What would forum members like to discuss or see changed?

[BenVK]

This is your chance to list what you want to see discussed.

Would you like more details of how to spot fakes?

Would you like more information about the history and evolution of particlular styles of German caps?

Are the collectors with experience being too vague, too arrogant, too patronising and you don't understand?

Anything goes really, I truly want to make this a better forum for all so let's hear your thoughts and opinions!

[CARL]

Excellent thread idea Ben. I believe that many worthwhile suggestions will be made. At the moment, nothing really springs to mind, but I am sure that I will suggest something later. What I would do, is say a big thanks to all the moderators and administrators, for doing such an excellent job, and helping to make this forum so good.

One thing that I could mention, is Adrian's highlighting method, that he so often uses to point out flaws or things to look out for. This is something that I would like to see more of, as it clearly defines the details and finer points to those who may, or may not have seen them previously.

Regards,

Carl

p.s. A paperwork section in the classifieds area would be a good idea too.

[Adrian]

From experience in the TR Decorations forum it would be too easy to dismiss new collectors and not answer their basic questions. If that happened no-one would learn anything. Posting photo after photo of genuine awards and decorations is fine but completely useless to those who don't know what to look for or understand the concept of what you're trying to tell them.
Posting photos and giving details, comparisons and explanations is what new guys (and old) need to encourage and develop understanding. Even the longer serving collectors benefit from this as the chances are, they learn something new as well.
Link to previous threads that cover similar subjects, encourage the new guy to use the search button but don't look down upon them if they have a quest for knowledge. Not everyone knows where to start to find the answer to a particular query.
Also worth bearing in mind is that not everyone who visits the forum has English as their first language so clear, easy to understand explanations of points is also welcome.

As a more frequent visitor to the Cloth Headgear forum and trying to learn a bit I would answer yes to all three questions above.
I would also add another question: Would you like more details of how to spot originals? Again, my answer would be 'yes'.

[ObKrieger]

I think it would be great if we had a complete series of stickied threads in each section that went into detail about the items involved. For example, in the Third Reich awards forum, we could have stickies about each of the awards. One of them could be a minensuch kriegsabzeichen thread, for example, and it could go into detail about each of the variants, complete with photos. If we did this with every section of the forum, and if we kept it all in the same format, then we could have a massive, clear, concise database of everything a guy could collect. I have always wished we would have had this kind of thing from the beginning. It would be easy, too. If everyone did a little bit to build it, then it would be a one-stop place for new collectors to learn.

It seems that our only problem is that new collectors are coming and asking the same repetitive questions. Those threads then get mixed in with the good, informative ones, and searching becomes a hassle. When I search the forums I often have a hard time finding answers to some of my very specific questions. I just think we should organize a bit better.

Just my two cents!

Mo

[ObKrieger]

I would also add another question: Would you like more details of how to spot originals? Again, my answer would be 'yes'.

I agree.

[Adrian]

I think it would be great if we had a complete series of stickied threads in each section that went into detail about the items involved. For example, in the Third Reich awards forum, we could have stickies about each of the awards. One of them could be a minensuch kriegsabzeichen thread, for example, and it could go into detail about each of the variants, complete with photos. If we did this with every section of the forum, and if we kept it all in the same format, then we could have a massive, clear, concise database of everything a guy could collect. I have always wished we would have had this kind of thing from the beginning. It would be easy, too. If everyone did a little bit to build it, then it would be a one-stop place for new collectors to learn.

It seems that our only problem is that new collectors are coming and asking the same repetitive questions. Those threads then get mixed in with the good, informative ones, and searching becomes a hassle. When I search the forums I often have a hard time finding answers to some of my very specific questions. I just think we should organize a bit better.

Just my two cents!

Mo

Having a pinned thread for every single item would be impossible Mo. Take a look through the 'Use of german Terminology' thread for example and count the awards I listed there! I bet there would be over twenty pages of pinned threads!
I try to collate all the informative threads into the single 'Useful Reference Threads' thread to overcome the need for pages of pinned ones.
I personally don't have a problem answering the same question several times, why not? Everyone has to start somewhere and has a question to ask. It's arrogant to look down on new collectors and dismiss them if they ask a newbie question. Step up, answer them, point them in the right direction. Not everyone is au fait with using forums and interacting with other members, help them out and think about if you were in their shoes. There are other forums which have an 'old boys' club, act very cliquey amongst themselves and are very unwelcoming, I would like to think this forum is different and everyone can help another member equally, regardless of perceived status.

[ObKrieger]

Having a pinned thread for every single item would be impossible Mo. Take a look through the 'Use of german Terminology' thread for example and count the awards I listed there! I bet there would be over twenty pages of pinned threads!
I try to collate all the informative threads into the single 'Useful Reference Threads' thread to overcome the need for pages of pinned ones.
I personally don't have a problem answering the same question several times, why not? Everyone has to start somewhere and has a question to ask. It's arrogant to look down on new collectors and dismiss them if they ask a newbie question. Step up, answer them, point them in the right direction. Not everyone is au fait with using forums and interacting with other members, help them out and think about if you were in their shoes. There are other forums which have an 'old boys' club, act very cliquey amongst themselves and are very unwelcoming, I would like to think this forum is different and everyone can help another member equally, regardless of perceived status.

I personally have no problem answering those kinds of questions, but like I said the fact that they get mixed in with the better threads kind of annoys me. It makes searching difficult. I agree that this is a welcoming forum and that we should keep it as such. I also see no problem with having a few pages of pinned threads. The more the merrier!

[Wagriff]

One thing that I've seen on other collecting sites is a photographic reference section. It would be enormous, of course, and undoubtedly never totally finished, but each time a genuine badge or item is added to it-with detailed photos of the markings, flaws, etc to look for, would be one less item needed for the section.
Another hotly discussed section could be on autographs of wartime note. It seems that every time such a thing comes up, it touches off a flood of heated debate, so a catalog of known examples and such could be of use,I would think.
Perhaps a listing of the Essential and definitive Book works on various subjects and branches. For example, is Angolia the definitive work for Kriegsmarine, etc? So often, I've seen the same questions "What book is the best for this area?"
To condense a long answer...Yes, to pretty much everything that BenVK asked. One point, however, I'll address just a wee bit deeper, though. "Are the collectors with experience being too vague, too arrogant, too patronising and you don't understand?" And, on this, I'll answer-in some cases-absolutely. Some advanced collectors here are or can be very intimidating to newer or lesser,if you will, collectors. When they also have powers to hurt rep points,to delete comments,and even ban etc, on many occasions I've seen collectors sit and bite their tongues rather than ask or debate with and take a chance on annoying or irking a "big name" here. There's a number that immediately come to mind, but suffice it to say, that this is the "chatter" on the subject I've heard . I don't know what,if anything, could be done to alleviate such a thing, but it is an issue,nonetheless to many,I've noticed.

[ObKrieger]

One thing that I've seen on other collecting sites is a photographic reference section. It would be enormous, of course, and undoubtedly never totally finished, but each time a genuine badge or item is added to it-with detailed photos of the markings, flaws, etc to look for, would be one less item needed for the section.
Another hotly discussed section could be on autographs of wartime note. It seems that every time such a thing comes up, it touches off a flood of heated debate, so a catalog of known examples and such could be of use,I would think.
Perhaps a listing of the Essential and definitive Book works on various subjects and branches. For example, is Angolia the definitive work for Kriegsmarine, etc? So often, I've seen the same questions "What book is the best for this area?"

Exactly, a quick, central reference that new and old collectors can study.

[Thanatos]

One thing that I've seen on other collecting sites is a photographic reference section. It would be enormous, of course, and undoubtedly never totally finished, but each time a genuine badge or item is added to it-with detailed photos of the markings, flaws, etc to look for, would be one less item needed for the section.
Another hotly discussed section could be on autographs of wartime note. It seems that every time such a thing comes up, it touches off a flood of heated debate, so a catalog of known examples and such could be of use,I would think.
Perhaps a listing of the Essential and definitive Book works on various subjects and branches. For example, is Angolia the definitive work for Kriegsmarine, etc? So often, I've seen the same questions "What book is the best for this area?"
To condense a long answer...Yes, to pretty much everything that BenVK asked. One point, however, I'll address just a wee bit deeper, though. "Are the collectors with experience being too vague, too arrogant, too patronising and you don't understand?" And, on this, I'll answer-in some cases-absolutely. Some advanced collectors here are or can be very intimidating to newer or lesser,if you will, collectors. When they also have powers to hurt rep points,to delete comments,and even ban etc, on many occasions I've seen collectors sit and bite their tongues rather than ask or debate with and take a chance on annoying or irking a "big name" here. There's a number that immediately come to mind, but suffice it to say, that this is the "chatter" on the subject I've heard . I don't know what,if anything, could be done to alleviate such a thing, but it is an issue,nonetheless to many,I've noticed.

The photo reference section is a great concept as to the listing of the essential and definitive book works in each field of interest.
Two top idea's there mate.