A new day is dawning at Bus Conversions Magazine

[luvrbus]

Jim, I really think you are out of character with your post I know you and Ian have had spats over the years with the advertisement issues.
Please let us not start bashing other boards looking back I am sure Mike regrets not giving Ian the professional courtesy of asking before posting.  
If you remember not long ago before Phil came into the picture this was undoubtedly the worst  board on the net because Mike would not upgrade it and thanks to these guys it is now a first class board.
These guys have their work cut out for them trying to bring new life into a magazine that is in the same shape as the board was a few years back.    

good luck and will see you Kansas I hope

[gumpy]

Well, I went to BNO and read the thread. It's been so long since I've been on BNO, I actually had to google it to find the url. After reading that thread, and all the responses to your post, I remembered why it's been so long. Some things never change.  He was a jackass when I got into bus conversions, and he's still a jackass. I killed the window and came back to this board where the contributors are knowledgeable and friendly, and the moderators show respect for their members.

Thanks all.  I'm considering whether I will re-subscribe. My subscription expired without receiving a renewal notification, and I had decided not to renew it. I may change that
when I see more details on the new subscription and magazine improvements.

[kyle4501]

I like the ambiance of this board the best of all the ones I visit. I find it interesting reading different boards & seeing how some post differently in different forums. (one poster will ask questions here to fix his problems, but on another board he bashes this one. . . . go figure. )

Some think everyone is on-line & printed media is obsolete. I disagree, there is something about having the hard copy in your hands.
Some look at the magazine as only a tool to be used during the conversion that isn't needed once you're done.
I suppose that will be true if the content is only about the conversion process.

Road fixes are GREAT sources of inspiration that all may not be lost if the bus misbehaves, & calling a tow isn't your only recourse.

But what about the enthusiast that likes to read about what other like minded people are doing once the conversion is finished?
Why not have an article or two to attract the 'disinterested in mechanics' spouse to browse between the covers?

You cant please everyone all the time. Sometimes, a reader will have to skip over the articles they aren't interested in. I think those 'booring' articles (like those about painted nails & nudist) are needed to add depth & color to the hobby. Seeing how others actually use their coach helps sort thru all the available choices.

I'd like to see more articles covering a broader range of topics than just how to convert.
Sometimes a write up on what to expect on certain routes would be nice.

I'd rather read a campground review from a busnut perspective than the same ole same ole from good sam.

My take on having a web content column is to keep it & include the screen name of the poster (If you are one of those that reads all the postings, simply skip that column  ). There are lots in this hobby that don't read all the topics. There are even some that don't do the internet at all. Then there is the advantage of having a concise thread without the tangents that sometimes hijack a thought. . . .

A printed magazine is nice to hold in your hand, sometimes I don't want to turn on the computer or I can't get on-line . . . .


Ian did address some points that need to be carefully considered (not dismissed due to arrogance percieved or otherwise) to strengthen your new venture.
If his comment were true that 30 day old postings aren't talked about, then why do some things keep poping up again & again?  Some things need to be looked at after some time has passed to see how the idea worked out. Then some of us have short attention spans . . . . .


Oh look, something shiney . . .

[John316]

Mike,

I went to BNO to see what happened. My thought??? They need to get off of their high horse. They all need to take a nice long swim in some cool water. I am not sure what their problems are?!? I had thought about registering over there, but that sealed my decision against posting over there. I can go elsewhere is I want to hear people griping...

Sheesh.

I hope that you guys make a successful go of it. I wish you the best.

God bless,

John

[HighTechRedneck]

I can't even begin to express how much the support of this community means to us as we go into this.  And some really great suggestions have been made.  I hope many more will join in with what they would like to see in the magazine and online.

Regarding the BNO thread, it would have been more appropriate for me to clear the post with Ian first and I sincerely apologized for that breach of etiquette.  I respect Ian for his support of the bus nut community and what he has built and maintained for it.  Both boards are valuable assets to the bus nut world and I hope both will always be successful.

I have always been proud to be a part of this forum and am glad that others take pride in it too.  As a newbie I chose this forum to participate in/grow in because I too like the ambiance we have here and I have always been comfortable here.  But what suits one person or group of people, may not please others.  It is good that both boards exist (and all the specialized ones).  It is all about bus nuts helping each other and that is always a good thing.

We will work hard to make the magazine and the online presence to be the best for you guys and gals and I am sure Ian will do the same with his.  But in truth, it is you, the bus nuts, that make the community so amazing.  Thank you all!  (or in my native dialect - Thanks y'all!)

[John316]

Mike,

Good for you for saying that you should have cleared the post with Ian first (that shows that you have a great heart). I still think that he has some issues. I thought that your post was perfectly inline (course I am not him). He sure doesn't have to worry about me darkening his doors over there.

I am looking forward to the new magazine.

God bless,

John

[JohnEd]

I'll add my best wishes again for you guys.

I am with Kyle.  I like the "hard copy" best.  A while back Mike K asked for some help and advised that his expenses were getting out of hand.  I thought that converting my subscription to "electronic" might be of help so I asked him to do that.  I don't know what printing costs are but you guys certainly must have a per issue cost nailed down.  So, here is how I see this:  When you bid for the mag. you added up all the outstanding debt.  There in the grass was my subscription for X months and the cost of providing it to me got factored into the equation.  MY choices are over this thing.  BUT!  Always a BUT.  I want to get back to the hard copy.  You don't owe me the added cost of providing that.  So, how about billing me for my "upgrade" to hard copy and I be happy(er).

Question:  I asked Mike K this and got no response...Can I have the subscription delivered both ways?  I don't know what it costs to trans the thing "electronic like" but it can't be much....he said without a clue.  So, once I get readmitted to the hardcopy crowd what would be my additional charge?

IDEA:  Sell back issues of the mag on CD in one year chunks.  The text part of the mag MUST be in a electronic file someplace, right?  Famous last words, those.  Skip the adds cause they already got the press they paid for and not to be mean.  Might be a contract thing there though....don't have even an inkling...

And again, good luck,

John

[kyle4501]

Back issues on CD complete & intact with all add copy is an interesting idea. I like seeing old add copy, sometimes sparks an idea. . .

That could be an additional carrot to advertisers too.

Would need to address the issue of protecting your intellectual property from mass copyright infringement tho . . . .


It would be sort of like getting a favorite TV series on disk.

[bobofthenorth]

Well, I went to BNO and read the thread. It's been so long since I've been on BNO, I actually had to google it to find the url. After reading that thread, and all the responses to your post, I remembered why it's been so long. Some things never change.  He was a jackass when I got into bus conversions, and he's still a jackass. I killed the window and came back to this board where the contributors are knowledgeable and friendly, and the moderators show respect for their members.

What Craig said except that I have BNO bookmarked so I don't have to google to find it.  When Ian boasts about how many registered users he has I have to wonder how many more there are like me who would happily delete our registration if his antique software allowed us to do so.

You didn't owe anybody an apology Mike but when the dust settled it was you who came off looking presidential.  Good on ya guy.

[JohnEd]

Mike,

What Kyle said.  Better idea than mine.  I didn't think that the entire pages would be digitized, including art work and adds but on second thought it must also be somewhere cause they transmit the mag to the printer.  Thanks Kyle. My idea was meaner though so shouldn't I get credit for that.   Maybe we could develop a point demerit system to keep track.  Expiring minds want to....keep track.

John

[MCI-RICK]

Mike.

I'm a Newbie but I've read hundreds maybe thousands of posts in the last few months. I've read enough from this board and the RTS board to know a you're a stand up guy.  I don't know what went on at some other board but I can say I'm glad you're involved in heading up this one. 

I'm with some of the other guys, I prefer the hard copy for the magazine.  I like to revisit articles and internet is not always possible.  Besides, the laptop is not exactly "throne" friendly.

Rick

[rv_safetyman]

Clifford, you are correct, it probably does sound out of character for me. 

I have been dealing with a couple of non-bus boards where the moderator acts like God.  Indeed, one of the Eagle Yahoo groups is run that way.  I am human and this kind of attitude/treatment just sets me off!!!!

I have seen the boss man dump on a bunch of folks, and I did not think that Mike needed to be dumped on -- no matter how the situation was handled.

I don't want to start a dump on BNO, but I need for Mike to understand that he is not being singled out for being taken to the woodshed.

Yes, we plan on being at both of the remaining Eagle rallies.

Jim

[Len Silva]

I no longer have a bus (BIG MISTAKE), but I will resubscribe if only to support you guys.

A couple of suggestions;

Please don't print manufacturers news releases and treat them as articles. Please don't reprint last years stories without noting it.

While I love seeing what the "stars" here have done, Nick, Jack, Ace and others, I would also like to see the unfinished works in progress, the "tin tents", the "Design on a Dime" conversions.

How about the best low dollar conversions?

I mean no offense to you guys who have the check books and wherewithal to build the great conversions, but I would like to see the ingenuity of the guys and gals who don't.

I always loved the Road Fix type stories.

As for the magazine, I wish you all the best, though I can't imagine how you can turn it around.  It is a very tiny niche market and most everything new that can be said has been said.  Take a look at Issue 1, Volume one. It was printed on the cheapest newspaper stock and had very amateurly  written articles. We were SO EXITED, couldn't wait for the next issue.

Best wishes on this venture.

[gumpy]

I'm wondering what the incentives will be for members to contribute articles to the publication? There are many people on this board who have something they could contribute, but in the past, there was really no incentive to write that article. You've talked about sharing the add revenues. What about the article writers (or did I miss that in previous posts)?

[kyle4501]

Here's a thought,
To start with, if an article is printed, let the author choose between extra copies of that issue, or extra months added to their subscription.

Later on, once the magazine is back on track, the incentives could improve.


As for those that think it has all been covered, I beg to differ. I don't want a early 80's conversion.   

I'd prefer the mid 50's look.