Re: [Leica] Ted's outcry

[Ruralmopics@aol.com]

I must say that this has been an interesting experience. I bought a used 
Leica and received it exactly one day after Anthony announced on the 
rec.photo.equipment.35mm newsgroup that he had bought a new M6 and began 
posting his impressions. Coincidently I subscribed to this group and lo and 
behold I see the beginning of Anthony's posts on the LUG. I was pretty active 
the first couple of days throwing my two cents in but decided to lay back and 
watch rather than contributing so much and thereby influencing the flavor of 
the group. Anyway, after a few days of taking a slightly lower profile, I'm 
considering unsubscribing, not so much because of Anthony but because I 
haven't seen anything all that useful posted by anyone else either. 

Sure Anthony posts a lot. Some of his questions seem to suggest he's 
unwilling to think for himself, learn the old fashioned way or leave well 
enough alone. On the other hand I haven't really noticed him getting offended 
by what have clearly been incredibly rude comments on the part of the 
regulars and old timers. Either he's oblivious to it, has a really forgiving 
spirit or is actually enjoying the reaction. I don't know. It doesn't really 
matter. Personally, I don't think he's deserved the open condemnation he's 
received. I would have preferred to see someone writing him a nice note 
explaining what is expected of participants. Maybe that happened and I didn't 
see it. I only read a fraction of the posts.

In any case, the important thing for me is that there just seems to be a lot 
of wine, bread and desert in this little Leica smorgasboard and very little 
meat. It seems that the posts that really deal with making pictures with 
Leica cameras are few and far between. Maybe you guys have hashed all that 
out and it's more interesting to talk about the weather, your latest trips, 
eventual sainthood for HCB or whether to wear the tweed blazer or the leather 
coat with the snakeskin IIIG and which bag clashes with a chrome M6 (sorry, 
I'm teasing). 

Anyway, I guess I came in at a bad time. I'm just a little tired of all the 
harping about Anthony. Talk to him, ignore him, filter him, whatever. Just do 
it and move on. I'll probably get slammed now but so be it. I may leave soon 
anyway. Just thought you might want to know that another newcomer sees you 
all as pretty pissy. 

Bob (I can see this nonsense in a newsgroup) McEowen