will I be able to access the web version of stunt news for all of this years issues if I join now?

>Hi Brett
>
>Sounds like a good deal esp for us overseas people. I have
>one question:-
>
>As we are now approaching the middle of the year and the
>membership expires in December, will I be able to access the
>web version of stunt news for all of this years issues if I
>join now?
>
>

Brett;

If you don't mind, let me answer this message.

Mike;

PAMPA membership allows you access not only to the earlier 2008 versions of "Stunt News", but also each version for the the last couple of years. The "Stunt News" editor, Tom Mclain, has been fastidious in keeping all of the source files that go to the publisher. He was also able to recover some of the source files used by the previous editor, Tom Morris. With that, we were able to create downloadable (15-25 megabyte) versions of "Stunt News". We have all issues back to Nov-Dec 2005, plus two others. You (or any PAMPA member) can access a total of 18 copies of "Stunt News" on line right now - and the June-July 2008 version is already done - we are just waiting on the printer before we release the digital version.

I think you will find PAMPA membership good value for the $25US spent, especially with the recent exchange rates.

For a membership form, go to: http://control-line.org/portals/PAMPA_Common_Files/PAMPA_Membership_Form_2008_1.pdf

V/r

Bob Kruger

Hi all ,

nice to hear. I have the cheaper overseas membership that excludes the printed paper version of the Stunt News.

This is fine so far, but the CD-rom that is shipped every second month has a strange habit to fly it's own ways... I have compared the printout from the CD with printout from the downloaded PDF-file, and I must confess that neither me or none of my stunt teatchers can see any difference.

Hence I was going to suggest a pure "electronic membership" for us out in the "wide world" with acceptable speed of internet connection.


__________________________

Today is the swedish "Midsummer day". As the modern tradition says, everyone should get awfully drunk during the Midsummer eve and this particular day is ment for recovery...


Cheers! // Ingvar

>Hi all ,
>
>nice to hear. I have the cheaper overseas membership that
>excludes the printed paper version of the Stunt News.
>
>This is fine so far, but the CD-rom that is shipped every
>second month has a strange habit to fly it's own ways... I
>have compared the printout from the CD with printout from the
>downloaded PDF-file, and I must confess that neither me or
>none of my stunt teatchers can see any difference.
>
>Hence I was going to suggest a pure "electronic
>membership" for us out in the "wide world" with
>acceptable speed of internet connection.
>

As has been recently pointed out, this is hardly a new idea. But there were a number of issues that made it impractical until fairly recently. Mostly, it was a matter of getting the file size down to something reasonable. Tom can clarify, but I know that when this was first discussed (1999-2000) we are talking about 2-300 meg. If it's that size, it still wouldn't be a viable prospect even with widespread high-speed internet connections. Of course, until the last few years a lot of people were still on dial-up. It's still impractical on dial-up even with the reduced file size. Then of course there was the distraction of our "unpleasantness" which, no matter where you stood, did nothing but put us 3 years behind the curve.

The other item, and the biggest, was Lt. Col. Tom McClain pushing the process forward. He was the driving force behind getting this in place and as of the middle of last year, I knew most of the elements were in place to make it happen. We had to get the CD thing going (which, like most things, was harder than it would first appear) and solve the file size issue, which was the last piece of the puzzle. That got solved earlier this year, and at that point it was just a matter of getting the administrative bits in place and doing it.

I have already had a couple of private "taunts" about "hey we told you, you guys are idiots" emails over this topic, and I am sure that, like anything we do, there will be the usual straphangers pointing out the hundreds of huge mistakes we have made. But that aside, I think we are moving forward and doing the best we can to make PAMPA a useful and cost-effective choice. There's more to come, to - on-line signup being at the top of our "to-do" list.

One last thing - while I was provided the great honor of announcing it on-line, I take virtually *no* credit for making this happen. Tom, Bob Kruger, and Bill Rich (advocating it and pushing it along) are the prime players, and the rest of the PAMPA EC for moving on this expeditiously, can take the credit.

Brett

Brett,

Truly good news for us otherworlders up here in Canada and outside the continental US.

I am a supporter of all things stunt but couldn't justify the over $100 expense (depending on the exchange rate) for 6 magazines. Albeit good magazines....

My plan was to order the entire year in back issues and pay for one shipping charge and be VERY patient with finding the latest in SN. This latest offering makes all that unnecessary.

Further to the online store, that's not all that hard. I have a site, www.shopmagicbus.ca that I had built for under $500 that offers full use of paypal, Visa, MC etc. and gives the option of downloadable products. We sell only hard goods although...

If you like I can see what the developer would charge for a site for Pampa. It would be cool to reorder online all the memberships, plans, backissues etc. This system works very well and we have sold over 1000 orders in just over one year.

Bruce

Bruce,

This is great news. Thanks for the help. With your contribution PAMPA can definitely make the next move into the 21st Century and have Stunt News become the digital CLPA AMA and F2B newsletter of all stunt.

Thank you,

PS I am sure Brett and Bob Kruger are salivating to take advantage of your offer.

>
>PS I am sure Brett and Bob Kruger are salivating to take
>advantage of your offer.


Yeah, but I drool most of the time, anyway.

Once again, adding the bit about on-line payment is relatively easy, it's the link back to the database on the website that is a lot trickier. I expect we will end up with taking that one step at a time.

Brett

Mr Drooly,

haha,

Anyhow... We harvest names from our shopping cart to produce a manifest of each coach. The system could easily produce a membership list with names, addresses, emails etc. with data on payment dates etc. The membership list would be current to the minute and be able to generate mailing lists Vs online members.

Shoot me a PM and I'll walk you through the site's admin side if you're interested. I'd be happy to ask the developer for a quote. He was easy to work with and would be happy to assist.

FWIW

B

>Anyhow... We harvest names from our shopping cart to produce a
>manifest of each coach. The system could easily produce a
>membership list with names, addresses, emails etc. with data
>on payment dates etc. The membership list would be current to
>the minute and be able to generate mailing lists Vs online
>members.
>
>Shoot me a PM and I'll walk you through the site's admin side
>if you're interested. I'd be happy to ask the developer for a
>quote. He was easy to work with and would be happy to
>assist.

Bruce;

There are a number of packages for Dotnetnuke (the software that runs the PAMPA site) that allows for what we want to do, e.g. sign up, pay by credit card or PayPal, and you have instant access. The rub is that the PAMPA site is running version 1.x, and Dotnetnuke is up to 4.x. And, the modules to do what we want to do all require the upgraded version. There is no real problem with the upgrade, except that the module with all of the photographs that a lot of people invested a considerable amount of time to upload will be lost, as it is incompatible with later versions.

And none of us want to sacrifice the photograph module - or at least the work that has gone into posting them.

There is a way to do it all - I am still looking. We will get it figured out.

V/r

Bob

>Hi all ,
>
>nice to hear. I have the cheaper overseas membership that
>excludes the printed paper version of the Stunt News.
>
>This is fine so far, but the CD-rom that is shipped every
>second month has a strange habit to fly it's own ways... I
>have compared the printout from the CD with printout from the
>downloaded PDF-file, and I must confess that neither me or
>none of my stunt teatchers can see any difference.
>
>Hence I was going to suggest a pure "electronic
>membership" for us out in the "wide world" with
>acceptable speed of internet connection.

Ingvar;

The difference between the on-line and CD versions of "Stunt News" is in the quality and resolution of the pictures. With the on line version, we have to find a balance in the size of the downloadable file versus the quality and resolution of the digital pictures. While the on line version of SN sizes up at 15-25 megabytes, the CD version usually goes between 125-200 megabytes. For those that like the finest resolution and clarity of the photographs, the CD is the way to go.

Regardless, the on line version of "Stunt News" provides a level of picture resolution that exceeds the paper copy.

The final point is choice. For those that are comfortable with the on line version only they now have that option. For those who want the very finest in photographic quality and resolution, they have the CD. And for those who want the hard copy so they can carry it with them and read it at their convenience, they have that option as well.


>Today is the swedish "Midsummer day". As the modern
>tradition says, everyone should get awfully drunk during the
>Midsummer eve and this particular day is ment for recovery...

And duly celebrated with close friends yesterday in balmy Georgia. Today will be a day of recovery....

V/r

Bob

Will this price for membership and online access continue for 2009 also?

>Will this price for membership and online access continue for
>2009 also?
>
>

Would you like it to?

Absolutely! I'll join now if we can count on it not going up. Expenses for most of what we do, drive, buy groceries, use utilities etc. are increasing and we have no control of these. My wife and I have had and are having a lot of medical expenses this year. We have to decide what we can and can't do.

>Absolutely! I'll join now if we can count on it not going
>up. Expenses for most of what we do, drive, buy groceries,
>use utilities etc. are increasing and we have no control of
>these. My wife and I have had and are having a lot of medical
>expenses this year. We have to decide what we can and can't
>do.

It's certainly not going to be retroactive, if that's what you mean.

At some point in the future it may presumably go up, but if that's 2 years from now or 10 years from now, who can say. If you pay for it now, you get the membership until the end of the year, and at this point as far as I know it will be $25 next year, too.

Brett

Believe it or not, those of us in the poor old South can usually express what we mean very clearly. I see nothing about my reply to Tom to infer anything about it being retroactive.
I only asked about 2009. I would think that with only six months or so remaining in the year 2008 some projections for next year would have been done. [photo not recovered: sipcof.gif]

Kreth,

I am an old farm boy from SW Michigan with relatives from Montgomery, AL. My Aunt Madge made the best biscuits and gravy this side of heaven and her bacon was to die for. My Grandma was a southern gentle lady that I loved dearly and she rubbed of on me.

So, if I have any say in the matter, the Web Membership will be $25 for 2009. I will take that as a tasker for my remaining time.

Glad you like the idea of the Web download. I know you will like the color presentation of the magazine.

>Believe it or not, those of us in the poor old South can
>usually express what we mean very clearly. I see nothing
>about my reply to Tom to infer anything about it being
>retroactive.
>I only asked about 2009. I would think that with only six
>months or so remaining in the year 2008 some projections for
>next year would have been done. [photo not recovered: sipcof.gif]

Kreth;

As I live in Alabama these days, I guess I can qualify for the same...

Getting the web enabled only membership is just like signing up for PAMPA with other options. If you sign up today for the hard copy version, you get the back issues of SN for 2008 plus SN and PAMPA membership for the remainder of 2008. Same goes for the CD version. And, so it is with the on line version. In fact, if you become a member again today, you can access the last couple of years worth of SNs and download them at your leisure. That would cost you extra if you wanted the hard copy version.

But, there is no prorating to next year with any options.

As for costs, there are three big costs associated with the publication of SN. First is publishing in hard copy and CD, second is postage, and third is layout. A distant fourth (and very distant) is the cost of hosting and maintaining the web site. As we do our own maintenance, it is just the cost of hosting, and that is very cheap compared to the other options. Our projections are that unless there is a huge jump in the cost of hosting a site, our costs will remain the same for the on line version. Even if hosting costs doubled, it would amount to pennies a member. As for the layout, we think that will remain stable for the next year or two. So, if you opt for the on line membership, those are the costs and the projection is there will not be an increase in web enabled membership at least through 2009, and very possibly longer.

So, its your call if the web enabled SN membership option is viable or not. If you can find better value that PAMPA membership with 6 issues of SN for $25/year, by all means take it. What we have tried to do is deliver a cost effective and cost stable option that keeps PAMPA membership viable for all of us who are feeling the pinch of increased costs everywhere else, and do it with a quality product.

V/r

Bob

>Will this price for membership and online access continue for
>2009 also?

Unless some problem befalls us, yes. The intent is that this is a new offering/option from PAMPA that will continue indefinitely.

Brett

Hi All,
To the Stunt News team, I say a big WELL DONE! Thanks for all your hard work. This is a real bonus for the overseas members. Here in South Africa, our currency has taken a serious nose-dive, and is looking like it will continue on this trajectory. I opted for the CD this year, and even the $40.00 for next year is looking difficult with soaring fuel and food prices. So now this $25.00 fee is a real bonus, because PAMPA is definitely worth belonging to.

High-speed internet here is becoming cheaper finally and right now I use a 3G cell phone modem that is pretty fast. I get 500 megs per month in my contract, so to download 20 to 30 megs for the magazine is a really good deal. Thanks again and keep up the good work.
Keith R

This new option gets my vote. It is an excellent idea.

The check is in the mail.

George

I hate to sound cheap (but I am), but this is good news. Probably will re-up. several reasons,--hopefully the politics have toned down, but also this lower cost membership is a real incentive.
So I "salute" the powers-that-be

>I hate to sound cheap (but I am), but this is good news.
>Probably will re-up. several reasons,--hopefully the politics
>have toned down, but also this lower cost membership is a real
>incentive.
>So I "salute" the powers-that-be


Since the March/April 2006 issue of Stunt News, there has been no politics other than AMA Event 322 CLPA and FAI F2B politics allowed in Stunt News, period.

Excellent job, Tom, Brett, and Bob, alot of really appreciate the effort. Anything to reduce costs is good, I don't think they are going down anytime soon!

Sorry to admit it, but how do you "re-up".

Ok, I clicked on the link and figured it out!

Thanks all.

I hate to admit it, but I remember when the main controversy involved the Fox 35 (back in the "Isky" days.

Alan,

Good to have you back.

I assume that the July-August will be posted at the PAMPA web site sometime after July 1st?

>I assume that the July-August will be posted at the PAMPA web
>site sometime after July 1st?

That it will.

Bob