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Thread: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

  1. #51

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Our society operates on a principle of accountability. That means that you are known by a given name and your deeds are published, often publicly...in the daily record of most of smaller newspapers around the country should you violate the laws of this society or fail to act in a responsible fashion.

    I fail to comprehend why anyone would have a position of defending errant behavior. I would think that if enough people have issues of failure to perform under legal agreements...as in failure to deliver paid subscriptions in an agreed upon manner that a class action would be prudent and reasonable to finally put this matter to rest.

    Since these subscriptions, at least some of them, are to be delivered by the USPS it may be that the USPS inspectors would be interested in investigating this under the basis of mail fraud.

    I personally have never found View Camera to be a publication worthy of my time or attention.

  2. #52

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Since when is being tardy or having a few typos considered to be mail fraud?

  3. #53
    falth j
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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Two cent’s more:


    “….to protect Simmons and his magazine from such attacks…”

    Perhaps, operating a magazine on a shoe-string is more of a money-pit endeavor of late…


    I do not know the publisher, and I certainly am thankful to have a resource such as this magazine, devoted to large format photography… but


    One of the first rewards of solvency is paying colleagues and creditors on a timely basis…


    One of the first clues of trouble is repeated ‘run-ins’ and ’disagreement’s’, regarding points of philosophy issues between business colleagues, creditor’s and customers whether privately, or as a last gasp, publicly in print.


    Further troubling clues, pointing towards problems and potential insolvency, is the continuing late payment of creditors…


    Perhaps…


    the publisher is not in need of protection from such criticism…


    but, if differences originate from sensible people who conduct their lives in an upfront and forthright manner and over time have become frustrated at being placed last in line for redress, not unlike what has come to pass from the maker of a certain wooden large format camera…


    then critical discourse should be permitted.


    furthermore…

    why should we not be allowed to criticize, if the criticism is not fraudulent or false…

    if anything, critical thinking between people of good will, invities debate, and along with debate comes understanding and hopefully improvement, if only the parties have ears and open minds with which to listen, comprehend and act…


    Otherwise… close down all forums for critical debate, and bury our heads in sand.

  4. #54

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Quote Originally Posted by BrianShaw View Post
    Since when is being tardy or having a few typos considered to be mail fraud?

    Quote "Those who come to great defense of View Camera should realize that those who criticize it are not doing it lightly. There are very genuine criticisms of this magazine and you hear exactly the same stories from different people all over the world.

    I subscribed about five years ago from Australia. I also subscribe to B&W, Black and White, Silverprint, and now Color. All come from overseas and I have no problems with delivery whatsoever. Every one is delivered on time. They are all very professional in their layout and each gives me a different perspective of photography.

    I subscribed to View Camera about five years ago. I paid for a 2-year subscription. Their freight was very expensive to Australia - as much as the magazine itself. View Camera assured me that I was getting "first class" freight and so it would be delivered very quickly. Well you can all guess the story. Not one single issue ever arrived - not one. In every case I waited 3 to 4 months after publication date to enquire where my issue was. In many cases my emails were never answered. In one case I got an email from a lady in the office who asked me "who do you think you are" and accused me of being "rude". All I was doing was asking for my rightful copy. So much for their first class freight.

    I believe the criticisms are well founded and in many cases and valid."

    Tardy???? this is just the latest example of this same behavior that I have observed based upon the experiences of subscribers over the last several years.

  5. #55

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    OK. Thanks for repeating an earlier post; I somehow skipped over it. Interesting point, but the conclusion you reach seems a bit extreme... but that's me. Good luck to you and your mates if you seek class-action or mail-fraud claims.

  6. #56

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    I personally wish I had read a thread such as this before I subscribed last year for a two year subscription and have only received one copy of the magazine to date. And that was after having to contact them and have them "send out another". That was the one and only copy I received. I should not have to feel like I need to babysit a publisher to send out magazines that never show up. Delays I can deal with... but no product after it has been paid for? So for me at least, it was wasted money and I feel cheated. And apparently I am not the only one.

    Honestly I wish they could support there paying customers properly. As a large format magazine that delivers is a good thing for us in the large format community. Problem is... they just can't deliver the goods. And if you cannot deliver a product promised, I don't see how one can stay in business.
    Søren

    "I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by." -Douglas Adams-

  7. #57

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Quote Originally Posted by Gem Singer View Post
    I find it amazing that every time Steve Simmons' name is mentioned on this forum, and a comment is made about View Camera Magazine, it seems to set off a diatribe regarding the integrity of the man and the quality and value of his publication.

    Nobody is forcing others to read or approve of View Camera. It's as simple as this, if you don't like it, don't subscribe and don't read it. I happen to be a long time subscriber.

    As I said in the past, I would miss View camera if it was no longer being published.
    I too am a long time subscriber to VC. Having worked in the publishing industry for many years, I realize the pitfalls of trying to run a publishing business on a shoe string—content suffers (poor editing and design); quality suffers (though I haven't really seen this in VC); deliverables suffer (as is so prominent a fact in this thread); and the business as a whole suffers (solvency issues, payment of creditors which includes contributors, customer servicing issues). But I don't really know if SS is doing this as a business first and a labor of love second, or the other way around. I have a feeling it's the other way around because as a publishing business model I can readily tell it's not operated optimally. When I read my copies of LensWork or B&W I can tell that despite these titles being first a labor of love, both of these publishers realize the need for it to be run on an optimized business process in order for them to continue their labors of love. But not every one in business acts the same, and in our free marketplace we are able to choose which business to support of which ones not to support.

    Despite that shortcomings of VC, I find the collection of articles and images to my liking, and have not found another magazine that fills its particular niche. I'm sure the knowledge assembled in Simmons' publication could be garnered from other sources, but 1) I like print and 2) as mentioned, find that the collection of articles and other content of the magazine fill my needs. As such I will continue to subscribe, and I too would miss VC if it was no longer published.

    My dos centavos...

    BVS

  8. #58

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    To all those who think no one should not air their criticisms of VC publicly.
    Welcome to the internet. Welcome to the land of forums. Welcome to free speech.
    Be a slave to technology, or shoot film.
    www.abriefvisionoftime.com
    www.photorepair.com.au

  9. #59

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Agreed. IMHO criticism of View Camera by subscribers and by contributors is entirely appropriate and relevant to the LF forum.

    However, I would be interested to know if the lack of response to the comments in this thread by Steve Simmons is because he has chosen not to respond, or because he can not respond? Someone suggested earlier he has been banned.

    Sandy King




    Quote Originally Posted by Anthony Lewis View Post
    To all those who think no one should not air their criticisms of VC publicly.
    Welcome to the internet. Welcome to the land of forums. Welcome to free speech.

  10. #60

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    Re: The Latest View Camera Issue (March/April)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sal Santamaura View Post
    I don't think he can respond on this forum. Here's a single post (selected at random) of Steve's:

    http://www.largeformatphotography.in...65&postcount=1

    If one clicks on his name, no options to contact him via email or PM are presented. I suspect this means he's been banned. Don't know whether it's temporary or permanent.
    I thought I heard he was banned last summer some time. Perhaps the moderators could at least confirm this so people can understand why no replies have been made on Simmon's part.

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