June 18, 2010

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The Beaver Bulletin / Le Bulletin du castor


DP Canada: Recycling Dead Trees into Living Text
DP Canada: Nous recyclons les arbres morts pour en faire des textes vivants


Volume 3, Issue #66--June 18, 2010
(Full listing of previous issues is available at DPC Newsletters)


Contents

Simon Says...

Some more structure this time on the planned "Display" site. Please, please, can I get some reactions from members?

Basically, the display site will consist of 7 elements, plus HTML pages to wrap it up:

  • a database plus MySQL database tools--search, indexing, tagging
  • a phpBB3 forum installation--for communication between members, PMs, polls etc
  • a wiki, to capture and document "permanent" techniques and FAQs
  • underlying software, including archiving and e-mail servers
  • a registration procedure, based upon the Forum infrastructure
  • direct access to the book archives and other user features, without becoming a member
  • reception page(s) for explaining purpose, main features, and policies of the site

Many other features and mechanisms will lie behind these elements, with great capability to add/modify features as we go.

For example, the main element will be the e-books themselves, stored in indexed directories, with an extremely flexible procedure for accessing them.

We will certainly include all of the e-books produced by DPC. And they will be catalogued using the "Gold List" numbers assigned to them by the DPC site code, so that the links on our Activity Hub will actually work, at long last.

Also included will be almost all of the other, non-DPC e-books on the PGC site (not the links to other e-book archives that PGC uses, just the actual e-books). These will need to be checked to ensure they include all the components DPC expects for its end-products, but will not need to be copyright-checked--PGC is rigourous in that regard.

Then, we'll add selected e-books from PG-INT, PG-AUS and PG-EUR--here we'll need to do a copyright check, to ensure we're still in compliance with Canadian copyright laws.

Finally, we'll scour the other non-PG archives for e-books that are suitable (and clearable) for addition to our collection--the aim will be to make the collection as complete as possible.

Question #1: do you have any additional suggested sources for e-books of high quality?

Then we come to file format. Obviously, we will include (or if necessary create) HTML versions--so that all the wonderful user-friendly features of HTML can be offered to the reader. This will be our primary offering--no e-book will appear without an HTML version. We'll also collect the simple text versions favoured by PG-INT, for example--because many of the powerful search and indexing tools we plan to offer depend upon text versions for their key-words. But...

Question #2: should we include any other formats? Perhaps e-pub or some other format compatible with the recently released e-reader equipment. What about a format suitable for those who have visual impairments? What about audio files? Can we recruit new (or current) members who have the skills and interest necessary to support such formats?

Given that this display site will be different in nature from all of the PG sites (more of a readers' resource than an archive), should we permit ourselves the luxury of actively inviting members of DP-INT and DP-EUR to join us in this new campaign? how best could we stick-handle this with those "sister" organizations? How can we attract members who have not been part of any PG or DP organization so far?

We currently plan "operational" features such as author bios, book reviews, recommendations by members, member articles, bookmarks, the ability to 'follow" a respected member, historical time-lines, member-blogs, author bibliographies and many others in mind (and some features have already been drafted).

Question #3: What features have we forgotten? What would you like to see included?

To what extent should we include LOTE e-books? just a smattering, as currently with DPC, or should we try to mount an extensive campaign to include many (all?) e-books in other languages? if extensive, then should we try to offer the site in multiple languages? (a lot easier to do this right from the start, than as a "conversion" later).

I'm sure that you will see other issues that should be raised right now, while we'll still in the formative stages. Do spit them out, so we can all think about them.

Please respond either by e-mail to me at starlink@rogers.com. or in the forum at http://www.pgdpcanada.net/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=33

Cheers

Simon


Special Requests

Hey, P3s!!

Got some spare time? F1 is practically out of projects and would really appreciate a few more books to work on. There are EASY English projects as well as French if you prefer.

Just a couple of extra pages whenever you are in would be appreciated.

Attention all CPers (current and potential) and PMs

Believe it or not, De2164 wants biographies!! There is a lot of fiction sitting in the P1: Waiting queue so he'd like more NON-FICTION stuff. Naturally, any LOTE, particularly French, will be gratefully accepted. He is looking to build up the supply of projects so that we don't run short over the summer.

If you are planning any trips through small towns this summer, why don't you visit the local used book stores ... you might find a gem or two stuck in a back corner. You might not; but it is a great way to take a break from driving ... or sitting while some else drives.

Any available PPers? Or potential PPers?

We can always use PPers; there are about 90 projects in the queue though, currently, there are about 200 being PP'd (up from last time).

However, we're also down to 0 in the PPV waiting queue. So,...

Lots of choices depending on what you like:

  • easy, average, hard;
  • history, biography, fiction, humour (or is that "humor" :wink:), folklore, periodicals, science, military, juvenile and other genres;
  • most are in English, but there are several in Portuguese, one in German, one English with French and one in Spanish (at least at the time of writing);
  • the projects range in size from about 25 pages to over 800;
  • a number of them have illustrations.

If you are interested in learning a new skill, there are several experienced PPers who will give some direction if asked. Lostpaces has offered to mentor new PPers so you are not alone. Check out her forum discussion thread: Would like to PP? Check here


Editorial

Gaelic anyone?--Simple Simon has launched DPC's first project in Gaelic: Gearr-sgeoil air Sir Seoras Uilleam Ross (Biography of Sir George William Ross) by Alexander Fraser. If you read Gaelic or know someone who does, Simple Simon would be grateful for help once the project gets to the PP/Smooth Reading stage. Drop him a PM.

* * * * *

Display site--Do please provide Simon with any suggestions or ideas that you have. He's provided an email link so that you can send him comments that you don't want to write in a forum post. Any and ALL ideas, comments, suggestions, questions, etc. are welcome. I'm sure that there are more ideas out there.

* * * * *

P3 FAQs--So did you learn anything new from stygiania's article in the last issue? It brought back a lot of memories ... or, um,... rather, I was reminded of all the details involved in proofreading. What would we do without our proofers?...

* * * * *

New and/or recurring articles--Ever thought about providing an article or a paragraph or an idea for the newsletter? That's how new articles and/or series start and continue to appear.

Anytime you have a good idea for the newsletter, please drop Quill a line. You can write such offerings yourself or provide an outline to Quill for further expansion. Don't worry, Quill always edits articles for grammar, punctuation and/or spelling errors so no need to fret about how you've said something. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

Articles about authors or books that you worked on as a CP, PM, proofer, foofer and/or PPer; kudos and compliments, landmarks, quotable quotes, tips or hints that you think will help others, questions, anything related to DPC or PG is welcome. See the list of ideas at the end of the newsletter.

* * * * *

Membership--We're looking good and should be able to welcome our 1,000th member by late summer or early fall ... or maybe even sooner. As an FYI, although DPC's official launch date is December 1, 2007, our first two members--DPCanada and Simple Simon--signed up August 2 & 3, 2007 respectively. Think we can make 1,000 before then? Hmm,... Anyway, we need less than 100 more people to register.

So, what do you think we should do in celebration? A special project or ...?

PLEASE NOTE--Update--The "new" FAQs and non-English Guidelines that you can access through the FAQ Central page either have been or are being revised to be truly DPC versions.

* * * * *

Formatting Guidelines--Simon is still working on these--hoping to get them done soon.

* * * * *

Auto-generation of forum discussion threads--Wonderful news ... the auto-generation of project discussion forum threads appears to be fixed. It's still a bit awkward--but it works!! Thank you, coachmike.

Another fix is the auto-generation of User Team discussion threads. IonaV and Miscia have transferred the posts from the manually-created threads to the new automated ones. Don't worry, your stats won't be affected as they are connected directly to the User Team listing page where you sign onto a team.

* * * * *

ÜberProjects--see the regular updates below. There's a good possibility that several more of our Chronicles will be posted soon.


Revisions to Guidelines, FAQs, etc.

Guideline Differences--Once we get our Proofreading and Formatting Guidelines updated to go along with our upcoming site code upgrade, we intend to produce a wikipage with the differences. We're working on the Guidelines updates at this time and we hope to produce the "differences" page shortly thereafter.

* * * * *

Guidelines Summaries--IonaV, with the kind assistance of Long Green (aka Mama Beth) as well as stygiania and jjz (P3 and F2 Quals PFs respectively), is updating the Proofreading and Formatting Guidelines Summaries. The ones currently available through our FAQs page are a little out of date considering that some of the rules noted in the summaries are TOTALLY different from what we do!! <<oops>>


ÜberProject #1: Chronicles of Canada

There continue to be lots of spaces for volunteers to PM, PP and even CP. To see the current status of the volumes, check out the ÜberProject wiki page for The Chronicles of Canada here: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/The_Chronicles_of_Canada.

  • De2164 and IonaV are prepping the rest of the volumes. Sufficient PMs have volunteered to handle all remaining volumes--we just need PPers, but the volumes can be picked up from the PP pool when they have completed the rounds unless there is a volume that a PPer really wants to do--in that case let the PM know sooner rather than later.
  • We've arranged to get "mint condition" copies of the full set and so will be able to get good scans of all the maps and illustrations as well as picking up missing pages (if any). Thank you to hugger1935 for the use of the books.
  • Volume 26 is in P3: Available; Volumes 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 25, 31 and 32 are available for, in or completed Post-Processing. There are several in New Project being prepared for the P1: Waiting queue with one or two yet to be prepped.
  • PP standards have been set and the books do not have anything extremely difficult at all. Check the Chronicles wiki page for the PP standards. Some of the standards for PPing have been updated.
  • Volumes 13, 17 and 24 are being done at DP-Int since the authors of these volumes are out of DPC's copyright purview. They will be posted to PG-Int in due time. For those that are interested, Volumes 13, 17 & 24 are all in F2: Waiting.
  • Ten volumes have been posted to PGC and/or PG-International:
    • Volume 1: The Dawn of Canadian History, A Chronicle of Aboriginal Canada,
    • Volume 2: The Mariner of St Malo: A Chronicle of the Voyages of Jacques Cartier,
    • Volume 3: The Founder of New France, A Chronicle of Champlain,
    • Volume 5: The Seigneurs of old Canada: A Chronicle of New World Feudalism,
    • Volume 8: The Great Fortress: A Chronicle of Louisbourg 1720-1760,
    • Volume 12: The Father of British Canada, A Chronicle of Carleton,
    • Volume 18: The 'Adventures of England on Hudson Bay', A Chronicle of the Fur Trade in the North,
    • Volume 20: Adventurers of the Far North, A Chronicle of the Arctic Seas,
    • Volume 27: The Winning of Popular Government: A Ahronicle of the Union of 1841, and
    • Volume 29: The Day of Sir John MacDonald, A Chronicle of the Early Years of the Dominion.


ÜberProject #2: Jesuit Relations

Travels and Explorations of the Jesuit Missionaries in New France; 1610-1791

Vol. 65: Lower Canada, Mississippi Valley, 1696-1702, is in post processing. Simon is working on a draft of the "plain text" version for this book. This volume will take longer to PP as he is setting up precedents and procedures for the PPing of this project. If you've done any work on any of the volumes either here or at DP-Int, you'll know that they are not simple.

Vol. 66: Illinois, Louisiana, Iroquois, Lower Canada, 1702-1712, is now in post processing.

Vol. 67: Lower Canada, Abenakis, Louisiana; 1716- 1727 is in P3: Available. Lots of "fun" with strange characters, old style French spellings and accents, bits and pieces of other languages.

Vol. 68: Lower Canada, Crees, Louisiana; 1720-1736 is in P3: Available. Again, lots of "fun" with strange characters, old style French spellings and accents, bits and pieces of other languages.

Vol. 69: All Missions; 1710-1756 is in P2: Available. More of the same strange characters with Latin as well as old French spellings and English.

A set of standards has been determined and added to the Project Comments. An ÜberProject wiki page for Jesuit Relations has been created. It includes the basic instructions for proofing and formatting.


ÜberProject #3: Governor General's Award Books

Warmheart has created an ÜberProject page for this uberproject. The page looks very good and has lots of links. You can see the details of what she has completed to date here: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Governor_General%27s_Literary_Awards Check it out, you might find something interesting there....

There are only a couple of books that are available since many of the authors are still alive--ah, well, we'll get them eventually. :)


ÜberProject #4: Periodicals

Graham's Magazine

This was the first of our Periodicals ÜberProjects.

Second year-- prep: 6; P1: Waiting: 0; proofing/formatting rounds: 5; post-processing: 1; posted to Project Gutenberg: 0

First year-- ALL issues are posted to Project Gutenberg

Our Young Folks

An illustrated Magazine for Boys and Girls

Issued monthly; Publication Dates: January 1865 thru October 1873 when it merged with St. Nicholas.

Volume 3: prep: 1; P1: Waiting: 0; proofing/formatting rounds: 0; post-processing: 0; posted to Project Gutenberg: 0

Volume 2: prep: 3; P1: Waiting: 2; proofing/formatting rounds: 6; post-processing: 1; posted to Project Gutenberg: 0

Volume 1: post-processing: 10; posted to Project Gutenberg: 2

Warmheart's wikipage for the Periodical can be found through this link: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Our_Young_Folks .

Scientific American

These are very early issues from 1846. The first issue has now been posted. Simon has more being prepped for proofing.

We've started a wiki page for it: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Periodicals/Scientific_American.

The Maple Leaf

This Canadian juvenile periodical was published between 1852 and 1854 for a total of 30 issues. IonaV is PMing and handling the prep. Susan downloaded the scans and will possibly do the PPing.

Volume 1 (6 issues): prep: 5; P1: Waiting: 0; proofing/formatting rounds: 1; post-processing: 0; posted to Project Gutenberg: 0.

A wikipage has been created: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/The_Maple_Leaf

"Old Periodicals" Criteria

Remember, these aren't the only periodicals that we can do--there are lots of others out there and some that are quite unique. Is there one that you'd like to do? Suggestions for favourite OLD periodicals are always welcome, but they must meet 3 criteria:

  1. published earlier than 1865 to avoid the need for copyright checking
  2. good quality scans of a reasonable number of issues (preferably in whole volumes of 6-months or a year)
  3. interesting content, out of the ordinary, Canadiana, ...


ÜberProject #5: Works by Charles Dickens

Simple Simon and IonaV are Dickens fans. We know that there are many more out there. Although there are some of Dickens' works on the other PG sites, some of it is text only. We've got early editions of those books with illustrations as well as stories that have not yet been posted. As well, there are letters and essays and ...

More details and an ÜberProject wiki page to come.


ÜberProject #6: John Graves Simcoe

John Graves Simcoe, Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada, and military leader of Canada, and one of the true Canadian "Fathers of Confederation". This is NOT dull history either.

Projects about or by Simcoe in proofing/formatting rounds: 0; post-processing: 2. Three have been posted to PGC.

Simon is soliciting other material by or about Simcoe--do you know of any?


ÜberProject #7: Gilbert (George) Murray

Gilbert Murray lived from 1866-1957. He was quite a prolific writer with some 90 odd titles to his name with 32 of them being translations of Greek dramas.

Status of these projects--post processing: 7; proofing/formatting rounds: 2; P1: Waiting: 0; in prep: 2+.

Miscia has created a wikipage which will be a work in progress naturally: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Gilbert_%28George%29_Murray_%281866-1957%29


ÜberProject #8: Art Latcham Magic Collection

This new ÜberProject should be launched within the next few weeks--see the update for more details.

The first project is set to be released to P1: Available -- get ready.... And Simon promises another one for next week.

All "magic" lovers should enjoy these books. If you know of anyone who likes magic and who are not members of DPC, be sure to let them know about this upcoming ÜberProject.

And if you want to be really involved with the project in some way: prepping, PMing, PPing, managing the ÜberProject wikipage or any of the tasks listed in the Simon Says... article above, just send Simon a PM and let him know.


We Grow Every Day

We are now up to 907 members. Welcome to all new members; I hope you find some projects that you will enjoy doing. Many of our members are also members of DP-Int/US and/or DP Europe--we welcome them and thank them for all their continued support and interest in DPC. (Numbers are accurate up to "press" time.)

New
June 2010 5
May 2010 19
April 2010 26
2010 Q1 62
2009 total 321
2008 total 235
2007 total 239
Total to date 907


Milestones

We are going to use this space to "celebrate" notable milestones achieved by a member, team, group or project. For example, we'll report when a member completes 5,000 pages in any one round; then we'll let you know when they've done 10,000 pages and so on.

The "team" numbers are the cumulative totals for each round for each member while they are members of a particular team. So that's why, the team pages go up whenever a team member's totals increase. Another reason to join a team or two....

Completed 65,000 pages in a round:

  • no one at present...

Completed 60,000 pages in a round:

  • Foofers' Corner in F2

Completed 55,000 pages in a round:

  • no one at present...

Completed 50,000 pages in a round:

  • no one at present...

Completed 45,000 pages in a round:

  • uwe-joachim in F2

Completed 40,000 pages in a round:

  • Team USA in P3

Completed 35,000 pages in a round:

  • no one at present...

Completed 30,000 pages in a round:

  • rolands in P3
  • Ex-Pats in F2
  • P3 Pros in P3 NEW!!!
  • Team Canada in P1

Completed 25,000 pages in a round:

  • Team Canada in P2

Completed 20,000 pages in a round:

  • Foofers' Corner in F1
  • LOTE Flotes my Bote in F2
  • P2 Expediters in P3

Completed 15,000 pages in a round:

  • no one at present...

Completed 10,000 pages in a round:

  • Bibi in P3
  • De2164 in F1
  • hugger1935 in P2 and F1 NEW!!!
  • RCEberwein in F1
  • rcool in P1 and P2
  • Scribe in F2
  • snowseraph in P2
  • stygiania in P3
  • Drama Team in P2
  • Team Canada in P3 and F1
  • Team German in F2
  • Team USA in P2 and F2
  • Weather Reports in F2

Completed 5,000 pages in a round:

  • Adair in F1 and F2
  • Antigony in F1
  • cmspence in F2
  • Daniel G in P1
  • gmiller in P2
  • goofball in P1
  • hugger1935 in P1, P3 and F2
  • Marmaduke in P3
  • mcbax in P3
  • Miscia in P2, P3 and F2
  • Pippin in F1
  • snowseraph in P1
  • stygiania in F2
  • supo88 in P2
  • Warmheart in P2 and F1
  • yajeulb in F1
  • Drama Team in P1, P3, F1 and F2
  • DPing with Cats in P1, P2 and F1
  • Foofers' Corner in P2 and P3
  • Infomaniacs in P2 and P3
  • P2 Expediters in P2 and F2
  • P3 Pros in F2
  • Team British Columbia in P1, P2, P3 and F2
  • Team Canada in F2
  • Team français in P3
  • Team German in P3 and F1
  • Smoothies (aka Team Smoothy) in P2
  • Team UK in P1, P2 and F1
  • Team USA in P1 and F1

And how many pages have been done in each of the rounds? Naturally, F2 will be at the bottom since they are the last round that gets the projects before PPing and P1 will be on top since they get to start all the projects. <grin> Another consideration is that P3 or F2 stats may be slightly smaller if the PM/PPer has skipped his/her/their project through either one or both of those rounds. So let's see where each round was at the end of May:

  • P1 completed over 160,000 pages
  • P2 completed over 148,000 pages
  • P3 completed over 129,000 pages
  • F1 completed over 129,000 pages
  • F2 completed over 121,000 pages

Great work, people!!!


Proofing & Formatting Stats

Okay, we're over half way through June (18/30 days = 60%). Everyone has been busy ... especially some P2s and F1s.... They have met their June page targets P3 is almost to theirs with P1 and F2 following ... stay tuned, we've 12 days to go ... will all rounds do it again?...

Round P1 P2 P3 F1 F2
June target3,3003,3003,0003,3003,000
*June to date2,6243,5262,7383,3241,631
June to date %79.52%106.85%91.27%100.73%54.37%

*Numbers accurate to "press" time.

For more statistics and related links go to: Statistics Central.


Books In Process And/or Posted To PG Canada or PG-International

At press time, we had 361 Gold Star books posted to PGC or PG-Int (with 6 in PPV processing). Fantastic work, everyone!!

There are currently 149 Bronze Star projects which are undergoing proofreading or formatting with another 25 waiting in the queue (not including the BEGIN projects). There are 381 Silver Star projects in the post processing stages with 198 being post-processed and 88 waiting for PPers; the balance consists of those that have completed post processing and are awaiting posting at PG or are parts of projects that have been or will be merged which is why the Silver Star numbers are extremely variable. For more details about the posted and/or active projects, please see the listings on the DPC Welcome page.


User Team Talk

Have you checked out our user teams? To check out the teams or to join one go to: User Teams. The Team threads are located under Proofing Team Talk. Is there a team that you'd like to see? You can create a team from the link on the User Teams page--you might be surprised by who shows up to join you.

We have 28 teams; more are always welcome.


Possible Future Articles

This is YOUR newsletter: yes, there are forum posts and user team posts, but is there something that you want to tell the whole DPC community? You are allowed to brag here. You can also be anonymous if you choose ... we won't tell.

  • Tips or Hints: for those people who do/did a lot of proofing and/or formatting on DP-Int/US &/or DP-Eur, do you have any tips or "rules" that you follow to help yourself while you proof or format? Even a re-wording of a guideline that helps you remember how to do something specific.
  • Tell us why you joined DPC.
  • Quotable Quotes: have you seen a thought-provoking quote that is relevant to the DP Community while you were doing your proofing that you just had to pass on?...
  • The most interesting, outrageous, or strangest line you proofed: before it was proofed (if that was the outrageous or strange part) and what it was after proofing (please do not submit obscene language, it will not be published).
  • New projects: PMs is there a series of books or books by a very prolific author that you'd like to do?--let us know so that we can help pass the word to the proofers so they'll be there to jump in and work on them.
  • Kudos, Bouquets & Compliments: are there any DPers that you would like to give special thanks and/or recognition to: a mentor who gave you lots of guidance, a PPer that made your project into a very wonderful looking book for posting to PG, a CPer or image/text preparer who went the extra little bit to provide you with clean scans, well OCR'd text, or good illustrations for your project, another DPer who made you feel really welcome or provided you with some good advice or....
  • "Guest articles" by anyone and everyone who wishes to....
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