New Bulletin

I have just received my copy of the new Society Bulletin, and have to
say simply that I hate it!
The new A4 format is described by Phil Stone in his editorial as "more
professional", but to me the old format was very professional, and more
importantly, distinctive and special.

When this new version popped through my letter box I thought someone had
sent me a copy of The Lady for some unknown reason!

And I know it is the festive season, but do we really need 5 colour
photos of Chris Cringle? Ego getting in the way.
25 colour photos of Richard? No argument, but....
Paul

--
Richard Liveth Yet!

I feel exactly the same as Pamela. I have only one of the old format so it is hard to comment.
The new format seemed fine to me.

Jess
Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android

I have just received my copy of the new Society Bulletin, and have to
say simply that I hate it!
The new A4 format is described by Phil Stone in his editorial as "more
professional", but to me the old format was very professional, and more
importantly, distinctive and special.

When this new version popped through my letter box I thought someone had
sent me a copy of The Lady for some unknown reason!

And I know it is the festive season, but do we really need 5 colour
photos of Chris Cringle? Ego getting in the way.
25 colour photos of Richard? No argument, but....
Paul

--
Richard Liveth Yet!

That's my problem with it too, Liz. It's too tall and floppy. I've been keeping all the back numbers on my bookshelf for years, and I don't know what to do now. Also a pain for the Papers Library copies, which I was storing in a box, as these new fellows won't fit either on top of the old ones or in the remaining space. Also I used to pop the Bulletin in my handbag before a shopping trip to read an article or two over a coffee.

I like the colour photos, though. If they could go back to the old size but keep the other changes I would be happy.

Marie

That's my problem with it too, Liz. It's too tall and floppy. I've been keeping all the back numbers on my bookshelf for years, and I don't know what to do now. Also a pain for the Papers Library copies, which I was storing in a box, as these new fellows won't fit either on top of the old ones or in the remaining space. Also I used to pop the Bulletin in my handbag before a shopping trip to read an article or two over a coffee.

I like the colour photos, though. If they could go back to the old size but keep the other changes I would be happy.

Marie

Carol responds:

I haven't received mine yet but I'm glad to be forewarned. Maybe if all of us complain in letters to the editor, they'll change back to the old format.

Carol

Liz, please don't be horrified by the idea of a Kindle, they are absolutely great. Mine is full of books on Richard III!
I am also writing this on one now. I watch TV on it and use it to listen to music too.
I do love books, but like you I am running out of space.

Jess

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

Hello Eileen!
Personally I wish they were on line, although not  just there.    That way I would at least be able to read all the ones I've missed.   I have chucked out loads of them over the years as I don't have the space to keep many (to my horror I may have to get a Kindle as I have run out of bookshelves and don't want to cull any more books).  This new format is more flimsy than the old one though that's for sure and I don't think  they will last long.   Liz
From: EILEEN BATES <eileenbates147@...>
To:
Sent: Thursday, 5 December 2013, 19:44
Subject: Re: New Bulletin

I wonder if this is the beginning of the end....and the Bulletin will end up entirely on line...what a shame.  In the old format you can keep them for years which I did...and refer back to the articles.  I can't see me hanging on to them in this form.  How will they be stored...they are just going to look untidy and scruffy after a short while.  A disappointment and a shame...Eileen

--- In , <justcarol67@...> wrote:
>
> Maire wrote:
> 
>  That's my problem with it too, Liz. It's too tall and floppy. I've been keeping all the back numbers on my bookshelf for years, and I don't know what to do now. Also a pain for the Papers Library copies, which I was storing in a box, as these new fellows won't fit either on top of the old ones or in the remaining space. Also I used to pop the Bulletin in my handbag before a shopping trip to read an article or two over a coffee.
>  I like the colour photos, though. If they could go back to the old size but keep the other changes I would be happy.
>  Marie
> 
>
>  Carol responds:
> 
>
>  I haven't received mine yet but I'm glad to be forewarned. Maybe if all of us complain in letters to the editor, they'll change back to the old format.
> 
>
>  Carol
>




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I prefer the old format too - and think it is an overuse of money on trying to make the Ricardian "glossy". This showy glossiness and tons of photos doesn't make an easy "fit" which the notion of "Serious Historical Society" with which Phil Stone liberally sprinkled his AGM Chair address.

I hope lots of members who are unhappy, write to the Editor to indicate their discontent. I imagine some of these changes are because so many new members have joined as well, and it might appear more user-friendly to newbies.

Whilst some of the older RIcardians and Bulletins are online, really it is only the ones back to 2003 - if at all possible, I think the older ones should be put online as well. Any serious historical society should have its material accessible on the web, surely, even if only for members. Like many folk, I haven't had room in the house to keep all my Ricardians over the years, and now wish I had access to some of the really old ones.

I guess the announcement of a new-style magazine is not going to get any response until it actually appears. The announcement explains the costs and the whys, but some people clearly don't like the new style now it has appeared.

I don't believe they will revert to an old style either, but the impression of the magazine feels very different now. For me, the main impression is not "serious historical society".

I don't see why new issues can't be made available online after a two-year period as is currently the case with the ones online. And older ones - I suppose there would be issues with copyright but surely these are not insurmountable? I hope the Society would want to disseminate its assembled expertise so that students of history, academic and amateur, can access it. As part of the Society archive, it seems strange that the bulk of its historical essays would not be made available to the membership, let alone the public.

The pre-2003 Bulletins were only newsletters - they didn't carry articles on the history - so that will be why they've not been put online. As regards the Ricardians, my understanding is that the articles are all to be scanned and will go online (presumably with authors' permission). Past Ricardians or Ricardian articles have always been available for members to borrow through the Barton Library in any case; they've never been withheld in order to boost the sales of back issues - members have always had a choice as to whether they would like to purchase a hard copy or not and some back issues are actually sold out anyway. The digitisation of past Ricardians is taking some pressure off me as earlier this year I was flooded with requests from new members to borrow these and I can't risk the hard copies in the post.

Whether help is wanted in digitising, I don't know. I think they want to ensure a professional standard of copy - at any rate no one's asked me for the ones I've already done. Absolutely no harm in offering, though.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, any member, wherever in the world they live, can obtain any past Ricardian article through the Papers Library - it's as simple as sending an email (details on inside back cover of Bulletin). Anyone who would prefer to purchase a hard copy of any issue can find details of the Ricardian Sales on inside back cover.

Marie

I have some sympathy with the idea that non-members should pay to download old Ricardian articles, but since members have *always* had (for their membership fee) the right to borrow these through the Barton Library, charging them online would be a step backwards and would not work well unless the articles in the Ricardians were simultaneously withdrawn from the Library, which would be rather an odd step to take.

Surely the main thing for which the Society exists is to disseminate knowledge about Richard, and if the funds can't cover that then perhaps we need a rethink.

Marie

I have some sympathy with the idea that non-members should pay to download old Ricardian articles, but since members have *always* had (for their membership fee) the right to borrow these through the Barton Library, charging them online would be a step backwards and would not work well unless the articles in the Ricardians were simultaneously withdrawn from the Library, which would be rather an odd step to take.

Surely the main thing for which the Society exists is to disseminate knowledge about Richard, and if the funds can't cover that then perhaps we need a rethink.

Marie

"I guess the announcement of a new-style magazine is not going to get any response until it actually appears. The announcement explains the costs and the whys, but some people clearly don't like the new style now it has appeared.

"I don't believe they will revert to an old style either, but the impression of the magazine feels very different now. For me, the main impression is not "serious historical society". <snip>"

Carol responds:

Apologies for the late response. I'm behind on posting again.

I haven't received my Bulletin yet (in the U.S. plus Christmas "rush" at the post office), but I wonder whether the new format reflects the fact that the Bulletin is a *magazine", whereas the Ricardian is the Society's scholarly journal. I suspect that the format of the Ricardian will remain unchanged for that reason.

Carol