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Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2019 12:03 pm
by Dave S
I am led to believe that the long established Micscape Magazine (online), provided by Maurice Smith and David Walker, is seeing a diminishing number article submissions.

This is apparently a threat to its continued existence, as it relies on the submission of articles to retain interest in the site.

From what I have seen, as newcomer to microscopy, it is the best source of information, and guidance for any newcomer to microscopy on the www.

I remember looking at the site, back in the late 90's, and note that people, such as Wim Van Egmond for example, are still providing valuable contributions, but apparently this is not enough to sustain the site.

There must be a great many people here, on this site alone, that are more than capable of producing articles to inspire newcomers, and 'old hands' alike.

Forums are a good place to ask questions, but can be intimidating to a young person, especially if there is lots of hi-tech discussion, and very few people that actually say "Hi, and welcome"

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2019 1:32 pm
by MicroBob
One big advantage of sites like Micscape is that interesting information is archived and easy to find. In forums the interesting part is often difficult to find and time consuming to extract. My impression is that at the beginning of private internet in the mid-90s much information was presented as an article, also on many private sites. Later on much was only published in forums and sometimes even was lost, when forums closed down or image hosts like Photobucket went mad.

For anybody who hasn't visited Micscape I can recommend it very much. It really is less confusing than a forum because an article just presents one opinion and not a long discussion of the topic.

It probably would be good to write more acticles and publish them on sites like micscape. But I have to admit that I haven't done so. I even have to take care that some of my articles will be easy to find on our own website....

Bob

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2019 2:23 pm
by 75RR
There must be a great many people here, on this site alone, that are more than capable of producing articles to inspire newcomers, and 'old hands' alike.

"Micscape is a free informal monthly web magazine encouraging readers to explore the 'miniature world' around them both on a microscopic and macroscopic scale. It was first published in November 1995.
As far as possible, all material published to date is accessible in the online Library. (See footnote 1 on archiving).
The magazine's success relies on voluntary contributors worldwide. These include amateur microscopists, naturalists, teachers, students and youngsters.
Some professional scientists have also kindly allowed Micscape to share popular accounts of their work.
We invite contributors from all age groups and skill levels to reflect the broad spectrum of microscopy enthusiasts."


http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/aboutmicscape.html


As can be seen beginners are also welcome. Perhaps a newbie or two might be willing to share their adventure with others who are also taking their first steps into the microscopic world.
It would be interesting to hear whether they found that previous experience in other hobbies had given them the head start they had assumed it would in this new discipline, or if they found that was not the case at all.

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2020 3:08 pm
by fromesurfer
Thank you for a great recommendation! :D

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:44 pm
by chuffer
I support! I am a young specialist, not all articles can be understood!

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2020 3:23 pm
by Roldorf
Been one of my bookmarked sites for quite a while.

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:53 am
by Malpi
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Removed, to keep the peace !

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 8:00 am
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:15 am
by MicroBob
I like the magazine a lot and can't second Malpis criticism. Of cause the approach is a single directional one like in a paper magazine. But this was very much how the internet was when the internt became available for the public around 1995 with lots of websites and little interaction. I was in touch with David Walker too and found hin to be a nice person. Mol seems to use the magazine as a platform for a bit of advertising for his publications here and there but hey, eveybody has to live from something and he probably puts in quite a bit of effort.

Bob

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 9:40 am
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:20 am
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:29 am
by Roldorf
I don't think Dave S was berating anyone for not visiting the website, just expressing an opinion that it would be sad to loose a site that he clearly thinks is good. After all said and done we all don't have the same interests even on this website.

Some like to pull old microscopes apart and fix them, in fact there are members here who post mainly on the repair and refurbishment of days-gone-by microscope's and are very knowledgeable on the subject and very helpful to many of the members struggling with their intransigent scopes.
We only occasionally get a glimpse that when they are not posting here they are actually using their many instruments to observe the microscopic world. Good on them for their help and knowledge on the subject of the infinite variety of microscopes that are out there.

The depth of the microscopic world is for us all to be astounded by. I marvel at the members interests, from microscopic fossilized shells, plant cells and structures, pollen, printed circuit boards, microscopic creatures and plants, the list goes on.
I am sure this website's posts are enough to keep it's members entertained and informed without a person even owning a microscope.


Alan

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:35 am
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:59 am
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:02 am
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:04 am
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:20 am
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:35 am
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 12:38 pm
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 2:36 pm
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 4:35 pm
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 6:20 pm
by Roldorf
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:11 pm
by MichaelG.
I hadn’t looked at the March 2020 issue of Micscape until I read through this discussion, but

I would suggest that the most important statement on this page:
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/ind ... exmag.html

must be
(Please note: I have no medical qualifications. My advice here is through self-learning).
Although, unfortunately, that disclaimer [in red on black] is not so clearly visible as the confident assurances.

Mol Smith is entitled to his opinion, but I doubt he has calculated what “Possibly 1 to 2% of infected people” might represent.

MichaelG.
[continuing to follow the expert advice of those with medical qualifications]

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Sun Mar 29, 2020 11:39 pm
by tgss
+1 re: MichaelG's post.

I have had some problems with some of the articles Mr. Smith has published on Micscape in the past. I think the current article is the most problematic to date.
Tom W

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 1:59 pm
by 75RR
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 2:51 pm
by Malpi
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Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 7:05 pm
by Malpi
As well as removing the excess chat
I have now decided to remove the controversial post also,
so we can all go back to sleep.

Re: Micscape online Magazine

Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2020 11:00 am
by Roldorf
I second that!