emv@a.cc.umich.edu (Ed Vielmetti) (01/07/89)
I am quite sure that if you could turn the comp.mail.maps postings into an attractive laser-printed format, with a reasonable index in the back, that you could sell such a phone book for several times the cost of production. If it were indexed well enough I would even consider asking the local library to buy one. Sounds like something that the Nutshell folks might consider. --Ed
tim@ora.UUCP (Tim O'Reilly) (01/09/89)
In article <5958@mailgw.cc.umich.edu>, emv@a.cc.umich.edu (Ed Vielmetti) writes: > I am quite sure that if you could turn the comp.mail.maps postings > into an attractive laser-printed format, with a reasonable index > in the back, that you could sell such a phone book for several times > the cost of production. If it were indexed well enough I would even > consider asking the local library to buy one. > > Sounds like something that the Nutshell folks might consider. This sure sounds like a good idea to me. We are currently working on a directory of key international links, but I'd love to turn comp.mail.maps into a printed directory if there's enough interest. Please let me know what you think, preferably by e-mail--I will post a summary. Please include opinions about how often such a directory ought to be updated, its format, what kind of cross-referencing would be most useful, whether you think we need to ask everyone's permission to include their address in a printed directory (or if it is already implicitly published by its availability on the net), and anything else you can think of that might be helpful in making such a directory a success. Last but not least, tell me how much you would be willing to pay for such a directory, so that I can evaluate the economic feasibility. -- Tim O'Reilly (617) 527-4210 or (800) 338-NUTS O'Reilly & Associates, Inc., Publishers of Nutshell Handbooks 981 Chestnut Street, Newton, MA 02164 UUCP: uunet!ora!tim ARPA: tim@ora.uu.net
sl@van-bc.UUCP (pri=-10 Stuart Lynne) (01/10/89)
In article <1443@ora.UUCP> tim@ora.UUCP (Tim O'Reilly) writes: >In article <5958@mailgw.cc.umich.edu>, emv@a.cc.umich.edu (Ed Vielmetti) writes: >> I am quite sure that if you could turn the comp.mail.maps postings >> into an attractive laser-printed format, with a reasonable index >This sure sounds like a good idea to me. We are currently >working on a directory of key international links, but I'd >love to turn comp.mail.maps into a printed directory if >there's enough interest. >Please let me know what you think, preferably by e-mail--I >will post a summary. Please include opinions about how often >such a directory ought to be updated, its format, what kind >of cross-referencing would be most useful, whether you think I've thought an interesting way to collect information for a directory of this type would be to simply snarf signature lines as they go by. If you did this for a reasonable period and maintained a database you could build quite an interesting set of data. You would have develop some AI techniques to recognize multiple signatures for the same person and try and only use the most recent one. This isn't quite as hard as it sounds because you can also save some header information showing a path address, Organization, date etc. >we need to ask everyone's permission to include their address >in a printed directory (or if it is already implicitly published by its >availability on the net), and anything else you can think of Unless explicitly marked with a copyright I think news articles are fair game. Of course anytime someone tries to do something overtly commercial that doesn't appear to have a direct benefit to the net people start flaming. In fact even if it does benefit them people start flaming :-) >that might be helpful in making such a directory a success. >Last but not least, tell me how much you would be willing to >pay for such a directory, so that I can evaluate the >economic feasibility. I think a two part directory, one summarizing map data, the second summarizing signature data would be worthwhile if priced under $25/US per edition. At least one, possibly two editions per year. -- Stuart.Lynne@wimsey.bc.ca {ubc-cs,uunet}!van-bc!sl Vancouver,BC,604-937-7532