I can't disagree more.
The competition could get access to ONE set of printed manuals
by simply ordering them from the factory (we got an extra set with
the first part of the kit). The printed manual could also be available from
any of the unfinished kits being sold/offered for sale.
The only ones hurt by not supplying electronic copies are us builders!.
We had a number of problems with out of date manuals with the build of our
short wing XS, and had to rely on other builders to find out we built wrong, and
had to rip/grind out this and that to get up to date. Besides being out of date,
the pictures
in the manual were often almost solid black, useless.
Now that we are building our long wings, the first manual was missing every
other
page, and the replacement has many paragraphs missing due to poor copy quality.
Let's hope the factory reads this and decides to join the 21st Century. It might
even
save them some money (shipping us three manuals must be more expensive than
placing the pdf on some server).
Terry Seaver
A135
clevelee@cswebmail.com wrote:
> My company too supplies software, and under certain conditions will supply
> .pdf
> files for customer review.
>
> The problem is that manuals also represent significant intellectual property
and
> creative solutions to problems. You are effectively giving all the
> competition
> clever ways to design their aircraft. The europa control system is reasonably
> unique, as is the strength/structure of the molded cockpit and ways to install
> controls into this environment. If it were my company I wouldn't do it for
> general consumption.
>
> On the other hand, it would be an additional strong selling point to make the
> .pdf version available to registered builders of Europas. As the kit market
> advances, it is a way for Europa to stay on the leading edge (pun intended -
as
> their airfoil is 'leading edge'. One is still faced with the relatively easy
> capability to distribute a manual in .pdf format even after it has been
> purchased as part of a kit.
>
> One solution may be to provide access to chapters on their web site through
> password protection and do not allow downloading.
>
> Cleve
>
> On Wed, 25 September 2002, "Nigel Graham" wrote:
>
> >
> > If weight of numbers persuades the factory to make the .pdf manuals
> > available on their website.....let me add my name to the list.
> >
> > Our company supplies engineering design software - and all our manuals are
> > available for free download. Our experience shows that potential customers
> > buy into the product. If you have a good product (and Europa do) it's a
> > great selling tool.
> >
> > My 2 pence worth
> >
> > Nigel
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: JW xs191@attbi.com
> > Subject: Re: Wing skin closeout spacing (pdf files???)
> >
> >
> > I agree completely. The pictures in some cases leave one to just making
> > an
> > uneducated guess, or calling the factory, or asking this list. Why in the
> > world
> > would the availability of pdf files be a secret?
> >
> > Rob Housman wrote:
> >
> > In re: the quality of the photos in the printed manual.
> >
> > They are generally horrid, but if you ask nicely you might get the
> > factory
> > to supply some of the manual in Adobe Acrobat portable document
> format.
> > The
> > color photos are excellent. Oops, I've let the cat out of the bag!
> > Actually if the folks in Kirkbymoorside were on the ball they would
> have
> > the
> > entire manual available for download from their web site.
> >
> > The Europa Forum is supported by Aviators Network UK
> info@avnet.co.uk
> > In the event of problems contact forum-owner@europaclub.org.uk
> > The Europa Club website is at <a
> href="http://mail.cswebmail.com//jump/http://www.europaclub.org.uk>";>http://www.europaclub.org.uk
> >
> > The Europa Forum is supported by Aviators Network UK info@avnet.co.uk
> > In the event of problems contact forum-owner@europaclub.org.uk
> > The Europa Club website is at <a
> href="http://mail.cswebmail.com//jump/http://www.europaclub.org.uk>";>http://www.europaclub.org.uk
>
> ___________________________________________________
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