> With Codes becoming available electronically, how about a
> consortium of a group of engineers that collectively buy and
> "share" the codes electronically. Only one engineer could view any
> one of the codes at a time but with a good share schedule set up,
> it might work. As it is now, the AWS code is not in my budget so I
> can't see it anytime. Being able to at least see it between 4:00
> and 6:00 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays is better than nothing.
> Sort of a Code "time share".
I think this is a damn good idea. Something like it might be a reason
to keep up membership in technical societies. I don't know how the
ASCE or the ACI fares these days, but the ASME is falling on
increasingly harder times, primarily because there's fewer reasons to
belong. Students flock in because it looks good on a resume and the
dues aren't very high, but membership by experienced engineers tapers
off really fast, except for dyed-in-the-wool joiners.
One of the things they should do is offer on-line Code access to
members as a perk of membership. Full purchase of all umpteen volumes
of the Boiler Code is close to $2000. and the codes are re-issued
every 3 years. There are good reasons for some people to have
personal copies, but many of us can't possibly justify 2 grand every
three years on the off chance that we might need something in some
obscure section. The ASME, like every other society, makes pretty
good money in the publishing business, but they need to look further
than the end of their collective noses when it comes to member
benefits. Code access, even limited to so many log-ons a month, would
be a good one.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania
1864)
http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw/
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