View Camera Forum

[David A. Goldfarb]

There's just not much that the VC forum offers that isn't satisfied over here. Most of the participants there are already here.

f32.net has a bit of a different crowd, being UK based. There are a few people who are more active there than here or APUG, so it's worth checking out. Barbara Lowry from Cooke Optics usually monitors that forum. More of the activity over there is in the photo critique section, which I don't follow too closely, but they do have a Travelling (UK spelling) Exhibition, like the APUG Traveling (US spelling) Portfolio, but it's in a tube to accommodate bigger prints, and has more digital output, which one doesn't see as much of in the APUG portfolio (occasionally, though).

[Michael Kadillak]

Without a thing called critical mass - ie. a huge audience of knowledgable and contributing participants, it simply becomes ineffective as the demand is already being sequestered by what is already in place. The amount of activity on this and the other standards took time to get to this level and I have been more than pleased at the knowledge base and the willingness to share it with others.

Unless the VCF can differentiate itself in some capacity making it deserving of participants time and effort I feel that it will continue in its rather passive role. Not good or bad, just what it is.

Cheers!

[steve simmons]

Here is what youget on the VC forum

a direct link to the publisher and a chance to comment on the contents of the magazine

the opportunity to participate on a forum that is moderated enough that abusive and off topic posts will not be tolerated. This has not been a problem here for awhile but was a few months ago.

Also the lf forum on aol periodically has long threads of abusive and off topic posts.

steve simmons
www.viewcamera.com

[Doug Dolde]

I think its a case of too many forums. I'd rather just read this one and sometimes photo.net. There is more power in consolating as you get more info in one place.

[Kirk Gittings]

Steve,

It may be a case of too many forums, but I had and still have hopes that the VC forum will take off. I think of as having a slightly different role, more like the Imaging Revue forum but without the fee. I'll share my ideas with you next time we get together.

[bill proud]

I recently signed up on VC's forum and made a few comments but nobodys home. They have a nice little viewer counter system and it usually indicated there was only one in-duh-vidual on the site.

It was like pinging into the universe looking for signs of other intelligent life forms.

thank you for reading,

[Robert C. McColloch]

Yes, too many forums. I strictly stick to Large Format Forum and APUG - and, occaisionally PhotoNet). View Camera forum is a "a day late and a dollar short" .

The forum aside, I think View Camera would be better advised to make its web entry more user friendly (e.g., forget the need to for subscribers to be required to enter a subscribion number EACH MONTH - or, at least paste he address lable on the back cover - but these suggestions have been repeatedly rejected).

On the other hand, inflexibility (noted above) probably has an effect on the number of photographers that might decide to explore View Camera forum.

[Brian Ellis]

Time is limited. So I go where there is the most knowledge and the most participation. That's here. I also go to photo.net. I don't go anywhere else, not enough time and who cares about a bunch of other forums all dealing with exactly the same thing by mostly the same people?

[steve simmons]

(e.g., forget the need to for subscribers to be required to enter a subscribion number EACH MONTH - or, at least paste he address lable on the back cover - but these suggestions have been repeatedly rejected>>>>>

The only place on the web site that requires a user id and password is th supplemental section for the subscribers. The Free Articls andthe Forum DO NOT require any user id or password.

steve simmons

[Michael Kadillak]

The justification of participating in a non-abusive forum or one that is "moderated" does not ring true with me. Without an open venue, what is the point?

Takes two or more knuckleheads for this situation to occur. Entire reputations feel a false need to get in the last word at any cost, and the saga just continues.......for what?

Lets you see what someone is really all about. I guess the old saying of keeping you mouth shut and let people think what they chose about you as opposed to opening it again and again and removing all doubt is a hard thing to do at times.

I have always felt that if you do not have something positive or productive to add to the mix, abstain. Cheers!