8mm Forum: Ten (Continuous) Years of the 8mm Forum!!

This is topic Ten (Continuous) Years of the 8mm Forum!! in forum General Yak at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 20, 2013, 09:42 PM:

The thought struck me recently that this Forum has been up and running ten years now. I know that it was operating before that, but then came the Great Crash and ten years ago this month it all started again! This is when I graduated from lurker to Member.

To me this is a very special place on the 'net. It's a real community of people who help each other and generally get along quite well. It doesn't matter where in the world I go: If they have two tin cans and a string and one end is connected to the 'net, I am on here every day.

The single most remarkable discussion thread I've ever encountered is "What Films did you show last night?" which Lee Mannering started five years ago. Rarely far from the top of the front page and over 3,000 posts, yet never a harsh word in any of them! Any discussion thread I've ever seen never passes a hundred posts without people calling each other things they never would if they had to do it face to face. In this case it's just year after year of people sharing what they enjoy doing.

The Internet has made a huge difference in the hobby of film collecting. It has allowed us to access merchants we wouldn't even have known about without it. Online auctions have allowed people selling films and equipment to find us, the buyers that want them. We've also been able to to access information that would have been headed to the dumpster years ago if it came to finding it at a library or bookstore.

-that's important, and I honestly couldn't be doing this without these resources, but what is great about this place is the daily interaction we have here. Without it I might just think I'm the sole surviving film collector on the planet! (Me, my one silent projector and maybe twenty films! Circa 2000 AD that was it!) With it, I've had the chance to make friends both online, and in recent years get together in the 3 dimensional world of Wildwood, New Jersey at CineSea and have a great time!

So, to all: thanks for a great ten years!

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on June 21, 2013, 03:19 AM:

Nice read that Steve and I share your sentiments. Speaking for myself this particular forum has been a wonderful place to visit more or less daily, and although 8mm has been in my blood since first touching a projector as a young boy I’m still learning from it. It’s nice to pass on things we have learned in life especially something we love so much to newcomers and I’ll pretty much guarantee half the 8mm projectors we use would not be running if it were not for direct help from this forum either how to do a repair or when to find parts. Happy birthday the original 8mm Forum and ‘Carry on projecting’.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 21, 2013, 06:28 PM:

Totally agree with these sentiments,and I'm a relative "new kid
on the block" regarding membership.This forum, set up by Brad
& Doug, is a boon,the wealth of knowledge and goodwill thats
available,colour or creed,it doesn't matter,someone needs help
that shares the hobby,and it's there.It is suprising how this little
guilty pleasure becomes a part of your life,tapping in to see if there's any posts of interest,and there invariably are,long may it
be so.Happy Ten Years Forum.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on June 21, 2013, 06:56 PM:

Like yourself Steve, I have found this forum really good and thanks to Brad for providing it. [Smile]

Posted by Janice Glesser (Member # 2758) on June 21, 2013, 08:57 PM:

Happy 10 years to the Forum... and thank you to all you gentleman who have allowed an enthusiastic and curious novice (and a woman to boot)into your humble 8mm lair. It's a great feeling to solve a problem with help from the experts here...but an even greater feeling when I can pass on knowledge and help someone else [Smile]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 21, 2013, 09:30 PM:

Janice, your knowledge is invaluable.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on June 22, 2013, 06:31 AM:

We owe it to our skipper, Doug Meltzer for keeping us all in line - Naturally, I need no such direction...just original boxes, Shorty

Posted by David Roberts (Member # 197) on June 22, 2013, 09:00 AM:

i think the forum really adds to our hobby,ive been a member since before the "crash",but have recently got back into collecting,having sold all my films and projectors a few years ago.
its nice being back,and i would be lost without the 8mm forum.
thankyou.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on June 22, 2013, 10:35 AM:

Plus it's all FREE!!!! [Eek!]

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on June 22, 2013, 01:02 PM:

It's an excellent forum. Keeps us all in touch. Thanks, Doug.
[Smile]

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on June 22, 2013, 01:54 PM:

I must also express my appreciation and agree with all the compliments. Forums can come and go, or develop into cliques where you have to be 'in' with whoever is running them, but this one year after year continues to be a valuable resource for all 8mm collectors, tolerating anything other than seriously bad behaviour or overt contravention of its rules. I don't have the time to engage with every forum that covers 8mm, but I know I can rely on this one to always have new posts and discussion, convey the right spirit and also have its 'finger on the pulse' when it comes to (e.g.) covering conventions all over the world and new releases such as 'Captain America'. Long may it (and 8mm) continue.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 23, 2013, 08:29 AM:

Many glorious KUDO's the Doug and Brad for they're work in keeping this forum up and running. I've completely forgotten how long I've been on here to, (I bet Doug could give the actual date), but I envy those who have been here sionce the beginning (and are still here), as it no doubt has been ten glorious years of fun.

Posted by Laksmi Breathwaite (Member # 2320) on June 23, 2013, 11:32 AM:

Thanks Doug and Brad ! Yes the best forum on the net. Everyone is friendly and helpful in selling, questions, and answers. I was on another forum about the famous movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea but everyone was proud and vain. I hated it everyone was almost evil and hateful with their sarcasm. As Steve said this is a very special place on the 'net. It's a real community of people who help each other and generally get along quite well. It doesn't matter where in the world I go: If they have two tin cans and a string and one end is connected to the 'net, I am on here every day.
Steve also said the single most remarkable discussion thread I've ever encountered is "What Films did you show last night?" which Lee Mannering started five years ago. Rarely far from the top of the front page and over 3,000 posts, yet never a harsh word in any of them! Any discussion thread I've ever seen never passes a hundred posts without people calling each other things they never would if they had to do it face to face. In this case it's just year after year of people sharing what they enjoy doing.
I love this forum I visit everyday and love talking to people Like Pat, Osi, Hugh, Graham, Dino, Vidar, Doug, Janice, Terry, David ,Gerald and all you folks! [Smile]

I think I would need a book to write all I would like to say to you guys . I can only say I LOVE YA!

[ June 24, 2013, 11:46 AM: Message edited by: Laksmi Breathwaite ]

Posted by Gerald Santana (Member # 2362) on June 23, 2013, 12:40 PM:

One of the greatest moments in my life was spotting a Kodak M100 at a thrift store and bringing it home to see what it does. A defining moment was when I searched for it on google and landed here...on the forum.

Like Steve, I lurked around until I knew what I was doing with the machine and the reels. Then, I decided to buy a couple of cartoons for sale and that snowballed into my film holdings today. Here's to another 10 years for the future hobbyist to rejoice on the internet. There is life after digital, thanks 8mm Forum!

Posted by Akshay Nanjangud (Member # 2828) on June 23, 2013, 05:58 PM:

Very good observation from Steve. Ten years is quite some time for any community, so congrats to Brad and Doug. Thanks also to Doug and Brad.

Also to be appreciated are the members who have stuck to this forum all these years. A good forum needs active (and interesting) members, like we have here.

Speaking of members, I must single out Gerald for mentoring me in my early days. Gerald, I was waiting for you to post on this thread .... I wanted to post right after you.

Posted by Gerald Santana (Member # 2362) on June 24, 2013, 01:26 AM:

Akshay,

You are welcome, it's my pleasure really. I'll do (say) anything to talk about film and film related stuff, glad you had a patient ear and glad this forum is available for all who want to learn more about this amazing hobby! Cheers [Smile]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on June 26, 2013, 10:05 PM:

What great comments! A huge thank you to Brad Miller for starting the 8mm Forum and for preserving all the valuable information that's been collected here throughout the years.

It's the members that keep this Forum going strong and make it such a fun place to visit, so my gratitude goes out to all of you. It's been a pleasure to moderate this Forum since 2005.

If anyone's keeping track (like Steve), our anniversary date is June 11th. Let's reserve the Grand Ballroom for next year!

Doug

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on June 27, 2013, 05:57 AM:

The Grand Ballroom...where?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 27, 2013, 06:09 AM:

Ocean Holiday...

You know:

-it's got an air hockey table and garage doors!

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