Manuals on CD: MB-C1 and Instruction Book FORD Special Pattern Vehicles

[Hanno Spoelstra]

This e-mail was sent to me, I am posting it here for your benefit:

From: "Bruce McCann" <bmccann@optusnet.com.au>
To: Hanno Spoelstra
Subject: copyright CMP site
Date: Tue, 14 Nov 2006 22:28:28 +1100

FOR SALE,

Manuals on CD: available anytime



Subject: CMP manuals on Cd MB-C1 and Instruction Book FORD Special Pattern Vehicles



I have two manuals scanned to PDF also scanned is "Instruction Book FORD Special Pattern Vehicles "and it is available for AUD $30.00 + postage,



regards

Bruce McCann

[Tony Smith]

Bruce has also listed his CDs on e-bay.

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
This e-mail was sent to me, I am posting it here for your benefit:

Hanno..
This is why I don't sell CD manuals...
With free manuals on line ,It takes away my incentive to provide the world with many rare manuals..
The FORD and Chev maintenance manuals are the ones that are the most popular...so once they are free what is my incentive to invest thousands of $$$$$ to maintain a web site ,invest in manuals and keep my rare manuals available..
If I depended on these manuals to live on I would starve to death but as long as I am suported by the CMP groups such as MLU and Convoy ,I will continue to provide manuals ...
For me ,it is a hobby that pays for itself ,but
Should I decide to close down the web site and put my manuals up on E Bay,It would be loosing the availability to access over a hundred rare manuals for the loss of a prime resourse of information,because of a few but thats the hobby..there are always those who want something for nothing..and will either provide it or support it so that all will eventually suffer..

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Hanno..
This is why I don't sell CD manuals...
With free manuals on line ,It takes away my incentive to provide the world with many rare manuals..

I totally agree with you. I once bought a CD with a radio manual, but it is a nightmare to use (scrolling thru the pages with acrobat reader) when you are used to paper, so this was once and never again.

Hendrik van Oorspronk

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Hendrik van Oorspronk
I totally agree with you. I once bought a CD with a radio manual, but it is a nightmare to use (scrolling thru the pages with acrobat reader) when you are used to paper, so this was once and never again.

Hendrik van Oorspronk

Hi Hendrik..
Thanks for your support..
With technology changing so quickly,it's CD's today...what's next..??
At least with the paper manual you can open the page and find what you are looking for instantly,and lug it out to the shop and spill oil ,coffee and beer on it and it won't short out..
I wouldn't want to sacrifice my original manuals like that because they are aging and won't stand a lot of handling any more ,but a copy is ideal..
My copy's are world class and anyone that has purchaced them has praised my work and product..I sold my first manual reproduction to Rod Diery in Australia over 10 years ago and Rod knows his stuff and is probably still using it..
It makes me proud to be a part of this hobby and get involved in my own way with all you restorers..have restored 1:1 vehicles myself without the help of the manuals have a great appreciation of the product.
Thanks again.

[Rolf S. Ask]

and it is just to much work to bring the computer out to the garage everytime......

Rolf

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Rolf S. Ask
and it is just to much work to bring the computer out to the garage everytime......

Rolf

I agree with you Rolf..It's the greasy finger prints on the keyboard that gets the missus upset..of course Bob Carrier has one of my manual copies out in his shop and it's well used and available all the time in the shop..
But maybe you need a helper in your shop to carry things..
Here is Bob's helper that lugs things for him...along with Rob Clarke...

http://www.funnyclicks.com/pictures12/236.jpg

[mike mckinley]

i have purchased a small library of manuals from alex....all the cats meow. these never see the garage because i treat them as if they were the original. what i do is i'll scan the pages i need for say the carburetor, print off these pages, and off to the garage. if they get full of grease, gas, or beer, simply toss em and print new ones. but most important is that the actual "blair" manual sits on the shelf ready for the next project. i would reccomend any of alexs' manuals, because he does a top notch job!!!
with the newer vehicles, many of the manuals were on cd from the beginning, which means that if one wants a hard copy, they will have to print from the disk. personally, i have scanned and converted to adobe several of the camt series of manuals, such as the browning hi power, sten, as well as the ww2 standing orders, and clothing equipment statement, but more for the purpose of digitally preserve them. alex, if you ever decide to part with your library, i hope it stays together as a collection, and is still available to the collector....it would be a great loss of historic information otherwise.

mike

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

I think $30,= is a lot of money for a 50 cents disk \

For $80,= you get over 420 pages of good old reliable paper that still will do its job when your computer is crached or your kids want to play with it.

Hendrik van Oorspronk

[Bob Carriere]

Alex....

Don't make fun of my Pussy...!!!!

I am not cheap like Mike.... I use my manual and it stays in the barn.... grease stain and all..... hardly a weekend goes by the Rob and I use it to settle an argument about how a part is suppose to fit........ I would have worn out a pair of boots if we had walked back to the 'puter to check things out.....

...... besides Joyce would not like me to grease up the keyboard.

Kill a tree by a book..... it keeps Alex out of jail...!!!

BooBee

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by Bob Carriere
Alex....

Don't make fun of my Pussy...!!!!

I am not cheap like Mike.... I use my manual and it stays in the barn.... grease stain and all..... hardly a weekend goes by the Rob and I use it to settle an argument about how a part is suppose to fit........ I would have worn out a pair of boots if we had walked back to the 'puter to check things out.....

...... besides Joyce would not like me to grease up the keyboard.

Kill a tree by a book..... it keeps Alex out of jail...!!!

BooBee

BOOBEE..
As soon as I saw the kitty I thought of you and how usefull that little kitty would be to lug beer or varsol for the parts washer...
Yes,that MB-C2 has a place of honour in your shop..
Do you help Clarkie with the big words..??

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Bob Carriere
Alex....
I use my manual and it stays in the barn....hardly a weekend goes by the Rob and I use it to settle an argument about how a part is suppose to fit
BooBee

A telephone book is much more effective for winning arguments, a swift thwack will convince anyone of the wisdom of your words.

[Sydneymver]

I think $30,= is a lot of money for a 50 cents disk \

For $80,= you get over 420 pages of good old reliable paper that still will do its job when your computer is crached or your kids want to play with it.

Hendrik van Oorspronk


Thanks guys for your comments:
For $30 you can get over 1000 pages available to you, and no one expects you to lug your computer to the shed, you just print the relevant page, if you destroy the page who cares, just print another one.
Your manuals are good, they still are, but with what i offer a person can have BOTH, not bad for 1/2 your price.

Thanks
Gentleman

Bruce McCann

[J Caldwell]

Not to hurt anyone's sales etc... but there are 2 manuals in pdf format available to download for free. Both MBc2 and MBF1 are available atCanadian Register


I enjoy Alexs manuals as well as the PDF files. if I know I will be working on say the rear brakes, I will print off that section where it can get dirty and greasey then tossed when I am done. The manuals are not cheap to purchase and I want them to last forever, they are not indistructible so thats where having them on disc is a big bonus.
I have the C8A-04 parts manual in pdf format if anyone wants a copy.

Jeff

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Originally posted by J Caldwell
Not to hurt anyone's sales etc... but there are 2 manuals in pdf format available to download for free. Both MBc2 and MBF1 are available atCanadian Register


I enjoy Alexs manuals as well as the PDF files. if I know I will be working on say the rear brakes, I will print off that section where it can get dirty and greasey then tossed when I am done. The manuals are not cheap to purchase and I want them to last forever, they are not indistructible so thats where having them on disc is a big bonus.
I have the C8A-04 parts manual in pdf format if anyone wants a copy.

Jeff

Jeff...
With electronic speed of communications now a days and the availability of information on the internet my personal hobby is becoming redundant..
It makes no sense for me to keep a web site going,invest thousand of $$$$ in manuals,library upkeep and storage,and the money required to reproduce and ship my manual copies if every time I turn around someone is offering free mauals on CD or on line...
My whole objective to my hobby was to provide the information available in these rare manuals to people around the world in the hobby that have no other way to get the information they need to repair and restore these wonderfull relics...
I did not say I could provide these copies for nothing and I never intended too,although I have often provided free manuals to worthy causes ,such as the Convoy Caldwell thrashes and to training schools that are working on PRoject CMP trucks..
As the old saying goes "It takes many straws to break the camels back"....
You are providing just one more straw..
If my site is closed down,I will be selling off the manuals ,hopefully to one buyer,but a great sourse of information will be lost to everyone...
So your Manual offer not only hurts me ,it will eventually hurt every one in the hobby,should manuals no longer be available...
I don't depend on these manuals to make a living but as a hobby..
I have met some wonderful people through the manuals and many life long friends...That is what I will miss...
But I'm not at the point of shutting down yet...
But I don't need too many more straws...

[Sydneymver]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
Jeff...
It makes no sense for me to keep a web site going,invest thousand of $$$$ in manuals,library upkeep and storage,and the money required to reproduce and ship my manual copies if every time I turn around someone is offering free mauals on CD or on line...

The downloadable manuals were online way before i offered my Cd's on ebay

My whole objective to my hobby was to provide the information available in these rare manuals to people around the world in the hobby that have no other way to get the information they need to repair and restore these wonderfull relics...

My point exactly ,and i don't see how the Cd's differ to your manuals except in the format to which they are supplied.

I did not say I could provide these copies for nothing and I never intended too,although I have often provided free manuals to worthy causes ,such as the Convoy Caldwell thrashes and to training schools that are working on PRoject CMP trucks..
As the old saying goes "It takes many straws to break the camels back"....

Nothing is stopping you from still helping those that need your help, from what i have read,there are those that traditionaly will only want a paper version of the manual, and a minority that want it on Disk., at the very least consider it a manual saved that will not get dog eared or ruined over time, and that can only be a good thing for our hobby.


So your Manual offer not only hurts me ,it will eventually hurt every one in the hobby,should manuals no longer be available...

at the very least consider it a manual saved that will not get dog eared or ruined over time, and that can only be a good thing for our hobby, so i really don't think anyone will be getting hurt, i am saddened that you think this.

I don't depend on these manuals to make a living but as a hobby..
I have met some wonderful people through the manuals and many life long friends...That is what I will miss...

I am sure that the life long friends will stick by you, even in the event that your home has no more manuals in it, if they are true friends that is.


But I'm not at the point of shutting down yet...
But I don't need too many more straws...

Great to see Alex, you sound like a trooper, go print another manual and make a new friend.

Bruce

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Bruce..
What you say is true..It is the people in this hobby that I'm here for..
I don't mind competition ,and I have had many chances to purchace CD's of manuals cheep,but can't certify if something is missing ...and nothing worse that missing pages..
I have paper manuals with missing bits and it is sometimes impossible to replace the missing bits but with a CD how do you know...Anyway I don't mind competition but I can't compete with FREE..

[J Caldwell]

Alex, Sorry that the idea of manuals being available in a format other than paper bound is such a sore spot for you. You are correct that the WWW and scanners are going to make most if not all manuals for this hobby available at the click of a mouse in the near future. There already is a wide variety available online, and most are free. I have purchased several manuals from you and greatly appreciate the donations you have made at the CC events. Hopefully my previous post or this one does not upset you to the point where you would sell your collection or discontinue you valuable services. But the simple fact is that some people prefer to have manuals available in electronic format and are going to transfer the information from paper to harddrive at an ever increasing rate. Surely you will not get mad at us for doing it, it is not a service that you offer so someone else is going to do it.
I purchased an original C8A-04 manual some years ago, and last winter decided to make it electronic. it cost me nothing more than my time, so like so many other things I have done I offer the information for free to others in the hobby. I am not trying to be malicious, and the information is not of copyright, so I cannot see why you are getting so upset. I am not trying to make any $ on it and have given away several copies, some to individuals that have purchased the same manual from you. They just liked the idea of having it available electronically.
As far as having a computer in the shop, that is something that every professional already has in thier garage as all car/truck manuals are now in CD formatt as having it on paper is too bulky and takes too long to search through.
I think it will be amazing when we can do this with all MV manuals, and be able to search through them. Maybe you could be the one to take this hobby to the next level and offer a series of CD manuals, such as a collection of all CMP manuals, and another with all M series. I would be first in line to buy a set !!!
Again I hope this doesn't P!$$ you off too much as I consider you a friend and enjoy visiting with you whenever possible !!!

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jeff..
Its a free country ,Jeff and having the info at hand is the name of the game and I know that I don't have an exclusive monopoly on 60 year old military manuals or copyright on anything..
It is just at what point do I close the doors..??
Don't get me wrong ...there are most in this hobby that I call friend and am allways well recieved at any function that I attend..
Caldwell's being my funnest time of the whole summer..
I'm sure that my product speaks for itself and will always be in demand and I don't think these computers and CD's are going to catch on anyway...
Make sure I got my usual four bookings for the CC6 thrash in June..

[J Caldwell]

Alex, Glad you will not be holding my difference in views on this topic against me. The next generation of MV restorers will be reliant on the almightly computer as this forum has already shown, even the old generation has jumped on board. In the industry I work in I have seen big changes in the last 5 years. We have shelves full of repair manuals that haven't been opened in years and even the CD library is collecting dust. We get updated info from the web as CD's are no longer the way to share info, a password is all you need.
Myself and others of similar age in the hobby are reliant on computers for our work and this flows over into all aspects of our lives. In some ways its good, in others its bad. I have no idea that last time I wrote a letter, and read less books all the time.
naturally I prefer to have as much info available to me on a computer as its faster. All items that are being reproduced are drawn in auto CAD, soon workshops without computers will be almost unheard of. We can fire up a laptop and search for parts online from the shop if we like via wireless, order from the parts supplier online in the afternoon and have the part at the door in the morning.
If you have equipment that is CNC capable you can download a file and have a part turned out in minutes. Welcome the age of the advanced computer interfaced with machining equipment.
We may be restoring vehicles that are 60 + years old but we are using current technology to do it !!!
We'll see you in June if not before... what would you like on the menu this year ???


Jeff

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Jeff ..I asked for a whole pig and you did it...it was amazing..We haven't done a hip of beef yet but I'm not fussy..
Gotta watck Mikey though ..he's fussy...would est the dirt off his driveway before he would eat lobsters so don't want to scare off the clientell..
Thos home made sausages we had were excellent too..
You choose..Wrack up the fatted calf...We're coming..!!

[chris vickery]

Hi Alex, I just have to jump into this post...

I may be a young 'un, but, I'm old school as far as manuals go.
Most of the CDs I've seen are crap, maybe its better than nothing but hard to read when you're sitting on the throne (unless you have a laptop I guess) Now you all know how I spend my spare time...

At any rate, a good old shop manual beats a CD anytime. Usually the CDs are hard to navigate, you have to print what you want anyhow, so why not photocopy the section you need from a book? Thats what I do.

To each his own I suppose, but, Alex, keep up the good work. It is appreciated by those of us who still have good taste.
It doesn't hurt to support an old guy in retirement neither...

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Hi Chris...

I too as a parts counter person am very familiar with computerized parts systems and they are the cats meow for finding parts and instant gratification.....BUT what have I missed..???
When I open my manual s I always find something I wasn't looking for but didn't know or something that was interesting that caught my eye....and I guess that is just a natural action when you open a real book...
So ,yes CD's and computers have a place in my heart as a tool...but I'll be around with my manuals as long as I can and hopefully some one will follow me with the library as a world wide source of CMP and old Military vehicles information..

[Sydneymver]

[Anyway I don't mind competition but I can't compete with FREE.. [/B][/QUOTE]

Hi Alex, I don't know where you get the impression that the CD's are free, it is the 2nd time you have mentioned it, but i never said anywhere that they are, in fact in the early part of this discussion and in the middle it states they are about $30.

Your product is terrific, now there is just a choice thats all.

If anyone mentions to me they want a paper format, i will send them your way.

Bruce McCann

ps sorry if i have stepped on anyone's toes, but i did a check and found nobody is doing CD's on Ferret ( with many manuals)/Studebaker US6 if anyone is interested !

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

Originally posted by Alex Blair
I agree with you Rolf..It's the greasy finger prints on the keyboard that gets the missus upset..of course Bob Carrier has one of my manual copies out in his shop and it's well used and available all the time in the shop..
But maybe you need a helper in your shop to carry things..
Here is Bob's helper that lugs things for him...along with Rob Clarke...

http://www.funnyclicks.com/pictures12/236.jpg

Now I know how Bob has trained his cat.




Hendrik

[Hendrik van Oorspronk]

I think this will work

Hendrik :dh: