Publishing the Forum

Tim Simmons · 5th June 2006, 09:25 PM

That thought had passed my mind. Small books? East African Spears? Agree a coloured card background for pictures. All you need is a coordinator and the money, then what of the proceeds????? If any

katana · 5th June 2006, 09:37 PM

Good Idea, would need some organising.

I wondered about a weekly/bi-weekly feature, where a particular type of weapon or a geographical area where edged weapons originate is discussed. Posting examples, info, and questions. What do others think?

Rick · 5th June 2006, 10:05 PM

Well , posts are considered as copyrighted by their authors so permission would have to be gained from all members past and present who's posts were utilised .

The collation would be a nightmare .

The publication would most likely receive a thorough savaging from some
quarters .

A subject of the week ; possibly in a sub forum ; in the main forum it would stifle general discussion of many disparate weapon forms .

Jim McDougall · 6th June 2006, 03:49 AM

Well said Rick.
Emanuel, this idea has come up many times over the years, and many of the threads included outstanding research, ideas and observations that brought about some great perspective on collected weapons. There was one monster thread on a Dutch naval (VOC) sword that went on for years!!!! Anybody remember Mikey and Shaver Kool !!! Auughhh!!!!
Although much of the material here is extremely informative, trying to encapsulate lengthy discussions would be horribly difficult. We always recommend that students of these edged weapons doing research or just trying to learn about a new acquisition simply use the search resource, or simply post. We never get tired of topics and always want to get those lurking to post....bring on the questions!!!

All the best,
Jim

wolviex · 6th June 2006, 07:43 AM

Copyright is one thing. Another is to make such publish reliable, unitl you want make something for only small group of people. You should have science editor who should check all the informations to prove the author wasn't gone wrong. Please remember, we all have knowledge from very different sources. Some of them are from know or less known books, and aren't forum members authorship, but some of them are our and only our conclusions - there is a need to differ between those two and make appropriate notes. So I think that publish something from the Forum as it is, is quite impossible and dangerous for our reputation - don't get me wrong! Until we talk here everything is ok, but when you publish something even smallest error will be noticed and enhanced against us by critics.
But it would be good to gather us around some small periodic and publish some materials written as separate works by our members. Not forum texts but brand new written by exact members. Of course there is need of money, editors... etc, too, but then every author takes his responsibility for what is written, then would be a possibility to present systematic works, etc.
So the idea is brilliant but I would prefer to find other way then just gather internet texts.

In my case I used some of the thoughts from this forum on wider audience. I used mostly overall thoughts (many from know books I don't have, but quoted here) and only some of the individual conclusions, but I sent the emails to everybody involved with request of permission to do that. If someone wanted to stay in the shadow, I respected his decision.

And to be truth, I download some of the threads and I'm often returning to them refreshing my knowledge. I found this great forum very helpful so far and I always appreciate your comittment especially on my items

especially when some of the informations are just unreachable for me. So let's work further and more!!!

Best
Michal

Rivkin · 6th June 2006, 08:54 AM

First of all, I doubt that there is a single large post-2003 publication journal in most modern university libraries that is not in the electronic form, i.e. I exagarate, but electronic publishing is a standard today.

Second, it is easy to find a "real" editor - a somewhat young,overly ambitious gentleman preferrably with a history or art Ph.D., who would like to have "blah-blah,blah-blah editor" on his CV.
Plus we will probably need someone really known in the community as a chief editor?
The tough part is to find qualified reviewers. There are a lot of topics for which it is impossible to find a good reviewer. I can write a review on magnetism since I am a reviewer at the corresponding IEEE section, but I am of too poor knowledge to be a review for anything else, am not I ?

However we may opt for the usual - reviewer not being from exactly the field of the submitted article, but simply someone who is respected in the community. He will check that the article looks ok, and then it is up to the author to swim with his work

.

On the other hand, I can't honestly say that big journals are doing any better job with respect to arms and armour - they often publish extremely strange ideas.

Finding authors is also tough - I mean even if we are to publish forum's ideas someone has to catalogue it and to write an introduction. Most of the research we do is looking at the stuff we bought, reading books, books and books, interrupted by googling around - nothing wrong with that, but how to avoid publishing essentially reprints from Astvatzaturjan ?

Last, but not least - ARMA, Oakeshott institute publications, Journals of arms collecting... We have some competition here, altough it is really strange that there is no arms and armour international journal per se... May be we really need to make one.

Rick · 6th June 2006, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Well said Rick.
Emanuel, this idea has come up many times over the years, and many of the threads included outstanding research, ideas and observations that brought about some great perspective on collected weapons. There was one monster thread on a Dutch naval (VOC) sword that went on for years!!!! Anybody remember Mikey and Shaver Kool !!! Auughhh!!!!
Although much of the material here is extremely informative, trying to encapsulate lengthy discussions would be horribly difficult. We always recommend that students of these edged weapons doing research or just trying to learn about a new acquisition simply use the search resource, or simply post. We never get tired of topics and always want to get those lurking to post....bring on the questions!!!

All the best,
Jim

Shaver Cool Jim !?!

"Slowly I turned ....... "

Man , that one would just not go away .

Fellas , let's dump the idea of subforums ; as has already been stated they dilute rather than strengthen the discourse here .

As for publishing ; well it's not free ; it takes $$$$ .
Who's going to come up with that ; who's going to be the accountant and bookeeper , publisher , distributer and on ad infinitum ?

I think "mo' bettah" someone who wants to make a hard copy of info from here do all the work and finance it himself .
We are blessed to have this website that is of no cost to any member ; we are never solicited for funds.

Vikingsword is not a business by any stretch of the imagination nor does it want to be .

S.Al-Anizi · 6th June 2006, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

Good Idea, would need some organising.

I wondered about a weekly/bi-weekly feature, where a particular type of weapon or a geographical area where edged weapons originate is discussed. Posting examples, info, and questions. What do others think?

I would also support this idea, we could weekly discuss a new kind of weapon of a different culture and ethnic background, and this way, we forum members could enrich ourselves with knowledge on most weapons outside each of our interests.

Tim Simmons · 6th June 2006, 04:31 PM

Sub groups on the forum is not publishing. I think Sub groups narrow the learning process. Other forums have that.

wolviex · 6th June 2006, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Sub groups on the forum is not publishing. I think Sub groups narrow the learning process. Other forums have that.

I second that emotion. When this new board was created admins asked question about spliting that forum on few different groups, and the decision was against it.

S.Al-Anizi · 6th June 2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolviex

I second that emotion. When this new board was created admins asked question about spliting that forum on few different groups, and the decision was against it.

I do not support the idea of splitting the forum up, and creating tens of sub-forums, the reason why this forum is so succesful is that it is well administrated and moderated as it is, and no "blocs" can be created behind the scenes. As for "groups", I do support that idea, but if someone disagrees, its ok, Im not the owner of the forum you know

Emanuel · 6th June 2006, 05:19 PM

So it is too difficult and costly to assemble forum discussions into a coherent essay, hard to obtain the required authorisation and consent, and unwise to rely on non-academic and generally non-primary sources. At least the forum allows members to form their own ideas and potentially publish them.
I still like Tim's idea of a short periodical catalogue. A while ago there was a monthly calendar which presented a different weapon every time. Could that be expanded to present more information? It may remain in digital format or printed, and it wouldn't require a publisher -only a willing coordinator.
Michal raised a good point for me, how does one source/cite information from this forum? Does Vikingsword -or Dr.Lee Jones- hold copyright over the forum as well?

Regards,
Emanuel

5th June 2006, 10:05 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	Here Comes The Wet Blanket ... Well , posts are considered as copyrighted by their authors so permission would have to be gained from all members past and present who's posts were utilised . The collation would be a nightmare . The publication would most likely receive a thorough savaging from some quarters . A subject of the week ; possibly in a sub forum ; in the main forum it would stifle general discussion of many disparate weapon forms .

6th June 2006, 05:19 PM	#12
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Complicated Business this... So it is too difficult and costly to assemble forum discussions into a coherent essay, hard to obtain the required authorisation and consent, and unwise to rely on non-academic and generally non-primary sources. At least the forum allows members to form their own ideas and potentially publish them. I still like Tim's idea of a short periodical catalogue. A while ago there was a monthly calendar which presented a different weapon every time. Could that be expanded to present more information? It may remain in digital format or printed, and it wouldn't require a publisher -only a willing coordinator. Michal raised a good point for me, how does one source/cite information from this forum? Does Vikingsword -or Dr.Lee Jones- hold copyright over the forum as well? Regards, Emanuel

5th June 2006, 09:25 PM	#1
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	That thought had passed my mind. Small books? East African Spears? Agree a coloured card background for pictures. All you need is a coordinator and the money, then what of the proceeds????? If any

5th June 2006, 09:37 PM	#2
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Good Idea, would need some organising. I wondered about a weekly/bi-weekly feature, where a particular type of weapon or a geographical area where edged weapons originate is discussed. Posting examples, info, and questions. What do others think?

6th June 2006, 03:49 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,193	Well said Rick. Emanuel, this idea has come up many times over the years, and many of the threads included outstanding research, ideas and observations that brought about some great perspective on collected weapons. There was one monster thread on a Dutch naval (VOC) sword that went on for years!!!! Anybody remember Mikey and Shaver Kool !!! Auughhh!!!! Although much of the material here is extremely informative, trying to encapsulate lengthy discussions would be horribly difficult. We always recommend that students of these edged weapons doing research or just trying to learn about a new acquisition simply use the search resource, or simply post. We never get tired of topics and always want to get those lurking to post....bring on the questions!!! All the best, Jim

6th June 2006, 07:43 AM	#5
wolviex Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Poland, Krakow Posts: 418	Copyright is one thing. Another is to make such publish reliable, unitl you want make something for only small group of people. You should have science editor who should check all the informations to prove the author wasn't gone wrong. Please remember, we all have knowledge from very different sources. Some of them are from know or less known books, and aren't forum members authorship, but some of them are our and only our conclusions - there is a need to differ between those two and make appropriate notes. So I think that publish something from the Forum as it is, is quite impossible and dangerous for our reputation - don't get me wrong! Until we talk here everything is ok, but when you publish something even smallest error will be noticed and enhanced against us by critics. But it would be good to gather us around some small periodic and publish some materials written as separate works by our members. Not forum texts but brand new written by exact members. Of course there is need of money, editors... etc, too, but then every author takes his responsibility for what is written, then would be a possibility to present systematic works, etc. So the idea is brilliant but I would prefer to find other way then just gather internet texts. In my case I used some of the thoughts from this forum on wider audience. I used mostly overall thoughts (many from know books I don't have, but quoted here) and only some of the individual conclusions, but I sent the emails to everybody involved with request of permission to do that. If someone wanted to stay in the shadow, I respected his decision. And to be truth, I download some of the threads and I'm often returning to them refreshing my knowledge. I found this great forum very helpful so far and I always appreciate your comittment especially on my items especially when some of the informations are just unreachable for me. So let's work further and more!!! Best Michal

6th June 2006, 08:54 AM	#6
Rivkin Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 655	First of all, I doubt that there is a single large post-2003 publication journal in most modern university libraries that is not in the electronic form, i.e. I exagarate, but electronic publishing is a standard today. Second, it is easy to find a "real" editor - a somewhat young,overly ambitious gentleman preferrably with a history or art Ph.D., who would like to have "blah-blah,blah-blah editor" on his CV. Plus we will probably need someone really known in the community as a chief editor? The tough part is to find qualified reviewers. There are a lot of topics for which it is impossible to find a good reviewer. I can write a review on magnetism since I am a reviewer at the corresponding IEEE section, but I am of too poor knowledge to be a review for anything else, am not I ? However we may opt for the usual - reviewer not being from exactly the field of the submitted article, but simply someone who is respected in the community. He will check that the article looks ok, and then it is up to the author to swim with his work . On the other hand, I can't honestly say that big journals are doing any better job with respect to arms and armour - they often publish extremely strange ideas. Finding authors is also tough - I mean even if we are to publish forum's ideas someone has to catalogue it and to write an introduction. Most of the research we do is looking at the stuff we bought, reading books, books and books, interrupted by googling around - nothing wrong with that, but how to avoid publishing essentially reprints from Astvatzaturjan ? Last, but not least - ARMA, Oakeshott institute publications, Journals of arms collecting... We have some competition here, altough it is really strange that there is no arms and armour international journal per se... May be we really need to make one.

6th June 2006, 04:31 PM	#9
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,843	Sub groups on the forum is not publishing. I think Sub groups narrow the learning process. Other forums have that.