The new web site (this one: https:philarz.com) including the Joint Stamp Issue full catalogue is now in place since half a year, but some collectors are still loocking for information in the previous web site (http://philarz.net/, which is still open, but will be completely shut down by mid of next year). This page is intended to reassure collectors that all the data available in the previous web site can be accessed in these pages. This information is just available in a different place and in a different form. To facilitate your search, here are some hints how to better explore and benefit from this web site and the appended catalogue. In fact, the largest part of the information is now embedded in the on-line catalogue. This page addresses most of the FAQ received over the past months:

Where is the page providing the explanations of the definitions of the different joint issues?

Definition of joint issues are all described on the web page ‘FAQ‘, but in full details directly in Volume 1 of the on-line catalogue, more precisely from pages 11 to 24, which are updated when necessary.  It is recommended to explore also the other pages of this catalogue Volume 1 which over 100 pages gives all introduction information and definitions

Where is the upcoming issues section?

The upcoming issues section does exist, but in a different form. In fact all new information that will in the future be translated in an official joint issue if confirmed, is reported in Volume 15 starting presently at page 1715. The information is minimal but corresponds to what is available. If more information of interest becomes available ahead of release, it will be provided in a news page. This volume 15 is updated on a monthly basis

Where to find the recent issues description area?

The recent issue area is provided at the beginning of Volume 15. It is updated on a monthly basis (whenever possible) and Volume 15 is the fastest growing part of the catalogue and shows all newly approved joint issues.

Has everything been transferred from the old site (philarz.net) to the new one (philarz.com) ?

No, not yet. This is why ‘philarz.net’ will remain open to access for another year. But the missing parts will simply be transferred to an ‘Archive page’ to be created and corresponds mainly to information interesting for historical review. No new information will be added as everything linked to existing joint issues is already in place in the new site. Also it is important to have the old site still open as Google still provides this link in priority due to the high number of older references to this site. This should also be inverted over the next year, with Google serach refering in priority to the new site.

His there a way to make a Search for a country or topic over all web site and on-line catalogue?

There is no general tool allowing to make a search covering both the web site and the on-line catalogue. For the web site the standard “Ctrl+F” function should work. In the catalogues there are two ways to look for any joint issue:

1. either you know the period of issue, you open one of the 15 catalogue parts and you browse with the Calameo search tool (magnifier symbol on the top right). Don’t hesitate to explore the different tools available in Calameo
2. or you take a look in the table of content of Volume 1 in which you will find two sections, a) the countries’ index on pages 51 to 71, or b) the topic index, on pages 72 to 93. If you are looking for e.g. all joint issues involving the USA, you will find the answer on page 70. Indeed, there is no automatic link for each individual issue, but this is the best starting point. This list is always up to date regarding the content of other volumes and each modification in the entire catalogue is immediately introduced in this volume 1.

Volumes 1 and 15 are the more often updated catalogue parts and since the inception of this new web site (January 2022), Vol 1 has already been updated four times and Volume 15, eight times. The page of links to sources has been updated more than a dozen times. In this page, unfortunately, over time, links are becoming inactive and the whole list of more than 650 links cannot be checked on a weekly or even monthly basis, but new ones are added regularly.

Is it possible to download or print the catalogue?

No, and this will remain such way. You have to accept that the intellectual property remains with the author. The free access to the cataloge content is a gift to all collectors and the author has no income at all for the work made so far (35+ years of collecting information are available in this catalogue). The 2006 Joint Issue Catalogue (750 pages) was once found as a pdf copy for sale on eBay. A malicious seller had scanned all pages of the printed catalogue and proposed it to eBay buyers without any rights and any contribution left to the author. Several other eBay sellers are doing the same with standard catalogues such as Scott, Michel or Yvert&Tellier in an illegal way. It is as illegal to buy these pdf files, but it is also quite impossible to prevent such thefts. The catalogue printers have so far not succeeded in stoppinf the sale of such illegal pdf files. The reason for proposing the catalogue for free was a kind of answer to avoid such thieves making some profits. In exchange, you have to accept that the catalogue is open only for reading. Access to copies, printing, pdf files will not be possible. This is not making everything impossible as thefts are clever (screen copies remain possible), but at least you know that if one day you are proposed a free pdf copy of the catalogue, this means you are paying for something that is available for free.

I am hoping this helps. We are still looking for suggestions of improvement and always looking for help, in particular if you can bring local information in languages that usually are not retrieved by standard Google functions. Thanks in advance and continue enjoying Joint Stamp Issues collecting.