Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ian · 3rd August 2018, 02:34 AM

Gentlemen:

This has been a very interesting and wide ranging discussion that Thomas' weapon has generated. I fear, however, that this thread has strayed somewhat from the object of discussion, and into areas of speculation about the structure and aims of this forum.

The goals and objectives of the Ethnographic Forum have been presented on this site by Dr Lee Jones, and in my opinion Thomas' creation fits into the broad themes described for this forum--a view that I think has been expressed by Robert (the Lead Moderator of this forum).

The ideas expressed here about additional Forums are indeed interesting. It should be pointed out, however, that these pages are funded and maintained by Dr Jones, and are not without a considerable time commitment and cost for him. Some of what has been suggested would require additional resources. Furthermore, part of the success of this site has been, I believe, the conscious effort to not be "all things to all people." There are other sites that have attempted to do that, and some of those bit off more than they could chew and are essentially defunct.

There have been new pieces added over the years to this site. The Keris Warung Kopi (Keris Coffee Shop) was added in part to address the need for an English language site for serious discussion of the keris. The European Armory expanded on an early focus on Viking swords to include discussion of a much wider range of weapons and European cultures.

What this forum excels at, and I think its major strength, is its focus on key areas of edged weapons collecting and discussion. It has attracted experienced collectors, scholars, and ethnographic experts to its pages, people who would not necessarily participate in other online forums. Many, many more people visit the site than are registered members. Again, I think this reflects its appeal to serious collectors as well as those new to the field. If you are looking for bayonets, modern blade makers, contemporary or fantasy blades, then other sites probably address your areas of edged weapons collecting more completely.

These are my personal thoughts based on 20 years of participating in this site.

Ian.

3rd August 2018, 02:34 AM	#34
Ian Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: The Aussie Bush Posts: 4,023	Some personal observations about this topic Gentlemen: This has been a very interesting and wide ranging discussion that Thomas' weapon has generated. I fear, however, that this thread has strayed somewhat from the object of discussion, and into areas of speculation about the structure and aims of this forum. The goals and objectives of the Ethnographic Forum have been presented on this site by Dr Lee Jones, and in my opinion Thomas' creation fits into the broad themes described for this forum--a view that I think has been expressed by Robert (the Lead Moderator of this forum). The ideas expressed here about additional Forums are indeed interesting. It should be pointed out, however, that these pages are funded and maintained by Dr Jones, and are not without a considerable time commitment and cost for him. Some of what has been suggested would require additional resources. Furthermore, part of the success of this site has been, I believe, the conscious effort to not be "all things to all people." There are other sites that have attempted to do that, and some of those bit off more than they could chew and are essentially defunct. There have been new pieces added over the years to this site. The Keris Warung Kopi (Keris Coffee Shop) was added in part to address the need for an English language site for serious discussion of the keris. The European Armory expanded on an early focus on Viking swords to include discussion of a much wider range of weapons and European cultures. What this forum excels at, and I think its major strength, is its focus on key areas of edged weapons collecting and discussion. It has attracted experienced collectors, scholars, and ethnographic experts to its pages, people who would not necessarily participate in other online forums. Many, many more people visit the site than are registered members. Again, I think this reflects its appeal to serious collectors as well as those new to the field. If you are looking for bayonets, modern blade makers, contemporary or fantasy blades, then other sites probably address your areas of edged weapons collecting more completely. These are my personal thoughts based on 20 years of participating in this site. Ian.