[Leica] making friends on the lug

["Birkey" <dbirkey@uio.telconet.net>]

I think the LUG is a far nicer and civil place if you take the attitude that
it is much better to make friends than  to make enemies.  I can think of
many members whom I would enjoy meeting and spending a few hours or a day
with... and I'm going to have the pleasure of meeting Henning here in
Ecuador in a couple of weeks.

The Lug is a great place to discuss ideas and any time you discuss
anything... there will probably be some disagreement.   But, unfortunately
some disagreement goes beyond that to criticism of ideas and then on to
downright personal attacks on-line and off-line...  I can think of a number
of really nice people with a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience
who have been driven off of the LUG by unfounded attacks and abrasive
comments in the past.

I can't tell you everything about Erwin as I've not met him personally, but
a number of Luggers have....  To my knowledge he has written articles for
Leica's magazine, Photo Techniques, did one of the Leica CD-Roms, articles
in the LHSA Viewfinder and I think spoke at the LHSA annual meeting in
Chicago???  You can always look at his website....Who else left on the LUG
really knows as much about Leica as Erwin???

I've seen a lot of flare-ups about Erwin's posts over the last few months,
and almost all were due to some misinterpretation or misrepresentation of
his initial comments... While not everyone will always agree with his
opinions.  I can't remember one in the end where Erwin was proven to be
wrong.  For example this past digital equivalent of film thread.... I
haven't heard any more comments after his last digital explanation and
dissertation.   But then again... there aren't to many on the lug who
understand what he wrote, let alone capable of writing what he did.

If I was attacked as much as he has been... I would have left a long time
ago too... nobody needs that much grief.   It's a credit to Erwin that he
continues to contribute info to the LUG and his website.

So... let's be nice.... make a few friends, talk about Leica, enjoy the
discussion and each others company and the Lug will be a better place.
Perhaps you could pretend to hold these discussions with your Leica using
pastor, priest, rabbi (or evangelical missionary in my case) to make things
more civil....

Duane Birkey
HCJB World Radio
Quito Ecuador
Duane's Photographs of Ecuador:
http://duane_birkey.tripod.com

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*****
Some one from Texas wrote:

I get on here and other groups for open discussion...not to make friends....
I can go to any church and have "unconditional" friends....