open a chat?

hi, is it possible to open a chat here? think that it would be very interesting.

[Jesse]

I have been thinking the same thing.

[Thor]

This has been discussed several times, and DOK decided (and I agree with him) not to do this. For Luger guys that want to talk to each other AOL offers a freee Instant Message system. I talked to Larry Marsh last night. Anyway, that is one way. I talk to numerous people all the time that way! ~Thor~

Chat rooms seem to draw a great deal of profanity and vulgarity. I am against it.

[Thor]

That has not been my experience with AOL Instant messanging but I know you are right with other ones. I talk to fellows all the time with AOL IM. I think the fact that ideas can be traded so quickly they are not as concise as a paragraph and there is NO way or recalling the information. The way it works now, if you post something it is saved and if someone needs the info or things you had something valuable to add, they can retrieve it with the search function. If we have a forum chat, that can be lost. I do think the AOL IM function does have a place as there may be things that people DONT want posted on the forum, but people want to convey to each other. Sometimes I can quickly talk to my clients about upcoming Luger projects and this saves both of us a long distance phone bill charge. I think we should not have a forum chat, but I will continue to use AOL IM for those that want to contact me off line, so to speak! Thor

[bill m]

I think this forum should be to discuss Luger information and not for Personal business! The same with the chat idea. I feel that you can already chat, or message your buddies if you choose to, on some other service besides this. As it is now, this forum lets all participate, whether they post or not. I feel that someone's business should be conducted off this forum and between the clients and business, not using this forum as a message board to reach one's clients and not for updates on work being done. That should be conducted privately and off the forum. If a business wants to post updates and results, then perhaps they should have their own web page or chat room, or ect.

[John Sabato]

was disapproved by the Lugerforum board of directors for exactly the reasons that have been stated. Everthing said on this forum is basically for the record and is available for anyone to find in a "search"


I also think we should keep it that way. If we don't then the forum will eventually degenerate into a private communications medium instead of it's intended purpose.


that's another of my $0.02, (a total of $0.04 for today)


-John

[Thor]

Will continue once a month. "Such is Life" ~Thor~

[bill m]

Perhaps the "classified" section would better serve this purpose of personal business ventures? Others have been asked to use it to sell or buy items, and to conduct their business other than on the "message board"? All should be treated equal.

[lugerholsterrepair]

Half the guys I know are in some way connected with the business of restoring pistols, holsters or offering parts and such and many of them are active members of the Luger Forum. It is simply not possible for a little business not to creep in and in fact I believe helps us all. How many times is someone looking for that special part or service and one of the active members jumps in to help. Sure, this is business but what if they stayed silent and let you search for that pair of grips till you became frustrated and gave up? How much fun would this hobby be if there were not people out there with special skills and the time to use them to help out the average guy? Yes, most of us know who's who but occasionally a newbie can be reminded of where this can be bought or where this service can be procured. Hey, life is business. Not many of us do this full time. We should encourage the few who have honed their skills to a fine art that will soon be lost altogether if we do not support them. I will ask those who are anti business on the forum this. Who will you send your holster to for professional repair if not to the only two people in the world that do it? Believe me when I tell you I have seen many a repair done by some knucklehead with a ball of twine, a bucket of glue and a staplegun. What happnes is a piece of history is forever lost to shooters and collectors.I am sure others of the few who provide valuble services to the collecting fraturnity both as business people and online have their stories to tell. If we dissapeared today there would not be someone to replace us and the art of restoration would be gone forever. I have spent many years studying the art of German Holster restoration . I cannot tell you the hours I have spent answering inquiries from people who just want to know about Uncle Bob's holster. I have not been handsomly paid for all the time and effort I have put in . So think about what you wish for. It might not be all that it"s cracked up to be.


Jerry Burney

[bill m]

Hi Jerry,

Let me first say that I am not anti-business. The statement made and the question asked, was concerning conducting business on the message board. I see that you do not advertise and give updates on the Luger message board. My feeling and my statement was that there is a proper place for this, and if you are going to let one business do this, then you should let everyone advertise and conduct business on the message board. I think this would be very bad for the Luger Forum. I'm sure we all appreciate your workmanship, and all the other businessmen out there that conduct any kind of Luger venture, but that is not the point trying to be made here. The statement and question asked was concerning the use of the message board, which as I understand it, was to be more for questions, answers, and information, and not personal business correspondence with clients, advertizing, or for sale items.

Jerry I agree with you and Ted. I don't see where we are losing so much valuable space or time for these posts. Tom Heller has helped lots of people out with questions and offers to sell parts he and Ted are also in the clasified section. Takes all kinds of people to make life interesting and if a product gets sold or mentioned so be it. Maybe we should not mention where to get greases and cleaning or materials or the word Pecard. My two cents worth.

[John Sabato]

I have no problem personally on the conduct of business on the forum as long as that is not the only reason you are on the forum. We do have a classified section and it gets used, but inquiries and responses have a place here. It's how Lugers stay healthy and they are all getting pretty old (cause I know how long I have liked them and I am getting pretty old )


Exchanges between forum members about Lugers should NOT be relegated to a CHAT situation because then only the parties chatting get the benefit....


I guess I am up to $0.06 for the day


You'all have a great holiday weekend... and for those above the Mason Dixon line: May each of you have a great holiday weekend


-best to you,


John

[lugerholsterrepair]

I am not advocating the use of the Luger Forum as an exclusive place to advertise your products or services since like you say there are other more reasonable places provided to do that. I guess what I am trying to convey is that a little spillover is not going to upset the apple cart. Almost any subject broached on this and other forum's have some information, humerous banter,and personal chit chat as well as a business suggestion or two. Selecting out business as a boogy man or almost any other subject seems like a bad idea to me. Most of us here know what the forum is for and I must say do a pretty good job keeping it on track. The first time I looked at the forum I thought it was a real slugfest and a great place to argue. That soon passed and it was back to a great place to learn more about the subject I love. So I filter many of the threads and look at what interests me. Like the rest of what makes this country great the forum provides us with many things. Some we like and some we don't. I personally like it with all it's faults as thats what makes it interesting. All the guys that control the forum do a great job and I appreciate it. Thanks and have a great and safe weekend. Jerry

[BILL]

If someone is just doing drive by spamming (i.e. the outfit in the United Kingdom that sells the expensive cases) then I feel they should not post it in the message area. They are not active participants and only using our forum for a personal business agenda. Ted, Tom, Jerry, Hugh, G.T., and others (who did I leave out?) all do some business and also are active participants. They are here one way or the other. I think that this is totally acceptable. Everything has to be taken on a case by case basis.

Let me explain my personal guidelines on this subject. If someone is looking for some thing on the board and I have more than one of the item and I think it may be of general interest, I'll post a responce on the board, generally without prices, unless specifically ask. Otherwise, I will email the party directly with details of price and condition and how to order. Tom h

[bill m]

Hi Tom,

I think you handle your business very professionally and you use the classifieds section to conduct your actual business. I realize that sometimes on the message board questions and answers can be related to someones business and it is easy to reply there, but one shouldn't make it a habit. I personally feel that the way you're handling it -- through private e-mails and phone calls, is the professional way to handle it. I think that to advertise over and over your business on the message board is just in poor taste and not very professional, and a cheap way to advertise, especially when there are other sections available for that, like the classified section, or Links and Resources. One has enough opportunities to answer questions and reply in the answer about their business. It doesn't bother me personally what is put on the message board, but if you're going to have rules, then they should apply to everyone equally. I remember DOK asking someone to stop advertising Lugers for sale on the message board and to use the classified section. This is no different in my opinion.

[Steve]

I agree with the posts that say this forum should not be heavily used as a business forum but some business must creep in to give good, helpful answers to som of the questions. The business postings that I have seen have not been intrusive and have sometimes even been quite humorous. So far, everyone seems to have done a good job os self policing. My view for what it is worth.

wow,interesting, how many guy's are writing. some want a chat but the most people not. and i can understand them. here in the forum everybody could read the messages for a few day's, i do it so too. in a chat everything is lost after log out. was just an idea. but now i think you're right.

[Mark M.]