Re: [Leica] has the LUG a future? - long

["Raimo Korhonen" <raimo.korhonen@pp2.inet.fi>]

Hi Erwin & all!
I think that you are probably right in what concerns the main issue but you
are too pessimistic. I have been a subscriber for only about 18 months or
so but there have always been interesting off-topic conversations going on
- - e.g. the single-malt - and also some extremely boring - like the Iwo Jima
- - but in the end also the interest is in the eye of the beholder.
As to the Leica content of this list - yes it must be substantial. But
hopefully there will always be newbies coming to the list asking newbie
qustions and so it is absolutely neccessary that we also have a core
membership of people well versed in Leica lore - history and technology. As
I have been away for some days I do not know what has happened and whether
we still have this core - you are here so all is not lost anyway.
Yes, evrerybody can ask a Leica question and eventually get the correct
answer (and some other answers, too) I have always had the opinion that the
LUG is of limited value to oldtimers like myself but it has been an amusing
pastime.
BTW I do consider the Cosina/Voigländer discussion to be on topic because
it deals with A Thing that can mean life or death to Leica. I think that
the result will be more life because from the year 1931 Leica has had a
standardised lens mount for interchangeable lenses and in the past there
were a lot of those from many different manufacturers. And the idea of
interchangeable lenses is that - well, they can de interchanged.
In the Pentax Users Group the discussion at one time was the other way
round: why there were not many lenses from independent manufacturers for
Pentax. It was the time when Pentax was not selling well and when the sales
improved so did the availability of independent lenses. Is there something
that we can learn from this?
BTW fearing theft I did not take my Leica kit to Russia but instead my
trusty 18 year old Pentax LX and the 3.5/35-105mm. Not Leica quality but
not far away. As for security, there was actually no reason to worry in a
small town like Novgorod.
All the best!
Raimo
Photos at http://personal.inet.fi/private/raimo.korhonen

- ----------
> From: Erwin Puts <imxputs@knoware.nl>
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: [Leica] has the lug a future? 
> Date: 02. lokakuuta 1999 23:36
> 
> Since a few months the Lug has changed beyond recognition. The Lug 
> used to discuss topics related to the history, technique and use of 
> Leica equipment. Now it is a forum for Leica users to discuss any 
> topic that may catch the imagination of two or three persons. This is 
> a fundamental shift of perspective: no longer is the Leica product 
> the focus of attention, but the Leica user gets the attention. This 
> shift explains the recent personalization of messages, the ever 
> broadening of themes (from Iwo Jima to child murderers), the personal 
> attacks and exchange of insults, and the sometimes exponential 
> explosion of messages by the same person.
> Why is this happening? My own view is this: as a group we have some 
> experience with and some knowledge about the Leica products. In the 
> last couple of years we have exchanged all of this and now we are in 
> the stage of repeating ourselves. There is a limit of what can be 
> discussed about Leica in a substantial way , given that it is the 
> same group of people  who are talking. By now we know that the R-19 
> is a good lens, that the the 70-180 is OK and that the Canadians 
> designed great lenses. So it is natural that the group shifts 
> attention to new topics. Leica is out of the question as we have told 
> everything we know and this is boring stuff. or so it seems. The 
> learning capacity is also limited. See the greycard discussion.
> The lug community then will survive as a group of people that happen 
> to own Leica equipment and prefers to discuss every topic that is 
> interesting to a small segment of the group.
> I would prefer to refocus on the Leica product area, but that seems 
> impossible in the current climate.
> As one contributor remarked:anyone daring to ask a real Leica related 
> question will be overlooked.
> 
> Still I am convinced that Leica as a fascinating product and a superb 
> photographic tool merits a passionate  attention and I am sure we all 
> need to know much more of this product and the technique to exploit 
> its potential and enjoy the use of it.
> 
> I am afraid the Lug climate is contaminated. As a StarTrek fan I 
> would say: let us recalibrate our sensors and do a new scan. We may 
> be surprised to note what is out there.
> 
> 
> Erwin