Forum numbers

**aurelius180** · 01-10-2014, 02:52 AM

I've been a member of the forum for a couple years now and don't post too often because I don't have the experience and knowledge to pass on yet. But I have learned a TON in the last year since I became serious about collecting and have felt the $25/year membership is a pittance compared to the amount of information available.

I'd like to thank Ade, SteveR, Bob Coleman, Carl99, Woolgar, ObKrieger and many others for their help along the way.

I'm looking forward to posting my new war room in the coming weeks.

**Greenhorn** · 01-10-2014, 03:26 AM

Would be nice if a $.25C charge per "is it fake" thread was mandatory. Ade would have a for-profit forum

It's quite simple for me.....my pile of fakes could have paid for 20 years of membership. I didn't know fakes existed util I found this site. So now I re-up and make additional donations during the year. That is my penance to the forum for the savings.

Mark

**TrondK** · 01-10-2014, 04:04 AM

No money= No photos.....

**DougB** · 01-10-2014, 06:42 AM

by TrondK

No money= No photos.....

For me join the forum or you see nothing. Costs nothing to join. What exactly is there to lose? I've never understood "guest". Should be changed to freeloader.

As for the guy who has the reverse runic decal, I've already had one dealer approach me to see if it's authentic. So what does that tell you? A member here made the owner a very very fair offer. I sincerely hope the member here gets the helmet.(no it's not me) I was ecstatic to hear the owner was a collector but I hope as the forum here helped him he returns the favor by working with the member so he gets it with his more than fair offer vs consigning it to a dealer. That would really piss me off.

**TrondK** · 01-10-2014, 12:43 PM

So remove the photos for the Freeloaders/Nonregistered. Should be quite easy for you guys that are Mods, i guess you are working closely together trying to hearding us Cats.

**aurelius180** · 01-10-2014, 01:19 PM

It's not just the high volume of information available but also the ready and searchable access to it which makes this site so valuable. This amount of information isn't available in all of the published books on this topic and even then would cost thousands to assemble.

This site also provides the ability to confirm or deny authenticity of items to a high degree of probability. The healthy debate between forum member this exercise sometimes brings out can be even more informative.

If lurkers can't even be bothered to register they shouldn't be privy to all of the available features.

Just my two cents.

**Mark K** · 01-10-2014, 01:19 PM

After reading this thread again this morning I realize that it has drifted so far away from what Ben had originally posted perhaps we should try and get back on track with it.
So how does one entice more of are guests to be come active members and post here. They are visiting the forum for a reason they are either trying to do there own research and or have an interest in military history .
The last thing we want to do is make there visit here unpleasant .
I do not know what the answer is but it is worthy of further discussion .

Regards Mark K

**geelong** · 01-10-2014, 01:29 PM

by kozowy1967

After reading this thread again this morning I realize that it has drifted so far away from what Ben had originally posted perhaps we should try and get back on track with it.
So how does one entice more of are guests to be come active members and post here. They are visiting the forum for a reason they are either trying to do there own research and or have an interest in military history .
The last thing we want to do is make there visit here unpleasant .
I do not know what the answer is but it is worthy of further discussion .

Regards Mark K

you are right mark. and i would like to ask will the fact that if this forum dose not get more memebrs will this see a decline or a end this.

**ruddersrangers44** · 01-10-2014, 01:30 PM

Well done Mark

,I think this has been simmering beneath the surface for a long time,but there is such a vast grey area that really there is no straight solution to resolving it,if non-members that are registered members were forced to pay then we might well loose a vast section of collectors and with them there knowledge and collections,as for the newbie who just pops in like twice a year to say "what is it" and "how much"well we all have a choice whether to respond or not, all down to the individual.............my 2 cents........

**Gunny Hartmann** · 01-10-2014, 02:06 PM

by Jerry B

Bad news mate, but at least you are a registered member even if not paying the fee at this time and hopefully you will be back in work before too long. And when you had the money you paid the fee.

It is the numbers of guests that seems odd to me, as it is free to join and post and only those with the money and desire need to join, though obviously the more that pay the fee then aid the running of the forum which is a surprising amount of money every month.

Each to their own I suppose but it would be good if more of the guests became members and some of the long time members paid the fee if they can afford it, especially those who are active collectors, which not all are or are doing it on a very tight budget, but if your posting high cost items you should really search your conscience and pay the fee.

Perhaps it might be time to stop answering requests about the more exotic items from non payers? Though I know that goes against the ethos behind the founding of this forum, but some selective responding might be appropriate. Oh well, just thinking out loud.

First of all this has been a great thread, i've really got to agree with your last paragraph Jerry as that is something that gets under my skin, along with the fact that half of the time we don't even get a simple thank you.
I know first hand how much a forum like this can cost as i used to run a tattoo website, with the amount of photos and quotes being posted it certainly aint peanuts. I understand fully that some people who are down on their luck can struggle to pay the gold club membership as i've been there myself

what i can't get my head around are the non paying folks who about to buy a quite expensive item and want it authenticating, two words "pay up"!...
Am i to understand somebody has paid the gold club membership for Ian? who ever you are i take my hat off to you!...(well i would if i was wearing one)

It's been said before that the help and info you get here is well worth the membership fee!..