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2011 Anonymous Book?

PDF sounds great but I would suggest going even one step further:
Access a link on the MOA website with your Iphone, Blackberry or other high-tech phone.
Enter the zip code, address or coordinate where you are stranded.
Server should spit out the phone numbers of nearby MOA helpers.
Now, that would be great technology and save lots of printing cost and trees....
Or, even better: Turn it into a Garmin app to be uploaded in your GPS, similar to the list of BMW dealerships or the database of known speed traps. Should not be difficult either. Works with other GPS brands too, of course.
 
Or, even better: Turn it into a Garmin app to be uploaded in your GPS, similar to the list of BMW dealerships or the database of known speed traps. Should not be difficult either. Works with other GPS brands too, of course.

Now this would be useful you could just click on nearest and get the closest help.:thumb
 
PDF sounds great but I would suggest going even one step further
A PDF is a good start and fairly painless to produce. The other stuff involves some work, which is fine if you're at home making it yourself or with some other people in your spare time. But an organisation like MOA would have to hire someone to do it, and that'll cost some money.
 
ON is available on this site in .PDF all the way back to Nov-2009.
I used it today.

This is a major step forward but not a .pdf they are online versions of the magazine. I wish they were in fact pdf vrsions.

A PDF is a good start and fairly painless to produce. The other stuff involves some work, which is fine if you're at home making it yourself or with some other people in your spare time. But an organisation like MOA[SHOULD] would have to hire someone to do it, and that'll cost some money.

You have hit a core problem for the association. Until we are willing to find a group of volunteers to specify what needs to be done on projects like this and then contract the production work to be done things like this will not see the light of day (or a back light of a back lit screen) for years.
 
I received mine yesterday also, though a bit tattered from it's journey.
 
You have hit a core problem for the association. Until we are willing to find a group of volunteers to specify what needs to be done on projects like this and then contract the production work to be done things like this will not see the light of day (or a back light of a back lit screen) for years.

This is the problem with many if not all volunteer organizations. However, if MOA is going to want to attract younger folks, more of the benefits will have to be in electronic form. While many of us-who are no longer "younger folk" might be just as happy with a hard copy as with an electronic copy, I think most of the younger generation is geared up for things being in electronic form.

On a side note probably better geared for a separate thread, I'm curious what the board's plans are regarding this.
 
This is the problem with many if not all volunteer organizations. However, if MOA is going to want to attract younger folks, more of the benefits will have to be in electronic form. While many of us-who are no longer "younger folk" might be just as happy with a hard copy as with an electronic copy, I think most of the younger generation is geared up for things being in electronic form.

On a side note probably better geared for a separate thread, I'm curious what the board's plans are regarding this.
Maybe it's not that hard to do it. In the end, the content of the book comes from a certain source. My best guess is that it's in a database of sorts, because I don't expect someone to type it in every year... ;)
So there's step 1. Next step might be an Open Source project for the publication of this kind of data on mobile devices. I didn't look for something like that, but there may be a solution readily available that is suitable for this goal and is portable across multiple devices. This may also be a nice project for students. If it's just a program to look up people (a glorified Yellow Pages app) it's quite trivial to write. I programmed applications like that for 15 years (Oracle database) but I don't do anything like that anymore. But it's not that hard.

Problem may be that MOA doesn't want to loose control over the data, and/or the members don't want their personal data to be scattered over the web. Something that is inevetable when you distribute electronic data. All it takes is one person who thinks it's nice to 'share' this with someone else. Obviously, a book can be copies or scanned (ocr) too, but takes takes more effort.
 
PDF version

Having worked in the prepress business I can assure you that prior to the book going to the printer or the conversion taking place at the printer the book is in PDF format prior to printing. All printing is done from digital files now and unless the printer is using a unique or outdated prepress and plating system the files are separate PDF files. My guess is the printer has supplied customers with PDF files for web use. That is one of the advantages of digital printing files. They are easily used for online catalogs, web sites, exchanged files for different divisions of a company etc. The MOA contacts for this information would be Vince Winkel, Mary Baker or possibly Jeff Betz.
 
Mine just got here. Thank you!
:usa


Minor typo error - on pages 230/231, Long Beach BMW is not listed in alphabetical order...
:whistle
 
"Taste of Anonymous"

I eagerly await my Anonymous to be plopped through the mailbox. Unfortunately, so does my german shepherd. It'll be luck of the draw, I guess...
 
No Names?

I'm disapointed! Why no names. I could not see my PH number even though I wanted to be in it and signed up in 2008.

Oh well I suppose the 49 liter top box on the R1200RT would not have room for it if all our names were in it. It would be nice to be able to address the person you are asking help for by their name.

Great idea though. Maybe we could have an app on the old Iphone to get enhanced info.

Whoops! There I am listed in another town, Tucson. I actually live and am registered as a member in Oro Valley. Close enough.

Thanks to all who put this together. With so few BMW dealers and shops around we do need to help one another.

Jack
 
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I got my first book this week. I just joined last year and I am glad to have my number in the book to help people out. Hopefully someone will actually call and I can help and maybe I will need to use it myself one day.

Glad to be a member of the club! ;);)
 
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