silence can be deafening.....

Very valid comment. 10/10.

Great value e.mag. ( not only because it is free.)

I have all 10 issues, and often refer back to earlier issues for info. Seems to me, that every time an article is re-read, I find something new....

Cheers from an On30 modeller in New Zealand.

How does that saying go, if it ain't broke, don't fix it...

As a former editor of small newsletters, I can appreciate the need for feedback to know is what is being done useful for the reader, and when I would ask the readers (i.e. members of the group that the newsletter was for) most of them told me, if they didn't like what they saw, they would tell me. 

I will do my best to help give you feedback on future issues of MRH but the fact you haven't received negative feedback (or have you which is why you need positive feedback to counter weigh it????) I would say, keep up the great work, continue with what you are doing as you are doing it, and if we (i.e the readers) have an issue with something, we will let you know! 

Early feedback.

Quick Note: Dallas' ad on page 4: It advertises a Car Card Generator but doesn't appear to go to one; only to the Industry request page. Maybe they're running a bit behind?

Car Card Generator at DMW

Have you created a profile?  Once you create a profile, you'll have all your railroad tools, which includes the ability to put all your locos, rolling stock and industries into the system and you can use the car card generator.  There are also several fast clocks you can use, but I'm quite certain you first need to create your profile.  So far, I'm just using the system for inventory of my locos and rolling stock for insurance purposes, but once I get things "rolling", I'll use the other tools more.

The Silence

I suppose that I will from this point forward be able to respond "YES" when asked if I have ever clicked on the reader feedback button.  As an armchair model railroader for longer than some of your readership have been able to read (45 years), I have to tell you that each and every article (not just those in my scale, region, era, road, etc.) I have read here streches my imagination regarding what I can and should add into the plan for my not-yet-constructed model railroad.  Each page, yes even the advertising content, provides though provoking information upon which I can create my model empire, or at least imagine it!

Keep up the excellent work. You are all a credit to our hobby and I want to thank you all.

George LeFavor - NMRA Life Member

It's a very tough job to

It's a very tough job to decipher what the public likes/dislikes. Please don't make the assumption that no feedback means bad feedback. And vice/versa. But I will say that being so open about wanting more and more feedback is a very positive for this magazine. You also can't please every one. I don't enjoy every article, but I don't expect to either.  The fact that I did not pay for information I found not very usefull (at this time anyway) is very good indeed! For the information I do need and want, just brilliant!!

Steve

We know - but feedback still helps

We know that no feedback is not always an indication that no one cared ... but it still comes up in staff meetings.

For example, Marty may say, "Hmmm, didn't get any feedback on my last column. Doesn't look like it was very popular ..."

So lack of feedback does matter. Like it or not, our columnists judge the interest in their columns by the feedback they get - or the lack of it. If a particular column topic doesn't generate any feedback, chances are, the columnist will make a mental note to never cover that topic again.

I keep telling the staff that lack of feedback does not necessarily equate to lack of interest - but how are we to judge? That's why today we will be turning on a new feature - the ability to rate articles with 1-5 stars.

Okay, five star rating is now live!

Okay, at the very least, you can now *rate* articles! Even if you have nothing else to say, you can click on a star and let us know if the article sucks/was useless, is okay/decent, or if it rocks/is awesome.

Ratings, Feedback, and performance measurement

Joe,

While I agre ethat tons of feedback can be helpful in guidnign what MRH publishes, I'd rather spend my time reading and re-reading each article then writing comments or clicking stars, especially if the expectation is I'll do so because it soothes nervous egos.  MRH has excellent content - I wouldn't subscribe at any price if it didn't.  That doesn't vary from author to author or column to column.

I prefer to use my limited feedback interactions to ask the questions raised by the autheros but not answered in the article, or drop a congratulatory note to a "friend" who has a by-line.  But unlike so many corporate bean-counters, I'm not of the opinion that everything which is done SHOULD be measured.

While ratings are helpful ...

Phillip:

I hear you ... ratings are helpful - but as the publisher, I do not intend ratings alone to be what will drive our selection of content. I think it's a mistake to be a slave to formulas and to only run popular content. If we think a topic needs to be covered, then the ratings be hanged - we will cover it!

I also intend to serve the lesser-served parts of the hobby with content that I know going in won't rate lots of votes because it's such a niche interest. But if the article is good, I'm willing to consider devoting space to it anyway.

We're uniquely positioned in that regard. If I want to add another 10 pages to run an article I know won't get lots of high ratings because most won't be interested - then no problem. I can elect to run it anyway, service that underserved area of the hobby - and the cost of the extra 10 pages is practically nothing in extra overhead costs (but there is the payment to the author and the staff cost of preparing the article) ...

Feedback

I've been a subscriber since the inception and frankly have zero complaints but I appreciate your delimma - how are you supposed to know if somethings wrong, or right for that matter, if nobody says anything. I
appreciate your efforts and look forward to each issue. The editorial content, appearance and interactiveness (is that a word?) of the publication are first rate. I can't wait to read part 2 of the zip texturing. I'll comment on that after I've read it. In the meantime keep up the great work!

Mike

Letters to the Editor

I guess you could say that leaving feedback is like sending a letter to an editor of a print publication. Most people don't send letters in to an editor, but I suspect that there are enough with each issue of a publication for the editor to gauge reader satisfaction. Of course, editors can't publish every letter in upcoming issues, so they try to strike a balance between pro and con letters. MRH is fortunate in that we all get to read the letters, even if they are just one liners. Will everyone leave feedback? I don't think so, but hopefully, enough will to give Joe, the staff and contributors material to mull over.

Roy

Joe.  I think the magazine is

Joe.

I think the magazine is great. There is only one thing that has bothered me about the site as a whole. When an advertiser drops out for one reason or another there are a bunch of posts and blogs that are very negative toward the company. I don't have a lot of money to spend on the hobby and prefer to give it to my local suppliers. Some advertise with you and some do not. Boycotting is not the answer. I don't see any oil companies advertise in here so should I let my car run out of gas? Bad news travels faster and farther then good news. Then there is is the old saying. No news is good news.

Pete

Joe...your columnists sound a

Joe...your columnists sound a bit like girls who have very popular boyfirends and they're never secure with the relationship.  What's the words I'm looking for, "needy?"

There's a number of subjects upon which the article is the beginning, the end, and the end of all to say on the project.  the fantastic passenger car article, for example, is one.  That author doesn't need me to tell him he did a fantastic job on that feature - he already knows it.  It's breath taking work, and we all know it.  But I have nothing to comment towrads it, because there's nothing I have to say about it.  It's good solid model railraoding at it's best!

I had the most interest in Scarpia's article on benchwork, because he found a really cool system [and it's cheap too] for his substructure.  But that's just me.

Issue after issue, your columnists are nailing the spike on the head - or hitting the cow with the bullet train..ahem...making ground beef just doesn't get any more efficient!  This is the In-N-Out Burger of model magazines.  Just tell them to keep doing what they know looks good - because they're GOOD at it!

Put the masterpieces on the gallery wall, and walk away - the world will know!

The deafening silence ...

My experience as a telecom systems "Dilbert" was pretty much the same, except that we (wrongly) assumed that little or no feedback from users meant few or no problems.  Boy, were we ever busy when we learned that assumption was wrong!  It was not that the users didn't care, but rather that they assumed that most of the feedback would not be reviewed by us, the "designerds".  We resolved that with communications to the user community just as you have done here.

Thanks for your continued success in making this e-mag one of the most useful model RR publications we have.  Keep up the good work!

Feedback is Helpful but does it really tell you anything?

MRH has always provided lots of information. But whay do you always need feedback? Sure some articles can provide more information than they currently provide but if I need that I'll let you know and so will others. As for those who read and never say anything or never comments on what they read, what is wrong with that? Is it that you guys lack confidence that what you write isn't valuable, well maybe you guya need to realize that complaints are often more likely to be voiced than praise. So are you asking for complaints? I am surethat isn't waht you want to find out.

Do you want us to rate each article we read? On what scale should we rate each article? In comparison with other articles or something else?

All I can say is that if I like an article I am certainly going to read it. If I don't I won't. If it isn't applicable to what I doing I may not read it and if it looks interesting I just might. It all depends on how I feel at the moment and what I need to get done. So any ratings I might give would most certainly be subjective rather than objective.

Irv

Car Card Generator at DMW

 Thanks Dave -

I've created a bare profile, but I haven't input any locos or rolling stock yet. I'll check with them on input methods - I have a fairly large collection and it's already cataloged in an Access database. I'd prefer not to have to re-enter them all by hand.

Is it because MRH is free???

In the more "traditional" publication business, isn't paid subscriptions the best "feedback" a publisher receives to determine if their product is useful and wanted by the readers, and the fact MRH is free, you lack that kind of feedback, and because of the unique business model you have created you're not sure how else to determine if you are getting the job done?  I do believe this type of model is ingenious, NO i'm not sucking up here, I do believe this model is and will continue to be a successful one as you are truely grasping the new technology available and fulling a much needed service in a way that has never been done before! Look at the other publications.  I believe many of their own changes (with their internet sites) are because MRH is leading the way! It's difficult to determine market share because at the very least you are differnent types of apples, if not being Pineapples vs Apples. 

I would repeat my original comment, if it ain't broke, dont' fix it.  I'm sure if the readers are not satisfied with what you are publishing they will comment on it, and give you feedback.  Joe, you and your staff are VERY interactive with this Forum and the Magazine.  I think what you are doing now and in the future will blow the competition away.  I was originally a person who was somewhat skeptical of the E-Zine publication (as I opposed it when it was proposed to one of the model railroad groups I belonged to for it's "quarterly" publication), but because of our friendship, I became a subscriber, and I am very pleased that I did, because I would miss out on some great articles! (Though I would like to see some stuff on the New York Central and/or NKP in the 1950s so I can expand my knowledge on the subject, hint, hint ;->  ) So dont' go looking for trouble, because murphy will find you at some point on his own, but I know that when he does, you will fix whatever needs fixing, WHEN it breaks! 

Keep up the great work! 

Feedback on feedback

Joe,
I have not commented on any article for a number of reasons.  The two most important follow:

1. If I like the article I choose to read I do not comment.  Not commenting is in and of itself a comment.  The article was fine, I got something out of it.  Your assuming that if no one gives a thumbs up then no one liked it.  I suggest you reverse your way of thinking.  Personally I will not give you a pat on the back but I might disagree.  Like now, for example.

2. Now take the other side.  I do not read all of the articles.  I read very little of the last issue because there was nothing that interested me.  I would not think about giving you or the author negative feedback just because I did not care for the articles subject.

On the bright side, though I am not be interested in every article I always see an advertiser I want to visit.  The active links to your advertisers is a great feature.

I pay for two printed model train magazines.  One to support the organization, the other because every month there is a couple of articles I find interesting.  I canceled my subscription to one because I did not find even one article every month.

Silence

 I am one who very seldom comments, however, please be assured, I think your magazine is superb. I rate it above Model Railroader. For one thing you have more room to post full size help pictures. I like being able to see the detail from the larger, sharper examples. Keep up the good work. I'm impressed.

Chuck Cox

Yuba City, CA

...Deafening

Joe & all,

As others have pointed out feedback is usually 1% praise and 99% whining .  In my case, I'm just lazy - I consume the content and wander off to snooze contentedly in front of the fire. 

More to the point, your book is the best on the market in many, many ways.  There are few production costs for adding that next 4 pages, so you are free to let authors fully cover their topic.  As a former newsletter editor I envy you that!  But even such liberties can be abused if the editors don't help the authors stay on track.  You folks are superb at helping your authors communicate clearly and fully with us readers.  Having nifty project sure doesn't hurt, either .

Ads are a key part of any publication.  I hope your advertisers appreciate the way an e-magazine lets the reader simply click through to their own site when the ad stimulates curiosity.   Boy - is that nice!   But sooooo seductive.  I have probably spent way too many of my retirement dollars just because I can simply follow my initial excitement (insanity defense invoked here...).  Also, do the advertisers spiff up the ad content for MRH?  Perhaps it's just the limitations of print publication that seem to create a distinction.

Finally as to cost.  I can scrape up the $2 or $3 a month  for my subscriptions to  MR and RMC - good books all.   Yours is 'free' for the download.  This is immaterial.  Time is my main coin when it comes to following the news and products for my hobbies (Model Rails, Ham Radio and my Harley).  A book that squanders my time will not be renewed or even read.   That said, I would really hate it if MRH were to cease publication.  It is unique, attractive, current and thorough.

OK, i'll at least click on the stars from now on!  Keep up your superb work.

Thanks,

Jeff Thompson

Feedback is critical for any business

For those that don't see the point in feedback, good or bad, you have to look at it from the business perspective and the author's.  First, any business needs to know what its customers want or don't want.  While many businesses can partially measure this in sales volume or number of customers, it doesn't paint a full picture of what customers are after.  MRH being completely free is even more difficult to determine what people like and don't like.  The reason they want it is to provide all of us with the right amount of content. 

So, if you find certain articles are not interesting to you, that new five star rating system tells them that.  You aren't saying the article is bad, you are simply saying that it doesn't interest you.  If certain article types are continuously rated high or low, then they know to put more or less in the future to appeal more to the audience.  The last thing anyone wants is to have the same type of article that 90% of people don't need month after month, or conversely not publish a certain type of article because they aren't sure if people want it.

As to the rating system, I would suggest to Joe and the gang that the rating system be for applicability to you, rather than the poor, OK, good, great, fantastic or whatever it is.  Instead, 1 would be "Don't need this type at all" to 5 being "I'm losing sleep until you publish the next article of this type" kind of thing.  My gut tells me few people will rate anything "Poor" when they have no use for it, they just won't bother rating it or give it the "OK" to be nice.

Re: The silence can be deafening

 Joe:

I've stayed silent because I model  HOn3 with some dual gauge short line stuff.  Colorado narrow gauge, standard gauge short line (e.g.: V&T), so I look for subjects that would be useful for such modeling.  Your zip texturing article or the short article on wooden rail fencing, for example (in the Sep-Oct edition) I downloaded and printed out as well.  I've gotten something useful out of every issue.  If I were in the mainstream of modeling such as main line railroads, I'd be able to say more.

Your magazine is easy to read and has little gems (to me) scattered through it.  The electronic aspect gives it far greater depth and dimension than a printed mag.  I've always found interesting things in it that pertain to what I'm doing. Which is something that I could not say for Model Railroader, for example, so last year I let my 50 year subscription to that mag expire permanently.  Your price certainly is right; I alway go through MRH page by page and read all the ads.  The videos connected with articles of interest to me are always extremely helpful so I download those, too.

You definitely have a winner in MRH and just because  someone doesn't make a lot of comments is not an indication that MRH is anything other than excellent!

Feedback

Joe...

A great magazine! My only thought about feedback is the placement of the feedback link. I think it should appear at the end of the article so I don't have to go searching back to the beginning. After all, I can only offer feedback after reading it. Make sense?

Jim