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DATABASE GUIDELINES
The Database is envisioned as a research tool much like a museum. It is far easier to research a model without wading through unrelated clutter. The moderation staff has been instructed to clear any clutter they find from the Database. Open discussion on all other boards is encouraged within the existing rules, and there is no rule against posting both places (Database and other boards).
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About the Database
Swifty-My suggestion; Model number (if known)/Year/Make/Model so an example would be: #1067 1979 Ford Mustang. That works for Yat Ming, but since Norevs are unnumbered (to my knowledge) their version of this same car would just be: 1979 Ford Mustang.
Juantoo3-Well, I think you hit it with brand specific...which collectors of particular brands usually know and follow but newbies may not know. Playart, for instance, has a number attached to almost all of their castings (like Majorette and Yatming). Leading with the "number" makes sense if you know it, but I wouldn't want to discourage someone *new* not posting if they don't happen to know the accepted number. MBX, for instance...I know none of the accepted numbers, but I'm sure there are those who can quote chapter, verse and variation of nearly all castings. JL has numbers too...but JL collectors as a rule don't really give a hoot. What do you do with Muscle Machines? They number the release, not the casting, up until 2004 or 05, after that there's no number under Funline, and Action has a series plus release number.
Swifty-Well, what I would suggest is to copy the Playart list you mentioned over to the Playart Database (much like the pinned Yat Ming collector list) and that way when any of us have a car to post, we can check the model number in the list and include it in the topic title. Or it can be edited in later by a moderator.
BunkerJim-This comes into one of my concerns from the beginning. The extra work the moderators would have to do. They're the ones that need to jump in, proof read, arrange, set up some kind of format and help keep it. A moderator could even take a pertinent post from another section and move it to the database. I can only help out by sharing what castings I have. They should also be the ones to contact someone who is constantly posting outside the norm. This maybe viewed by the poster as being helpful and not as ridicule if a mod does it. As for not knowing a bit of info about a casting you want to post, you can always put a question mark up were the info should go. Then it can be spotted by the mod or maybe even start a die cast discussion about that model..
Dean-O-Mite-It's not much work. I already took the liberty of changing a couple of the Playart titles, to include the casting #, which I found online. I had no idea there even were Playart casting numbers, but Google is an amazing tool. For any areas where a standard theme has been decided on, I (or any moderator) can alter the topic titles. I noticed a few of the Norev models have casting numbers on the base, but most do not. I can add the known casting numbers to the end of the titles on those, thus leaving everything else looking uniform. Does that sound appropriate? for example: 1929 Thinga Magig - #300800. Thoughts?
Swifty-I think adding it to the end for Norevs is okay. The main concern should be keeping all entries in each particular database homogenous with one another. While having all of the databases being the same would be great, sometimes the information just isn't known. So for brands like Yat Ming and Playart, where the model numbers are fairly well-known and lists exist to look them up, numbers in front. For cars like Norevs where the numbers are completely unknown or only a partial list exists, we can put them at the end and fill in as we go.
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The Database is dedicated to BunkerJim and serves as a legacy to his generousity as a collector and a friend.
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Over the years of developing the Database, some things seemed to work better than others, particularly for being able to research specific models when one isn't certain about manufacturing numbers and the like. On some of the smaller boards I was able to put together a separate model list that focused on the make and model automobile which made research much easier for folks who didn't have the maker info committed to memory...dummies like me. So most of the model lists are "dummy friendly" or have a "dummy friendly" back up, unless the model list is comparatively short and well known. These lists are organic and change as need arises, but also only develop as time and effort permit so they aren't made overnight. Among the moderators and other interested parties here there is discussion and consensus that user submissions are welcome, but we want to try as best we can to have clear images and to post like models together. A note on customs; minor detailing if noted is acceptable, wheel swaps only if the original factory wheels are known and shown, no repaints please...we are documenting factory releases...customs are more than welcome on the other boards. It is also important to limit casual conversation and then only to the specific model on its thread. So chit chat such as "I like that!" will be removed without notice, please do not take it personally. That is housekeeping the moderators have been instructed to do. Thank you for your understanding, -Juantoo3
- No chit chat - unnecessary discussions will be deleted. Keep the discussion focused on the model being featured in that thread.
- Photo submissions to the database must be your own photos of vehicles from your own collection. Photos harvested from the web are not allowed and will be deleted.
The Database is envisioned as a research tool much like a museum. It is far easier to research a model without wading through unrelated clutter. The moderation staff has been instructed to clear any clutter they find from the Database. Open discussion on all other boards is encouraged within the existing rules, and there is no rule against posting both places (Database and other boards).
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About the Database
This is a friendly reminder, the Database is intended as a reference resource for everybody, so chit chat unrelated to the model is deleted. The idea from the very beginning, which long time members all agreed to at that time, is to keep discussion to a minimum and focused on the attributes of the model.
Occasionally we may let a conversation go for a bit to iron out details, and then go back and clean it up. Please do not take it personally if we delete posts like "I like that!" "I want one!" or "Wow, that's cool!" as such posts were agreed by everyone to be clutter in the museum we wish to avoid.
Open discussion on all the other boards is welcome, and there is no rule against posting both places. If there is a model in the database you wish to discuss, copy the image and post again on the main board and discuss. But unless the discussion is specifically about the model in the thread in the Database, chit chat will be deleted as it has been from the very beginning.
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BunkerJim- Can we come up with a standard for topic titles? There maybe a best way to go for each different brand. But I think everybody needs to stick to the same form for a particular brand. Do we start the title with the casting number, model name or year. If it's a year do we go with all 4 digits or just the last 2? I think if this is set now, it will make things a lot easier down the road for searches... Maybe we could list how each sections topic title needs to be started here...
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BunkerJim- Can we come up with a standard for topic titles? There maybe a best way to go for each different brand. But I think everybody needs to stick to the same form for a particular brand. Do we start the title with the casting number, model name or year. If it's a year do we go with all 4 digits or just the last 2? I think if this is set now, it will make things a lot easier down the road for searches... Maybe we could list how each sections topic title needs to be started here...
Swifty-My suggestion; Model number (if known)/Year/Make/Model so an example would be: #1067 1979 Ford Mustang. That works for Yat Ming, but since Norevs are unnumbered (to my knowledge) their version of this same car would just be: 1979 Ford Mustang.
Juantoo3-Well, I think you hit it with brand specific...which collectors of particular brands usually know and follow but newbies may not know. Playart, for instance, has a number attached to almost all of their castings (like Majorette and Yatming). Leading with the "number" makes sense if you know it, but I wouldn't want to discourage someone *new* not posting if they don't happen to know the accepted number. MBX, for instance...I know none of the accepted numbers, but I'm sure there are those who can quote chapter, verse and variation of nearly all castings. JL has numbers too...but JL collectors as a rule don't really give a hoot. What do you do with Muscle Machines? They number the release, not the casting, up until 2004 or 05, after that there's no number under Funline, and Action has a series plus release number.
I think where a convention is understood among longtime collectors, go with that norm. If the *norm* isn't known or established, pretty much all that's left is to wing it. Which is why I'm prefacing the Muscle Machines with a two digit date and the make/model, by casting, leaving room for the various releases under that heading rather than making a new heading for every release. The only reason I have any clue to the Playart casting numbers is from the reference site I use. Like so many diecast makers I don't know very well, this is all a learning experience, and frankly I have no desire to fall into the snobbery that permeates among *seasoned* collectors of certain brands. I agree we don't need repetitive or unnecessary (sp?) postings, and similar castings should be posted together to facilitate ease of finding. I agree establishing some norm for *filing* is a good thing. I also do not want to fall into the trap of "shop talk," and chiding others (especially newbies) for not knowing the proper classifications and terminology if they goof. Those are my thoughts on the matter, FWIW.
Swifty-Well, what I would suggest is to copy the Playart list you mentioned over to the Playart Database (much like the pinned Yat Ming collector list) and that way when any of us have a car to post, we can check the model number in the list and include it in the topic title. Or it can be edited in later by a moderator.
Likewise, if anyone knows of collector listings for other brands, it would be very useful to have them posted in their respective databases.
BunkerJim-This comes into one of my concerns from the beginning. The extra work the moderators would have to do. They're the ones that need to jump in, proof read, arrange, set up some kind of format and help keep it. A moderator could even take a pertinent post from another section and move it to the database. I can only help out by sharing what castings I have. They should also be the ones to contact someone who is constantly posting outside the norm. This maybe viewed by the poster as being helpful and not as ridicule if a mod does it. As for not knowing a bit of info about a casting you want to post, you can always put a question mark up were the info should go. Then it can be spotted by the mod or maybe even start a die cast discussion about that model..
Dean-O-Mite-It's not much work. I already took the liberty of changing a couple of the Playart titles, to include the casting #, which I found online. I had no idea there even were Playart casting numbers, but Google is an amazing tool. For any areas where a standard theme has been decided on, I (or any moderator) can alter the topic titles. I noticed a few of the Norev models have casting numbers on the base, but most do not. I can add the known casting numbers to the end of the titles on those, thus leaving everything else looking uniform. Does that sound appropriate? for example: 1929 Thinga Magig - #300800. Thoughts?
Swifty-I think adding it to the end for Norevs is okay. The main concern should be keeping all entries in each particular database homogenous with one another. While having all of the databases being the same would be great, sometimes the information just isn't known. So for brands like Yat Ming and Playart, where the model numbers are fairly well-known and lists exist to look them up, numbers in front. For cars like Norevs where the numbers are completely unknown or only a partial list exists, we can put them at the end and fill in as we go.
-----------------------
The Database is dedicated to BunkerJim and serves as a legacy to his generousity as a collector and a friend.
-----------------------
Over the years of developing the Database, some things seemed to work better than others, particularly for being able to research specific models when one isn't certain about manufacturing numbers and the like. On some of the smaller boards I was able to put together a separate model list that focused on the make and model automobile which made research much easier for folks who didn't have the maker info committed to memory...dummies like me. So most of the model lists are "dummy friendly" or have a "dummy friendly" back up, unless the model list is comparatively short and well known. These lists are organic and change as need arises, but also only develop as time and effort permit so they aren't made overnight. Among the moderators and other interested parties here there is discussion and consensus that user submissions are welcome, but we want to try as best we can to have clear images and to post like models together. A note on customs; minor detailing if noted is acceptable, wheel swaps only if the original factory wheels are known and shown, no repaints please...we are documenting factory releases...customs are more than welcome on the other boards. It is also important to limit casual conversation and then only to the specific model on its thread. So chit chat such as "I like that!" will be removed without notice, please do not take it personally. That is housekeeping the moderators have been instructed to do. Thank you for your understanding, -Juantoo3