---In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, <lensandcamera@...> wrote :
Just a quick defense of 'the good old days' of Kodak and Ilford with regard to information. They published hundreds of specialty publications on their products; Kodak's great failing was to separate 'professional' from 'amateur' divisions, sometimes in ridiculous ways, such as a story a recently read of requiring your FAA license info if you wanted to buy spools of aero film - but I still have some of the best, concise guides to macro photography from 1980's Kodak guides that must have sold for less than their cost of printing it. The Darkroom and Master Guides cost a few bucks - but with cutout multi wheel dials on page after page, and I have some with a dozen toned paper samples, surfaces, etc.
Data sheets on each film? I have the Morgan and Morgan books, collecting graphic art and strange variations of emulsions that could be cross processed up the whazoo with the direct positive kit, etc.
Kodak maintained mail and telephone desks to answer questions, and while 98% were from people who couldn't open an Instamatic; eventually you built up a secret list of people who drank phenidone in their coffee to call with oddball requests; and every so often, a mystery box or bottle would appear with typewritten instructions and a request that an sample exposure be sent back from me or one of my students.
Ilford had much less of a presence in the US back then, but I also have their books on Monochrome Practice, sample black and white negatives they'd send out (why was their never an equivalent B&W "IT-8"?) and found their sales reps to be more accommodating than what Kodak would allow.
"Oh, you have 75 Adult Ed darkroom students? Can we send you..."
Joe Meyerson
Still have stains under the fingernails...