Do you have anything to contribute to that section? I'm sure Tommy and the team would welcome any content you could that you could provide.

I might. Let me investigate. And what about you? Got any drum knowledge to add?

Think can get plenty from just the Catalog section(s)

may those never disappear

Thanks for the question! I did build all of that many years ago! I have not updated it in at least 8 years to any extent then where it sits today. I have added bits and pieces over the years. I did have one nice and complete section on Rogers drums which someone submitted, but they asked me to take it down and remove it because they were going to write a book. I never saw that book. That is where I run the risk of someone providing a section and then asking me to take it down. Fortunately the DrCJW section has remained as well as other sections and timelines. That all takes tons of hours of work to do! Then to have it removed is a real pain.

Early on as I was scanning and adding complete pamphlets to the web site. I started seeing some CD's on eBay with vintage drum catalogs and after buying them, I noticed my scans on them. I was buying my own scans back!

The only thing that bothers me is that it takes time to scan, edit and set-up such scans for people to enjoy. It is also not friendly to the actual vintage catalog to bend it back and manipulate it on the scanner. I know the actual images are not my property.

I posted yesterday in web site updates as to my plan going forward which will allow me to update the web site.

With all of that said, I started putting a watermark on the actual images, but I hate doing that. Like the LP photo I just put in the gallery. I have not seen that photo. It is also not on Google images that I could find. Someone will take it now, cut the watermark out (because I do not do what iStock does and plop it directly over the image) use it as an avatar, add it to their web site and never give a credit back. Screw them!

I have more not on the web site in my collection than on the web site. Much of what I have is the only one in existence. One of a kind. I do not want to share it with everyone just for someone to sell it, or claim it as theirs. I have to weigh out my time and effort over getting this information to the public and what benefits future collectors.

I will need a new scanner for the film and negatives. I also have super8 reels to convert to video. Since we are a dying group, a Kickstarter for the investment I need to get the scanner and converter system would not work due to the small amount of people even interested. Converting the main web site from .html to a platform like Word Press is $2-$4K. The gear I need is probably 1.5 - $2K.

I will keep doing what I'm doing and hope that this will all work out in the end, but the plan is to update the entire web site and navigation.

If you wanted to accept submissions for content, you could consider having the submitter sign a document giving you un-revocable license to post to your site forever. Giving them credit, of course. If they later want to use their material in a book, they can but they can't ask you to remove it because they gave you a lifetime license to post it.

Just a thought, although I can see how the whole thing can become a big can of worms.

… and much of what you wrote here is WHY I stopped sharing a lot of my BR collection featuring actual pics from negatives NEVER SEEN PRIOR in print. Every time I did that, the image was lifted and I would see it on someone else’s page .. not here by the way! .. with them taking credit for it as their own! I even saw one of mine .. given to this person to view in good faith .. end up in a major publication with ZERO CREDIT as to where it actually came from and who actually owned it! So yes indeed … I know EXACTLY where you are coming from here David. There really is no “safe way” to share this stuff without risk of it being lifted .. and/or .. receiving no credit for the item or one’s own research leading to finding/acquiring said item. Sad really … but that’s just how it is now.

Tommyp

Thank you all for the responses. I'm sure we all understand the situation now much better than before.

I will offer this up again to any memeber. I mentioned in a lengthy post that I'm securing the web site and server fees for the future.

In that post I offered everyone here a "My Collection" page. Send me the photos and copy and I will add it to the web site. It is easy work for me, when I do not have to do the copy and photography. I think a big part of the history is all of you making the forum what it is. You have stuff that maybe no one has seen and documenting that is imperative.