Finally, we can talk about the other output screen of EzGrader, where the program reports on the perforation measurements of a stamp.  The output for my sample stamp is shown next:

Notice how clearly and easily the perf information is displayed, and also with such fine precision — to the nearest hundredth of a millimeter!

The perfs on our stamp are well formed.  The stamp does not suffer from missing perfs or blind perfs, for example, so that the EzGrader user can have strong confidence that the program yields correct perforation measurements.  But if a stamp does suffer from any of numerous possible perforation maladies, the program user must take care to correct the image.  On this matter, I will simply refer the reader to EzGrader's manual, which covers this matter in detail.

This screen also shows the design size.  The user is required to know the resolution at which the image of the stamp was made, but with a scanner this information is readily available.  By default, EzGrader puts down a resolution of 300 dpi, which is standard.  The user can change this value if necessary, and the design size changes after clicking on the "recompute" button.

The information regarding the design size brings up my only criticism of EzGrader.

First, information on the size of the entire stamp (that is, including the margins) should also be shown.  Presumably, the program could easily compute that value.  Moreover, the output screen contains enough room to fit the information.  Note that, if the stamp did not contain a margin, the stamp size and design size would be the same.

Second, the data should be provided in millimeters, not inches.  In this day and age, where most of the world has adopted the metric system, EzGrader should not cater to the archaic inch/pound system.  As philatelists, we especially should be in the vanguard of the metrication movement.  After all, a perforation measurement counts the number of perfs in a 2 cm (or, same thing, 20 mm) length.  Philatelists do not measure perforations in inches, so why should EzGrader measure stamp dimensions that way?

Beyond these two issues — which I am sure could easily be rectified — I have only praise for the EzGrader program.

Note:  I recently had an e-mail correspondence with Marios Theodossiou, the president of SoftPro.  He told me that, come the next version on EzGrader, the user would have the option of obtaining data in millimeters or inches.

*                    *                    *

I am still working out just how I will be using EzGrader.  Preliminarily, I intend to compile perforation data, and analyze it statistically.  EzGrader will help me compile accurate and quite precise perforation information.  Using a perforation gauge is simply too coarse a measuring tool for acquiring precise data with confidence.

This program enables the philatelist to obtain substantial and detailed quantitative information on stamps, and to do so with little effort.  The ability just to obtain perforation data, let alone the myriad other measurements, makes the program worthwhile.  At a price of about US$ 40, EzGrader stands out as a great purchase for the serious computer-oriented philatelist.

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