[MR] RE: heraldry

Wed Jun 6 11:01:57 PDT 2001

I would be surprised if there was any chapter out there without a couple of
individuals with Internet access and a scanner.  It doesn't necessarilty
have to be the Herald, I would think- just group access to the technology.
We're all nice folk here, and I'm certain would be willing to help the local
Herald get things digitized...  But again, we still don't have membership
renewals online, so I would not be surprised if this were never
implemented...

As far as the database is concerned, I seem to recall like the last umpteen
times I've tried to access the online armorial from sca.org, it's been
down...

The database I propose could be updated real time-  every time a device is
passed, someone in the CoH takes a couple of minutes and enters it in the
database.  No quarterly updates; it's updated all the time...

And with devices being digitally entered, add an image to be associated with
the blazon, since we've determined that the blazon is secondary to the image
anyways.  With the simplicity of color depth in devices, you could get these
files down to probably 5k gifs; 200 per meg- 100 megs to store 20,000
images...  no problem there...  And then, voila, we're on our way to being
able to accept files in either state-  a physical file which goes through
the current channels, or giving Heralds access to add a 'pending'
registration through a secure area.  These pending registrations can then be
reviewed by the CoH  (and whoever else) and finally approved.  Approval
would be as simple as checking an APPROVED box, and the device moves from
'pending' to 'live'.  If the device is declined, the DECLINED box is checked
with information as to the reason.  This is then emailed back to the Herald
(to an email that Herald has designated) so he or she is notified instantly.

SO if the expectation is unreasonable for Heralds to have this access, don't
eliminate the old methods...  but provide new methods for those that do.
After the initial period of discomfort at something new passes, I can't
imagine it would do ANYTHING other that make your life easier...

Recap:

Submissions done the traditional way:  Device scanned and information
entered by CoH upon approval.  This should be able to be done in about, say
5 minutes per Device (including scanning)  While this adds time to the CoH
initially, the ability to submit digitally should offset this- if not
initially, within a reasonable amount of time.

Submissions done digitally:  Entered by local Herald and given the status
PENDING.  The CoH and other reviewing bodies can then simply log onto the
site, check pending devices and either approve or decline them.  Approved
devices are checked APPROVED and are instantly added to the database, along
with an email to the local Herald about the approval.  Declined devices are
checked DECLINED, details about the decline are noted, and an email is sent
to the local Herald about the decline.

And I'd be MORE than happy to build this for you.  THE HUNT is up and
running, and I'm now positively ITCHING for some more SCA design projects...

I truly think that this should not be an EITHER OR proposition...  I don't
see any reason why we can't do both...

Christofe

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Houghton" <herveus at Radix.Net>
To: "Merry Rose" <atlantia at atlantia.sca.org>
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2001 6:46 AM
Subject: Re: [MR] RE: heraldry

> Howdy!
>
> On Tue, Jun 05, 2001 at 03:10:01PM -0700, Christofe DuBois wrote:
> >
> > Pedro wrote:
> >
> > > Christofe:
> > >
> > > > Actually, only a representative group of heralds would need to be
able
> > > > to scan...  submissions could still be drafted the conventional way,
and
> > > > the heralds could scan the submission and send it to interkingdom
> > > > sources in a digital format for review...
> > >
> > > You're making the assumption that most commenters are as well
> > > linked as you are. That's not necessarily the case.
> >
> > Perhaps, then, such linking (or access to) should be a requirement for
> > Heraldic office.  We make much stricter requirements on many
participants in
> > the Society, so I don't think this to be totally unreasonable...  (Even
if a
> > fighter builds everything but his helm, he'll drop $200 on that...)
>
> I don't think this is yet a reasonable requirement to assume, unlike, say
> that of telephone access.
> >
> > > > I've already volunteered to set up an online, searchable,
dynamically
> > > > updated heraldry db, but pretty much got ignored, I guess, since
it's
> > > > been about a year...
>
> What do you mean by "dynamic"? What would you propose to include in that
> database? How would this differ from the presently available electronic
> Armorial and Ordinary (updated roughly quarterly)?
> > >
> > > To whom did you speak? Morsulus Herald (Magister Herveus
> > > d'Ormonde, who's recently posted here) is the keeper of the
> > > Ordinary and the Armorial.
> >
> [snip]
> >
> > Is Magister Herveus d'Ormonde the Society representative or the Kingdom
> > Herald?
> >
> Morsulus Herald is a Laurel staff position -- a Society level herald.
> That would be me.
>
> yours,
> Herveus, Morsulus
> --
> Michael and MJ Houghton   | Herveus d'Ormonde and Megan O'Donnelly
> herveus at radix.net         | White Wolf and the Phoenix
> Bowie, MD, USA            | Tablet and Inkle bands, and other stuff
>                           | http://www.radix.net/~herveus/
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