November 8, 2008
From DPCanadaWiki
Issue #24--November 7, 2008
(Full listing of previous issues is available at DPC Newsletters)
Editorial
Server and site problems--Simple Simon, coachmike and company have continued to work hard the last number of weeks. Things are improving, slowly but surely ... and, hopefully, we'll soon have more things fixed. Patience, all,...
Simple Simon and coachmike and their helpers continue to work on the remaining major problems. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we'll have more fixes very soon.
ÜberProjects--see the updates on The Young Folks periodical under ÜberProject #4.
Update revisions for Proofing Guidelines-Newest revisions are done and posted; the effective date is November 15, 2008. See below for the link.
Revisions to the Formatting Guidelines--Simple Simon has been working on these and making sure they fit together with the Version 2.0 Formatting Guidelines from DP-INT. He sees no reason why our formatting guidelines should be very different from theirs, except for obvious site differences, like UTF-8.
Comments regarding bad links to FAQs and Guidelines--coachmike is still at work on this; though some other things have slowed down the process, it will get done. We just have to be patient. Considering all the other things that have ended up on his plate in recent weeks...some things must wait. Once the server glitches have been solved, he should be able to do some more work on these.
Check out the list of "possible future articles" at the end of the newsletter--are you interested in contributing or do you know of someone who could, or would like to, contribute, we'd love to have your article and/or thoughts. And you can do so anonymouslyAnd you can do so anonymously if you choose. It doesn't have to be long: a sentence or two, a short paragraph or two, 500 words or more if you really like to "talk"; send a PM to Quill.
Simon Says...
The Proofreading Guidelines have been reviewed, in the light of the suggestions you all made, and problems that have arisen since the original publication. The adjusted text is now available on the Wiki at: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Proofreading_Guidelines .
Note that I have used the notation discussed earlier in the Documentation Forum to indicate where the changes have been made--for example: (Nov 08) ... (/Nov 08)
Period Pause "..." (Ellipsis)
(Nov 08) The guidelines are the same for English and Languages Other Than English (LOTE).
Use the general rule "Follow closely the style used in the printed page." In particular, insert spaces, if there are spaces before or between the periods, and use the same number of periods as appear in the image. Sometimes the printed page is unclear: in that case, insert [**unclear] to draw the attention of the Post-Processor. (Note: Post-Processors should replace those regular spaces with non-breaking spaces.)
Note: As in every other case, the Post-Processor may make a final determination to insert non-breaking spaces between the word and the ellipsis, or between the dots of the ellipsis, or to format the ellipses throughout the book in some differing style.(/Nov 08)
Fractions
(Nov 08) Proofread fractions as follows: use the drop-down menus for ¼, ½ and ¾. All other fractions proofed as follows: 2½ becomes 2-1/2. The hyphen prevents the whole and fractional part from becoming separated when the lines are rewrapped during post-processing. (/Nov 08)
Basically this means: don't use curly brackets ({}) as instructed before.
These revised Guidelines go into effect on November 15, 2008, for both proofing usage and Mentoring purposes.
I'm also hoping to have a document done for the next newsletter that will set out the major differences between the Proofing Guidelines for DPC and DP-Int. I hope that it will be a relatively short document.
On a new subject--"It Was a Very Good Year". Beginning in just 2 months now, we can do projects by authors who died during 1958, and it was a very good year. Below is a partial list of well-known authors who died in 1958, and whose books will enter the Public Domain as of January 1, 2009.
Note that these authors have not necessarily been checked in detail for copyright clearance--CPers or PMs wanting to start a project based on a book by one of these authors would be well-advised to request a specific copyright clearance before beginning work on scanning, OCRing, or prepping. And, in-line with the new way of doing things, we need to check every page in the project (text and illos) for possible additional contributors. Please send the Title and Verso pages with your clearance request, as usual, but do look at every illo, in particular, for evidence of a declared contributor (usually a signature on an illo).
I am beginning to go through every book now in the rounds, checking for possible additional contributors, and clearing them. Once that has been completed, we'll try our best to ensure at clearance time that no unpleasant surprises come along to "bite" us at time of posting. It's a nuisance I know and Mark Akrigg of PGC is campaigning to get this detailed copyright check requirement simplified, but don't hold your breath.
Notable Authors who died during 1958: actually I picked one author per letter, and I avoided any authors with questionable DODs
(also please see King Kong at http://www.authorandbookinfo.com/abyod/1958.htm )
- Herbert ADAMS (M: 1874 - 1958 Feb 24)
- Johannes (R) BECHER (M: 1891 May 22 - 1958 Oct 11) (this is for Team Germany)
- James Branch CABELL {US} (M: 1879 Apr 14 - 1958 May 5) (this is for me--one of my favourite authors)
- Mary DUNN (F: 1900 - 1958) (deliberately, because all her books are post-1923, and delightful)
- Sir, Robert Charles Kirkwood ENSOR (M: 1877 Oct 16 - 1958 Dec 4) (dare we tackle the "Oxford History of England"?)
- Georgene FAULKNER {US} (F: 1873 - 1958) (charming children's stories)
- Judge, Alfred Alexander GORDON CLARK (M: 1900 Sep 4 - 1958 Aug 25) (Cyril Hare mysteries, anyone?)
- Robert Thurston HOPKINS (M: 1884 - 1958 (wrongly 1915) May 23) (prolific biographer)
- Albert Edward IDELL {US?} (M: 1901 - 1958)
- Lyman Bruce JACKES {CA} (M: 1889 - 1958) ("How Canada Got Its First Postage Stamps" –amastronardi?)
- Flora KLICKMANN, Mrs HENDERSON-SMITH (F: ? - 1958 Nov 28) (needlework, cookery books)
- Henry KUTTNER {US} (M: 1915 Apr 7 - 1958 Feb 3 (great sci-fi writer, every rule needs to be broken)
- Mechtilde MAX, Princess LICHNOWSKY, nee ARCO, 2: Mrs PETO (F: 1879 - 1958 Jun 4) (gotta have a princess, no idea what she wrote)
- Johnston McC* ULLEY {US} (M: 1883 Feb 2 - 1958 Nov 23) (wrote a zillion westerns)
- Alfred NOYES (M: 1880 Sep 16 - 1958 Jun 28 (or 23) (move over Von Daniken)
- Norreys Jephson O'CONOR {US} (M: 1885 Dec 31 - 1958 Oct 24) (Celtic stuff)
- Elliot (Harold) PAUL {US} (M: 1891 Feb 13 - 1958 Apr 7) (westerns, famous US personages)
- Altus Lacy QUAINTANCE {US} (M: 1870 Dec 19 - 1958 Aug 7) (fascinating stuff about agronomy, but I needed a Q)
- Mary (Ella) (nee)Roberts RINEHART {US} (F: 1876 Aug 12 - 1958 Sep 22) (more than half her titles are post-1922!!)
- Robert William SERVICE {CA} (M: 1874 Jan 16 - 1958 Sep 11) (only a few of his books are pre-1923, and we've got to "whoop it up" ) in the Malemute Saloon...
- Cecil Gwendolin TREW, 2:Mrs EHRENBORG, nee RUSSELL (F: 1897 - 1958) (artist, childrens' books)
- Richard UNGEWITTER (M: 1868 - 1958) (not many U's)
- Ralph VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (M: 1872 Oct 12 - 1958 Aug 26 (wrongly 28) (for our music fans)
- Rev, Archer WALLACE {CA} (M: 1884 May 10 - 1958 Jul 30) (famous Canadian chronicler of WW I)
- No X's--there's a surprise
- Eva Rose YORK, nee FITCH {CA} (F: 1858 - ?) (couldn't resist picking the Canadian, even though the DOD is dicey)
- Prof, Francis (de) ZULUETA (M: 1878 - 1958 Jan 16) (expert on all things Roman)
Maybe we could try to do at least one book for each letter of the alphabet? Can anyone find an X?
Revisions to Guidelines, FAQs and the DPC site code
Revisions to the Formatting Guidelines.--As noted above, Simple Simon has started on these and hopes to have a draft ready soon.
He has also reiterated his promise that he will put together a combined Proofing/Foofing wiki page for those Formatters who like to have only one document open at a time but also want to be able to check on certain Proofing Guidelines.
Of course, we'll keep working our way through all of the FAQs and Guidelines, one by one--does anyone have any suggestions for other areas/activities that should have Guidelines or FAQs prepared?
Guidelines translations--Simple Simon has found a translator for the French version of our Proofing Guidelines which, since we plan to be a bilingual site, is the most important. Our fearless volunteer, punicafides, has been working on a para by para French translation. Hopefully, he'll have something soon. Naturally, the translation is slow; but he wants it done properly, I'm sure. MERCI BEAUCOUP, THANK YOU.
Translators for other languages are still needed, so...send a PM to Simple Simon if you would like to help. All that's necessary is the translation--we can put them into wiki page format.
Simple Simon noted in an earlier Simon Says... article that there are lots of things to get properly converted/coded before we upgrade and synchronize our site code with that of DP-INT or at least as close as we can since DPC is a UTF-8 site where DP-INT works in iso-8859-1. We must thank coachmike for all his hard work and try not to get too frustrated with the waiting....
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 prepped a number of volumes and there are also several others that need prepping, so there's lots to do. CPers, PMs, PPers are all needed.
- 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). Thankyou to hugger1935 for the use of the books.
- Volume 27 is listed as a New Project. Volumes 1, 3 and 18 are in Post-Processing. I know that there are a couple more being prepped; we just need to get the bugs fixed so that they can be uploaded.
- 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, the books are in the P3 waiting queue.
- Four volumes have been posted to PGC: Volume 2: The Mariner of St Malo: A Chronicle of the Voyages of Jacques Cartier, Volume 5: The Seigneurs of old Canada: a Chronicle of New World Feudalism, Volume 20: Adventurers of the Far North, A Chronicle of the Arctic Seas and Volume 29: The Day of Sir John MacDonald, A Chronicle of the Early Years of the Dominion.
ÜberProject #2: Jesuit Relations
Vol. 65: Lower Canada, Mississippi Valley, 1696-1702, our first, is currently in P3: Available. Simple Simon is the PM and has decided that he will definitely PP this first volume, though he says that he will undoubtedly seek help from someone fluent in French to "look over his shoulder" on that side of things. He'll probably do the same for other languages as well.
Vol. 66: Illinois, Louisiana, Iroquois, Lower Canada, 1702-1712, our second, is in P1: Available. It is just like Vol. 65: strange characters, old style French spellings and accents, bits and pieces of other languages--lots of fun.
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 has been confirmed as the first part of our ongoing ÜberProject #4: Periodicals. Simple Simon has the entire first year of volumes in hand and will release them as demand calls for them. There are 3 issues currently undergoing proofing and/or formatting: one each in rounds P1, F1 and F2. There is an issue in under going post-processing and one issue: Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXII, No. 2 (1848) has been posted to PGC.
In the starting block...--(that is, being prepped...) 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.
Comments from Warmheart: Finally … the death dates for contributors for the first 3 issues have been found and I've sent them off to Simple Simon for verification. As soon as I get the clearance for these issues, I will be uploading the first issue and get it into the P1: Waiting queue.
Warmheart's wikipage for the Periodical can be found through this link: http://www.pgdpcanada.net/wiki/index.php/Our_Young_Folks.
Remember, these aren't the only periodicals that we can do--there are lots of others out there and some that are very different than "Graham's". Is there one that you'd like to do? Suggestions for favourite OLD periodicals are always welcome, but they must meet 3 criteria:
- published before 1860 to avoid the need for copyright checking
- good quality scans of a reasonable number of issues (preferably in whole volumes=a year)
- interesting content, out of the ordinary
We Grow Every Day
We are now up to 454 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 | |
|---|---|
| November 2008 | 1 |
| October 2008 | 12 |
| Q3 2008 | 33 |
| Q2 2008 | 63 |
| Q1 2008 | 106 |
| 2007 total | 239 |
| Total to date | 454 |
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 of each team. So that's why, for the "15,000 pages" totals Team USA has the most P3 pages. Another reason to join a team or two....
Completed 20,000 pages in a round:
- uwe-joachim in F2 NEW!!
- Team USA in P3 NEW!!
Completed 15,000 pages in a round:
- rolands in P3
Completed 10,000 pages in a round:
- Team Canada in P1
- Team German in F2
Completed 5,000 pages in a round:
- Daniel G in P1
- De2164 in F1
- Warmheart in F1
- yajeulb in F1
- hugger1935 in F2
- Team Canada in P2 and F1
- DPing with Cats in F1
- Foofers' Corner in F2
Great work, people!!!
Proofing & Formatting Stats
I can't give you current figures as the chronjobs counter isn't working properly at the moment. Hopefully that will be rectified very soon.
For more statistics and related links go to: Statistics Central.
Books In Process And/or Posted To PGC
At press time, we had 86 Gold Star books posted to PGC (with 9 in PPV). Fantastic work, all.
There are currently 100 Silver Star projects in post processing and 85 Bronze Star projects which are currently undergoing proofing or formatting. For more details about these projects, please see the listings on the bottom of the DP 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 now have 19 teams; but more are always welcome. Our most recent team is Team Poland--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....
