Database update notice

[Starlifter94]

Waffle,

Wow!! Just came on DIMA to add a couple of more models to the collection and couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was doing wrong to search for the models. Searching for any announcements about technical issues, I just found this thread. Well, this just sucks. I started collecting in 2006 and I remember the days of the Air Paradigm takeover, my Wings900 days, and the beginning of DIMA. This database is like none other, and yes, like others here, I'm completely reliant upon it. This thread also revealed what goes on in the background to keep this site running. I think there's a ton of us who are so reliant on this site, that for sure, we would each show the money and subscribe to it. If that is an option in the future and the subscription dollars can also make this site more secure, please let us know.

And what a revelation about one of the bad apples! Wow! The evidence is what it is, can't refute it. He puts in a lot of work researching all aspects of 1/400 scale models, but to me, credibility is lost. I'm sure the word will spread quickly and people can make their own decisions on whether they want to support this bad apple.

You are right about us collectors not caring about licensing and all of the in-fighting that goes on between manufacturers. What we care about is what is available to us on the market, what our choices are, and what's it going to cost us. That's the usual thing we all hear on the forums. But I think we've all realized now that a good database site where we can manage our legit and ill-gotten models is something we definitely care about. Like all things in life, you don't realize how good you have it until it's abruptly taken away.

Add a button on your retail site for an annual subscription with a start date of Jan 1 2025. Those of us who value the database and also realize that funds and time are needed to carefully make the database secure will purchase the subscription and patiently wait until everything is ready. If I'm wrong about the number of collectors willing to do this and enough funds can't be raised, just give us a credit on your retail site or something. Just an idea.

As you stated, life will still go on without the database. I can at least still see what's in my collection so far and what my want list is, thanks for not taking those away. For now, we create our own Excel collection spreadsheets.

[thenotoriouskoala]

So anyone know of any alternatives for a model aircraft database?

I think there is another database named MADb, but I think that is the one which is being accused of stealing data. I'm not sure though.

[Anthony Martinez]

So anyone know of any alternatives for a model aircraft database?

[waffle]

There might be a time and place where there is a future of the database again somewhere. There's a monetary number involved in being able to make it more secure and it comes down to whether there will be a return on investment. Either way from what I've seen and people's reactions is nobody cares that the data was taken, no different than nobody cares if a model is licensed or not. It was a good run, I'll go back to my hole and move on in life.

[PanAmBoyFRA]

Hey Michael,

first of all, I want to thank you for this brilliant work. The Database is a jewel and a great source for collectors. I think it is the best database in our Hobby! I have to admit, that I myself use it for years and never gave you even a "thank you". That is not in any way a good style or appropriate! So again many thanks!

I feel sad, that it ends that way! Yes, I don't use the forum here anymore. If I hadn't wondered, what happend to all the 1:400 und 1:200 entries in the database, I would never found your post here. To read it, shocked me! I once had a shop like you till 2002. It was before the market almost broke down, we had seen Dragon Wings flood the market and Schuco ruin Starjets. I sold the whole shop just in time and had a break from our Hobby for allmost 20 years. Now I'm "just" colleting, if you can call a collection focused on specail paint schemes with 350 models "just". I got to know about many birds in my collection only because of your database. So again "THANK YOU".

In that early days, I had the honor to follow the first steps of GeminiJets and meet Dan and Elliot. I notice the first steps of Aeroclassics with decals and had many talks with Andrew. I also had the distinguished honor to meet Brinkley in its so very small appartment and see the boxes of models stacked allong the walls, not enough place to display the models. Even Andy and I disagreed on many things, I have great respect for what he has done with Wings 500 and later Wings900. This is no "I'm the greatest" speach! I want you to now my backround, to understand, why I feel a lot of pain seeing this database go back to 1:500 only! The spirit of brinkley.cc was to give the collectors especially the newcomer a possibility to get a hold on the scope. I think you took over a responsability and ending it that way can't be the way! Please honor the spirit of Brinkley and Andy! I like to appeal you, to find a better solution.

Yes, there ist work you have done for 24 years. And this should be valued! I would value a database of this kind with a small amount of maybe 5 dollars per month or 40 dollars per year. And if you won't like to go on, maybe there are some people arround here that would like to help?

I wished you had make a move like this: just to bring the topic to our attation take out the 1:200 und 1:400 for a while. Adress all the Users here with you situation and start a discussion how we all could solve this problem and rescue this database. Yes, I feel your bitterness and the pain of not being appreciated, but come on, don't you love this Hobby anymore?

What is it you need to hear or get from us, to switch from shutting down to search for a solution?

From the heart with all the respect to you and our Hobby
Thorsten.

[ACpilot]

Sad news indeed.

Certainly was a valuable resource that I’ve depended on over the years.

Any chance the print function will be restored so we can have a hard copy of our collections?

I think I have over 1200 models listed which took a long time to compile.

[dezau]

Oh, man...


Just started collecting 1:200 maybe about a year or so ago, quickly discovered this site but haven't registered to use the forum.

I've bought a few from Waffle on eBay for my growing 1:200 diecast collection and didn't even realize Waffle was the owner and the person doing all the work updating it. I'd always thought it was a wiki-type site.

Not sure what transpired this, but it's a shame that a few people can just ruin the whole thing for everybody... :( It's been a great resource.

Thanks Waffle.

[Adam Huang]

What I want to tell you here is that I thought about this issue when I started using DIMA a few years ago. Will such a comprehensive model database really be maintained forever? I can see your thoughts in your remarks. First, you call airplane models "toy airplanes", which means that you have become numb to them because you have seen airplane models every day for 24 years. As an ordinary model collector, each airplane model has its own story. They are placed in our homes, although they are stationary, they are very interesting. Whenever I acquire a new model, I treat it like a guest, bow to it, and sit upright to open the box. Second, I admit that our society is not good, and I can see the ugliness in society. But if everyone hates society, then human society will not be able to develop. Your giving up is a compromise with all the ugliness.
In addition to the power of sensibility, have you considered using some methods to protect your rights? Can you get legal assistance? I think companies in the data industry must have a complete protection mechanism. If the earth cannot accommodate a small model website, it is really a tragedy in the modern era.

[waffle]

It's amazing to me as each day goes on the blatant attacks, the "silencing" of me, and the just straight up people noticing certain things I've done in the database appear elsewhere now on the internet that could only happen from a direct pull of the database. But the real thing I've learned over two decades of toy airplanes is that people don't care about the politics or the BS or if a model is licensed or unlicensed. Just as at the end of the day nobody really cares about a model airplane database being stolen by a few people except for that they don't get to use it anymore. Life goes on and so one day a distant memory this website will be.

[Lightsnack87]

Waffle,

Just wanted to say thank you for all of your years of tirelessly maintaining the database. I like the many other hundreds of thousands of collectors who have used and admired the database I truly believe are well aware of how fortunate we are to have free use of such a wonderful tool. It is truly your site, and I would hold no distain if you choose to keep the large majority of the data private. I will add, that while I'm sure the database is strictly an expense and does not generate cash directly, it is one of the main reasons I shop with you almost exclusively. So I do think it does promote your business indirectly.

Regardless of this, I do hope that something can be done to re-open the database. There are a lot of great minds out there, and many on this forum who I'm sure would lend a hand to solve or remedy this issue. If a subscription fee is what's needed, so be it. In the meantime, however, this action has only driven me to MADb. I would gladly delete my account on that site, but until then I need an organizational solution! Truly, thank you for your literal years of heart and soul to the hobby.

-Lightsnack.

[Adam Huang]

24 years ago, you started your work with great hope, hoping that you could build an excellent model database. At that time, you should have known that the road ahead would be difficult. This is a non-profit work, so there will definitely be hypocrites who will destroy it. You should have considered this earlier and taken certain measures, such as imitating a website that can be shared and edited like Wikipedia, or creating an innovative way to realize your data ideal.
Diecast aircraft models are the glory of human industry, so we love it. I think you love it too. But your hope was dashed again and again which led to such a result. The beneficiary group is small, no one supports it but someone makes trouble.
People who love aircraft models all over the world are noble and they should unite to solve the problem with you. You should discuss with your comrades in DIMA, because DIMA will always be sacred in our hearts. Many friends with the same hobbies say that DIMA is much better than wings900 and others. Every time we search for many models, we see the hard work of the editors. When you are old, you will be filled with emotion when you think of the excellent website you created before.
I miss having such a comprehensive database because it has solved many of my problems about models. I appreciate your efforts and respect your choice.

[late400starter]

Dear Waffle, I would like to express my deep compliment to your great contribution to the comprehensive database over the years without any remuneration whenever there are new models/old released models updated. As you said you are in the best position to put them all on the website here because you have extensive business exposure to these beloved models. It makes our hobby very convenient to keep track with. I am sure nobody would have been able to make this again in the future! Whatever decision you have made I respect it and I am still so eager to see it being restored and updated again one day if you would like to change your mind. Thank you Sir!

[Ciderman]

I fully understand your frustration but keeping your great site alive would allow all of us to continue using your wonderful service.

Cheers, Martin

[waffle]

It's interesting how things change over 24 years. The original model airplane database was on back then Wings500 . With the creation of the 400 scale market it turned into Wings900 and a team of three of us bought it from the original owner and I took over the database back in the times of very basic html websites and Brinkley being the source of all the photos and information of 1:400 models (back in the day when someone could reasonably afford to buy every single 1:400 model). That led into the two competing forums going, and then the offer to take over DAC because it was literally days away from shutting down as their original owner didn't want to deal with it anymore. People tend to forget, without me, DAC would not be here today and would've went poof 15 years ago. I brought the database to DAC from Wings500. The expansion of the first 3000 or so entries and then way more than that. Then there was the composition of photos back then and making agreements with all sorts of people for photos to further grow the database. 2008 comes around and then the purchase of AirParadigm and the creation of WaffleCollectibles officially. Then the beginning of taking photos of every single model myself (I'm on digital camera #4 now since 2008). Then came the sale of DAC/Wings900 and finding a place to park the database. DiMA was created not to make money, even with all these ads it doesn't even cover the server costs but to park the database for the public. The database is not stored here contrary to what some others think they know. Then over the past 16 years of taking photos of every single model that comes through here whether new releases or collections to get it all into the same format. The database and website has always been for the collectors, I don't make money off it and at the end of the day and that day will come when I'm done selling toy airplanes that everything will get turned off one night because of people like Richard Stretton and others. I've seen everyone come and go over 24 years. I've seen the greed whether monetarily or socially over and over again. I'm very content with life outside of forums and airplanes and was willing to donate to the community until others take for their own greed. If someone needed to reference it sure, go for it, to just take the data, admit to it and give the finger after begging to help just shows you sadly how a few bad apples so often ruin it for the majority.

[arinmuk]

Michael - this is a great website and database but by closing it down you are allowing the **** to get get their database popular .