Editor, rbackus@ogdenpubs.com www.gasenginemagazine.com
In case you hadn’t noticed, the digital age is here. And by
all appearances, it’s here to stay.
While many of you might not have made the jump to computers and
the Internet – yet – most likely, more of you now own a computer
than don’t.
In as much as some folks decry the age of the computer, the
truth is it’s just another tool, and how it impacts our lives
depends on how we use it. And computers have touched just about
every corner of our world, including the old-iron hobby.
Personally, I think computers and the Internet are great, as
they give us yet another avenue for collecting and sharing
information within the hobby. Ask anyone who’s Internet savvy,
and they’ll tell you there’s a wealth of information out
there just waiting to be discovered.
Hobbyists around the world have created personal Web pages
dedicated to their particular engine interests, complete with
engine registries and serial number lists. They post pictures of
their engines, both restored and original, and sometimes they take
us through their restoration experiences. A lot of this information
has never made it into print, and the people who take the time to
post on the Web the results of their personal research experience
are doing the rest of us a great service.
One problem, however, is finding all that information. We’re
in the process of overhauling our own Web site
(www.gasenginemagazine.com), with an eye toward creating a singular
spot on the Web where old-engine collectors can find valuable
information and links to other sites that will help them when
they’re looking for information about an engine or a company.
The information is out there, what we need is a central reference
point for finding it.
To that end I’d like to encourage everyone who has a gas
engine-related Web site, and specifically a site with registries
and serial number lists, to drop me a line with their Web address
so we can include you on our Web site listing. The old-iron
community has an amazing history of sharing information and helping
its members, and the Internet is just one more tool to help us
spread the word and keep the hobby healthy.
