FAQ for the Serial Numbers Database 2.0

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1. What is the Serial Numbers Database 2.0?

The Serial Numbers Database 2.0 (herein referred to as SND2) is an interactive reference database for collectors of Soviet and Mongolian awards. It is a custom-made program that was developed for the Soviet Military Awards Page website. The SND2 was designed to collect, organize, sort, and display the serial numbers that have been submitted to it.

2. Who can use SND2?

Anyone who is a registered member of this forum and has at least 10 message postings. Visitors are welcome to become registered members of the forum and participate. Registering and using the database are free.

3. Why add my awards?

If you have a missing award in your collection the SND2 can function as a never-tiring "watchdog". After entering the award/serial number, if another collector enters the same you will be notified by the administrator (email or personal information is never given out, the administrator will contact you, and you decide whether to make contact). If you have an award that's been stolen, you can post the number here. If you have an award that's been recently authenticated (good for rare awards or awards with very low or very high numbers) you can post it here as well.

4. My collection is very small, or I'm a beginning collector. Is it worth it to enter the serial numbers of a few common awards?

The database needs these awards the most. Single, undocumented awards might be part of a documented group in another persons collection. This person might have information that could yield such interesting information as who the person was who received your award, when it was awarded, and even why it was awarded.

5. I've added my award and the program told me I had a match with an award already in the database. What do I do?

That depends, if you were searching for this award and would like to try and contact the other collector that posted it, you must email the administrator. He will then email the other collector and tell him that there has been a match with the award, and if he would be interested in contacting you. If he is, email addresses will be provided to each party and you can take it from there.

6. Why 2.0, was there ever a 1.0?

The first generation of the SND went online in 2002 and because of a variety of reasons (mainly because of a problematic transition to a new webspace provider) SND1 was deactivated indefinitely shortly thereafter. Because of generous donations contributed by a small group of members over the years, the advertising revenue received via the google adsense program recently put into place on this website, and contributions by the website owner, it was decided the best place to put this surplus was back into the website in the form of the SND2.

7. I don't like how something works. What should I do?

Feel free to email the administrator with suggestions..future development of the SND will be dependent on available funds.