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NMRA Digital Magazine is a go. General discussion
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MRH Author 421 posts bobmorning MRH Author 421 posts
bobmorning

Received today via email, they get credit and kudos for moving this forward.  A bit leery about bullet 2, depending on how this is done this may make or break the success of their product.   Just give me an industry standard PDF and call it done.  

 

NMRA Digital Publications Update
 
You spoke and we listened. Following the end of our digital publications research, the NMRA Board of Directors voted unanimously on Sunday, December 5, 2021, to move forward with a digital version of the NMRA Magazine. This decision was based on research, feedback from almost 3700 members, and discussions with each Region's leadership, the CFO, and the heads of our IT, Publishing, and Marketing Departments. That research showed overwhelming support for a digital version of our magazine alongside the traditional print option. Therefore, the decision does not mean that the paper magazine is disappearing. Life Members will receive both print and digital versions of the NMRA Magazine, while all Full, Student and Rail Pass members will receive our digital NMRA Magazine with the option to subscribe to the print version.
 
The entire project team is grateful for your feedback. Below are some of the major points made by our members, which we incorporated into the project scope.
 
You told us that you:
  • Didn't like the functionality or speed of our prototype magazine. We have therefore decided to move forward with another platform used by hundreds of digital publications with better functions, feel and speed.
  • Wanted the ability to download and read offline. Our chosen platform will allow you to download and read offline, giving you the opportunity to take your NMRA library with you anywhere.
  • Wanted to be able to choose how you viewed content. Our chosen platform offers options including adaptive text that will allow you to read each article like a book and a portrait layout which is much better for reading on mobile devices.
  • Wanted to be able to search text and index articles. Our chosen platform will offer this feature.
The NMRA is now moving into the implementation phase of this project.
We will continue to communicate and share more details with you in the coming months as we move forward with this project. If you have UI or graphic design skills you would like to offer your support to the NMRA digital publications project, please get in touch.

Bob M.

Modeling the Western Maryland in the 1980's at http://wmrwy.com

20pixels.jpg 
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joef MRH Founder 17,415 posts
joef

Good news

Yes, it's good news that they're moving forward with a digital anything. We'll have to see if it's a PDF or an ePub. An ePub has certain advantages on mobile devices, but it is more fiddily to produce. We also found the ePub throws a major monkey wrench into ad hotspots. You get one big hotspot -- just the ad, and no individual hot spots within the ad like a PDF gives you.

Joe Fugate​
Publisher, Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine

[siskiyouBtn]

Read my blog
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AlexW Prolific poster 2,773 posts
AlexW

DRM

I hope it's a DRM-free PDF. We'll see. Seems like a positive step forward, they are listening to the membership. I do wonder how long the paper magazine survives though, as at some small volume do the economics go into a downward spiral?

-----

Modeling the modern era freelanced G&W Connecticut Northern
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Ceganzer New member 8 posts
Ceganzer

Digital Magazine

Greetings MRH members! On behalf of the NMRA, we thank you all and Joe F. for your support and feedback. As you all know, this is a big step for the NMRA and we ask for your patience as we work through the process and finalize everything. We realize this may be a difficult transition for some and a welcomed benefit for others. While we know it is impossible to please every member, it is our hope that everyone will put their best foot forward and at least give the digital magazine a chance. We've worked hard to incorporate member comments and feedback into the process and are excited to introduce a finished product this spring. In the meantime, we will continue to communicate updates.

Christina Zambri

NMRA Marketing
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Matt Goodman Regular poster 466 posts
Matt Goodman

Continuous Improvement

Hi Christina. I fully expect that it'll take some time to get the magazine to whatever the end state is envisioned to be. I am happy to live through the learning curve - even if it's a bumpy launch.

The letter from Gordy started with "we listened" and knowing you, I'm sure the listening (and improvements) will continue beyond the start-up period. 

 

Matt Goodman
Columbus, OH, US
--------------------------
MRH Blog
VI Tower Blog - Along the tracks in pre-war Circleville, Ohio
Why I Model Steam - Why steam locomotion is in my blood
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kansaspacific1 Frequent poster 689 posts
kansaspacific1

AS a longtime NMRA member.....

Christina:

As a longtime NMRA member, I'm thrilled that you are going to put the magazine into a digital format.

As a subscriber to RE here and a purchaser of Joe's "Make it run...." books in digital format, you can tell I'm all for that option with the NMRA mag.

Will be watching as it develops this coming spring.

Thanks and good luck.

 

Chuck

Read my blog
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James Willmus JamesWillmus Super User 310 posts
James Willmus JamesWillmus

Great news!

For all the times I've changed my address in the past decade having a digital format publication is a HUGE benefit.  Now NMRA can also link in various sources for different articles such as video workshops and such.  Of course, that will be a while still but now the opportunity is there, which is important.

A physical magazine is still a great thing but it takes up a lot more space than when downloaded onto a hard-drive.

Can't wait to be an NMRA member again soon!

_______________________________________________________________________________________

James Willmus

Website: Homestakemodels.com (website currently having issues)
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Benny MRH Author 7,125 posts
Benny

...

As the old saying goes, "You'll never make EVERYONE happy."

This is a major step forward in the right direction.  Excellent work.

--------------------------------------------------------

Benny's Index or Somewhere Chasing Rabbits
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