Model Railway Journal

simond

Western Thunderer
Marketing ploy.

I don’t care, I’m not a target customer, never visit the high street any more as I’ve no interest in naff coffee shops, hairdressers or charity shops.

Good luck to them and I hope my pension isn’t invested in that kind of nonsense!
 

Fitzroy

Western Thunderer
Alas Smith and Jones... the final stamp proving, if we didn't already know it, that everything in the mass market is fake and we are the product, the lemmings that just hand over their cash. At least, that's what they want.
 

timbowales

Western Thunderer
Not sure they were using a great deal of imagination on that name. In the alphabet, T is next to W and G is next to H. Jones is a common name like Smith.
Tony
Even on a keyboard there are two characters between T and W:.
Q W E R T Y
 

simond

Western Thunderer
Yes, I don’t recall when I first heard that, it was alleged that it was deliberate.

however, a lazy coffee-in-bed google down a few rabbitholes found this in Wikipedia.

Origin of name​

250px-HAL_9000.jpgA loose replica of HAL 9000 on exhibit at the Carnegie Science Center
HAL's name, according to writer Arthur C. Clarke, is derived from Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer.[7][1] After the film was released, fans noticed HAL was a one-letter shift from the name IBM and there has been much speculation since then that this was a dig at the large computer company,[27][28]something that has been denied by both Clarke and 2001 director Stanley Kubrick.[1] Clarke addressed the issue in his book The Lost Worlds of 2001:

...about once a week some character spots the fact that HAL is one letter ahead of IBM, and promptly assumes that Stanley and I were taking a crack at the estimable institution ... As it happened, IBM had given us a good deal of help, so we were quite embarrassed by this, and would have changed the name had we spotted the coincidence.[7]
IBM was consulted during the making of the film and their logo can be seen on props in the film, including the Pan Am Clipper's cockpit instrument panel and on the lower arm keypad on Poole's space suit. During production it was brought to IBM's attention that the film's plot included a homicidal computer but they approved association with the film if it was clear any "equipment failure" was not related to their products.[29][30][28]
 

Terry

Western Thunderer
Getting back to The Model Railway Journal. Was anyone else taken aback at the state of some of the photographs in the latest issue? Many of them were out of focus and, in my opinion, not up to the standard required for publication. Contributors were clearly using their mobile phones to take the pictures, and not very successfully. For instance, in the article regarding building a loco, we are shown a photo over the top of the tender, clearly intended to show the detail in the loco cab. What we got was the coal in the tender in sharp focus, and the cab interior was out of focus. Virtually every photo in the lead article was also out of focus. Am I right or should I be popping along to Specsavers?

Terry
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Getting back to The Model Railway Journal. Was anyone else taken aback at the state of some of the photographs in the latest issue? Many of them were out of focus and, in my opinion, not up to the standard required for publication. Contributors were clearly using their mobile phones to take the pictures, and not very successfully. For instance, in the article regarding building a loco, we are shown a photo over the top of the tender, clearly intended to show the detail in the loco cab. What we got was the coal in the tender in sharp focus, and the cab interior was out of focus. Virtually every photo in the lead article was also out of focus. Am I right or should I be popping along to Specsavers?

Terry

I believe the wrong set of photos were used, it has happened to me in the past. I'm usually asked to take numerous shots using different camera angles, settings and lighting. The guest editor who handles my articles will then select, prepare and print the photos that he wishes to use. But sometimes mistakes are made, and the wrong photos are sent to the printers.

Geoff
 

daifly

Western Thunderer
Yes, I don’t recall when I first heard that, it was alleged that it was deliberate.

however, a lazy coffee-in-bed google down a few rabbitholes found this in Wikipedia.
I had never thought about it before but in the context of the current discussion, I twigged what 'appeared' to have been done!

Dave
 

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Just received the latest edition. I think another issue (pun ? ) with regards the photo quality is the quality of the paper, it's not the same as it used to be with a slightly matt finish whereas it used to have a gloss.

Nice article with wagons and the layouts ? .....why do I always notice the lack of weathering on stock and buildings etc., ok is it work in progress ?, yes I know everyone to their own :D but.....

Col.
 

Chris Veitch

Western Thunderer
I was also rather taken aback by the photo quality of a couple of the articles in No.309 and it seemed as though at least some of the edition had been put together by someone who wasn't really familiar with the process. The lead article with the indistinct photos looked to me as though some of them were from low resolution images rather than being out of focus - as though there'd been some confusion as to which ones to use - whereas others were sharp and well composed.

By contrast No.310 is (in my opinion) excellent, particularly the article on Port Solway which I'll now make a point of going to see at RailEx NE. Another example of an issue which manages to interest and engage me in a variety of subjects that I'm not actually interested in, which is surely how it should be.

I see the point regarding the slight change in paper quality but can't say it's spoilt my enjoyment of the magazine.
 

Martin Shaw

Western Thunderer
Col and Tony raise an interesting point about paper quality as I have noticed a similar pattern appearing in books along with a sometimes poor illustration quality control. Whether this is at the scanning or printing stage I don't know but coupled with matt or semi paper makes the end product mediocre, more grey than black and white. It seems to be an issue across the board with one or two notable exceptions.

I am surprised though that it has occurred in MRJ given Paul Karau's honourable position in upholding publishing standards over the years. Yet more cost winning over value I suppose.
 
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