Master Parts List

[Mike Morris]

At 12:40 PM 01/14/2001, John Parker <jparker at OZ.NET> wrote:

>In an interest to get things moving.  As we allredy know that the interest,
>capability, etc. is out there.
>
>Who has the Scanner and ability to put this MPL in a PDF format?  E-mail your
>address and I will copy this and get it to you.

Mike Tallent posted the following:
% I have an HP scanner and a Mustek 11X17 scanner and a CD rom recorder  along
% with ZIP, JAZZ,SparQ and SyJet removable drives, and would be happy to scan
% and make cd rom to send files for uploading, if I can get a very good copy
% of the printed list.

Chris C. Wilkinson posted:
% I know I have a sheet feed scanner at the office that will be able to plug
% through it fairly quickly if necessary, although it sounds like there are
% some people out there that are better equipped then I am. I don't really
% have the time or patience to OCR the entire document properly.

I do not have the ability to directly go from scanner to PDFs, but I can
OCR the images <whoever> makes turning them into the text and PDF files.
The text and PDF files can be sent to those that offered to host them on
web servers.

>The only question I have, is there going to be a problem with the size of
>the file, if we were to shotgun this pdf file to the list.

I am really against spam of any kind, and "shotgunning" a file to a list of
over 700 users counts as spam in my book... especially from a city owned
server...
I think that we should put it up on one or two web servers and let those
that want it grab it themselves, at their own convenience.  If the Tempe
server has a anonymous FTP function maybe it could be one of them.

>I only ask because, when I originally sent it, I had to change the format
>as it was greater than 150 lines, which would also possibly indicate that
>there may be a file size issue.

That's probably a restriction that your ISP set on their email server.
I don't that limitation - I regularly send out 600 line messages and
15-25 meg email-attached files from work.
Also uploading it to and downloading it from a web server doesn't have
that restriction.

>Once the person puts this MPL in pdf format it can be sent two ways;
>1. to the entire list

I vote against that - for reasons mentioned above.

>2. those who want it, would send an e-mail and then a seperate e-mail
>group can be made and sent at one time.

Creating yet another email list is not needed.
As I said, put up on a server or two or three and let those folks that
want it go get it.
For example, look at my web site at www.cogent.net/~morris and look at
the bottom half of the download page.  You can download any file there
whenever you want it with nothing more than a <shift>click.  No special
programs or functions are needed at either end.

>Those who have web sites and then put the pdf file up and then individuals
>who were not on the e-mail group in #2 above could be directed to the web
>location and then download that way.

Yep.  You can even skip step one and let everybody get it that way.

>With the location of the web address being posted on this list.

Yep.

Additional comments:

The PDF format file can be used for casual browsing.

I vote for having both text and PDF formats available for download.

For one, the OCR process generates one text file per OCR'd image (i.e. one
per page),
and you put together a master text file from the individual text files.
A separate process generates the single PDF file from the single text file, so
whoever creates the master PDF file will have both.
The text file is a freebie and server space / web space is very cheap so
posting
both formats costs only transfer time to the web server.

Secondly, the text file will be smaller that the PDF file.

Thirdly, folks that don't have Acrobat (if there are any left) can read
text files.
It's more universal - even Palm Pilots can handle text files.

Fourth, since the original was just a 1970s and 80s line printer listing the
formatting ability inherent in PDFs are not really required.

Lastly, having the text file available allows somebody who wants to import the
list into something like an Excel spreadsheet or an Access database to do so.

Once this project is completed maybe somebody could take the baton and
create a
web-accessible data base that folks that had additional info could add to.
I have no doubt that others have info to contribute - part numbers that might
not be in the database, or maybe the NTE numbers that correspond to Heath
parts.

>John

Mike


Shop online without a credit card
http://www.rocketcash.com
RocketCash, a NetZero subsidiary

Listserver Subscription:listserv at listserv.tempe.gov - "subscribe heath 'name' 'call'"
Listserver Submissions: heath at listserv.tempe.gov
Listserver Unsubscribe: listserv at listserv.tempe.gov - -"signoff heath"