HI history compilation?

[Steve Tall]

Here's an idea I'll put out here in case there's enough interested people to make it happen:

 

[Steve Tall]

A team of people could create a Himalayan Imports Timeline by going through all the threads started by Uncle Bill and Auntie Yangdu, and making a list of anything notable that happened in a given year (including details that could be important to collectors, such as when a certain model is introduced, or a certain kami starts working for HI, or leaves HI, etc.) If there is one volunteer for each year that HI existed, then this huge task is broken down into manageable chunks.

It could all be done at this forum, and in one thread (that brings us from the founding of the company up to the present time) with no other communications required. One person could be the project leader, who begins a thread titled "Himalayan Imports Timeline" and immediately makes the following posts (as placeholders for future content that will be added by editing the post later):

Introduction
1998 and earlier
1999
2000
2001
...
2015

So each year would have a post of its own. (The 2015 post could have a link to another thread that's a continuation of the timeline, starting with 2016.) People working on the timeline would make posts to the Timeline thread, listing the results for their year.

Doing the timeline for a given year would involve searching the forum and going through the threads initiated by Uncle Bill or Auntie Yangdu for that year, and writing a brief description of anything notable, along with the date, and a link to the relevant thread(s). The volunteer for that year could post this information to the Timeline thread, and the project leader could then add this information to the Timeline at the beginning of the thread (by copying and pasting into the Timeline post for that year.)

To get an idea of the work involved, a simple search of the HI Archives at Bladeforums gives 40 pages of threads that Uncle Bill initiated, and these 40 pages cover a period of 3 years, so that comes down to about a dozen pages of results per year that someone would have to go through (this could be the worst case scenario, with less threads during recent years).

If there is enough interest in having such a timeline, and if there are enough volunteers to cover the work, then it seems pretty straightforward and feasible.


(If there's not enough interest, then I won't be crestfallen . I just wanted to present the idea while I had it in mind.)

 

[snowwolf]

I'm in

 

[Steve Tall]

Thanks for the reply, snowwolf. The two of us would need a dozen (or so) more volunteers for this "many hands makes light work" idea to succeed.

After 3 days, it's pretty clear that the interest isn't there. I wanted a reality check, and I got one.

 

[ndoghouse]

Thanks for the reply, snowwolf. The two of us would need a dozen (or so) more volunteers for this "many hands makes light work" idea to succeed.

After 3 days, it's pretty clear that the interest isn't there. I wanted a reality check, and I got one.

Im interested. Just wanted to figure out your process on how to do this. I have already started this as far as Kami marks but I like your idea for organization of all HI general in single thread. My internet is down in the evenings so I can only play at work now. Ill soon remedy that tho. Great idea! I was afraid to post here at first because I thought id be taking up a thread for a certain year and pollute the whole thing. Not sure how it would work as each year would only be able to be updated or edited by the thread owner. Project leader wouldn't have rights to edit the years?

 

[Bawanna]

I'm kind of a computer dumb head myself. I'd sure help what I could
Project manager could be given rights to update or edit or they could request a mod to do so.

I'm still pondering.

 

[cul4u01]

Thanks for the reply, snowwolf. The two of us would need a dozen (or so) more volunteers for this "many hands makes light work" idea to succeed.

After 3 days, it's pretty clear that the interest isn't there. I wanted a reality check, and I got one.

I am not sure if I'd have the time, I work on average 110 hours a week, and take care of my daughter on top of that. I'd of course help when I can, or take on the simple, monotonous tasks.

 

[Steve Tall]

Im interested. Just wanted to figure out your process on how to do this...Not sure how it would work as each year would only be able to be updated or edited by the thread owner. Project leader wouldn't have rights to edit the years?

I was thinking the same as Bawanna, that the "project manager" would be the one to start a new thread with one placeholder post for each year, and the same person would then be the one to edit/update the initial posts (for each year). A moderator could do the editing at some point down the road, if the need arises and the project manager is not around to do it.

The other volunteers would post their summaries to that same thread, and the project manager would copy this information into the main post for that year.

Other forumites could also post to that thread. For example if they have some additional information for some year, they can post it with a relevant link, and the project manager could add this information to the initial post for that year.

This way, the timeline thread could always be evolving, as people uncover more information, or give other useful feedback. The thread could grow to many pages in length, but the initial posts on the first page would always be the go-to reference for each year of HI history.

I figure this type of timeline would be of great value to HI collectors, who could quickly find information such as:
During what period were the kami marks made with the vibrating "pen"?
When exactly did Kesar Lal begin to use Bura's crescent mark, and on what knives?
... and many other inquiries that couldn't otherwise be resolved quickly.

I was suggesting one big initial push, with one volunteer covering one year, and gleaning whatever relevant facts could be found in Uncle Bill's (and later, Auntie Yangdu's) threads for a given year. This would be easy to self-manage, perhaps breaking a year down into months (and maybe doing one month per week?)

Within a matter of months, we could have a detailed timeline covering the entire history of HI, with a solid base of information that can be easily updated as more details are uncovered (with all forumites being able to post more information or comments to the very same thread).

 

[ndoghouse]

I think I got it. The project manager would have to post all the year posts first at the same time then to prevent them from all getting mixed up with others inputs that havent been posted to their respective year. Adding months as posts might get tricky but you could do that by dividing up a single year post into months and manager can update that. Hmmm? I think it might be cool to add just Kami marks and date employed at HI as one separate thread like you would a year. I already have a good outline for this I think. It could be a quick reference with markings, pics, etc. as one post before or after year posts. Hope that makes any dang sense at all but I think see your plan. I like it:thumbup: Cul has PLENTY of spare time. One week has 168 hrs. He works 110 Hours. Therefore he has 58 hours left with nothing to do. OK 58-8=50 hrs. Gotta sleep once a week I guess

 

[Bawanna]

Make it 48 hours, he's gotta take his daughter to Disneyland. Couple hours a week saved up ought to take care of that.

Wait, what about daughter catching humongous fish, have to allow for that too.

 

[Steve Tall]

I think I got it. The project manager would have to post all the year posts first at the same time then to prevent them from all getting mixed up with others inputs that havent been posted to their respective year...

You got it...

 

[Steve Tall]

Since it would be a timeline, I was thinking we wouldn't have to further divide it into months. A date would be specified for each item of information, and there would be a simple list for each year, in chronological order. The information could have keywords after the date, such as NEW KAMI or NEW MODEL before the details, to make it easier to skim. We could jointly come up with a good set of keywords and conventions before the archives are pored over, so that we're all on the same page with how we make our summaries. Perhaps every time a kami's name is mentioned, it could be in bold type. We can work out details like this if the project gets off the ground.

...I think it might be cool to add just Kami marks and date employed at HI as one separate thread like you would a year. I already have a good outline for this I think. It could be a quick reference with markings, pics, etc. as one post before or after year posts. Hope that makes any dang sense at all but I think see your plan. I like it:thumbup: Cul has PLENTY of spare time. One week has 168 hrs. He works 110 Hours. Therefore he has 58 hours left with nothing to do. OK 58-8=50 hrs. Gotta sleep once a week I guess

Careful, each year would get its own post, not its own thread. Apart from that, it sounds good.

Maybe there's a relatively uneventful year that cul4u01 could summarize.

 

[cul4u01]

I think I got it.

Cul has PLENTY of spare time. One week has 168 hrs. He works 110 Hours. Therefore he has 58 hours left with nothing to do. OK 58-8=50 hrs. Gotta sleep once a week I guess

Make it 48 hours, he's gotta take his daughter to Disneyland. Couple hours a week saved up ought to take care of that.

Wait, what about daughter catching humongous fish, have to allow for that too.

You guys are a riot! NOT... Seriously though, I could fit a few hours each week, and between my projects.

I guess we can put my daughters Disneyland and fishing trips on the "back burner", of course, Uncle Bawanna, Ndog, and Steve T would needs to explain it to her, and handle her temper tantrums...I can just send her over to your respective abodes for a talking session...

Maybe there's a relatively uneventful year that cul4u01 could summarize.

Was there ever an uneventful year for HI? None that I know of.

 

[Bawanna]

Oh sure, make the daughter pay for your lack of time. She comes first poppa. Remember that.

Before work, before sleep, before recreation and yes, even before mom.......

I've had kids, I know this to be true.

Having her call me uncle would plumb melt my heart though, kind of a cool thing.

 

[Bookie]

Steve, after dealing with a few other websites, and if I understand you correctly (and I may not be), I would be wary concerning the posting. If any one can post, pretty soon, a monster can be created that would take beau coup time to sort out. The fewer posters will result in a cleaner record. In my opinion, a forumite who had found something relevant would pass that on to the team leader and the leader do any editing/posting. Let me know if I'm headed the wrong direction here or have my head in close proximity to my fanny perpendicular .

 

[Steve Tall]

Bookie, I agree that fewer posters would be cleaner and easier to manage, but I see that as a tradeoff for an easily updated "system" in place, that's quick to set up, and lives at the forum, and doesn't require somebody emailing others behind the scene.

I've seen some monster threads at the axe subforum, at least one of them has over 100 pages, and a few more are approaching 100 pages. On one of these threads, a newcomer broke some rules, and the moderator shut down the thread (punishing everyone), but I don't foresee something like that happening here. Especially if the HI Timeline thread is on the main HI page (where I would expect it to be, since the topic is strictly HI), where any discussion not related to HI history would be quickly stopped or diverted.

Even if the thread gets to be many pages long, the best part will always be the first page, containing the latest version of the timeline. Later posts will generally be limited to improving the timeline (and I think that any interested forumite could have something to add in this regard, based on an HI knife they might own, or some recollection that leads to an interesting old thread). And I think the easiest approach to making updates would be to just copy from somebody's post and paste it somewhere else in the same thread.

Thanks for bringing this up, I think it's good to think about potential glitches, to see if all the bases are covered.

 

[ndoghouse]

The moderators can step in if things get out of hand. But then again they may not have time to to mess with any of it? I dont know what their limitations are but i see them editing material from posts within a thread and also deleting complete threads but dont know what they can do as far as editing or removing a post from a thread completely. Might not matter tho.
Cul! You daughter ever been shark fishing? Ill take her fishing for some black tips while you get your work done and I bet Bawanna can take her trout fishing in WA and Steve could take her fishing for dungenous crab and you wont have to miss no work that way! Get her around the globe ya know! I bet she would have a blast!

 

[cul4u01]

Cul! You daughter ever been shark fishing? Ill take her fishing for some black tips while you get your work done and I bet Bawanna can take her trout fishing in WA and Steve could take her fishing for dungenous crab and you wont have to miss no work that way! Get her around the globe ya know! I bet she would have a blast!

She's been shark fishing in SF Bay, caught a couple tiger sharks, and sand sharks. I want to go to Jersey and try catching a thresher shark off one of the piers.

She a little young for traveling, but I'm sure she'll want to as she gets older.

 

[Bawanna]

I'm a moderator on another forum and depending on their food chain level the mods can do just about anything.
Even lower food chain mods can remove a post from a thread, edit within a post, just about anything. Super Mods can do it all.
I can change avatars, just about anything.
Who ever ends up being team leader (I nominate Steve Tall) could be bestowed a lower level mod title, where they could delete or modify threads. Just can't ban people or that sort of thing. However usually the Super Mods back up the regular mods pretty well, if they say your gone the super mods arrange travel accomodations pretty quick.
We have a higher class of folks here and excellent mods so I don't forsee any issues myself but as usual I could be wrong. It happened before once, I think it was 1968, no 67, but found out it was an error so it's hardly worth mentioning.

 

[Howard Wallace]

Here's a possible variation on the idea. I'm not sure of all the positives and negatives, but kick it around a bit.

Each "year owner" starts a thread for his year. He makes the first post, which will be the history for that year. He keeps adding to and editing that top post. Others can comment, suggest refinements, debate, etc. in the thread below. When the owner thinks it's "ripe" a moderator can import the top post consisting of the year's documented history into a locked HI history thread.

The locked HI history thread could only be posted to by moderators. It will stay clean and provide one-stop-shopping for someone interested in the history of HI.