In MMD installment "Collective Index of Mechanical Music" I asked
"Does anyone else have any thoughts along these lines?"  I found that
many of you do have thoughts along these lines, but in a much more
grand or extensive and even expensive way than I ever dreamed this
knowledge could be handled.

I am now five years into my second decade of working on the MBSI Index,
as a volunteer, in the interest of the MBSI.  (There is no glamour in
reading articles then setting at a computer and entering titles,
authors, pages, ...)  I truly like working to help people find-out all
about mechanical music and the machines that produce it.  I wanted in
1984, and still want today, to bring the charter of the MBSI to life,
bringing the collective knowledge of the MBSI to its membership in a
way that is usable.  I have never thought of time or money in my
indexing project, just getting the job finished, and having a printed
copy given to each MBSI member.

As with other subjects, people handle computers in many different ways.
Some are interested in the hardware(they push to have the biggest and
the Best).  Many go crazy about programs (they seem to want the most and
the latest different types).  And then there are those of us that use
the computer.

I may not know as much as many others about computers, but I do know
how to get a job done on one.   I have worked since 1984 on the MBSI
Index using an IBM-XT computer and I have been making it work using a
program called the IBM Filling Assistant.  Even though it is not the
newest hardware or the latest program, it has still worked very well
for me in my indexing project.

I am person who can become overly obsessed with details.  As an artist
and painter I was, in the beginning, unable to say "it's finished" and
go on to the next piece of work.  I know now, one should always try to
do their personal best, be able to critique them self and accept
critique when a given by others, and to end a given piece of work it
at a logical point.  Above all I believe in "KISS -- Keep It Simple
Stupid".  This old slang statement is mentioned here with the best of
intentions

The MBSI Journal Index is no different than any of my art works I have
ever done.  I designed my data base with KISS in mind.  I also believe
you can't make something better if you never start it.  The major
problem in producing a collective Index of mechanical music is that WE
don't seem to want a collective index, WE seem want something much
grander.  As a teacher and high school administrator, I know it is
important to set goals high (so a student must reach for the goal).  I
also know if we a goal is set too high the student doesn't try or they
give up.  I think it important that we set our goals toward putting all
journal articles on CD, but what do we do before this is done.

As stated, I think a Grand Index of mechanical music, is still a very
grand idea.  I also think it is a "do-able" project for right now, not
just for the future.  I think a grand index could and would, in the
future, encourage the production of Journals on CD through the
different societies.

In reading the topic, "Mechanical Music Publications on CD ROM" in MMD,
I see the problems relating to producing journals on CD as:  What
program(s) are best to do this kind of work?  Who knows how to do the
needed work?  Who is willing to do the work?  Who will pay for it?
What kind(s) of costs will be acceptable?  When is too much too much?

One never knows what will happen to an idea when it is sent on it's
way.  We seem to have branched off in a totally different direction
then I intended.  I asked:  "What if this [the MBSI Index] was added to
other collective works?"  "What if there was an INDEX that included the
writings of the MBSI, (Music Box Society Int.), AMICA, (Automatic
Musical Inst. Collectors),  the R.O.S. (Reed Organ Society);  Lets
take the idea a few steps further forward ..." (intending to add to
these, journals from across the seas.)

What happened to the original idea?

No matter, The fact is, I have located a complete set of journals from
the Music Box Society of Great Britain and I intend to use my same old
IBM program to INDEX, in my personal computer, the information found in
the MBSGB journals with those of the MBSI Journals.  Likely, if I live
that long, I'll try adding to both of them the R.O.S. journals, I have.

I would love to have help in such a project, but I don't know of any
others with full sets of journals, from other societies, to work from.

If others want to help in such a project, let me know which journals
you have to work with.  The old DOS program I used is very easy to use,
but we must all be entering data in the same way, i.e., Title, Author,
Subject, Volume, Number, Page, Year, Type, Other, just to get started.
I will have to let interested parties know how to relate to these
headings.

Above all those who want to be involved in such a project must all be
willing to lighten-up, make it fun, and to KISS.

Gary G. Stevenson,  computer stupid person from
St. Louis Mo. USA