In message <4db41957.7040...@lindisun.demon.co.uk>
Tony Moss <t...@lindisun.demon.co.uk> wrote:> Hi again Martina, > > With around 30,000 primary schools (in the UK alone), even if just > > 5% (1 in 20) of them bought a Teaching Sundial at a cost of (say) > > 500 Pounds - that is a 'turnover' of three-quarters-of-a-million ! > > > > Thinking about a worldwide market, you can see the possibilities. > > > > > In the light of your comment I'd be interested to have your professional > opinion on the potential my 'MultiDial' (recent jpeg sent) which was > devised especially with schools in mind. These could be produced for > much less than £500 and would be very durable in a school situation. > > Best Wishes > > Tony Moss Thankyou Tony, for the message to this Mailing List - asking me for my 'professional' opinion on your "Multi-dial", for sale to schools. I am by no means an 'expert' on sundials, so (although I could have replied to you privately) - I decided to reply to the List members, so that other people could give their own thoughts on my comments. This certainly looks well-made and clearly marked, plus (as you had said previously) it does show the 'inter-relationship' between four basic types of sundial (horizontal/vertical, equatorial and polar). As a day progresses, people can easily see that the shadow 'tracks' across these in a slightly different way (but still showing the same time, on each). In demonstrating to children how a typical sundial works (and can indicate time fairly accurately), it is quite good. However, in terms of fulfilling the basic elements of the National Curriculum for schools - I think it would need to do a little more, and here are my (personal) suggestions for 'improvements' required. (a). The design is obviously intended for a fixed Latitude, and so would ideally need something to make it more 'universally' workable. (b). Similarly, it would also need to have the ability to be used at different Longitudes - otherwise the children would simply get a (wrong) impression that "sundials never show correct clock time". (c). Ideally, some way to compensate for Daylight-saving changes. (d). Its only other main 'failing', is that is does not DIRECTLY demonstrate any varying "change of the Seasons" throughout a year. In a sense, a large version of Len Honey's "Universal Ring Dial" might be a better alternative - as long as it could in some way be adjusted for the Longitude of location, as well as its Latitude. If you are maybe thinking of selling your "Multi-dials" to schools (either in the UK or worldwide), then I would seriously advise you to do some simple 'market research' - before deciding to go into full manufacture, since there will obviously be some 'tooling-up' costs, as well as various other factors like postage and packing. >From a school's point of view, the attractions of an interactive ground-level 'analemmatic' are that it covers most of the basic requirements - plus the "Modern Sunclocks" version automatically changes itself, so coping with our twice-yearly 'clock changes'. If only our Education Authority was not 'blinded' by their stupid view that Human Sundials are unsafe in a school situation, we had also intended to use it as an outdoor Art project - to brighten-up our playground with something useful/decorative, and vandal-proof. Anyway, I trust my brief comments (above) are of some use to you. Sincerely, Martina Addiscott.
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