UACS = More equitable relationship between giving and taking

UACS = User Activity Clearing System

Unfortunately we have in our ranks only few people who do precious work but lots who contribute either very little or nothing at all to the success of RMorg. In my opinion there is a very unfair distribution of effort.  Only in very few cases, if the relation between profit and contributions is extremely one-sided, I would like to take some corrective measures.

We do not expect much from you: Just taking part by uploading some model pictures or entering some data to models is enough to qualify as an active member.
Short explanation of the Q: below 10 is excellent and rare,
Q up to 500 is good (green).
Q > 500 to 900 is fair (yellow) - you receive an automatic eMail (1), that is all.
Q > 900 eMail 2 - the system will prevent downloading of schematics or big size picture until you have shown some activity. It will react the next day (3). 

 
The parameters (in your own profile, click your name ...) are explained in the Excel below. I hope that the system will be regarded as fair and correct (just). We have made our first modifications (except taking the forum out) in the last weeks until today, 8th July 2007. 

Suggestions for alterations and criticism of the proposed system should not be dealt with in the public Forums but with the contact form. It is clear that such a system will not be appreciated by the majority as the majority very often does not make an effort and will probably not esteem such a system. We will accept discussions about this subject in the editors board only. If you have an objection to the proposals, please contact one of the editors or administrators.

There remains at least one problem:
The system can not give credit to members who have worked as translators or helped in other ways (Admin) - and this is unjust - but if you then are restricted by the UACS - I will give you some extra points. 

How has the system been constructed?
With the goal of a very flexible system, I have planned categories for basic parameters and activity parameters, which I can alter as necessary. I set the system up based more or less by an educated guess and activated it at the 4th April 2006. It is now fine tuned.

Quotient rating:
Before any upload has been done the Q is only a sum of points. Any first action of yours transforms this into a quotient by dividing "download points" by the sum of "upload points". From then on you are on the safe side.

Each member will be given free points which I have now set at 100. If a member  has not done anything, he remains on minus100 points (Excellent). By downloading the initial 100 points come off and the threshold is a total of 1000. Currently the ALERT eMail comes e.g. after 20 schematics plus 100 big pictures or 40 schematics have been "taken". Then, after 67 schematics, or 40 schematics plus 143 large pictures, the system will refuse access to further schematics/pictures until the member has done something for RMorg in order to improve the Q factor.

Observations:
Schematic uploads might seem overemphasized, but achieving perfect schematics is almost an artwork and we are aiming perfect quality. Please type "3.98 4.00" in to the SEARCH and select the article in English which explains the steps for achieving good schematics and pictures.

Unfortunately it is not possible to distinguish between the overuse because of interest in radios and abuse of schematics by copying and even selling them. Selling schematics or pictures downloaded from RMorg is absolutely inconsistent with membership.

My request for help in administrative work seems to have had very lean results. Perhaps there are members, which had offered their assistance in the past, when I did not yet have the chance to accept due to technical limitations. Would somebody repeat his offer? I am ready now! I too have my limits as do other administrators. If not carried on more shoulders, the work load might be too much to bear.

Translation by Peter Hughes (Australia) and Martin Bösch (Switzerland).

Supplement of 8th July 2007: fine tuning done, Excel at hand.

Our Slogan:
If you Do only a fraction of your RMorg time for contributions and UACS is not a problem for you.

Editing 23. May 2009 = spelling errors.

Attachments:

• UACS-neues-Punktesystem--Juli-07neust (32 KB)

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The following text is a small portion of some research which is directly related to thread number 3 in the recent post by Mr Ernest Erb. The text for the DMX was extracted verbatim from the web site of the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at the Harvard Law school - http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/home/ and the DMX program at:
http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/media/projects/dmx/berkman

It goes into greater detail and is intended as a translation supplement for those members who have not translated the original thread posted in the German language.

A. The DMX (Digital Media Exchange) is a functioning entity in operation at this time.
The Digital Media Exchange (DMX) is a point-to-point (P2P) content service, operated as a non-profit cooperative (coop), with subscribers and content suppliers on its governing Council. The DMX also provides related services such as searching, recommendations, playlist exchanges, information, blogs, discussion groups, special interest groups (SIGs), and access to merchandise, through its unique user interface.

DMX allows the unlimited exchange (downloading, streaming, and copying) of music, movies, television programs, photos, games, documents, and the spoken word, with no technical protections or DRM constraints. In addition, many DMX content titles allow users to make derivative works from the content. DMX is fully copyright compliant, with oversight by the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School.

DMX collects monthly fees from subscribers or their ISPs, and pays all the income to content suppliers (less admin costs) according to a royalty distribution formula that takes into account the types and amounts of use of each work. DMX respects the privacy of its subscribers, and has dispute resolution procedures to resolve problems when they arise.

B. The Berkman Center (abbreviated name for one of several Harvard Law School research programs).
The DMX is supported by The Berkman Center for Internet and Society. The Berkman Center is a Harvard University Law School research program that explores cyberspace and helps pioneer its development. Berkman represents a network of faculty, students, fellows, entrepreneurs, lawyers, and virtual architects working to identify and engage with code, commerce, governance, privacy, intellectual property, and education, as they relate to cyberspace. It supports Harvard Law School curriculum, often in conjunction with other Harvard schools and MIT.

From most discussions, the DMX offers one fair and workable solution to the upload and download of data within a "cooperative-type" of organization and seems to be "fair and equitable" - the RMorg director and officers are continuing to evaluate the DMX .

Respectfully,
Robert Sarbell
______________

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Hallo Omer,
I have seen Your posting.
Understanding the radiomuseum.org's structures and upload procedures might be a little challenge, when You enter the site first time.
Most of the initial work / "user's guides" has been done in german language. You may find the most important texts translated in english, which is not the mother tongue for most of the contributers here. We try to get the most important passages translated...
You may help with reading texts for corrections.
But the things become more complicated with texts in French language, we get model suggestions in Italien, Spanish, model remarks in Portuguese are quite a challenge for me.
We are happy to have people who speak even Russian, with that language I have to give up completely...
So the French section will grow, as we find radio enthusiasts who are bilingual or have good knowledge of German and French who will help with translations...
Greetings from Switzerland (German speaking part, my French I've learned at school is far away from beeing perfect ;-)
Martin

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  Hello Martin,

Yes. I agree with you. There are articles in German and also in Spanish/Portuguese and Italian etc. that a lot of member can't understand.

Maybe one bilingual member of every specific language should translate (only  titles) to English to make subjects be understandable by all (almost of)  members.

In case of the subject becomes of general interest then one would try to translate all the article to English.

To make it reasonable I think should be necessary to open a field where the articles titles could be voted. (Or perhaps the number of hits could be accepted as an interest's indicator).

Best regards
Mário Coelho

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UACS, not language is the topic here, but I leave the posts about languages here (at least for the moment). By the way: On 1st August 2006 we count 1009 members with language English from 3137 members all together. If somebody will lead these thousand members to more activity then the forum will bring more. So every language group has the chance to prosper - but it lays entirely in there own hands. Please open a new thred for that topic. Thank you.

Here I will also link other threads about the UACS in the future. The general information about the UACS was given in the member info ZV05 from May 4th 2006.

A member asked now by eMail why the system can not differ between own uploads and other uploads and "steals" points by opening schematics or pictures also which were uploaded by the same member. The reason is the complexity of the program with many consequences for speed, lesser clarity in the program, more table look ups, system has more work etc. All means at the end: More costs (my own money) which I better spend on advancements like the new picture gallery. Why? Because it makes virtually no difference in the practise:

If somebody has done a few points by uploading something he/she can practically not "eat up" the points for all his/her life. Do a calculation on the basic given here - or trust.

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Although I joined very recently and therefore have almost no points, I believe the system is fair. The way I see it, it does take some work to make a contribution but given the amount of points you are awarded the job is well paid.

My concern was with those members that are just starting in the hobby and therefore don't have much to contribute with. People with no schematics and just a few radios are the ones who have more need for a place like RMORG and have little or no possibility to make a contribution.

But when you read that every member is at -100 points and the alert comes at 500 points, you realize that this is more than enough for someone starting in the hobby to make the "first weapons" and from there on, that person should be able to contribute, even in a small way.

I am presently preparing scans for 20 schematics of argentine radios that I will upload as soon as I can get good enough scans (I have already created the manufacturer record) and I have discovered it is not as easy as I thought it would be. So if there is something I am concerned about it´s the "ease of use" of the website, and not the UACS. It was no easy task for a newbie like me to learn how to use the website and this might scare future members.

Mario

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Dear Mario
Thank you for your good thoughts. I would consider schematics as the most complicated process within RMorg. A new member will have difficulties if he is not really fit with scanning and working with picture programs etc. If an English speaking member needs help I think it is wise to write to Heribert Jung or Franz-Josef Haffner and perhaps on agreement send him a sample ...

For new members without any radio (or only a few) there are many very easy possibilities.
I think the easiest one is putting collector prices to models. This will also be a toppic as long we collect radios ... Now we show "only" 34.853 for 17.761 models of more than 100.000 models ! The realised prices can be found in eBay (and some new models too). For years I have subscribed the journal "Antique Radio Classified" but due to my duties I was unable to bring in those many prices. I will gladly send them (as a gift)  to members who really would bring  in such prices (of auctions).

A very easy job is also to bring in foreign photos by asking the eBay seller for permission and granting him a good courtesy remark. Hans Amberger has the most experience on that. He concentrated on Zenith and can tell how to do it with splendid success. You could form a team with others to ensure that there is not double or trifold work by concentrating on a brand or so. Only one third (33.597) of the models are currently illustrated.

Easy is also to enhance existing models by adding data  or bringing in new models. There is plenty information around and please always reveal your source. That is the most essential part to get models or changes accepted.

All this will bring you easy points ...

Edited 23. May 2009: Link to Countries/Brands to see the latest status.

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We often get the question if somebody can get a membership for free (option 1). We have about 2000 members which could enter for free. Only a few have ever done something ...

The UACS allows us now to start with a negative beginning by adding -20 000 by the "new member administrator". This means that the "free of cost member" can do everything except view/download schematics and enlarge pictures - until he has either loaded up 4 schematics or 12 pictures of his own (or 19 others) or added 12 new models or 19 model collector prices or model enhancement fields. Any combination is possible. Somebody without any collection can load up some prices ... or enhance models - we can provide data ...

Now my denial text is not anymore necessary if the experiment turns to be positive. It did read as follows:

Dear ......
Thank you very much for your request.
You are welcome as a member but the following disappointing reason has made me become restrictive to give way to option 1:

We have more than 2000 members on option 1 (for free) but only very few of them ever did something for RMorg - despite their promise.

I can only point out in my not so good English: There is a big award when somebody loads up own pictures to models: Please type the name of Konrad Birkner to Google and you will see - or choose the one of Edith Mills or Ernst Erb (the founder - who still works a lot for RMorg) - mostly the same result: Number ONE. I can also tell you that Ernst Erb has spent a fortune for RMorg and we hope to cover the running cost now. Radiomuseum has to get to it's own feet ... And from time to time the foundation has to hire a programmer when we can afford it.

If it is really a matter of your financial situation then I will be glad activating your profile for free. You would have to show first that you have the technical ability (computing) and to tell if you have time to do so.

Naturally I would be glad if you would go back to the page for a membership and use there the PayPal logo because then it is a fast matter.
Anyway, you are welcome as a member or as a guest.

To show our good will, we offer you option 1 if you give us proof that you are able to manage the ability to prepare pictures in the way that you could upload them to the appropriate model.

Please send me the URL or ID number of the model you have chosen - hopefully one without pictures - and attach a few pictures for that model which fulfill our requirements.

If you have no picture program which can achieve that (like Photoshop) then please use this link for getting good Freeware and instruction how to do it:

www.radiomuseum.org/forum/pictures_perfectly_with_irfanview_398.html

Here is what you have to meet:
Pictures where the object covers nearly all space of the picture (but is not cut).
Use .jpg (JPEG) format - and RGB or gray scale, not CMYK as encoding.
Ideal (and maximum) photo size is 933 x 700 pixels.
Reduce "Quality" (in %) to a memory size of 60 to 120 KB.

Please use the following format for your picture names:
Country shortcut (like USA, D, CH) _maker_model - followed by short comment like «inside» if it is not the main view.
Example: D_Blaupunkt_2GW145_inside.jpg
No accents etc. (like ü, ö, -, ., ?) allowed for the picture name.

By the way:
We are now more than 5800 members and every month there are at least 50 more ...
We show more than 500 000 pictures for about 151 000 models.
Guests and members open more than 130 000 pages each day.

Cordially,
Therese Ineichen (New Member Admin)

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I was a little confused. I expect Q to be like Q factor of Coils (Bigger is better), but in fact it's the Inverse. So I understand now after reading this thread a second time.

 

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I just joined RMorg. Have a lot to read, but think the UACS is a fair way to keep the site running and growing.

Does a user need to permanently upload pictures and/or schematics in order to keep the account able to see/download pics and files?

Regards

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Dear Fernando
Since UACS just compars activities in both directions, downloads and uploads, it is question of the member if he downloads much - it is just a relation, NO OTHER CONDITION like one would have to upload soemthing every year or so!

You can try out everything you want by using the excel offered in the link UACS. Just click there "simulate with Excel".

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