The Fortress - Basic Goals And Decisions

[pops_fire]

Posted: 02 Mar 2004


Starting to look good damnit! Here are a few suggestions: Breaking up the articles with sub-headings or jamming quotes from the article will help grab the reader. I would like to see text and pictures mixed throughout the paper. (I know more work) But I believe aesthetically it will be more fetching!

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 02 Mar 2004


Here is where we stand today:

Size of each sheet: 11"X17 to 22.75" X 15".

Pages per sheet: 4.

Numbers of sheets: 2 (possibly 3).

Layout program: Corel Word Perfect 7 converted to PDF by Adobe.

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Each journalist is guaranteed at least one submission in this paper.

Zahava, our newest journalist gets at least one submission in this paper.

I reserve the right for the first article as a welcome statement (but you guys can suggest the content).

Anything else is up to you, but remember that we should also advertise our websites and organization (by bottom banner or inserts in the paper. Pictures in the body of the paper are possible if not too expensive - I will find out in the next few days.

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 02 Mar 2004


More good news and bad news:


First The Good News


Inserting pictures with text costs nothing more, so go ahead!

I visited my first printer today and and the quotes were inline with what I thought.....so the project is viable and the cost will probably go down with more bids. However, for the time being, we will still go with the eight page format.

Confirmed - our software is fully compatible as long as it is in pdf form on the disc.


The Bad News


Space is getting tight so the front page may have to go to text to support photos on the other pages.

I have let the promotion for the website slip due to time constraints and the priority of getting the newspaper project completed. Also, other things have to be done, the business cards still have not been sent out (with other items in the "care packages") and other work still has to be done. If anyone wants to promote this website at their other venues.....go ahead. My first priority is the paper now, and I will start the promotion of the paper and website about a week ahead of the publishing of the newspaper.

Cost is still a big issue; we must publish under our own comfortable budget. I now know we can do this but the size of the flat sheet is the issue. Eleven by seventeen is the most economical but looks really amateurish, an extra inch in both dimensions looks better but costs almost twice as much. Larger sizes have to be done on larger machines at increased cost. I have just started pricing.....so things may change.



That is about it for now, keep the suggestions coming and don't be afraid to challenge me on major points.

[Sue]

Posted: 03 Mar 2004


My concern is that you want the paper to be distributed in the UK but it is very Canadian based which I think will be of little interest to a UK readership . I think the paper therefore needs to be more generic which can be done but it's a juggling act .

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 04 Mar 2004


I have a rather detailed update that was/should have been posted yesterday.....but he had our first American post so.....

You will get the update tonight.

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 04 Mar 2004


True to my promise.....da paper is a comin.....hang tight.....




Cover Page

First Page

Second Page

Third Page

Fourth Page

Fifth Page

Sixth Page

Seventh Page

Eighth Page

Ninth Page

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 05 Mar 2004


That last version of the paper was hard. The graphics are a real problem. I had extra graphics popping up in stories that had nothing to do with the pics, whole areas of no text.....I erased the mistakes.....so you can assume advertising in it's place..... Laughing Huge, huge uploads and downloads.....it really is a different universe when you add graphics. Time for a coffee.

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 05 Mar 2004


I have corrected some of the errors in the earlier pager and here is the latest version:


Cover Page

First Page

Second Page

Third Page

Fourth Page

Fifth Page

Sixth Page

Seventh Page

Eighth Page

Ninth Page

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 06 Mar 2004


If we go with the three sheet format, that leaves us with two extra pages for more material. I am open to suggestions before it fills up.....

[Maurice Ali]

Posted: 06 Mar 2004


We could have a general page/pages and such where you can post non- news items, shorts stories and poetry or art work. I could post stories like:

My SARS Experience

The Great Blackout Of 2003

Just some ideas.