I assure you that the technology exists today to build and secure a web site capable of hosting an online TCR. In fact, I've offered to help with the project on more than one occasion.

I've discussed this matter in several emails with the authors, and it all boils down to they're afraid of losing their most valuable asset - their data. This fear is completely understandable, but it's also unfounded.

I'm here to tell you that the risks the authors would be exposing themselves to with an online version ARE NO GREATER than those they already expose themselves to today by selling the hardcopies.

Anyone willing to take the time and effort could scan the TCR pages with OCR software and duplicate the data today. Also, anyone with a photocopier could simply copy the book if they so desired.

Now, we've established that the data can already be ripped-off today by someone with enough idle time. So what are the additional risks of publishing an online TCR?

I'll tell you...

1) Users sharing accounts and cheating the authors out of that money.

2) Pirates downloading the data in electronic format and re-compiling it into their own book.

Let's address #1 first...

An online site would be secured with individual user accounts. Could an account be shared? Of course - but so can a copy of the book. There are also ways to police users sharing accounts and terminate their accounts if need be. Is it absolutely foolproof? Of course not, but why forfeit all the benefits of an online TCR (not to mention the new revenue stream) because a handful of jerks want to save their $40 and share an account?

Now, #2 - pirating the data - is a bigger concern, but even easier to address...

The data would simply NOT be downloadable in ANY manipulatable format. The data would be accessed via simple queries and the results would be displayed in PDF format so that it could be viewed on screen and printed, but not manipulated or exported (i.e. stolen). Could someone theoretically run reports of all chips in the database and print them out? Sure, but that would take more effort than simply photocopying the blessed book.

Also, ask yourself the even bigger question - suppose some mastermind computer hacker (who also just happens to be a chip collector (no not you, Terry!)) finds some way to download the data so that he can re-compile it and start selling it... exactly how long do you think it would take this bunch of watchdogs in this hobby to sniff him out and hang him from the nearest tree?? Hell, the vultures in our hobby can't even get away with poor postal practices on eBay - how could anyone possibly hope reproduce the TCR and make enough money to make it worth their while? Simply put - they can't. We all are intimately familiar with the TCR, and would report the first smell of a pirated version to the authors.

In addition to the methods mentioned above, there are other security measures that could be built in to the site to further protect it.

I'm issuing an open invitation to the authors to discuss the possibilities and help them make the hobby's greatest asset even greater.