pipereviews.org

[MartinH]

Hey Brothers,

I don't know where to post this, so I thought I'd post it here. Please move it if this is the wrong place.

Being still relatively new to the pipe smoking experience, I struggle greatly with pipe selection, and often especially justifying the cost of a higher end pipe to myself. That said, I need your astute advice and guidance.

I purchased a domain, pipereviews.org. I noticed that there is really nothing quite like my idea out there on the web, and I'd like to put together a site that the average, beginner pipe smoker can use when exploring the world of pipes. This is akin to the tobaccoreviews.com site, at least in spirit, I think.

I had a good email conversation with a member of this board, and he mentioned that one issue with reviews is that you have to take the review grain of salt, as you have to consider the experience level of the reviewer.

I can understand that this is really true with both pipes and tobacco, and that the experience of both the pipe and the baccy can vary so greatly based on technique, leaf and pipe quality, etc, etc, etc.

So, I am slowly building the database for the site, and it'll probably be a few months until I really have something even remotely usable. I would like to have a "always free" site, and make it accessible as long as the bandwidth won't cost me an arm and a leg. If the site takes off, the bandwidth might be an issue, and I'll have to deal with that.

I also have the idea of a "feature pipe" or "featured brand" on the site, to help those starting out in the hobby.

What feedback, advice, opinion, and well anything else, would you have for this type of venture. I know it's a big undertaking, and I think the website building will be a lot easier than the indexing. But I'm a librarian, so it's something I actually enjoy doing.

So, I await your responses.

Sincerely,

Martin

 

[sstodvictory]

If your database will be relational, pay close attention to the formal rules of logical data modeling, and be thorough about trying to identify all the data entities that could eventually be in the model, even if they are not all implemented in the initial physical database (which is the usual case). This will get you miles down the road with respect to recovering various combinations of data that you never anticipated you'd want, and it will minimize duplicate data and pesky reorganization of data tables to meet future unanticipated needs.

I took kind of a leap here, in assuming that you might be considering a relational database, but if you are a LIS professional then it certainly could be in the cards. Proper modeling is 80% of the game.

Steve

 

[MartinH]

sstodvictory-

Thanks for your reply. I know a little about relational databases, but since I'm not a coder, and only a librarian by trade, and all my computer skills are self taught, I'm using a Content Management System, Drupal. I'm not sure if you're familiar with this, but I'm experimenting with using Taxonomy terms, and then entering each brand/manufacturer as a manual entry in the site. Each entry will be assigned a taxonomy terms, or tag, which is searchable.

Each, entry can take multiple taxonomy terms, and should also be easily browsable.

As I said, I know this is a hughe project, and if I really knew SQL, I'd setup the tables, relations and start entering data. I guess it would be more robust if I could have reports and form build an "on the fly" site, but that's also beyond me.

Thanks again for your response.

Martin

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Something that might add utility:"year purchased," "approximate age of pipe," and "years I've smoked this pipe" with choices of certain ranges (under a year, 1-3 yrs, 4-6 yrs, etc.)

Pipes are unique things, and occasionally fickle in performance even when all factors are controlled. But broad trends could become helpful indicators about brands, as well as about reviewers. If I see everyone with a BRAND X pipe from the 1970s rates it highly and that fellows hold onto them for decades if they can, I can make an educated buy when I see a BRAND X pop up on eBay.

The backbone code of this site will be a pain--I trust you're up to it though--but the real trick will be waiting for enough reviews for it to show meaningful trends rather than just a big collection of opinions.

 

[LL]

The only objective things about a pipe are the attention paid to shaping, fit, finish, and the precision of its internals. Briar quality & curing are also objective, but difficult for most smokers to recognize and evaluate. All else is subjective.

Since the objective stuff closely maps to a pipe's price point, buying a pipe you'll be happy with pretty much boils down to choosing one you like the look and feel of that's well made and uses decent materials. In today's PipeWorld, that means one that costs a minimum of around $75 retail. (Quadruple that if no fills is a requirement.)

In other words, brands have nothing to do with it, the briar's source country doesn't matter, the finish type doesn't matter, the stem material doesn't matter (acrylic and vulcanite are equally suitable), and so on. All the things that a smoker can "evaluate and report on" are a matter of personal taste---with the exception of what was listed in the first sentence---and they are taken care of by avoiding basket pipes.

So, a suggestion: Make your review site one that FORCES objectivity, rather than just be a repository for adjective-filled, subjective prose. One way would be to have a list/grid of attributes that must be filled out for the review to be submitted.

Something like:

Price paid for the pipe:

Less than $50
$51 -- $80
$81 -- $125
$126 -- $180 X
$181 -- $250
$251 -- $350
$351 -- $500
$500 -- $750
More than $750

Relative to the PRICE PAID, how would you rate the following areas? (1 star = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = outstanding)

Overall cut & shaping --- ***
Bowl fit & finish --- ***
Stem fit & finish --- **
Internal alignment/construction --- **
Precision of metalwork (if applicable) --- ***

The subjective stuff could then be handled as a non-indexed block of comments/narrative.

 

[MartinH]

Thanks for all your feedback so far. You're giving me a lot to think about, and now I'm worried it's beyond me. But, I'll keep working at it.

Thanks!

 

[forsooth]

Look at it as a business, in which you'll make some upfront investments (your time, hosting fees, etc.). Your goal is to eventually sell enough advertising to start turning a profit.

All that to say this: Your expenditures for pipes would be tax deductible, since they are merely business expenses to help you build your database of reviews. :cheers:

PS: If you can handle Drupal, you can handle this project.

 

[MartinH]

LOL @ forsooth

I've been spending my day looking for modules, and I keep testing, etc. I figure it'll be something I'll have to tinker with until I get something up. The comments so far, however, have been excellent. You've all given me some really good feedback!

I really appreciate it.

Thanks,

Martin

 

[sand18f]

The only objective things about a pipe are the attention paid to shaping, fit, finish, and the precision of its internals. Briar quality & curing are also objective, but difficult for most smokers to recognize and evaluate. All else is subjective.

Since the objective stuff closely maps to a pipe's price point, buying a pipe you'll be happy with pretty much boils down to choosing one you like the look and feel of that's well made and uses decent materials. In today's PipeWorld, that means one that costs a minimum of around $75 retail. (Quadruple that if no fills is a requirement.)

In other words, brands have nothing to do with it, the briar's source country doesn't matter, the finish type doesn't matter, the stem material doesn't matter (acrylic and vulcanite are equally suitable), and so on. All the things that a smoker can "evaluate and report on" are a matter of personal taste---with the exception of what was listed in the first sentence---and they are taken care of by avoiding basket pipes.

So, a suggestion: Make your review site one that FORCES objectivity, rather than just be a repository for adjective-filled, subjective prose. One way would be to have a list/grid of attributes that must be filled out for the review to be submitted.

Something like:

Price paid for the pipe:

Less than $50
$51 -- $80
$81 -- $125
$126 -- $180 X
$181 -- $250
$251 -- $350
$351 -- $500
$500 -- $750
More than $750

Relative to the PRICE PAID, how would you rate the following areas? (1 star = poor, 2 = fair, 3 = good, 4 = outstanding)

Overall cut & shaping --- ***
Bowl fit & finish --- ***
Stem fit & finish --- **
Internal alignment/construction --- **
Precision of metalwork (if applicable) --- ***

The subjective stuff could then be handled as a non-indexed block of comments/narrative.

Yup.

 

[Doc Manhattan]

Add me to the chorus: Nice call/methodology, LL. (It's no wonder your son wound up in advanced scientific research.)

One fringe benefit of having a very detailed, multiscore, objective, price-relative score is that it'll definitely cut back on the "drive-by" reviews of the "awesome, ****" or "tried a bowl, yuk, *" variety.

 

[MartinH]

Gentlemen,

Thanks to all for your responses. I have a sample survey up, and I'd love for those of you who may be interested in taking a look.

The survey/review is one part of the site, the other is of coursing building the content of pipe brands/makers. In looking at pipedia.org, there is an overwhelming number and I'll have to start with the standards (big names) first, I think.

So, if you're interested in what I'm putting together, you're welcome to take a look at:

http://www.pipereviews.org

User ID: brothers
password: brothers.

I have it setup right now for "unlimited" reviews for one profile, per pipe entry, but that won't be the case, or course. I'll allow only one review, per pipe, per registered member, once the site is live.

As a question to this group:
What would you say are the top brands, the ones I should start with to get something going. Here's the issue. Building a taxonomy of reference and cross references for every entry will take months. I'd love to have something up and running before then, and then, slowly grow the site.

As always, thanks for any and all feedback.

Sincerely,

Martin

 

[MartinH]

There are changes since my last post.

Survey is up and down for reconfiguration. However, the UID and PWD still work

User ID: brothers
PWD: brothers

I'd love some feedback on what I'm putting together.

Thanks,

 

[MisterE]

It seems like the database is down. Just tried to access te Adam Davidson info and the only thing that came up was a smokingpipes.com page on him....

 

[MartinH]

Hey - yeah sorry. I just hosed that part of the site. I guess I posted here too soon. I'll post it as soon as I have it up, which should be shortly.

 

[MartinH]

I just put up a sample post "Pipe Review #2" I hope that works.

 

[MartinH]

Yup, if you scroll down a little, the Pipe Review #2 is up and running. That'll give you an idea of what things will look like.

Thanks Mr. E.

 

[MisterE]

One or two things...

Can read the reviews now, but which pipe are they reviewing?

What was that long rant in Latin? Google translate just got it barely into English... Still could make heads or tails of it..

 

[MartinH]

Mr. E.

Hey thanks man for looking at this. The Latin is just a place-holder text used in web design to show what something might look like. I used it to see how a long narrative review will format in the layout I'm forced to use.

The review is just a "place holder" review, a proof of concept so to speak. I'm tweaking the interface so that I can get to the point where I can actually start creating real content.

Does the layout make sense to you? Did the "click here to see the review" make sense?

I can't get the blasted thing to do what I want, because the layout code is so ornery. What I have up now is the most straight forward thing I could come up with.

Let me know if you think the interface is usable as it is now.

Thanks,

Martin

 

[MisterE]

Sill no mention of the brand of pipe anywhere on the list of choices....

 

[MartinH]

Mister E.

Okay, I think I understand now. I'll have to build that, but I have figured out how to do that. The way I'd envisioned this was for the user to go to the brand of pipe, of interest and leave a review there. But I think what I'm understanding is that it would be better to leave a review, and choose the brand of pipe. That makes sense, after all.

I sit here and work on this, and sometimes the obvious goes out the window because I'm too worried about building the database.

I'm going to create an index to allow people to surf for pipes in various ways: country, brand/maker, and price, if I can figure that one out.

Thanks for your feedback, it's been helpful.

Martin