Brainstorming: Gendai Project Online

[Markus]

Hi folks,

 

Over the last couple of days, I came up with a (maybe) crazy idea concerning my upcoming Gendaito Project.

What if I make that whole thing available as an online reference. I know that there us a lot of useful stuff out there, first and foremost Rich Stein's most hepful pages

and Ohmura's page, which I absolutely don't want to overshadow. But still not that much is out there on the biographies of the Gendai smiths and an online database

has just so many pros, like:

 

* Fast and easily editable (when errors are spotted).

* Very easy to update (when new data is discovered).

* No whatsoever page limitations, so each and every info available on a smith can be collected and published (don't have to weight up what to publish and what not because of limited book pages)

* Pictures can be added at will and no quality loss through (on demand) printing.

* Easier to search in database than in book (of course does not apply to eBook).

* Accessible on your phone or tablet when on the go (no book to carry around that might fall apart after a while).

* No book-style eBook download and no downloads of eBook-style updates.

* Links to sites and pictures which are indispensable but where I did not get the right to (re)publish them.

* No expensive book puchase necessary as online database will be freely accessible, i.e. great for everyone.

 

Cons:

* No physical book.

* Might need some print outs if you want to compare mei right next to your sword (but what shouldn't be that a problem).

 

Well, as indicated in the last point of the pros, I would see this a free database but what in turn requires a Kickstarter initiative. Should not cost a fortune but the start up would exceed my possibilities,

both in financial and coding/web design terms. In short, a professional web designer has to be paid with whom I would bring that to life but from where I can go by myself then (i.e. updating and editing).

Also some $ would be necessary for maintenance and web hosting but biggest chunk of the (potential) money raised via Kickstarter would be for the coding/web design and for the time involved fitting

the data base. Also I want something stunning, visually appealing, easy to work with, something "21st century." Not just line-based content. So this might require quite a few thousand but imagine how

much more useful this could be than a physical book without cutting back and witholding data just because of page limits!

 

Just wanted to see how response is on this idea and willingness to financially back a potential Kickstarter campaign or if I should better bury it right away. Any input is greatly welcomed!

Didn't want to post that on my page but first here as NMB is so to speak the cradle of this entire project and most of my supporters for this project so far should be around here.

 

 

 

 

[Surfson]

Hi Markus.   You're work has been very helpful to so many of us, and I would be willing to help.  The big question is.....how much do you think you need and what would be the ask for each donor to get it going?  I think that John Slought's book has become a bit of a classic, and I wonder if he has made any money on it?  Something like that but much more comprehensive in its coverage could be an instant classic.  Cheers, Bob

[Salvatori Moretto]

Hello,

I'm fairly new here but just thought I would help out if I could because I can see already how much help this place has been for me and would love to see the resources continue to grow.

I have a very nicely mounted mumei wakizashi coming back from polish in the next week or two that after I re-wrap was going to put up for auction. Instead of loosing 20% to fee's on fleabay or any other auction site, if sold through these forums I will donate 20% of the sale price to this project. I'm not great at taking pictures, giving discriptions, or valuing many of the antique items I have, so I would feel more than fine allowing another senior forum member or Markus himself to take possesion of the Wak for photography etc. I can also leave on the current old tsuka-maki but it has major faults on one side.

Let me know if this could work to help out the project get started.

Thanks,

Sal

[Daniel]

Hi

 

All sounds very good but nothing compares to an oldfashioned real book.

I hope you publish a book as I really looking forward to it.

 

Have a nice weekend

Daniel

[Brian]

I'm in, in any way I can help. Sounds like a good project.

 

Brian

[Stephen]

already donated, willing to add more, do you need more oshigata, lots of pix from a ebay seller that i had translated for

[george trotter]

I too have sent pics/oshigata (hope you got them?). My personal preference is for a book, but that's because I AM an old geezer. I'll go with whatever the majority wants...I can always print from an on-line site?

Regards,

[Stephen]

im not in for ebook, ol school as well, i like to open books to a page, next to another book, its how i learned, 

[Markus]

I will write that book because it will form the basis of everything. Online database should be a great and much more flexible reference, so to speak an extended, living and breathing big online brother of the book. Maybe book sales can flow into funding this project too (have to see how many copies I get sold, Nihonto book sales are VERY manageable ).

 

@George: I received with thanks your pics/oshigata. Are all stored and waiting for selection process.

 

@Robert: At the moment, I don't know how much I have to get to realize it. What also might be a "problem" is that this would be quasi a donation style thing as contributors don't get any physical output back. But possible would be if someone donates for example over a certain amount, he or she receives the print book. I mean I could do much myself but I don't want to let this end in an amateur makeshift site. That's why I mostly need the money, to pay someone professional who leaves me with an easy to maintain/update and nice looking HP.

 

So that's why I posted it here to check feasibility and to see what doesn't make sense at all. What I am thinking about is a main page with alphabetical/kanji index. If you know how to read your smith you go to seach, for example KANEFUSA. Then you get a list of all Kanefusa with Kanji, family name, and place of residence so that you can go from there. If you don't know how to read the smith, there will be a site with KANJI and you pick one or two what brings you to the list of all smiths with this or these kanji. And if you have found him and click on your smith you get to a separate page that lists his bio and all other data available, much like in the preview I did a while ago.

 

 

 

[Eric Santucci]

Impressive idea Markus, I am all for the website reference.  I think a book/ebook would be a nice companion for folks as well for a quick look-up reference while researching on the go at a show or something similar. 

 

I still owe you pics of my Nagamitsu; apologies for the delay.  I also have a few other swords you may find of interest as well and will send those soon. 

 

Best,

Eric

[pcfarrar]

If the eBook was published on the Amazon Kindle store you could push out updates to the content as and when needed. The end user wouldn't have to do anything and would just receive the updated book automatically.

[Markus]

@Peter: That's true and an eBook will still be published but here too, I can't pack in everything and have to make cutbacks. That means, I have about 1,100 smiths what would

potentially end up in a 2,000~3,000 pages eBook if I try to put in everything.

 

Below I (very briefly) visualized what I am thinking of: A start page from where you click either on the alphabet or scroll down and click directly on the character, i.e. first part of

the smith's name. This brings you to a page with all smiths using that character from where you pick one and get to the separate, detailed page that introduces all the data,

oshigata, and pics.

 

 

[Shamsy]

Hi Markus,

 

I to love to have a well stocked bookshelf which I can hold and read. Too many screens in life already.

 

Having said that, I think a companion, updated and easily expandable online reference would be invaluable. Books do date, and cannot hold absolutely everything you would like. Perhaps as a start, you could add a margin to each book sale to fund the site? Kickstarter is agood funding cchoice, and adding a 'sweetener' usually attracts more conservative donations.

[Surfson]

I would donate with the expectation of a physical book at the end of it Markus.   Looks like a great project.   Would you get NMB members and others to send in photos and oshigata?  Cheers, Bob

[Markus]

I would donate with the expectation of a physical book at the end of it Markus.   Looks like a great project.   Would you get NMB members and others to send in photos and oshigata?  Cheers, Bob

 

There will be a book of course in the end and I think it will be something like if you donate a certain amount to the crowdfunding you get the book, for a certain lower amount

you get the eBook, and for a certain higher amoung you get both. Try to figure out which platform to use and how much I gonna need to make time available to feed the

online database.

 

Oh, and the sending of photos and oshigata is already going on for some months. Got quite a nice basis to work with in the meanwhile, thanks to NMB.

[general_piffle]

Good idea Markus, here are some random 'starter for 10' thoughts. How about a wiki element but templated and with admin so you can share the work load and add to the knowledge pool?

 

With the book angle why not keep it time-based so maybe annual updates. Or if the paper book took more of a folder / binder approach it would be easier to add updates when needed.

 

I've worked in digital media, including big site builds and content creation, for many years. If I can offer any advice then please feel free to PM me. Thanks.

[Markus]

@Joel: Thanks a lot for your offer! Still sorting out things how to tackle this one best and first of all, how to let it go through as a crowdfunding project.

I am on vacation from tomorrow (7th) and back on Oct 19 and will PM you afterwards if I have any questions.

[brannow]

Hi Markus,

 

What format do you want photos of nakago in?  I have some very good ones to contribute.

 

[Markus]

Hi Bill,

 

Thanks for your support. Best would be JPG format and with black background. Please send them to "gendaitoproject@gmail.com". This is where I collect the data for the book. But if you want to discuss some things with me, please use "markus.sesko@gmail.com".

 

Thx!

Markus

[Fuuten]

Hi Markus,

 

Sounds like a great idea, and very collectively oriented. Do you know if Kickstarter has paypal as a way of payment? Last time i checked they didn't, and that's pretty much the only reason i haven't jumped on some starters.

 

Edit: also it would be nice if this online part could be expanded to the entire history:)