UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions.

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15.

Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.
This seems a more open way than happens at present.
Gas colleges and test centres have these 'Bibles' chained to the desks!
And with a retail price of £140 it's not surprising.

If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.

I trust this may be a useful resource (see the thread BG going OTT...)


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html


  #2   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Guy King
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

The message .uk
from Ed Sirett contains these words:

If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.


Quite right too. They're /our/ rules.

I know ignorance of the law is no defence, but charging for finding out
what the law is smacks of Gilliam's Brazil.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
  #3   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Steve Walker
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

Guy King wrote:
The message .uk
from Ed Sirett contains these words:

If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and
wrongs of a matter this has got to be better than hearing
snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.


Quite right too. They're /our/ rules.

I know ignorance of the law is no defence, but charging for
finding out what the law is smacks of Gilliam's Brazil.


I am Sam Lowry, AICMFP


  #4   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Lobster
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

Ed Sirett wrote:
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15.

Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.
This seems a more open way than happens at present.


Good man - but won't you be making yourself vulnerable to legal action
from BSI? I don't know what arrangement this other outfit may or may
not already have with them regarding copyright?

David
  #5   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Jason
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Lobster" wrote in message
...
Ed Sirett wrote:
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15. Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site. This seems a
more open way than happens at present.


Good man - but won't you be making yourself vulnerable to legal action
from BSI? I don't know what arrangement this other outfit may or may not
already have with them regarding copyright?


If they are selling the standards for 5 and 10 quid a pop, then they will
certainly not have any arrangement.

-- Jason




  #6   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
John Rumm
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

Ed Sirett wrote:

The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15.


Don't sound that semi-legal to me ;-)

Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.


Somewhere on a P2P network may be a little "safer" I would have thought...

This seems a more open way than happens at present.


Quite agree! If they are going to be cited in law as being mandatory
then they ought to be free.

Gas colleges and test centres have these 'Bibles' chained to the desks!
And with a retail price of £140 it's not surprising.


Wonder if the can do the CD version of BS7671, now that would be handy!

If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.


You heretic! ;-)

I trust this may be a useful resource (see the thread BG going OTT...)




--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/
  #7   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Dave Fawthrop
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Wed, 10 May 2006 21:37:49 +0100, Ed Sirett
wrote:

|The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
|someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Bradford Central Library has paper copies of BSI pubs on the Reference
shelves. They also have copying machines.
Other Central libraries may do the same.
--
Dave Fawthrop dave hyphenologist co uk Google Groups is IME the *worst*
method of accessing usenet. GG subscribers would be well advised get a
newsreader, say Agent, and a newsserver, say news.individual.net. These
will allow them: to see only *new* posts, a killfile, and other goodies.
  #8   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Andrew Gabriel
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett writes:
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.


I've long held the view that Acts and SI's must not be allowed
to refer to documents which are not in the public domain (free
download, or paper copies for no more than the printing cost).
I believe this is actually the law in some US states. I wonder
if the EU could be persuaded to impose this -- it must be good
for something? ;-)

The wiring regs did used to be available quite cheaply (before
they were a BS). However, their current cost seems to mean
most electricians don't even have copies any more.

--
Andrew Gabriel
  #9   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Dave Fawthrop" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 10 May 2006 21:37:49 +0100, Ed Sirett
wrote:

|The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
|someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Bradford Central Library has paper copies of BSI pubs on the Reference
shelves. They also have copying machines.
Other Central libraries may do the same.


My local library has many BSI publications available, either immediately or
on order from the central library. But they do not allow people to take them
out of a restricted area, in order that they cannot be copied. I remember,
BSI publications printed on red paper to prevent photocopying.

Colin Bignell


  #10   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Guy King
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

The message
from "Steve Walker" contains these words:

I am Sam Lowry, AICMFP


Some day I'm going to make up a teeshirt with him on it.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.


  #11   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15.

Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Probably sooner, rather than later. BSI take breaches of their copyright
very seriously. Producing a new or revised Standard is hugely expensive and
they are very protective of their income sources.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.


That will be a breach of the BSI copyright and, as I have already mentioned,
is likely to attract the attention of their legal department. Buying an
illegal copy to produce your copy from does not remove the original
copyright owner's rights.

This seems a more open way than happens at present.
Gas colleges and test centres have these 'Bibles' chained to the desks!
And with a retail price of £140 it's not surprising.


Is that the BSI member or non-member price? I don't have the catalogue to
hand. In most cases, members pay half the non-member prices so membership
usually more than pays for itself for any but the most casual user.

If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.


You can do that down my local Public Library.

Colin Bignell


  #12   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Dave Plowman (News)
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

In article ,
Andrew Gabriel wrote:
I've long held the view that Acts and SI's must not be allowed
to refer to documents which are not in the public domain (free
download, or paper copies for no more than the printing cost).
I believe this is actually the law in some US states. I wonder
if the EU could be persuaded to impose this -- it must be good
for something? ;-)


The wiring regs did used to be available quite cheaply (before
they were a BS). However, their current cost seems to mean
most electricians don't even have copies any more.


I totally agree. It's what happens when you allow private profit making
companies to get involved in regulation, etc. All state backed regulations
should be available - in electronic form - for free, or at a nominal cost
in hard copy, like the Highway Code.

--
*How many roads must a man travel down before he admits he is lost?

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
  #13   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Tony Bryer
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 09:27:21 +0100 Christian McArdle wrote :
Really, BSI must do something about this. Their only business
plan seems to be selling to central libraries and colleges.


and businesses. If you are a member (not that expensive) you then get
a 50% discount.

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm
[Latest version QSEDBUK 1.12 released 8 Dec 2005]


  #14   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Christian McArdle
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

and businesses. If you are a member (not that expensive) you then get
a 50% discount.


Cool. So businesses pay even less than the public. I think that they have a
particular desire to deny access to the public, really.

I think that there should be a moratorium on the government passing
regulations that depend on BS unless they also put into place a funding
mechanism that allows free online access.

Christian.


  #15   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
fred
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett writes
Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.


A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla


  #16   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


fred wrote:

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett writes
Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.


A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.
--
fred
Plusnet - I hope you like vanilla


All the BSI standards are already recorded on CD by a company on behalf
of the BSI. I'll ask my relation who works for them if a CD is
available.

  #17   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Guy King
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

The message
from fred contains these words:

A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.


alt.binaries.pictures.gas-regs.spreadwide?

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
  #18   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 16:20:00 +0100, Guy King
wrote:

The message
from fred contains these words:

A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.


alt.binaries.pictures.gas-regs.spreadwide?


It also seems perverse that the Health & Safety Exec charge for many
of their documents.

If the government really wanted to promote safety they would make
these and BSI documents available free rather than creating expensive
schemes like Part P.
Robert
  #19   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Dave
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.



You can do that down my local Public Library.


Unfortunately, you can only print off ten percent of the content.
I ran into this problem when I wanted to get hold of a B.S. for ladders
for school. I went to my local library and they gave me a PIN number and
told me to go to the central library, where I could brows on line. Not
much good to me when I have to prove to HSE that I am complying with the
reg.

Im on the side of Ed on this. If I want to see what a particular act of
parliament says, I can sit and read it in my local library. Why is it
not the same for a B.S?

Dave
  #20   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Dave" wrote in message
...
nightjar nightjar@ wrote:
"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news
If ordinary people can read for themselves what the rights and wrongs
of a matter this has got to be better than hearing snippets from
BG and CORGI 'priests'.



You can do that down my local Public Library.


Unfortunately, you can only print off ten percent of the content.
I ran into this problem when I wanted to get hold of a B.S. for ladders
for school. I went to my local library and they gave me a PIN number and
told me to go to the central library, where I could brows on line. Not
much good to me when I have to prove to HSE that I am complying with the
reg.


I have never had HSE, or our Quality Auditors, ask to see a copy of a BS to
demonstrate compliance. They have their own copies of any relevant ones and
usually know them off by heart anyway.

Im on the side of Ed on this. If I want to see what a particular act of
parliament says, I can sit and read it in my local library. Why is it not
the same for a B.S?


You have paid the cost of 'free' access to the Act through taxes, but BSI
cannot collect their income that way.

Colin Bignell




  #21   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Wed, 10 May 2006 23:12:32 +0000, Lobster wrote:

Ed Sirett wrote:
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.

Lo and behold there is an outfit that will send you a PDF for £5 or will
print and post it to you for £15.

Sooner or later they may be in trouble.

Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.
This seems a more open way than happens at present.


Good man - but won't you be making yourself vulnerable to legal action
from BSI? I don't know what arrangement this other outfit may or may
not already have with them regarding copyright?

Firstly they would probably go for the ebay source who after his/her
initial investment gets £5 a doc.

Secondly the maximum they could reasonably ask me for is the full price
(about £1500 if I get the full set of gas fitting ones). They won't get
that without me having my day in court to explain myself.


--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html
Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards

  #22   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 07:08:07 +0000, Andrew Gabriel wrote:

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett writes:
The other day it occurred to me that in the semi-legal world of ebay
someone would sooner or later be putting out PDFs of BSI publications.


I've long held the view that Acts and SI's must not be allowed
to refer to documents which are not in the public domain (free
download, or paper copies for no more than the printing cost).
I believe this is actually the law in some US states. I wonder
if the EU could be persuaded to impose this -- it must be good
for something? ;-)

The wiring regs did used to be available quite cheaply (before
they were a BS). However, their current cost seems to mean
most electricians don't even have copies any more.


At £47 quid they are a snip. Beside which it's a comprehensive tome.
The gas fitting set are spread through 17 come of which are quite small.

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html
Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards

  #23   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 14:23:06 +0000, fred wrote:

In article .uk,
Ed Sirett writes
Because I think this is the right move for gas safety and other
construction related matters. I intend to purchase a few of these
(starting with BS5440 - the standard for flues to domestic gas
appliances below 70kW) I will then put them on my web site.


A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.


I'm not a dishonest person, I have no intention to be underhand. A bad law
is one that should not be followed.
The instigating case here was to help decide weather someone had been over
zealous in applying the standard to the flue at an elderly person's home.



--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html
Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards

  #24   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 17:29:44 +0100, invlaid wrote:

On Thu, 11 May 2006 16:20:00 +0100, Guy King
wrote:

The message
from fred contains these words:

A safer bet may be to anonymously post copies to a suitable binary
newsgroup with occasional reminders here that they have been known to
appear in such a place occasionally.


alt.binaries.pictures.gas-regs.spreadwide?


It also seems perverse that the Health & Safety Exec charge for many
of their documents.

If the government really wanted to promote safety they would make
these and BSI documents available free rather than creating expensive
schemes like Part P.


I think you may be nearing the centre of the matter.

--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html
Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards

  #25   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
.... All state backed regulations
should be available - in electronic form - for free, or at a nominal cost
in hard copy, like the Highway Code.


In other words, they should be paid for out of general taxation, so that all
tax payers bear the cost, instead of just the people who actually want them.

Colin Bignell




  #26   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
.. .
and businesses. If you are a member (not that expensive) you then get
a 50% discount.


Cool. So businesses pay even less than the public. I think that they have
a
particular desire to deny access to the public, really.


There is nothing to prevent a member of the public joining the BSI and
getting the reduced price.

Colin Bignell


  #27   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Colin Wilson
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

.... All state backed regulations
should be available - in electronic form - for free, or at a nominal cost

In other words, they should be paid for out of general taxation, so that all
tax payers bear the cost, instead of just the people who actually want them.


We`ve already paid for them - the least they can do is make them
accessible !
  #28   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Colin Wilson
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

And if I'd spent £1500 on a PDF file I'd expect it at least to have
bookmarks and hyperlinks...


If i`d paid £1500 for it, i`d expect it to come with free broadband to
enable you to click the hyperlinks, and a civil servant to scroll the
damn pages for you !
  #29   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Dave Plowman (News)
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

In article ,
nightjar nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote:
.... All state backed regulations should be available - in electronic
form - for free, or at a nominal cost in hard copy, like the Highway
Code.


In other words, they should be paid for out of general taxation, so that
all tax payers bear the cost, instead of just the people who actually
want them.


It would cost near nothing to have them available in electronic form,
since most documents start this way anyway these days.

And nominal cost for the hard copy could be the actual printing costs, etc.
Not a figure set to discourage people from buying.

--
*A bartender is just a pharmacist with a limited inventory.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
  #30   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Colin Wilson
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

It would cost near nothing to have them available in electronic form,
since most documents start this way anyway these days.


It makes a mockery of the concept of justice when "ignorance of the law
is no defence" yet the ability to gain knowledge of every aspect of law
would cost them more than they`re ever likely to earn.


  #31   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
nightjar nightjar@insert my surname here.uk.com wrote:
.... All state backed regulations should be available - in electronic
form - for free, or at a nominal cost in hard copy, like the Highway
Code.


In other words, they should be paid for out of general taxation, so that
all tax payers bear the cost, instead of just the people who actually
want them.


It would cost near nothing to have them available in electronic form,
since most documents start this way anyway these days.

And nominal cost for the hard copy could be the actual printing costs,
etc.
Not a figure set to discourage people from buying.


What you are paying for in a British Standard is the cost of researching it
and of reviewing it every five years. That is the same no matter how it is
presented.

Colin Bignell


  #32   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Colin Wilson" wrote in message
t...
.... All state backed regulations
should be available - in electronic form - for free, or at a nominal
cost

In other words, they should be paid for out of general taxation, so that
all
tax payers bear the cost, instead of just the people who actually want
them.


We`ve already paid for them - the least they can do is make them
accessible !


Exactly how do you think you have paid for any British Standard? The BSI is
a commercial organisation, not a government body, and its work on creating
and maintaining Standards is funded by the sales of those Standards. As a
regular user of Standards, I have no problem with the idea that I should pay
for the ones I use. If I want to look at any I don't use regularly, I go
down to the Library.

Colin Bignell


  #33   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Guy King
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

The message
from "Dave Plowman (News)" contains these words:

It would cost near nothing to have them available in electronic form,
since most documents start this way anyway these days.


Well, that's not strictly true. It would cost the lost revenue from the
sales that would no longer occur.

BSI's argument is that they have to pay for their activities by selling
the standards they control, so if they had to give them away they'd have
no income from which to pay for new and better ways of stopping people
doing things.

I happen to think that it's something the government should make freely
available - after all, we can all get the Highway Code and the MOT rules
online because we're expected to adhere to them - why not the wiring
codes?

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
  #34   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Tony Bryer
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Thu, 11 May 2006 18:22:57 +0100 Dave wrote :
Im on the side of Ed on this. If I want to see what a particular act
of parliament says, I can sit and read it in my local library. Why
is it not the same for a B.S?


It's up to the library surely? Our local tech college (as was) library
used to have a complete set of BSs and was open to the general public
(for reference only).

--
Tony Bryer SDA UK 'Software to build on' http://www.sda.co.uk
Free SEDBUK boiler database browser http://www.sda.co.uk/qsedbuk.htm
[Latest version QSEDBUK 1.12 released 8 Dec 2005]


  #35   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
John Rumm
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

Cordless Crazy wrote:

However, when downloading or printing them out, they have the company
name, the date and the name of the guy who downloaded it plastered on
every page down the side.


Are these downloaded as PDF's? If so it is usually simple enough to
strip the offending information from the file.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/


  #36   Report Post  
Senior Member
 
Posts: 242
Smile

I have access to all of the BS codes and more from the online technical indices at work. Our company pays the fees and anyone can access any of them at any time. Tis great.

However, when downloading or printing them out, they have the company name, the date and the name of the guy who downloaded it plastered on every page down the side.

Will be interesting to see if this is the case with the guy's codes on ebay! If so, the BSI will have no probs tracking the culprit down!!
  #37   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
nightjar
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news ...
I'm not a dishonest person, ...


However you want to dress it up, your aim is to steal BSI's intellectual
property.

Colin Bignell


  #38   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Ed Sirett
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

On Fri, 12 May 2006 18:20:55 +0100, nightjar wrote:


"Ed Sirett" wrote in message
news ..
I'm not a dishonest person, ...


However you want to dress it up, your aim is to steal BSI's intellectual
property.

I have no problem with the concept of intellectual property.
It the combination of a certain set of intellectual property also being
the law.

I'm not even arguing that the docs should be free - I'm just saying that
they should be affordable to most people who have an interest in them.
If CORGI said that it was mandatory to have access to these documents at
the price they retail at then most professionals would simply (and very
reluctantly) shell out and the whole matter would be yet another overhead
to be amortised by the clients.
Making the correct information available to everyone won't automatically
make things safer but might just help and demystifying the information
has other benefits.

There are gas fitting texts around (eg. CORGI, Viper and various
Training/Assessment centres) the trouble is that they contain summaries of
what the writer thought was important.

I strongly suspect that the BG fitter in the other thread did not have his
own copy of BS 5440-1:2000 although it is possible that he may just have
had Essential Gas Safety (from CORGI) with him.



--
Ed Sirett - Property maintainer and registered gas fitter.
The FAQ for uk.diy is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk
Gas fitting FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFitting.html
Sealed CH FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/SealedCH.html
Choosing a Boiler FAQ http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/BoilerChoice.html
Gas Fitting Standards Docs he http://www.makewrite.demon.co.uk/GasFittingStandards

  #39   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
Jason
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.


"John Rumm" wrote in message
...
Cordless Crazy wrote:

However, when downloading or printing them out, they have the company
name, the date and the name of the guy who downloaded it plastered on
every page down the side.


Are these downloaded as PDF's? If so it is usually simple enough to strip
the offending information from the file.


That depends on how it is encrypted.

-- JJ


  #40   Report Post  
Posted to uk.d-i-y
John Rumm
 
Posts: n/a
Default A bid to make BSI docs more widely available.

Jason wrote:

"John Rumm" wrote in message
...

Cordless Crazy wrote:


However, when downloading or printing them out, they have the company
name, the date and the name of the guy who downloaded it plastered on
every page down the side.


Are these downloaded as PDF's? If so it is usually simple enough to strip
the offending information from the file.



That depends on how it is encrypted.


It does not matter really, it needs decripting prior to display, you
knobble it then. (some of the PDF writer software development component
sets are quite handy for this sort of stuff, since you can render
objects one at a time and work out which ones to not bother rendering! ;-)

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/
Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Make thousands with just 6 dollars! It really works! [email protected] Home Ownership 0 August 2nd 05 06:38 PM
Great way to make real money, no kidding Mikey Woodworking 1 March 6th 05 05:13 AM
MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, FAST & EASY [email protected] Woodworking 0 December 29th 04 09:57 AM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:06 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 DIYbanter.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about DIY & home improvement"