Pinrepair is no longer available free online

[Strangeways]

I think what Clay has done for the hobby has been immeasureable. The time and devotion cannot be questioned. Now that he has taken his bat and ball and gone home, someone else will fill his shoes. The Wiki is the start, and I hope it develops for newbies who are looking to get into the hobby.

The reality is that Clay's work was the combination of his hard work and that also consisted of contributions from other Pinball people. I can see that contributors might not be pleased that their contribution now has to be paid for. The exposure of the Marvin's guides and the wider audience that were attracted to it will simply follow the next leader. Forums, Wikis and the collector communities that have grown over the last 10 years won't disappear as quickly as the Guides.

If you need to know something, google is your friend and so is AP 

[vinito]

... that their contribution now has to be paid for.

That doesn't seem to be the problem. It's early in still I guess and maybe all is not resolved, but the problem seems to be that the guides (which I and most others would gladly pay some kind of fee) are now just gone and unavailable. Hard to make any money that way if that was the original goal. I wouldn't mind Clay making pretty good coin off the guides. They are superb. But making them disappear does no good for anyone. If done in anger or spite or something, which may not be the case at all - I'm just exampling, then technically that act isn't any good for the "offender" either.

I'm guessing there is a fair bit of complexity to the path that led here. I don't really want or need to know all the details. But IF the guides have been scattered to the ether, then it's just a disappointing shame. Yea I know, they are available through back-door sources, so it's not really gone actually. And I'm working on assembling the collection for my own use anyway.

Strange how these seemingly goofy events pops up so often in the hobby. At least the pinball history books will contain drama and political intrigue. I wonder if the needlepoint or bobblehead collectors have such sagas in their communities.
 

[goodolddays]

[
Strange how these seemingly goofy events pops up so often in the hobby. At least the pinball history books will contain drama and political intrigue. I wonder if the needlepoint or bobblehead collectors have such sagas in their communities.
 

Yeah .. I can't believe the amount of 'politics' in this hobby. Geez , its just a hobby after all   

[RatBag]

Yes but its a hobby with plenty of money and plenty of big ego's

[Homepin]

Don't worry - it's just as bad at the Radio Control Flying Field I can assure you - probably worse actually!

[Strangeways]

[
Strange how these seemingly goofy events pops up so often in the hobby. At least the pinball history books will contain drama and political intrigue. I wonder if the needlepoint or bobblehead collectors have such sagas in their communities.
 

Yeah .. I can't believe the amount of 'politics' in this hobby. Geez , its just a hobby after all   

Absolutely ! But our hobby has to be one of the more expensive hobbies, and where's there is money there is greed etc. I've had the pleasure to meet some great characters who have opened the doors to their gamesrooms and I've played some games I would never have played otherwise.

I'm not sure on the history of why Clay really removed his guides, but I'm sure it will resurface (for free) down the track. Most pinheads I know have already got a copy.

[pinnies4me]

I archived the 2009 version both in web form and PDF, so if anyone needs a specific section, I can help. Web links within don't work of course, but easy enough to navigate.

[Boots]

Hey Guys
Just to let you know, I received this email today:


As the author of the pinball repair guides from
http://www.pinrepair.com
PLEASE remove my guides from your website.

What you are doing is clearly wrong. You removed my
name and copyright notices from the documents,
then hijacked them and hosted them on your website.
This is wrong. You know it. So please, do the right
thing and remove them from your site.

I would greatly appreciate you doing this.

thanks you,
clay harrell


As a result I have removed the guides, but I imagine most of you have archived them by now.
I have replied to his email, lets see if he replies to me.

[pinnies4me]

Hmmm, a brainiac posted a link to your domain on RGP, suspect that resulted in the eamil.

[Boots]

Hmmm, a brainiac posted a link to your domain on RGP, suspect that resulted in the eamil.

To be honest I am not suprised.
They have been slowly disappearing from the other sites too.
I have sent him a response asking if he is going to sell the guides (in their original HTML format) on CD or DVD.
Geez, I would send him my version (that I have added some more info to) to him to be added to a CD.
Lets see what happens.

[vinito]

As the author of the pinball repair guides from
http://www.pinrepair.com
PLEASE remove my guides from your website.

What you are doing is clearly wrong. You removed my
name and copyright notices from the documents,
then hijacked them and hosted them on your website.
This is wrong. You know it. So please, do the right
thing and remove them from your site.

I would greatly appreciate you doing this.

thanks you,
clay harrell

"As the author of the pinball repair guides from http://www.pinrepair.com"
And what pinball repair guides would that be? There are no guides there. Anybody remember that little tidbit?

Clay can be such a goofy mofo. It was clearly a ton of work putting all that together. So make the dang thing available for a fee then!!!!!!!!
Simple supply and demand. People want what you've got. You're the only one who has it. Some want it baaad.
Then make a little bread you goof. Why act so similar to that Aussie goofball who also had the rights to stuff people wanted but made nothing available except C&D letters.
Want it to disappear off other sites? Then make it so folks can get it and watch the other sites crumble before your eyes.

He did ask nicely, but still...

OK That's all I have to say about that.

[goodolddays]

So make the dang thing available for a fee then!!!!!!!![/i][/b]

+1

[Marty Machine]

Clay's mentality: "if i can't have it my way, then nobody can have it"

Selfish Pig !
MM.

[Boots]

This is Clay's latest reply:

Please remove them from your site.
i am working on re-introducing them again,
but every time i get ready to do that, an issue
like this comes up.... like someone hijacks them,
and illegally hosts them. this kills all faith i
have in the pinball community, and i get the "why
do i bother?" mentally.

the thing that is really upsetting with your particular
hosting was the removal of my name/email from
the credits, and the removal of my copyright notice.

i spent nearly 15 years writing these guide. To have
someone, in a matter of minutes, hijack them, and then
re-host them (and remove my name/email from the text),
well i think you can see how upsetting that would be.

thank you for your attention in this matter and
getting them off your website.
clay harrell

[Caveoftreasures]

Ummmmmm, thats what happens when u put something on THE WORLD WIDE WEB !

Imagine a few dozen people copying them or displaying them when they have diss-appeared out of site. Nahhhh, that will never happen when u put something on the web ! 

Next, if u produce a CD and sell it, what will you do with the next piece of modern technology called a DVD BURNER. I understand this fellow has been displaying these for a while and he has spent 15 years on it, but this technology was copied when photo copiers were around, then came computer flat bed scanners, then came email. Technology is against you from them being copied, but the same technology (called the world wide web) is how so many people know about them. This is where u cant have ya cake and eat it too !  Protecting Intellectual Property these days is almost impossible. Every industry suffers now because of it.

Clay shld tell the world what he wants to do with them, and try real fast on making a buck if he can. Seems the horse has bolted.

I HAVE AN IDEA THAT MIGHT WORK. SOMEONE EMAIL IT TO HIM ! 

If Clay did a book and added heaps of photos, and did a bit of a story with his version of his last 15 years work n experiences in the pinball industry, this is how he could make a buck and stop just the technical stuff being copied. Call it "Pinball Compendium meets great in depth technical data and pinball stories" all wrapped up in one hard cover colour book.
Now, that would sell and u cant really copy a hard covered 100 page book with a electronic coded key (like Microsofts software key) which then gives u membership to his guides. He has to get a bit creative to make his product fit n work the modern day and the challenges that come with it ! 
Modern technology makes going to print very easy and only a few grand to get the first batch printed. I have a friend who publish's books with a few of the biggest book companies in the world. it wouldnt be that hard for Clay to do something that would help his cause $ and still get money for the guides. (that will be 10 percent Clay for that great advice)