How to contribute your photos to the site

[Alan]

I'd really like to have more Bunny and other photos on the site. But I appreciate that not everyone is comfortable contributing, that is fine.

This goes for ANYONE who has Bunny/Playboy Club photos. Bunnies, bartenders, managers, keyholders, family members/descendents, memorabilia collectors, etc.

For those want to contribute, here is what to do.

As I live in the United Kingdom, I do not want you to send your treasured photos to me by normal postal mail as I couldn't bear the though of them being lost or stolen in the post. Which only leaves the option of getting them scanned by yourself or a friend/family member/professional photo service who have the equipment and experience.

I appreciate how confusing computers can be, we've all been at that stage (and frankly, computers can even baffle 'experts' in the field of computing at times). But computers are also a lot of fun (when they work!).

All the photos sent by Bunnies who have albums on the site have been scanned into a computer.

The following paragraphs can be ignored if you already know all about scanning. If you don't understand what follows, that's ok, it is confusing for those new to computing (the most jargon-ridden industry of all).

A scanner is a computer peripheral (about the size of a very large book) which can scan photos, newspapers, book pages,etc. A lot of PC/Mac computer packages are sold with scanners included in the deal. They work like traditional photocopiers with the only difference being that scanners create a computer image instead of a paper copy of what you have 'scanned' into the machine.

You may not have a scanner or are unsure about how to connect it to your computer and then use it. Scanners are not as hard as you might think to connect to your computer, and they are straightforward to use. Most scanners will connect to a 'USB port' (that's just a fancy name for one of the small sockets on the back or front of your computer). USB ports are usually rectangular and about half an inch wide. You can plug your scanner into your PC/Mac even when it's on (unlike a lot of computer accessories which need you to switch everything off before you connect it).

If you do not have a scanner yourself try your local print shop, public library, or Internet Cafe. They should be able to scan the photos for you (for free or for a small fee). If you know anyone (a friend, relative, neighbour) with a scanner, perhaps they could scan your Bunny photos for you.

If you do find a person or service who can scan your photos for you, take a blank floppy disk or writable CD (or DVD) along with your photo so that they can save the scanned image onto the disk for you. Ask them to give it a meaningful (file)name such as "mybunnyphoto1"; when you are new to computing it is easier to find things when they have humanly readable names rather than those that are automatically chosen by computers, such as "IMG00001". But really, it doesn't matter what you name the photos, but it is always better to give meaningful names to computer files so that you can recognise and find them later.

Once scanned, the photo becomes a computer file (the most common image file is a 'JPEG' with a .jpg extension). The photos you see on the Ex Playboy Bunnies site are all JPEGs. (Pronounced jay-peg.) This JPEG image file can then be individually attached from the floppy disk onto an email sent from your own computer. When you send an email you can 'attach' any kind of file to your email message. It's just like sending a $20 gift voucher along with a birthday card through the normal mail. You can send simple letters or 'attach' things. Computer email is just the same. Once you get used to knowing how to find where things (files) are on your computer. If you go to an Internet Cafe or a friend's house, ask them to show you how to attach a file to an email. There's nothing tricky about this, but it's always best when someone shows you how to do it a few times. This is especially true of computers. We've all been at the "what the hell am I supposed to do now!?" stage.

If you don't have a floppy disk/CD/DVD, you could always just email me the photo directly from the computer that scanned it.

You can then send the email with the attached photo to webmaster@explayboybunnies.com

You don't need to know anything about scanning, floppy disks or computers, I am sure that wherever you can find a place to scan your photo there will be helpful staff there to do it for you if you ask them. Don't worry if the image they create is not a JPEG, if it is a .TIFF file or .BMP file just send it and I will convert it into a JPEG. TIFFs and BMPs are just other types of computer image file. Lots of scanners produce TIFF files instead of JPEGs. But the image is much the same. Also do not worry if the file size is really big, I will resize the image and 'compress' it.

Hope this made sense. I know it is all lot to take in all at once. If anyone has any other questions please feel free to ask.
_________________
Alan, Webmaster
Ex Playboy Bunnies

[Nicole]

Thanks Alan for the info on how to scan. I just spoke to my son Daniel in Montreal and he has asked me if he could upload them for me and send you the files. I, of course, said YES. Would that be OK? There are very few photos but what is left is very precious to me and I'm delighted to have them posted on our site----eventually. My son told me that it will be done within a month or so. I will try and write a small bio to accompany the pics.
Love as always, Nicole
_________________
"For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love."
Carl Sagan

[Alan]

Hello Nicole,

Yes that would be great. There's no rush though.

Look forward to making your album and your biography page.

If your son doesn't do it within a month though, cut him out of the will.
_________________
Alan, Webmaster
Ex Playboy Bunnies

[Daniel]

Hi everyone,

Alan,

Just thought I'd let you know that I have no intention of being cut out of the will. I will be working on some of my mother's (i.e., Bunny Nicole's) photos and will put them up (or have her put them up) as soon as possible. I'll also create a few avatars for her to choose from. I spoke with my mom earlier tonight and I told her that she's probably underestimating the number of photos she still has from that remarkable era of her life.

To all members, I wish you much success with the forum. It looks like it'll be a fun board. And, as a moderator and erstwhile administrator of an online forum, I know how much work it can be to make it run as smoothly as possible. Take good care of Alan, folks; he'll be your guide, handyman, cheerleader, and behind-the-scenes magic-worker all rolled into one. May he find pleasure in the (ad)venture.

Yours,
Daniel
_________________
Son Of A Bun!

[Sandy]

Hi Daniel,

Your Mom is DOLL. I have a connection with her and we are in touch.

Alan is our guru. He guides us, advises us, teaches us, Protects us............
He is a very wise man. I don't know what I would do without him. He has become a great friend. I only hope he loves us as much as we love him.

Love,
Sandy
_________________
Bunny Sandy Photo Album

[Alan]

I also bribe the Bunnies to say flattering things about me which aren't true.

Thanks Sandy. The cheque is in the post.

Thanks Daniel. Please just email any photos you send. I haven't added the ability to directly upload photos to the site. I have thought about it though. But for the moment, if anyone has any photos, please scan and email them.

And Sandy is right Daniel, your mother is a wonderful woman, as is Sandy.

Hoping I get some cheques in the post now...
_________________
Alan, Webmaster
Ex Playboy Bunnies

[Daniel]

Hi everyone,

Okay, Alan, will do. I usually like to work with high-resolution copies of photographs; if you think these sometimes large files (up to 2 or 3 MB) can go through in an e-mail, I'll send them and let you resize them as you see fit. I know that, on my own forum, the maximum allowable size for a photo album upload file is 1 MB (1024 KB). If you'd prefer, I can make certain that whatever photos I send you are no larger than this.

You seem like a very dedicated, passionate, and caring person, Alan. The XPBs are in good hands here, I'm sure. (Okay, I'll be waiting for my cheque now. ).

Sandy,

I have to agree with you. My mother is a pretty special person. I've inherited from her much of what I like about myself.

Yours,
Daniel
_________________
Son Of A Bun!

[Alan]

Thanks for the kind words Daniel.

I like to receive the photos as large as possible and then resize them (and compress them, if necessary).

Most Internet Service Providers put a limit on the total size of incoming and outgoing emails.

But usually this is around 10MB per email. To be really safe, please send one large scan per email. Even a photo of 3MB will make it through no problem. (Hopefully you have a broadband/cable connection so this won't take long for you.)

It's unfortunately more tedious to do it that way, but I know from experience that having to chop up a returned huge email into lots of smaller ones results in even more wasted time.

Anyway, thanks in advance Daniel for sending your mother's photos. I appreciate it and so will your mother. I might even be able to convince her to write you back into the will.
_________________
Alan, Webmaster
Ex Playboy Bunnies