Digital BW, The Print

Paul,

>It's a fair question whether digital capture should be part of 
>this forum. I'd say it should, to the extent it relates to B&W, 
>because we can't make a good B&W print without good input 
>information.  Digital capture appears to be the future, whether 
>we like it or not.  (And I may be in the "not" group, but feel 
>no choice but to learn and master B&W digital capture.)

I agree to a point, and the important part of your statement is "to
the extent it relates to B&W".  I enjoy and learn from and participate
in these threads to some degree.  The problem, as we have seen from
time to time, is that it takes some awareness, discretion and
self-discipline not to let it get out of hand (qualities which sadly
seem to be lacking in many).  Once started, these threads tend to go
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on on and on
on and on - way beyond their original relevence, and they crowd out
other threads to the point that the forum begins to resemble those on
dpreview and other places.  

Think how many times we have someone comment on how nice this forum
is, how different, how friendly, how high-level, how informative - the
implication being how UNLIKE other forums it is. People who troll
those other forums don't stay here long because their troll needs
aren't satisfied (thank goodness).  But if this trend continues then
those types will begin hanging around and it will only get worse and
spiral downward.  It doesn't take much.  We have already lost a few
key contributors, people with many years experience and much to offer,
who seldom if ever show up any more due to trends on this forum over
the past months.

We really don't need debates on 35mm lenses vs digital lenses, D70 vs
D2x, full frame vs APS, CMOS vs CCD, Canon vs Nikon, Mac vs PC, and on
and on forever.  Everything that can possibly be said on those
subjects has already been said forty thousand gazillion times on the
other forums.  

We have a treasure here and I think we all need to use some restraint
to preserve what we have.  


Regards,
Clayton


Info on black and white digital printing at    
http://www.cjcom.net/digiprnarts.htm