George,
I'd like to think that my relationship with many makers would make my reply to you unnecessary, especially since I once took the time to write to you directly on this issue. As I recall, you didn't give me the courtesy of a reply.
I love knives. If you check my knife pix you'll see that I have several thousand dollars invested in them. Probably more than would be prudent on my income as a government employee.
I have many friends who are makers, both here in cyberspace and out there in the real world. Some are big names, some are barely scraping by. I try to treat them all with the same dignity I would want in return.
If you think I want makers to leave, you are sadly mistaken. But I realize that you don't think that. You know better but you feel like being contentious anyway. Well, that's fine and not unexpected either.
For every curt reply like yours I get several that are polite and thankful for the efforts Gus and I put in to the forum. We, unlike you, don't get paid for our efforts. We do it because we care.
Now, if I am doing a bad job, I won't be upset if you ask Spark to replace me. After all, the extra income (zero) I'm getting from the hours I put into this isn't stretching real far.
All I ask is that folks take the time to consider that this forum is not to be used as an overt advertising venue. Period.
Frankly, I didn't make the rules, George. Spark did when he took over the site. He also created other categories of membership: Premium, Gold, Knifemaker, Dealer to help defray the expense of running the site. Is it fair to those who pay that others who don't get to run commercial posts? (Perhaps you can take over responding to their emails. Frankly, it's not a lot of fun.)
Of course you don't have to support the site financially, that is a personal choice and is strictly voluntary. But then you shouldn't complain about not getting to advertise for free either. At least that's how I see it.
I suggest you think back on how many threads have been edited, moved or closed on this forum. I think you'll find that neither I nor Gus are heavy handed.
I'd like to see this site remain open to the discussion of custom knives by collectors, users, makers and dealers without blatant commercialism rearing its head. Most folks seem to understand this, George. Even those I've had to email about it and who have written back to me with thanks for explaining our position and saying to go ahead and move their posts. (Even if they weren't moved.)
As a matter of fact, you'll see that some of the posts that fit this profile are still on the custom forum right now. Guess I didn't react like a jack booted thug after all, huh?
Rather than move the threads, I've just made this relatively innocuous request so that folks can think it through themselves before posting in the future.
Once again, George, thanks for your well reasoned remarks. You've helped make my day a more pleasant one.
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