I feel I have to chime in here, first to say that I agree wholeheartedly
with Brian's comments about this list, its nature, and its purpose. My
perspective is pure and possibly useful, given that I'm an Olympus
newbie, though certainly not to such groups as this, nor to cameras and
photography.
First off, I have to say -- with gratitude -- that I've been welcomed
here in a way that no other discussion group or users' group has even
come close to approximating. I've seen camaraderie on other lists, of
course, but it's been exclusive, or perhaps excluding. Here, and right
off the bat, I felt part of the mix even though nobody has seen one
frame I've shot or heard my opinion on anything at all. I see real
friendship here.
My AOL challenge was solved within days of joining the list, for
example, even though it must have been an issue on a couple of other
lists for quite a while. Precisely because you Oly folks had the
courtesy to care.
I also see on this list real intelligence, and certainly tons of Olympus
expertise. I'm so new to Olympus lore that I don't even know the
questions to ask, but I have perfect faith that any query I might pose
will be answered 10 times. And not by the would-be experts who seem to
populate some other lists and groups but who actually get it wrong as
often as not.
The intelligence comes out in the OT stuff as well, of course, and I
don't mind it a bit. As Brian says, it reveals the whole. I don't just
want to know Jimmy Somebody in terms of Olympus; I want to know him at
large. I want a context in which to place what he says. Sure, OT stuff
can get out of hand, but I find it entertaining here more often than not.
For Oly veterans, there can't be much left to learn, but there are
presumably others like me -- and lurkers by the dozen -- who have much
to absorb. We need your experience.
I love the TOPE, by the way, having discovered it a couple of weeks ago.
Not entirely sure how it works yet -- some kind of time frame attached
to submissions? -- but I'll take part in it as soon as my scanner is up
and running. And as soon as I have anything useful out of my new OM1.
There are some very fine pictures in there, IMHO.
Work beckons, so I'll leave it at this: from my point of view, nothing
has to change at all on this list (except maybe more adroit snipping).
My new-found love of Olympus tools has already been supported and
enhanced, so I'm a happy camper.
Rolf Lockwood, freezing in Toronto
Brian Swale wrote on 1/6/2004, 12:25 PM:
much snipping...
> I like the back-chat and the revealing of other interests. It has
> helped me get
> to know many of us, also through off-list letters. I have enjoyed
> meeting list-
> members visiting my home city, and clearly many of you have enjoyed group
> meetings in Germany, Australia, UK, USA and where-else I do not know.
> Rightly or wrongly, I feel I now have a group of friends all over the
> world
> whose friendship I value and which matters to me.
>
> The exhibitions and sometimes exchanges (eg TOPE, Bob Gries' summer
> and winter solstice exchanges), and people putting up web-sites for group
> viewing and comment all add to this feeling of community.
>
> I know my interest in my OMs ( I once had two) has grown and been
> maintained enormously as a result of being here, and I like to think I
> have
> developed improved photography skills as a result also. Not to mention
> the
> enabling !!
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