Here Are Some Nice Cancels.

I like Don's approach because I believe this is where a human "interpretation" is necessary, but I would use a "hybrid" method. By the way Don, give us an update on how you are doing. Forgive me if I've missed it, I've been super busy lately and haven't been visiting the board as often as I like.

I say human interpretation is necessary because there are just too many variables to just trace an actual cancellation: an uneven strike, over or under inking, worn or cracked stamp etc. With a serious study, especially in a case where you have multiple copies of the same cancel, it would be possible to get a pretty accurate image of the cancel.

Here's how I would do it, using the tools I have available:

Upload the scan to retroreveal.org and pick the best example of the isolated cancel.




Then take it into an image editor and "interpret" it the best you can using a combination of levels and painting and erasing. Obviously I can expect that the right side off the stamp exists so I've painted it in. At this point we're working with a bitmap image. For me in Photoshop.


I can then take it into Adobe Illustrator and trace it, then save it as an .eps, .svg, or .pdf. It's vector at this point. Here's a jpg image of the resulting vector tracing:

Great job southpaw using Photoshop ( $100.00 )...great program, I do 99% of what photoshop does with GIMP ( $0.00 )...But you did a wonderful job transforming it...My hat is off to you sir...

Robert,
Wow, you ought to find a job promoting open source! Are you baiting me again?

Southpaw lives a few miles from me and we have had a few lunches together. He is a professional design artist. As such, the apps and computer is critical to putting food on his family table. If he went to open source, who would he contact for support when something went wrong? What happens when he installs a new security update and then GIMP stops working? He would either have to buy support or start burning time posting of open source forums and hope he can find someone who can help and rewrite the code that broke.

Open source stuff is great in many ways. But it is not as popular in business as a desktop environment or apps. And this is for good reason. At home you can afford to 'play' with things and work-around the issues. But when you have a lot of money riding on the desktop decision, you find that open source solutions are often avoided.

This trend is slowly evolving, mostly due to companies hiring 'gurus' who can support open source better than traditional IT departments. But I imagine that Southpaw would rather spend his time making money using the software rather than supporting the software.

A lot of folks aren't like you and me. They simply see computers as tools to get a job done.
Don

I understand that someone who makes their living using software may want to pay for the best they can get. But the free/open source alternatives are often more than adequate for the rest of us. Here's a comparison of free image editing programs for the Windows platform:

http://dottech.org/90241/windows-be...hoto-editor/

I was not familiar with the top one on this list, but do use the runner up, Paint.NET.

blcjr,
Agreed. The support issue does not loom as large in a non-business environment. Open source is a great choice in certain situations, especially if the user is going to support themselves and/or is fairly geeky. But most of the people I support are businesses and people who don't have any desire to learn more than 'turn the PC on and it works'.
I've used open source since the very beginning, some of the USB drivers that are still included in most Linux versions came out of my engineering department. We developed and manufactured numerous devices running open source code. I am quite familiar with its pros and cons.
Don

Correct Don...The average person on this forum may not be a Don, or a Robert, or a southpaw...They run Windows computers and run Windows software and gladly pay money for programs they use.

I was using Windows up until 2008 when the LAST thing I paid for was to have viruses removed...that's when I decided then to run Linux and I never looked back.

My systems has approx. 71,833 packages to download to use.



That in a nut shell is why I am a strong supporter of open source programs..Good or bad, you be the judge of it.

And like you said Don, this software is not for everyone..But it is getting better.

Ever wonder why some companies use Linux instead of Windows..Here is a short list of a few companies that run Linux..you may recognize a few of them...haha..and that dosen't include the rest of the world countries.

http://www.tecmint.com/big-companie...on-gnulinux/

Hey - I don't have a problem with open source software - I've been using OpenOffice for years. Anything to keep Microsoft as far away from my Mac as possible. And Don's right, if I wasn't a professional in design, I'm sure I would be using GIMP too. (I've used it in the past). Believe it or not I jumped for joy when Adobe went to their subscription model. Makes all the difference. The key word is workflow. what I pay per month for the ENTIRE suite of Adobe software is equal to ONE billable hour. I've been on Macs since 1988 and yeah those first 12 years were a real love-hate relationship. Better than a PC hate-hate relationship though. I don't want to start a platform flame war here, (been there done that, my brother is a software architect, PC Unix only till Apple took parts of FreeBSD to develop OSX, then he switched, now he develops on his MacBookPro in various OS's. Funny he currently works for IBM!). Show me a graphic designer using strictly open source software and I guarantee he'll be not nearly as productive, which equals $$$$. Those are $$ I'd rather spend on my stamp collection!

Looking though my most used apps: Things I love (not necessarily open source): PDF workflow. Chrome. Firefox. Wordpress. Calibre. The Adobe Suite. OSX Mavericks.

Things that give me the most headaches: Extensis Suitcase Fusion (font management).

After 25+ years of doing this, I'm really happy with the state of hardware/software for my business right now. I'm in no way a techie, but I really don't have to be. I don't have or need an IT department. My Macs don't suffer from viruses, back-ups are a cinch, my upgraded 2011 MacPro desktop screams (and that's a good thing), it's simple to maintain. Things have just been WORKING for 5+ years now. For what I do, speed isn't really an issue anymore. Everything works pretty well. I'll probably upgrade to SSDs soon, that would make the most difference for me. Everyone is now talking about working totally in the cloud. Don't see that happening yet, especially for us rural folks. I work on too many big files.

I wish I were proficient with all the things you can do on a computer. I am envious of all

rohumpy...You don't have to be a geek to appreciate software that is stamp collector usable....These programs that Don, southpaw and myself talk about are free and not free...As Don can attest to, I am happy when there is an open source program that is available that me (or anyone) can adapt to stamp collecting...I have given in the past lots of links to software for Windows (and Mac) user's....Just trying to bring stamp collecting into the 21st century.

But remember..A good eye and a magnifying glass will never be replaced.

Robert

But a USB microscope is a good start!

....Most definitely......

Hello everyone. Thank you so much for such an interesting topic.

I have a few of these cancels but would also like to know the post office they originated from. Can anyone tell me an on line reference to Fancy cancel and post office location?

Bruce

Bill Weiss web site has a fancy cancel booklet online
Don

http://www.stampexpertizing.com/default.html

There is no reference that details every fancy cancel from every post office nor every one that was used at each. However there are a few definitive references that detail the more notable ones. Don/51studabaker linked one source. Two others are available for download from the very helpful U.S. Philatelic Classic Society's electronic library.

The library contains many great resources and is accessible at: http://www.uspcs.org/resource-cente...nic-library/

The most recent cancel book is only available in hard copy, but the next two most definite resources are available at that site for free (please consider membership or donation for providing such great resources):
http://d2jf3tgwe889fp.cloudfront.ne...okmarked.pdf

http://d2jf3tgwe889fp.cloudfront.ne...okmarked.pdf