First of all I want to thank John D.
The owner and benefactor of this forum who has funded its operation since the beginning. There would be no Lugerforum without him. I would also like to thank all the Moderators who make my job so much easier, especially Ed Tinker who, make no mistake, carries the bulk of the "work" here.
I have been an Admin/Moderator on this forum for about a decade and a half. When I first volunteered to take on this responsibility I did it because I had a vision for those of us with a passion for the engineering excellence and history of this Luger pistol could have a place hang out and learn from each other's knowledge and experiences, as mannered ladies and gentlemen.
At the beginning there were less than 30 or so people who had found the forum and most of them participated in almost every conversation that took place. The 'rules' for the forum were simple and are still posted to this day. Look for them in the General Information link on our home page. They were called the "forum decorum.' They were authored by our first appointed webmaster, Les Center, affectionately known to us old-timers as "
Dok". The Forum Decorum rules are still valid today. They embody the concept that the atmosphere here should be safe enough to have a young child sitting on your lap while you are with your "friends" --and not worry that they would embarrass or insult you, or say something crude that would have to be reluctantly explained to that child. In other words, the prime directive on this forum is to treat others the way you want to be treated.
Yes, ...still valid today!
Forum technology at the beginning was so immature that 'posts' were not saved and if they scrolled off the screen they were lost forever. Fortunately only a dozen or so posts took place every day, and if you checked in several times, as most enthusiasts do, you didn't miss anything... Thank goodness for progress in forum technology.
I had been on other forums and was never impressed with the loud mouths and bullies who endeavor to build themselves up in front of people they don't know by boasting, cursing, and flaming. I don't hang around such people in person, and have no desire to share my knowledge and experience with them, or have them hang around me.
Out of more than 12,000 registered members, there have only been about two dozen or so who have been banned from participation in the forum in those 15 years. A testament to the people who make this forum what it is today... ALL OF YOU...and for that
you have MY thanks.
I never dreamed that 15 years later we would have grown to this size, and I would have the honor to be associated with such a great international "Club" as Sergio so affectionately called us.
Please...all of you... just keep doing what you do. Learn, share, grow our passion for this hobby, and preserve the history of the Luger for the next generation... and take care of our friends, as knowledge, friendship and friends are priceless things.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron Wood
Tom,
Now that is a great graphic tribute to the forum! I totally agree on the thumbs up. But you don't get away unscathed...to match the patches the Mauser needs to have the safety on. How is that for nit picking?! 
Ron |
One other humorous nit pick... The gun on the left is accurately a byf Mauser... but the gun on the right should be a 1936 Kreighoff! Is it?
I know this because those were the models I used when I created the camera ready art for the first Lugerforum patch way "back in the day!"
My best wishes to all.
