First, a little history to get this started. I live in Bridge City, TX. During Hurricane Ike in September of 2008, the storm surge flooded this town. Of approximately 3400 homes (not counting business buildings) 13 didn’t get any water inside. I personally had 24″ of water. All of my woodworking related magazines, books etc. were on the bottom shelves. I lost my complete libraries (Issue 1 to September 2008) of Woodsmith and Shop Notes. Also 5 or 6 FWW magazines.
Now jump to present.
I received the FWW 1975-2011 archive for Christmas. (Also the Woodsmith 200 issue “Back issue Library”.
Just garbbing one, I got the FWW first. I installed it on my computer and that’s when the sirens and red lights in my head started. My computer sounded like a hair dryer on steroids. The hard drive AND the DVD drive were running at full speed. This lasted several minutes. When it was all over the DVD was very hot to the touch. (for a DVD). Everything installed OK onto the hard drive. Not necessary to have the DVD in the drive. That’s a plus in my opinion.
One of the FWW books I lost was about projects. (not the periodical magazine) It had an article on building a wooden clock. I really liked that magazine So that was the first thing I searched for in the FWW archive. It fould 3 articles. I read all 3 of them. One of them (a 2 part) was in issue #56 of Jan/Feb 1986.
That’s when the irritation started. Looking at the plans, the dimensions were as though I were looking through clouds. They were so blurry as to be unreadable. I tried every available setting on my computer video with no luck.
I started going through the issues systematically 25 at a time to home in on them this was corrected. I finally found when the blurring stopped and crystal clear started. Issues 188 and back are ‘cloudy’. Issues 189 and onward are crystal clear.
If this DVD was a $19.99 “BUT WAIT” item, you would not be reading this now. BUT…
For what this DVD cost, it should be MUCH better.
To any one who was associated with the assembly and publishing of this DVD… “Shame on you”! You should be ashamed of yourselves.
I think the FWW magazine is a fine publication, albeit with all the ads.
The DVD? That’s a fail.
And that’s my 27 cents worth. Thank you.
Any comments, for or against this post, will be appreciated by me.
Replies
Have you tried . . .
. . . calling their customer service line?
I don't have the DVD, so I can't share personal experience. But, what you are describing sounds strange - as if the viewer is being put in a strange state. From previous discussions I would expect to see gaps, like missing illustrations and such, since they didn't obtain full digital reproduction rights back in the old days. But what is there should be clear.
Comments
Mysterious as to the diminished lack of pride the site displays when woodworkers are the complete opposite. My complaint is why do they send my magazine without putting it into an envelope. It's damaged every time. I have every issue - been getting them since day one and glad to have this treasure of woodworking articles....... that helped me get started. Can it be that expensive to put the magazine in an evvelope ? The product doesn't have the same importance to the publisher as it does to the end user. Why not please the end user - isn't that how business betters itself?
SA
mine always
comes in a gray plastic wrapper
ron
Plastic
That's because your address comes up "Marina" in their system. They water-proof it for you.
Here in NY the delivery guys fling the magazine from their truck with one hand while they talk on the cell phone with the other. I need that plastic wrap and a cardboard insert in my part of the Country.
SA
I bought my first FWW (Issue 85 Dec. 1990) from a bookstore. So I can't say anything about how they are shipped. Today I went back to that issue 85 (on the DVD) and counted the pages of space taken up by ads. 62 of 136 pages. That is why I never subscribed to FWW at the prices they were asking at the time.
I don't think customer service will go back and do-over the first 188 issues that are messed up. As a matter of fact, I don't think CS can do anything for me at this point.
For those of us that have been around a while remember the old "Don't sign in blue ink" admonishment. Why? Because the photocopiers of the day couldn't 'see' blue.
I'm thinking the problem I'm seeing comes from the copying of old issues with less than modern day equipment. I know the printed pages never had that problem.
So... I think I will have to agree that FWW (Taunton Press) is/are not a user-oriented company. All for the $$$
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