Intentions, goals and challenges
Dear Modelly friends,
I've been collecting model cars since I was 12 years old. As a trained computer scientist who mainly deals with web projects professionally, the idea of creating a portal for model collectors came up at some point. The aim was to connect model collectors around the world and put collections in the spotlight.
The entire development for this ambitious project took more than two years. Two years in which a large part of the free time was dedicated to Modelly to realize the portal. The requirements for Modelly were so specific that it was developed entirely in-house. Existing standard systems would simply not have been suitable as a basis.
After the official start, it again took a lot of time and energy to convince collectors to take part in this project and to present their collections. Eventually the point was reached where Modelly established itself and the influx of new collectors was automated.
Again and again Modelly was assumed to be a commercial project. After two years of unpaid work, it was my goal to at least cover the server costs and the maintenance of the portal through cooperation and premium accounts. A circumstance that has met with little understanding from some critics.
Decisions at EU level that should force portal operators to check every uploaded photo for copyright infringement or to develop an upload filter ultimately forced me to close Modelly. Minimal income to cover costs was now faced with considerable financial risks from warnings. Nevertheless, I can understand the annoyance of some members very well.
I can assure you that the decision to close Modelly affected me the most. Modelly was and is a heart project into which a lot of passion and work has gone. Maybe you can put yourself in my shoes and imagine how it felt for me to be forced to shut down Modelly. For this reason, I was never able to finish with it - the dream of going online with Modelly one day was always present.
About 10 years after the launch of Modelly, the time has now come - the legal situation has relaxed a bit in that upload filters are only prescribed for services above a certain annual turnover. Modelly will include mechanisms for members to quickly and easily report possible copyright infringement. In addition, there will continue to be instructions everywhere that published photos and texts must be created by the member himself./p>
I hope that you can now understand why Modelly was paused for a few years. I also hope that you remember the good times on Modelly and still appreciate the concept. Let's make Modelly the worldwide "portal for model collectors" again. Ultimately, it is you who fill Modelly with life together with your collections. I hope you'll be back on board soon.
Warm greetings
Andy
Please don't hesitate to send me your feedback to:
andy@modelly.info
Frequently asked Questions
Why was Modelly shut down?
With the passing of a law at EU level that stipulates an upload filter for online portals, there was initially no basis for the continued operation of Modelly in accordance with the law. Due to the volume of photos uploaded every day, it was simply not practical to check every photo for possible copyright infringement.
The law has now been relaxed to the extent that portals with a low annual turnover are exempt from the obligation to carry out an individual check.
Which members will re-join Modelly?
Here is a list of all members that already announced that they will be part the new Modelly:
Does my collection including photos and data still exist?
Yes, the entire Modelly database including all image files has been backed up. For data protection reasons, however, each collection must be reactivated by the associated member before publication. To do this, simply log in to Modelly with your nickname (alternatively with your e-mail address) and your password and then activate the collection. If you have forgotten your password, simply follow the "Forgot your password?" link in the login window.
Will using Modelly cost anything?
Unlike in the past, there will be no classic premium accounts after the relaunch. In principle, the entire functionality of Modelly is available to every member free of charge. Modelly is now pursuing the goal of gaining as many members as possible worldwide through free services. In the future, the operation of the portal will only be financed by donations and cooperation with sponsors and advertising partners.
How can I support Modelly?
In addition to donations for the reconstruction and legal protection of Modelly, you can above all help to make Modelly known. Do you have friends and acquaintances who collect models? Great - tell them about Modelly and make sure that our community grows.
Anyone who also enjoys maintaining content and keeping Modelly on track is welcome to get in touch. Maybe you'll be part of the Modelly team soon.
For all inquiries: andy@modelly.info
Is Modelly a portal with commercial intentions?
Modelly is the result of several years of programming work. Running the portal also takes a lot of time. The server infrastructure must also be paid for. Cooperation and advertising partners are therefore not an indication of commercialization but ensure that the workload and cost structures can at least be compensated to some extent.
I want my data/collection to be deleted. What should I do?
In principle, no collection is published on Modelly anyway that has not been explicitly activated by its owner. So your collection will not go online without your help. If you would like all data and thus your profile to be deleted from the Modelly servers, please send us an email to delete@modelly.info from the email address you used to register with Modelly.
All collections that have not been activated by their owners within 6 months of the relaunch will be automatically deleted from the servers.