Hugh Barnes
Aug 29, 2016 - 11:06AM
Digital Archive on-line!!

I am delighted to announce that today sees the launch of the Digital Archive of the materials the Association holds. You can now see, in all their glory, the Trophy collection, the collection of Handbooks and Parts lists and the parts 'Index Cards'. The latter being the index to parts used on the Austin 7 and Big Seven.

One small note on the index cards - they are currently in reverse chronological order, as you would expect from an 'Engineering' perspective, when details of the current part would be required. We have already embarked on a pilot project to put these int a chronological order to aid historical research.

I should mention that this is still very much work in progress and further sections of the archive will be added as we work our way through digitising the collection. You will, however, see that we have added the opportunity for you to give us feedback on the work so far and your comments and observations would be welcomed.

You can find the archive at http://archive.a7ca.org/

Although the team that have been working hard on this all need our thanks, mention in dispatches must go to Chris Charles, our web master, who has done such a lovely job on the web site enhancements.

Hugh

Location: Cambridge
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Nick Borst-Smith
Aug 29, 2016 - 11:54AM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Excellent - well done to all involved

Location: Sunny Devon
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Lance Sheldrick
Aug 29, 2016 - 1:11PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Well done Hugh and all others involved. this is excellent news.

Location: Stretham, Ely
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D.J van Arum
Aug 29, 2016 - 6:39PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Great to read this, thank you very much

Location: below sealevel
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JonE
Aug 30, 2016 - 8:09AM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

They are so beautifully reproduced too for the web; works of art in the different handwriting styles and type fonts used over the years.

The front page is well designed too - easy to navigate.

What would be interesting would be somewhere central where short comments and observations could gather that signifies new interpretations of previously informed information... although of course I imagine that will inevitably happen on the forum here.

There are going to be lots and lots of people independently interrogating small parts of the archive and making such discoveries?


Well done all!
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Ruairidh Dunford
Aug 30, 2016 - 8:32AM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

JonE,

there is a feedback form here: http://archive.a7ca.org/feedback/

There are plans to enable comments on the next tranche of scans - photos.

Now that these are available publicly there will be many eyes and minds pouring over the information, drawing out interesting connections - please do share these so they can be posted.

Collaboration, discovery and discussion/debate is much easier and wide reaching in this form when compared to more conventional methods.
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Ivor Hawkins
Aug 30, 2016 - 1:15PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

We are so very fortunate to have such a wealth of information, readily available and all thanks to the hard work put in by the archive boys.

Fantastic!
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JonE
Aug 30, 2016 - 2:49PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Quote: Ruairidh Dunford
JonE,

there is a feedback form here: http://archive.a7ca.org/feedback/

There are plans to enable comments on the next tranche of scans - photos.

Now that these are available publicly there will be many eyes and minds pouring over the information, drawing out interesting connections - please do share these so they can be posted.

Collaboration, discovery and discussion/debate is much easier and wide reaching in this form when compared to more conventional methods.


Yes, the comments sections on individual scans is ideal as it can be policed but can allow discussion to develop as it happens. The feedback form isn't so immediately interactive, and whilst I see it is very useful, it won't engage people in the same way.

Could not the comments options be added to the ones already up, if its a matter of just flicking a button? It would be a pity if that real time discussion started to happen on here because it can't happen on there, right next to the material!

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Ruairidh Dunford
Aug 30, 2016 - 3:15PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Agreed - let us look into it as an addition and come back to you.
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S&P
Aug 30, 2016 - 8:30PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Well done to all involved, you have done a fantastic job, and you need to be congratulated. S&P

Location: Sunny Gower
Nick Salmon
Aug 30, 2016 - 9:22PM
Re: Digital Archive on-line!!

Marvellous job. Well done Hugh and the team. You are creating a wonderful resource that will be of immense interest and help in the future. Thank you for your hard work!

Location: North Herts
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