Copyright Manuals

 

Can anyone advise please. PMDG do not supply manuals with their software but offer downloads from their website. These downloads are marked 'Copyright' so my local print shop refuse to print them for me. How are we supposed to read the manual away from a PC or mid flight? Surely, we must be able to print a manual for ourselves?

Check with PMDG if that's its view. if PMDG agree to your copying them try again - of find a different printshop.

I think you can print manuals for private usage, but print shops are too cautious these days... You should ask if PMDG gives you permission and maybe they can send an email to shop where you want to print.

Thanks for the feedback. I wish I knew how to take this up with PMDG. I'm afraid I have turned their website inside out trying to find a route to them. Best I came up with was leaving a message on their 'press can leave articles' page. They will probably ignore it however. If anyone knows how to reach them so that I can ask their permission, I'll do just that.

 

HELP!

Best method to get in touch with them is open a support ticket in their support system:

 

support.precisionmanuals.com

My humble two cents... No self respecting Print Shop will print off a Copyrighted document of any kind. The manuals that PMDG provide, if you want to print them, are intended for you to print off. I know that's a lot of paper and ink, but the only alternative is to find a friend with an industrial size printer that knows that you aren't going to reproduce, sell or otherwise violate the copyright associated with those manuals. Alternatively, if I recall correctly (its been a while), PMDG provides a printed manual set that you can purchase.

iPad. One time investment and you can read all of your manuals, charts, etc. Cheaper in the long run, I think.

iPad. One time investment and you can read all of your manuals, charts, etc. Cheaper in the long run, I think.

 

True.

Assuming these are downloaded manuals (not printed ones) what does the accompanying agreement say?

 

EDIT: The FSX EULA permits it "...may copy and use the documentation for your internal, reference purposes."

Update for all interested parties. PMDG gave me written permission to print the manuals, so a positive outcome.

Well, you didn't actually need permission. It's legal to do so both for personal use and under the Fair Use Doctrine, but I'll be the first to say that your local office-copy center isn't likely to know that, and won't believe you if you enlighten them.

 

I like the IPAD (or Tablet) idea, however for those who don't wish to invest $250 to $600 to read PDFs, there is a great, free and tiny Windows utility called DeskPins that will enable you to select any window (or as many as you like) to stay as the "On Top" window, even over Flight Simulator. You can also minimize and bring them back with he same permissions already applied, or not, it's up to you.

 

Very quick, very easy, and free. This terrific utility should be in every sim'rs flight bag, even if you don't think you'll ever use it. I'm speaking from experience, as I was one who thought that. Today I use DeskPins to work on websites, documents, view charts, just about everything when I'm on a flight. The best part is that you can still hear your Flight Sim sounds if you want to.

 

Two years ago DeskPins was ranged as MUST HAVE Freeware Tools by CNET, though I learned of it from on of the computer magazines.

 

I wasn't able to find the author's original site, so Google it and download from the site of your choice.