Although this forum is more international than the Coleman forum there seems to be decidedly less activity in terms of posts and discussions and members online. Seems to me a certainly liveliness is missing even though the hobbyists here are serious about their past time. Why is that?
@Hanzo I have thought about this from time to time. Here are two possible factors: 1. The Coleman Collectors Forum already has a significant "market share" in terms of the subject(s) it covers, and the fact it is US-based. 2. There are fewer members of CPL than CCF (although the numbers are growing). I much prefer the structure of CPL to CCS (I am on both forums, but more active here); and I find CPL is much easier to navigate. I was going to ask Ross whether it was possible to dig out some statistics, but given his extensive efforts in recent months to get this ship back into shape (and making it even better to use), I thought I'd wait a while and not bother him. As an aside, there seems to be a growing Southern Hemisphere presence here at CPL. Cheers Tony
I know what your saying Hanzo ! You have a good point But here we some serious collectors, experienced fettlers, finest engineers and the most knowledgable lampies around ! IMHO anyway Yep it's quiet but here I'll remain, Do I sound biased
It is quiet here, especially lately - there are usually more 'bots' here than members and visitors combined...
Well, I purchased a new Anchor lantern ($36.00) to fiddle with, I'm new to the pressure lantern game, looks to be fun!
Hello @Tony Press I am very interested in your opinions regarding the navigation of CPL compared to CCS. CPL's initial structure was based on the structure of CCS. But because CPL was a new set of forums with a 'clean slate', invited 'Founder Members' decided on the format of CPL. I read everything on both sites every day and I find very little difference. But perhaps I am too close to the running of the sites. I probably can not see the wood for the trees. Nothing to do with the two sites is written on tablets of stone. I would love to hear your suggestions for improvements and also suggestions from other members. For those who do not recognise me, I am part of the administration of CCS. Trevor
@shagratork I am an idiot!!! I meant "I much prefer the structure of CPL (and CCS) to CCF"! I obviously did not proof read my contribution. Apologies for the confusion. Tony
@Tony Press Thank you for clarifying! However, the invite is still there for anyone who has suggestions to improve CPL and CCS.
I think the forum needs more active moderation by either founder members or appointed mods. Mods can stimulate activity by starting discussions or keeping existing ones going . Members or visitors need something to talk about and become involved in and mods can provide it for a time to get the ball rolling until members get in the habit of hanging out in forum for long periods. I think if visitors feel invited into the hobby by the forum and excited by a very active forum they are more likely to become members and daily visitors. I think this site has a higher percentage of advanced hobbyists as members than the Coleman forum, a blessing but sometimes its off putting to main stream visitors because experienced hands can forget even one very pedestrian lantern is exciting to a main stream person and they have to be encouraged without patronization if they are to be put on the road to addiction.
@Hanzo I think the Moderators here and at CCS do a great job - but you do have a point about Members (not necessarily the Moderators) encouraging new visitors to feel welcome. There are a number of folk here who do that but it's more common over at CCS (but that could also be a reflection on the number of members being greater at CCS). Your point is taken, and I'll attempt to play my part. Best regards Tony
@Tony Press . Strange I understood it the way you meant it about CCF and CPL. Had to go back and look where the error was.
. Strange I understood it the way you meant it about CCF and CPL. Had to go back and look where the error was.[/QUOTE] Andrew. I understood it the same as you with the ccf. I like any discussion myself, regardless of format.
@dwillie I like the ebb and flow of discussion on all the forums. But I do find the structure of CCS and CPL easier to get around when trying to research something, especially the a reference areas. Cheers Tony
That is exactly right. Otherwise, why would you bother trying to contribute? Firstly, I don't expect to be taken seriously, I expect that most will think this is a sour grapes type post. It's not, sour grapes, just honesty. There is a certain Founder Member that likes nothing better than taking pot shots at new forum members - old forum members for that matter too. What that Founder member either doesn't get or doesn't care is, anyone wishing to start a topic are very hesitant as they don't wish to be in the cross hairs and feel they are being made a fool of. They have seen others in the cross hairs and seen how unpleasant it is for the poor soul. I've said to the powers that be for years, that that sort of behaviour has got to stop. Well the behaviour has stopped - as no one is posting. It is not fun been made a fool of on a public forum. (Yes I know, I don't need anyone's help to make a fool of myself...) This isn't about me. It's about what I have seen being done to members time and time again. The problem goes deeper than the certain Founder Member. I suspect there would be no point of me going any further as like I said, I don't expect to be taken seriously. Abused yes, taken seriously, no.
I like CPL. Being ridiculed (or corrected or bullied) can be a cause of people not posting. But CPL is not that bad, in my experience. The basic problem over posting, it seems to me, is that there is little new to add. The team, and others, have done a very good job (too good?) in establishing a comprehensive database. People have been generous in posting printed matter too; at one time - a few years' back - even a scanned copy of a rare document was jealously guarded by some. As a middle-ranking collector, my interest lies in British lamps (no offence intended) and whilst it would be interesting to learn new info or see previously unseen versions, it isn't going to happen very often. The Tilley CL72 and early TL10 that emerged recently are not the first we have seen - but they are unusual and encourage me to think that I might find one! There is a steady trickle of new entrants with well-worn questions which should be welcomed with good grace even if a very quick search would have found the answer rapidly. Our Leading Expert is very patient in this direction - and sets an example to us all. What this site lacks, compared with some, is traffic in the open forum. But that is a mixed blessing because all to often it leads to unpleasantness about non-lamp issues, which it shouldn't of course. So I don't have a solution - other than perhaps to encourage posts even if the subject matter is not truly novel.
Well this post started by Hanzo appears to be getting plenty of responses why is this ??? everyone has a opinion and could post it here with no risk of being made fun of so thats good so all could input but few will tho its more than on normal post. i drop in on the site most days but seldom post which is something i intend to correct after reading some of the comments above. I seldom answer any post like my lamp wont light, runs bad and so on there are many on here that well know how to do this, i have seen lots of lamps over the years and seldom get excited over some of the stuff posted here, but do sometimes and its a pleasure to see it even if i will never own one the same, i realise i am fortunate to have what i have but dont need everything do i. I dont buy much these days good rare lamps cost a lot even common stuff has big prices on the ebay site. i wish there was more posting about none lamp stuff some more joking and messing about it all does not need to be so serious all the time does it cheers pete
I know I have said this before but there are no stupid questions there are only questions. OK so some are from folk who are new to the game and have difficulty with searches because they may not know the names of the parts. So if you don't know then you have to ask. Might be the hundreth time of asking but Mr Newcomer doesn't know that so the question warrants a civil and informative reply. Also in a forum such as this you need to be careful what you write. Something that might be accepted as said in jest when face to face can come accross as an insult or patronising in writing. You can't see the smile or other body language here nor can you hear nuances of inflexion. Learnt this the hard way down the years. So there should be a protocol of polite replies and that particularly applies when pointing out mistakes or criticising a post. So keep it civil and answer the questions. Not hard to do surely? ::Neil::
I have approached this thread as an onlooker. I read all posts every day but contribute little because I am a stovie (I have only about 20 common lanterns). The observant will have noticed that I was a Founder Member when this site was being set up. Some of you will understand why I was involved. I would like to make few observations. * Members should be able to disagree with others. That is the natural state in a debate. * What should never be allowed is personal attacks or abuse directed against an individual. * The lifeblood of a forum is the interest generated by new topics. * New members should be welcomed with open arms and their often trivial questions should receive lots of helpful answers. * There are many lanterns owned by members which have not been published. * Most members use CPL as an information resource. I know that there is masses of paperwork possessed by members that is not published in the CPL library. * I do not agree with the stance of, "I paid lots of money for that document so I will not let anyone see it." Matty, you seem to have particular grievances. I hope you have felt welcomed and valued on CCS. I do not tolerate bullying. But I would also ask you to re-consider things that have been said here on CPL and realise that they are often not personal, but things that are met with irony or sarcasm. Neil (Mackburner), I find your comments above absolutely spot-on! Trevor
Trevor, No not at all, what I posted is not in regards to any injustice I feel, may or may not ,have been done to me personally over the years. As Stated, this is NOT about ME or anything involving me. Trevor, as you know I don't normally visit CPL anymore. It was happenstance that I came across this topic. One of my old topics has been revived and I stopped by to offer assistance, if I could, to the poster and saw this new topic. I'm not here to cause trouble nor do I have an agenda. I'm simply offering an honest opinion in the hope it will be viewed and considered for the overall good of CPL. As on any forum things can be taken the wrong way, things said and come across entirely different to how one meant it to come across. That is normal and understandable. We all have bad days and possibly say things we regret later. I understand that as I'm sure everyone else does. What I'm talking about is, a particular Founder Member using CPL as his play ground with he being the school bully, sitting in his home, laughing himself silly, having a great old time at the expense of others, often new members. A few of his mates often thought it was funny stuff too. Being a Founder Member of a forum comes with responsibility. Any barbs or darts thrown at a new member, or any member, by a Founder Member has added emphasis. It is demoralising whenever barbs or darts are thrown at you but when you see it is by a Founder Member it must be so intimidating and humiliating that one would feel it's best to never post again, especially if you are new to the site. Of course, any lurkers thinking of posting would feel the same way. Of course, there are other theories why the forum is slow, like the time of the year etc. Yes, perhaps that does play a part in the site being slow, it does not account for the most part of it. I'm not saying my theory can account for nearly everything either. Still, it will be a massive mistake to continually overlook a serious embedded problem and remind certain people that CPL is not their personal playground, it is here for everyone to enjoy and use equally without needing to look over their shoulders. Trevor, consider what I am saying from the viewpoint you took, as an outsider. I've always considered CPL as a great resource and wish only the best for the site from here and into the future. So many people have put time and effort into the site to make it potentially a great site. A few, and one in particular has undone most of their good work and continuing to sweep the behaviour under the carpet or pretend it doesn't happen is a mistake. *Of course, the behaviour isn't noticeable now nor for the past many months because the forum has been very quiet. When the forum was humming, a splendid time was had by certain people including the particular Founder Member. What they sowed is being reaped now.
Hi to all, Frank here,i have been a member here for some years,i have not posted in a about two years, and that for some reasons expressed, i think this is a great site with good people, loads of info to help from info on the site and the people here. Any without sin cast the first stone, i mean by that, we all make mistakes in life and with the tongue, trouble is, most times we expect more from others than we do of ouselves in giving others some slack for the same or similar mistakes we to make. Remember the song Glen Campbell sung, try a little kindness, cheers Frank
Possibly they're too serious about their pastime. I remember when someone posted a thread entitled 'The Magic Fridge' in the Lounge section of Be-Back-Later about three days after it opened. It was a Carlsberg advert if I remember correctly. The resulting furore nearly killed off BBL before it had barely got off the ground - Admin and certain Mods weren't happy because it got more hits than the rest of the site. Stovies (and Brits) seem a far more relaxed bunch if you ask me...
Yes I think you are right. My acid test for any hobby is that it put a smile on my face, provide a good laugh. I do believe hobbyists of all sorts sabotage the enjoyment of a hobby by anxiety, obsession and over seriousness about what are trivialities to most but an article of faith to them . I appreciate here though that members want accurate information and are serious about establishing it and debating to arrive at the truth for the good . But too humor can mask intolerance and aggressiveness. When I am " only kidding " with my wife she'll point out, "No my friend, you aren't kidding , I hear what you really saying". lol
I love the history ,science,mechanics and incredible knowledge on this site, yet ultimately i am here because i enjoy this hobby.hobbies should be fun.we are playing with fire like little kids afterall....lets not make this like work. I too have felt the wrath of a particular senior member yielding his knowledge in a condescending way..at least that's how It made me feel.My advice is that we all were newbies at one time..try putting yourself in someone else's shoes and lighten up a bit!! I have been away a bit so I apologize for adding my 2 cents worth a little late.
Hi, I am relatively new to this forum and no doubt I have asked noddy questions that have been asked before but, as indicated above, I either don't know the part numbers or I cannot find the information in the search engine or on you tube etc. For example, my last post was to do with the proces of polishing a tank from a Tilley X246, as I could not find the info elsewhere. I had to strip the paint off it, as it was in such a state and I see nice pics on here of lovely polished lamps but I have no idea of how to get to that state hence the question. For a few years I have acquired the odd Tilley, vapalux's and a petromax or two because I like them but it is only now that I am learning how to service them etc (the other half got a bit tired of them not working while we were away camping!). From an antique shop the other weekend I picked up a lamp that I had never heard of that I am struggling to find information on - a King Seeley, which according to the stamp on the base is '1963 US Macomb Plant, Thermos Division, King-Seeley,Macomb, Illinois. I've no idea if this is a common lamp or a rare one. I need glass for it but no idea where to find it! For what it is worth, any time that I have asked a question I have received a polite, informative response, which I greatly appreciate!
