Idea BF chat channel used to host a guest speaker on a new topic weekly

duffy99

duffy99

Joined
Apr 2, 2011
Messages
425
Ok sorry for starting another thread about improving the forum but I have an idea that might be a great addition to the forum. The channel for the Wednesday night chat is open 24/7. What if each week we got a guest speaker SME (subject matter expert) to come to the chat and answer a predetermined set of questions on the weeks topic and then opened it up for a Q and A with the SME on that weeks subject and there personal style , influences and techniques . It would cost nothing besides finding SME's from this forum or outside to come and speak through the chat channel on a subject. Also determining the weekly topic , say 10 questions to be answered on that weeks topic and then an open Q and A with the pro with the whole thing being an hour to two max. I think this would be beneficial to new makers and experienced ones . We already have some SME's who post here and have connections to other well respected makers. It would be like a weekly ask the pro night . There obviously would have work to be done to arrange all this , pick topics, find the pro and come up with questions . I think a thread dedicated to idea's on topics , hosts and questions would help bring the idea together and also people using there personal contacts to get volunteer speakers. Is this a good idea? Thoughts on possible topics , possibly rotating by week and help coming up with questions ?
 
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If there is enough interest I will write a formal proposal to Spark to see if he wants BF to be associated with this , I'm not sure who opened that channel and how all that works but can research and learn. I would volunteer my time to doing most of the organization but would need help in getting hosts , picking topics and questions . If there is interest I'd like to do this one way or another. Other sites on different subjects that I have been member to have done similar things , had radio shows etc.
 
I used to play poker heavily and was involved with a lot of forums . Some of the larger ones had radio show's with poker pro guests.My idea would be an interview and a Q and A after maybe that is more clear to what was in the earlier post. This would be through something existing or perhaps a different set up through chat not Radio. It's an idea I have and maybe it's not appropriate here .
 
I've been on the chat here, mostly it's

Hi what are you doin?

Nothin, what are you doin?



Ed Caffrey used to host this sort of thing.



It's good if stuff is prepared to present, like a web delivered hammerin seminar, but if it's just randam chat...
I won't miss is.
 
The hope would be that there would be a interviewer with set questions for the maker, the questions could be generated by the members here . After the interview a Q and A would happen in a structured form . I'm not sure if that's capable on the channel , chat room now here. Like I said maybe it'd be better off elsewhere but there is so many good makers here it would make it easier to find a guest for a topic. It's just an idea, I'll do more research on different ways of hosting it I just thought of the channel since it already exists but the interwebs have many avenues for such a thing and if delivered in a structured form could be quite informative to all skill levels.
 
I'm pretty sure it's a simple irc type room and the channel itself is dedicated to BF, I have to do more research on this before it goes beyond a thought in my scrambled brain. The only reason I suggested that channel is that it's already their. I'll do more research into delivery methods and once I have more solid information I'll add it to this thread , maybe it isn't for Shop Talk or BF but this is a great source of potential Subject Matter Experts. I should have researched this more before posting the idea and I will now do the searching and learning as to how to make this is a structured format , that still gives the opportunity for people to ask questions . The more I think about it I realize you would need a interviewer / moderator to make it an informative experience not just a chat room where anyone could interject at any time killing the value to it. Once I have more knowledge I'll update this thread but would like to know if people would be interested in such a thing.
 
personally, I don't care for it. The "chatroom" is a place for a number of us to unwind/shoot the s#it after a day in the shop. You start limiting who can say what, when, and you might as well just post it in a thread.
 
SShepherd said:
personally, I don't care for it. The "chatroom" is a place for a number of us to unwind/shoot the s#it after a day in the shop. You start limiting who can say what, when, and you might as well just post it in a thread.
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I'm thinking of not a chatroom , just a media that is in text and a interview with Q and A on a certain topic. Like I said I'm going to research a better medium for this idea and will update if I find a feasible way to do this. I personally would love a chance to here from talented makers and the ability to ask a few questions , much better then reading an article and a more interactive experience.
 
Duffy,
If you look at this thread you will see six posts by you, and four by others. You are the only one in favor of the Chat Room idea.
No one can stop you from starting your own chat room somewhere, but I seriously doubt any well known makers will want to be the "Guest Expert".

Just a suggestion, but relax and enjoy knife making for a while.
 
It's obvious to me there isn't interest in it here , I can let it go and sum up on posting my ideas and suggestions for awhile.
 
12345678910 said:
I've been on the chat here, mostly it's

Hi what are you doin?

Nothin, what are you doin?



Ed Caffrey used to host this sort of thing.



It's good if stuff is prepared to present, like a web delivered hammerin seminar, but if it's just randam chat...
I won't miss is.
Click to expand...

LOL you missed last week then LOL
 
The #bladeforums.com IRC channel has been around for about 11 years, pff, myself, SShepherd and Yoda4561 are the main regulars. Numbers dwindled a few years back and the channel was mostly dead, we were still around and the occasional regular from the past popped in on occasion. A little over a year ago after seeing the ease the Mibbit web client offered I made some posts to invite BF members to come chat again, later a Shoptalk regular decided on Wednesday as a knifemaker chat.

The chat is not officially affiliated with the forum, a couple mods from the forums and even Sparks were regulars many years ago, but since then PFF has been keeping it alive. He is the Op and maintains it, there is no actual connection between the forum and the chat, in fact we don't discriminate from other forum members, or non-members coming in.

Everyone is welcome, and we have no rules governing topics (though bashing users, political and similar topics are frowned upon as they can stir things up, just be civil) and you have to remember for most the regulars and makers it wasn't so much looked at as a training room but a place for people to relax and talk to friends real time, like a virtual pub. Knives and knifemaking are welcome topics, but just good old off-topic chat is fine.

If you want to schedule something, or people have problems or anything, talk to one of us, or in particular pff (Pat). Don't bother the mods/admins on BF about anything that goes on there and vice versa.

Remember, we are generally in there every night from 9pm EST onwards, and people are welcome thruout the week. http://www.mibbit.com/chat/?server=irc.newnet.net&channel=#bladeforums.com

-MJ
 
A VOLUNTEER!

Seriously, there are six days a week when you are welcome to try scheduling something. I admin a server and oper a number of other channels and my plate is full.


I think the Wednesday shoptalk thing is working OK for the folks that attend and they like it. Lets not screw with whats working.


Even in its heyday (15-20 users EVERY night) most of the pro makers wanted to talk about other stuff besides knifemaking but be with folks who share the same interests. More like a cop bar where everyone has the same background and don't have to explain stuff to each other continuously.


The channel has never had any official connection with the forum. It was originally set up by LizaBelle, who then transferred it to Tim Herman. When Tim let it expire I reregistered it and kept it alive. Myself and Patrice (PLEMEE) are co-opers.


chatmaggots.jpg



Regards,

Pat
 
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duffy99 said:
It's obvious to me there isn't interest in it here , I can let it go and sum up on posting my ideas and suggestions for awhile.
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You expect a ton of replies in six farking hours? Most of that time being normal work hours for normal folks?
 
Compile a list of makers you admire and spend a day pm'ing/emailing/calling them with specific questions that are pertinent to your needs. It's far more productive, trust me.

You've shown passion, guts and character here. That's awesome, but take it from me, that alone is not going to make you a knifemaker. Making knives makes a person a knifemaker. Shut the heck up and make the knives YOU want to make, bro. Run 'em up the flagpole and see who salutes; you'll learn more from the failures than you will from chatting about what-if's.

Not trying to rain on your parade, Duffy, just being brutally honest.
 
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