Lews database

[K.H]

Would,nt this be a usefull addition?

Lews Cars database


"Dunno if its any help to anyone or not but here's the databases I did a couple of years ago"

http://www.fixmypcuk.com/Cars/onetank.htm

http://www.fixmypcuk.com/Cars/twintank.htm

http://www.fixmypcuk.com/Cars/notfeasible.htm

[Julian]

Yes, they would.  The veg side of the wiki could do with some new additions.  fred1 offered something similar a little while ago, but it's obvious that they derive from the biomotors site and if we use them we could have copyright issues.

I did tell fred1 that I'd try and contact biomotors, but, to my shame, I haven't got round to it.  What's your opinion of the copyright issue?

I thought Lew got an undeserved, frosty response, have I missed something there?

[K.H]

Ive contacted Lew and he,s fine with us using them.
He said that he got most of the info from BM but has altered it to make it easier to read,i dont have a problem with using it,im sure we would just be asked to remove it if there was.

Agreed & makes 2 of us

[Julian]

And again in another thread ... seems most out of character!

Tony, I know your busy at the moment, but what's your opinion of putting up the info, personally I think we should ask BM, we can offer them a credit, but no link, no ads and no prices.

 I'm happy to contact them as diplomatically as I'm able, just need to get off my arse and do it!

[Keef]

I appreciate that Lew has gone to a fair amount of effort to create this but I fail to see how it is an improvement on the Biomotors database.

If I want to check a car on the Biomotors database, I just look it up and get the answer.
If I want to check a car on Lew's database, I have to check upto three databases to get the same answer.
Also, is anyone going to keep Lew's datbase up to date?

If Biomotors are willing to give us permission to use Lew's info which is based on their info then are they not just as likely to give us permission to use their's in it's entirity (less the prices)?

This aside, yes I think it would be useful to have a database available on here.

[Julian]

I think you're right.  If we ask BM's permission, it ought to be their data that we publish.

[Tony]

Agreed - I'm up for Julian to contact them - he has a good way with words.  Given the nature of the information I don't think a back link in response would be unreasonable thanks - it doesn't tie us to them commercially, rather acknowledges them as a source.

[Julian]

Sorry, I disagree regarding the link.

I thought that was one of the basic ground rules we set from day one (well, it was probably day 15 by the time we got round to it).  If we allow it for one company it sets a president and others will expect the same.  Where suitable or necessary a text credit should suffice.  If readers want to find the source of the info they only have to Google the company name.

I've email Biomotors and I'll post their reply when I receive it.

[Tony]

You're quite right Julian, I do have some recollection of that - it was a while ago!

Text only recognition it is - assuming they agree to this information being shared.

I wonder where they got it from?  It is surely not original research by them?

[Keef]

I've just Googled a randon string of text from the database and it seems that a few sites (mostly foreign) are using the info in various forms. I don't know how you would ever know where it originated from though.

[Julian]

I say, jolly good work Holmes!

I looked on the Elsbett site as BM are their agents, but couldn't find the same data.  As a mere Watson, replicating Holmes's Google search finds it on the Elsbett site, so my guess is that it may be their data as manufacturers of the kits.

Wait and see what BM say, they may refer me to Elsbett if that's the case ...  so far no reply from them.

[Julian]

Well, good news.  I've just got this reply from Dominic at Biomotors ...

========================
Yes, that's no problem.

Thanks
Dominic

=======================

My mail to him apologised for not offering a direct link, but I said we would be happy to credit BM in the way we have Oxford University on the MSDS pages.


Now ... any volunteers to manipulate the rather lengthy table into html to match the other tables on the wiki?

I'll get back to Dominic and thank him and later advise him of the URL when the page is complete.

[Keef]

Good news indeed Watson.

I don't mind 'aving a crack at the table thingy but it won't be instant and you'd better point me in the direction of what I'm trying to match.

If anyone else wants to do it instead and has more time on their hands, feel free to shout.

[Julian]

Top man Keith!

The table format that has sort of been adopted as a standard is ...

table border = 2   bordercolor = AAAAAA   background-color = F9F9F9 cellpadding = 3   cellspacing = 0

But I guess from an aesthetics point of view, the important aspects are the 2 pixel boarder, the boarder colour and the and the background colour.  Typically the state diagram on the GL processor.

I know you can simply copy and paste the html table onto Excel to delete the reference and price columns, but Excel seems to export into html in complicated way.

If you have an html editor it may be easer to paste from Excel into the editor, alter the colours etc in the editor and copy the html into the wiki.

Mere child's play for a chap of your deductive skills, Holmes!

Just had a quick look at BM's pages again and I'm wondering if, with the make as a title for each table, we need to replicate that in each row of the left-hand column ... what do you think?

If I can assist, give me a shout.

[Tony]

Fantastic news!  This will be very useful to many people looking into vegging it up