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The Forum vs Facebook

Hand Lettering topics: Sign Making, Design, Fabrication, Letterheads, Sign Books.

Moderators: Ron Percell, Mike Jackson, Danny Baronian

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Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

I like many others have been lured into following Facebook and staying somewhat active there, but recently realized after seeing an excellent post (which touched on the new vs old ways and the people involved) which in the way of all things ephemeral dropped off with almost no attention or discussion. What a darn shame!
Since then I closed the account and am going to make an effort to be more active here and keep a forum which has the potential (un-like Facebook) to make a contribution to the spirit of Letterheads. I guess it's too easy to get wrapped up in the "rap" and the easy flowing "like this and share that" without realizing something great is getting lost in the mix.
I also am more than a little shy about showing photos of what has been keeping me busy but I'll do my best to get past it. So if this is actually a post about anything I guess it's "I wanna show of hands here!"
Tyler Tim
Posts: 209
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 12:12 am

Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Tyler Tim »

I don't do Facebook. So Doug I agree... Facebook has really taken it's troll as well as other Social Media sites. If you look back even a few years ago.. this place was jumping with tons of projects being posted. So please post some of your work I'd love to see it and I'm sure others as well would like to see. Most of my work as of late has been boring franchise work... I do have a couple of ME project on the sketch pad and as soon as I have a low spot I'm jump on them. Will post them when I get working 'em.
Sure I paint thing for my amusement and then offer them for sale. A brushslinger could whither en die from lack of creativity in this plastic town my horse threw a shoe in. :shock:
Doug Bernhardt
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Yes indeed. It started a few years ago with a few of the long time contributors saying thats how to see what they're up to and I even got invitations to "Join" and at a certain point I did. I guess I've just noticed that any "real" info was sadly lacking and of course there was no way to get into the vaults to search out any subject. Aside from a monumental waste of time I found myself with a few hundred "friends" I'd never met and despite all the chat about what a great marketing tool it was I never noticed any change in traffic to my bank account!
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2004 11:29 pm
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Dan Seese »

Hey, Doug.
I've certainly not visited or contributed to this site like I used to do. In fact, I think it had been weeks since I'd been here & I just happened to check it out several days after you started this thread.
As much as I've been critical of the insidious nature of the internet & Facebook in particular (read "The Shallows" by Nicholas Carr), I'm aware of a very real time-sucking addition to it myself. Thanks for reminding me to be a better steward of my time.
I'll be back. (But first I need to take a quick look to see if there are any cats doing something really cute on FB.)
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
Doug Bernhardt
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Location: Ottawa Canada
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

Dan...I was just trying to find the like button!
Anthony Bennett
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Location: England
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Anthony Bennett »

Facebook is just a fad that will pass away in time, wasn't there something similar called Bebo or something?
Then there was freinds reunited, thats gone.
I wonder if Ancestry will keep going, maybe it will as it covers a world wide hobby.

People are only currently attracted to facebook because they use it as a marketing tool to show case their items for sale. It's not really a place to build a font of knowledge.
Larry White
Posts: 1213
Joined: Thu Apr 08, 2004 4:18 am

Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Larry White »

I'll second that! This site has always been a great source for information and sharing knowledge. It has remained my home page, but I haven't posted here as much as I have in the past. I will follow your leader and participate a bit more here. In reality, I don't really care too much for FB, aka "The Gibberish Portal"... but it is however a vehicle that I will continue to use to watch my daughter's progression through L.A. Trade Tech's sign graphics course which she is attending. Her goal is a position in Disneyland's sign shop... she's on her way!
sissyLATT1.jpg
sissyLATT1.jpg (31.47 KiB) Viewed 12758 times
Catch 22...do we need to advertise this site on Facebook?....

I think I need to post something to the Original Deadman post and kick it back to the top!
Larry White
That's enough for now... it's gettin' late
Town Of Machine
http://www.walljewelry.com
BruceJackson
Posts: 251
Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:28 am
Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by BruceJackson »

Yes, i agree.

Same with me too. As the momentum shifted to Facebook, I also have only visited this forum occasionally during the last couple of years. Lurking in the background.
Yet, it is a much better vehicle as a reference site. It's easily searchable and the archive of knowledge here is astounding.

Discussions on Facebook just disappear and are forgotten after a day or two. This forum is like old-school internet.
Dan Seese
Posts: 324
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Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Dan Seese »

I've found a couple of groups on Facebook to be pretty informative, have "met" some terrific artists and have been helped by those connections. At the same time, sorting through some of the juvenile rants is not alway easy. Plus, I find myself engaging in time-consuming discussions and, worse, chasing rabbit trails which easily consume my day. (Though there are some FABULOUS videos of kittens playing!)

A couple of weeks ago I deactivated my personal Facebook account. I have a "faux" account to serve as adminstrator to my business Facebook page - which is fairly static - but have absented myself from the fray for the time being. Really haven't missed it and whether or not I return is still up in the air.

Having said that, I also haven't spent much time here either, even though it's a superior forum for the types of issues I encounter in my work.
Dan
"The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne."
Geoffrey Chaucer (c. 1340 - 1400)

http://DanSeeseStudios.com
http://www.DanSeeseStudios.com/blog/
http://www.facebook.com/DanSeeseStudios
Mike Jackson
Site Admin
Posts: 1705
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:02 pm
Location: Jackson Hole, WY
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Mike Jackson »

It might be worth adding that the Denver Letterheads has been paying for the majority of the costs for this site for quite a few years. Last year, they suggested it might be their last year to be able to pay the money. I haven't asked about it lately, but it will soon be time to make that decision. It's because of their support that we have never had to ask for financial support!

I agree with the rest of the comments. This site offers a lot of value to anyone really interested in showing off their work, or getting answers to questions that are difficult to do on Facebook. A post today at FB moves down and off the page quickly. Conversely, anytime anyone responds to an earlier post on this forum brings it back to near the top.

I haven't been too active here simply because most of my time is now tied up with photography and photo tours. Still, I think this site is a treasure that deserves to be preserved.

Cheers!
Mike Jackson
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

a Big thumbs up to that one. There seems to be a cycle to everything and I personally hope this thing we have here will revive as bit by bit we rediscover what a great source it is.
alan giberson
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2016 7:58 pm

Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by alan giberson »

Mike and others,

I have been silently viewing this forum for the last two years or so. It has been a huge help to my progress in sign painting and gold leaf work. The search page is one of the tabs of my home screen. I just recently made an account after seeing it pick back up a little (I thought it was dead). But I am extremely happy to see more posts being made, and would love to see more activity here. I poke into the Facebook pages sometimes, but I agree with how difficult it is to use. I would hate to see this platform go, as I still constantly search things as I am learning on my own. I love reading Pat Mackle's in-debth explanations of glass processes, and recently contacted him about glue chipping and he talked my head off for an hour. It was wonderful.

I'm a youngster who has no one in my town to teach me this trade, so I rely on this site mainly for my education. I love when I find a topic on glue chipping that I hadn't read before. I personally would contribute money to keep this forum running. It is far better than facebook and already has a VAST amount of information archived that I would hate to see be wiped out with a click of the mouse.

Just wanted to chime in, and now that I have an account, I'll be posting more here.

Alan Giberson
Cleveland
Mike Jackson
Site Admin
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Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2004 11:02 pm
Location: Jackson Hole, WY
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Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Mike Jackson »

Normally, the Denver Chapter of the Letterheads sends me a check in January for $400. I use it periodically throughout the year to pay for the domain registration, site storage, and the Wordpress site. If you look at the address bar, this site now has the Secure Site (https) designation, which cost $100 per year. Network Solutions is suggesting I add $69.90 SiteLock at the server to help prevent malware, and SiteLock is suggesting I subscribe to their premium service for $100 per month. Nothing is simple anymore!
Mike Jackson / co-administrator
Golden Era Studios
Vintage Ornamental Clip art
Jackson Hole, WY

Photography site:
Teton Images
Jackson Hole photography blog:
Best of the Tetons
Doug Bernhardt
Posts: 1077
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 9:29 am
Location: Ottawa Canada
Contact:

Re: The Forum vs Facebook

Post by Doug Bernhardt »

I for one have a great deal of respect for someone who seems to have no end of time to sink into a project that no longer is his business interests. I'm guessing that there is no TV at the Jackson's home in Wyoming?
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