I have tried several over the years and am most happy with EZstamp.com. There project is amazing and the service is justy out of this world. Never have to wait long for answers to my questions or help with the system... check it out I'm sure you'll like what you see.
It depends on what your primary goals are. If you are looking for pre-entered data (catalog numbers, descriptions, images) than there are programs Ezstamp and StampManage. I had wanted to be more independent so had used Stampcatplus (has some pre-entered data but no catalogue numbers). I eventually started using excel since I can decide what fields I want and entry is very quick and super easy to duplicate.
In order to display my collection, and document it, I have built a database in MS Access, which is definitely overkill, and not just in the information which can be entered, but the time and learning it required.
I am in the home stretch of having it produce album pages with my stamps (my scans), on the fly, and by a large number of criteria. For instance, select page format, border, text box styles, fonts, content, etc, etc...then stamps by year, country, keyword/theme, etc, etc....even by lineage, such as re-issues, overprints of parent country for colonies, etc, etc. Even print a album by stamp color, or printing type.
Gonna take me a while to finish it, but even now, I can view any stamps, zoom view them, even view their "actual" size, just in case.
Saves wear and tear on the stamps, and I'd rather knock a glass of beer over my computer than my prize stamps.
I had created a database for my model car collection in MS Access mainly because I wanted to learn how to use it. As you said, it was overkill but I learned the program.
Today I have my New Jersey postmark collection in Excel. I use this program every day at work so it's second nature to me, and the right tool for what I need to accomplish.
I haven't ventured into creating full size album pages just yet. Right now I'm working in two pocket pages for my covers and have a template set up in Word to create the 5.5" x 7" title cards. This is working out quite well for what I'm doing.
I use Microsoft Publisher professionally and I believe this would be my tool of choice once I get to creating album or exhibit pages.
My US collection album page created in Word.
My New Jersey page prototype with county highlight. This is set up in Word, in a template with invisible border. I get two of these from an 8.5" x 11" sheet.
I've been using EzStamp for several years now and love it. Annual updates are purchased online and downloaded. These updates include new issues and the latest pricings.
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"All hobbies are absurd to those on the outside, and a joy to those within."
I've been using EzStamp for a number of years and am quite happy with it. Like most applications, I always can find something I wish it would do a little differently but overall it does the job. The owner is great to work with when you have questions or suggestions. I do have a question for those who have been using EzStamp for a while... How accurate do you feel that the supplied catalog values are? EzStamp does not use Scott values but instead use values obtained from auctions, sales, etc. One of the things I want to do is to insure my collection but I am concerned about whether or not insurance companies will honor the catalog values supplied by EzStamp. I am not going to buy Scott catalogs as they are ridiculously out of sight price-wise and the supplied catalog values do not reflect reality. Any thoughts?
For my US collection, I had been using StampCAT Plus but then just took the database and maintained it as an xls file about 2 years ago. A lot of effort was applied to get it complete with a lot of variety details.
In the last year, I have been working on a worldwide collection (initial British SE Asia, expanded to more British Commonwealth (will focus more KGVI era and likely KGV to QEII) after I had purchased a partial collection and had been using excel again with data from Stampworld.
I decided to bite the bullet and get StampManage worldwide edition if anything for the data. The database is an unlocked Microsoft Access db meaning you can open in any database. You can export all data to excel as well and they even have a builtin report to do that.
Years ago, I did a review when I was the editor of PCSG (RIP) newsletter and always liked SM's architectural aspect (open database, good GUI, strong report creation albeit a learning curve for some people) plus Scott numbers. It has a lot of database fields but you really can keep it simple (just an inventory list) if you want and enough built in reports to satisfy minimalists.
BTW, I had used EzStamp for a review and had a lot of positives.
The second aspect is that it has images for many issues so plan to use it as an identifier (will find out soon how good it really is) since Scott and SG do not provide images for every stamp so sometimes to figure out some issues.
In my brief use, I already noticed some missing catalogue numbers and descriptions that are not correct but I am sympathetic to maintaining such as file.
"Out of interest, why did you stop using EZSTAMP?"
I was doing reviews of inventory programs and it was one of many I had used so "stop using" may be a misnomer.
At the time, I did not like the interface as much as StampManage and liked the more flexible architecture with the data in MS Access db. The report function was extremely flexible. EzStamp had some nice features and Mario provided excellent support. The interface was improved some time after I did the review.
Unfortunately I discovered the PCSG shortly before its demise - I think it was in its final year, but I did at least manage to subscribe in time to enjoy receiving the final few issues of the "Compulatelist".
I looked up the website, but was not surprised to find that it no longer exists and that the pcsg.org domain now points to a for-sale landing page.
It would be nice however if someone could set up a Wikipedia page with a bit of the history and background rather than let the PCSG completely disappear into obscurity.
Clive
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"AlbumEasy - Free software for creating custom stamp album pages"
What about certificates from EZperf or perfomaster software endorsed by Linn's what value do their certificates have in your opinion? calculates perf and measurements and are 99% accurate as I have run thousands of stamps through each and as long as scans are 300dpi or better and have clean background and cropped with minimal extra space both work very well.
What would you pay for say a scott #596 with one of these certificates?
Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't 09 Mar 2018 06:07:37pm
re: stamp software
"What would you pay for say a scott #596 with one of these certificates?"
Zero.
How does the software determine a flat plate vs. rotary press? (It can't.)
The software does a fine job counting perforations. But a proper identification of a stamp typically also requires analyzing watermarks, paper type, and printing type. Sometime it also includes things like understanding of a cancel is correct for the period.
I would extend this opinion to grading too. While software can easily determining the centering of a stamp, it misses many other attributes needed to properly grade a stamp. For example hidden repairs, regumming, and other condition characteristics.
I have been involved with software development for several decades and you would be hard pressed to find a bigger fan of technology than me. But I hope the marketplace does not take these 'certificates' seriously.
Don
Edit: You mentioned that Linn's endorses EZPerf certs. I have seen the review that Bill Sharpe wrote in Linn's but I have not seen any certification endorsement. Can you supply a link?
I would just like to say thanks for the knowledge freely and generously given by all our computer boffins, without belittling any of our brain shortcomings (well mine anyway).
Having recently had an excellent and speedy response from Clive regarding my understanding of AlbumEasy it is greatly appreciated the amount of work that has been done.
just a point of clarification here. Ezperf & EzGrader certificates are NOT certificates of authenticity nor have I ever claimed or promoted them as such. For EzGrader it is certificate of centering to indicate & document the centering of the stamp. EzGrader does NOT attempt to nor can it determine authenticity or make any determination for anything else other than centering. Any subjective determinations such as color, perf, paper brightness, freshness etc are left to others.
Ditto for Ezperf. It simply states that the stamp has perforation measurements as indicated on the printed certificate. It does not attempt to make any claim as to authenticity etc. EzPerf simply measures the perforations very accurately. I find it much easier to use rather than a perf guage. My eyes are not what they used to be
If anyone has questions, you can email me privately & I can answer all questions.
Marios
I have used the StampManage program for the last 3 years. I went to download the demo version of 2018, and when it started the download it appeared to move my info from my prior program to it. However, when I went to the demo version, none of my data was there, and somehow it had erased the data as well. I was not able to recover the data, and what I had backed up would not download to the demo version. Nor would it allow to re-install the version I had originally. I have tried to contact Liberty Street Software where I got the original version from with no results. I have sent several emails along with trying to call. However, when I call, since I don't know any parties there, I have to go through the operator and all I get is the voicemail. To which I have left several messages with no response. Wondering has anyone else had this problem, and if so were you able to contact Liberty Street Software? Any help would be appreciated. I have looked at EZStamp and figure that is probably what I will go with it. Thank you.
Your data is stored in the stampdata.mdb file. If you installed the new version of Stamp Manage and it may not have installed in the same location. the data folder may be in a new location. This may mean you have two files - original and new. You can try to find it.
That makes sense Angore.
I can just imagine the horror of loosing all that data.
I have been using a defunct shareware package "STamp Collection Organizer " by Duck Software, that has suited my purposes well... unfortunately as I say it is defunct and no longer supported.
I'm guessing that someday I will have to bite the bullet and look for something else.
It does download to .csv files which can be picked up by Excel so that's ok...sort of.
I hate the thought of having to start all over again though
Files with the extension ".mdb" are Microsoft Access 2000 (and earlier) files, so I presume "StampManage" is an Microsoft Access application. There are many such applications, of all different sorts out there. I myself have my own Access based stamp collection database.
Having said all that, if you have Microsoft Office WITH MICROSOFT ACCESS installed on your PC, try opening a copy of your stampmanage.mdb file with it, and see if it works for you.
If so, Access will probably ask if you wish to update the file to a newer Access version (".accdb" for Access 2007 and newer). You can proceed to update, and I believe it will create a new file, and leave the original unchanged.
If you want to follow this route, and have any questions, PM me and I will try to help you to the best of my abilities.
I suspect that StampManage installation files have "Access Runtime" included in them, which installs a small version of Access, allowing those without regular Access installed to be able to open and use Access files, without allowing any programming or design changes.
Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't 16 Apr 2018 05:58:40pm
re: stamp software
Your original data is on your hard drive somewhere, the installation program would not have touched it. As Al pointed out the file name is stampdata.mdb and it is located somewhere on the ‘My Documents’ folder. Once you find it, I would make a backup copy it in another location (like a Flash drive or DVD disk). I would then run a ‘System Restore’, a Windows utility which can put your computer back into the state it was on a certain date. You will want choose a date just before you installed the new version.
Don
Dialysis, damned if you do...dead if you don't 16 Apr 2018 06:13:20pm
re: stamp software
I would add...
The biggest value of using StampManage is that your data is in an ‘open’ (unencrypted) MDB format. Since your biggest investment is the time you spent entering data (far exceeding the cost of any application itself), having access to your data is important. The MDB can even be opened in Excel if desired. But StampManage support is absolutely abysmal, it take extraordinary patience to get through to them and get them to respond.
But always make yourself a backup copy of your MDB file, it represents all of your time and effort.
Don
Thanks to all for the helpful information. I will try again some of the suggestions that you have all gave. However, my biggest drawback is getting through to Liberty Street Software, all I get when I call is the operator's voicemail. I don't have any idea of the extensions to contact directly. I have tried calling the support number for them with no results there as well. Once again thank you all very much.
I am not positive that this is the correct location for the file, but my copy of Stamp Manage on Win 10 is in the C:UsersUsernameDocumentsStamp ManageData folder, where Username is whoever you are logged in under. It is not stored in the program files folder.
Geoff
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