CPF is great but...

[nirvanaxp]

I wish there were a comprehensive website that listed all the manufacturers and models of flashlights and listed general info, tips, problems for each flashlight/manufacturer . I think the wiki was supposed to be kind of like that but i don't think it does a good enough job. I always ask questions about flashlights but feel guilty about starting a new post just to get a simple question answered. Even then, the answers you get depend on the posters who are currently online and actually notice your post. Searching for the answer in the archived posts usually yields incomplete or outdated answers. Not to mention, biased, subjective answers.

I guess I'm kind of frustrated. Sticky threads are good, but not the same as featured articles on other websites on a product or just trends in the industry. I find that sometimes the discussions quickly progress from simple discussions to very technical ones with lots of jargon.

Anyways... my two cents. I love the community here, the people are great and the conversations can get interesting, just not the best when trying to find out the best information fast.

What do you think?

 

[Marduke]

I wish there were a comprehensive website that listed all the manufacturers and models of flashlights and listed general info, tips, problems for each flashlight/manufacturer . I think the wiki was supposed to be kind of like that but i don't think it does a good enough job. I always ask questions about flashlights but feel guilty about starting a new post just to get a simple question answered. Even then, the answers you get depend on the posters who are currently online and actually notice your post. Searching for the answer in the archived posts usually yields incomplete or outdated answers. Not to mention, biased, subjective answers.

I guess I'm kind of frustrated. Sticky threads are good, but not the same as featured articles on other websites on a product or just trends in the industry. I find that sometimes the discussions quickly progress from simple discussions to very technical ones with lots of jargon.

Anyways... my two cents. I love the community here, the people are great and the conversations can get interesting, just not the best when trying to find out the best information fast.

What do you think?

I think it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

First, there is a repository of many of the lights made through history, the Flashlight Museum. Making a list of every brand and every model ever made would be nearly impossible. It would be like compiling a list of every model shoe or knife or pen or watch ever made. There is simply too many, and more every day.

As far as common tips and issues, most pertinent threads are already linked in some of the stickies, or can be found with a cursory search. The same goes for most common questions. Chances are, if you are asking a common question, the answer is already available (usually dozens of times), and is rarely out of date. 9 times out of 10, your answer could be found more quickly be typing your question directly into the search box rather than typing up a whole post about it.

Although new models are available every day, the basics "Physics of Flashlights" doesn't really changed over time.

If a thread is close to your question, but doesn't finish it, just tack on your related issue.

Also, if you ask a technical question, expect a technical answer. If you don't want to learn about technical aspects, why ask the question to begin with?

 

[nirvanaxp]

I know it is all available. But I wish it was more easily available that's all. I realize there cannot be information for every flashlight ever made. Just the more modern flashlights that are important in some way. ie not a new Sears AA incan. but a new fenix with the latest led. The flashlight museum is great, but looking at the profiles of some flashlights leaves more to be said about the model. Maybe the wiki should be better. I would contribute, but I know people in these forums know tons more than I do about lights.

 

[Linger]

I hear your issue, it is sometimes challenging to get the correct piece of information from CPF.

Aside from the search function here (which you pointed out some downfalls to, yes) if you've got an idea to make extracting information easier for the end user, great! It takes a lot of dedication to bring an idea into fruition.

re: bias
I'm not sure how anyone would set up a comprehensive listing of manufactured lights that doesn't include some bias. I'd suggest it's best to identify a position and once your subjectivity is stated the reader can identify their distance to it.

 

[Marduke]

Have you read the Welcome Mat?

The Wiki and other informative threads are about the physics, engineering, and terminology of flashlights, not about brand A, B, or C.

 

[Search]

CPF is, without a doubt, the largest, and almost only, place to get reliable information on almost every light out there.

If there is a light in production that can be had, or a part that pertains to lights, it's information can be found here.

It takes many people to collect this information and randomly put it into the CPF melting pot.

Whoever invented the "search" feature made this possible too.

No matter how you find out about a certain light, you can search for it on here and get some information.

If you have no idea where to start you can hit the review section and check out some things. You can also make a thread recommending you a light.

It's possible but would be near impossible to put the amount of information that's found on here, into any order.

Would be neat, but until computers can do it, I would love to find a person who had the time or patience.

I opened my 2009 SureFire catalog and made a post containing every new light and weaponlight and their features. It took me nothing short of five hours. Now imagine how long it would have took to go find that information on the forum and go looking for known problems. If they existed for instance.

Then image if I did another company. I'm already at a whole day, not including sleep and food.

By the time I was done, I would have spent a whole month doing nothing but that.

 

[cave dave]

It sounds like what he wants is the old flashlightreviews site.

A site like that was a tremendous amount of work for one person and that was back when only a few new lights were introduced each year.

 

[greenLED]

There's a simple reason for that: it's a monumental task!

The closest you'll get is the old flashlightreviews site, Craig's LED Museum site, and the collective knowledge assembled on CPF.

However, for a single person to synthesize all that, and keep it updated... I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Illum]

this is why we have that icon on top of the forum

Prepare to research
It has always been this way, ever since Quickbeam stopped reviewing.



We're expecting too much from those who are able to review, and refraining from sending lights to them for review. So no donations, no lights, and a bunch of questions wondering why lights aren't getting reviewed and consolidated.

 

[nirvanaxp]

Ryan Block and Peter Rojas have launched their new site gdgt.com. This is exactly what I meant in my original post. It combines the best aspects of a wiki, forum, social networking to create a robust and current database of gadgets. One of these on flashlights would be amazing.

 

[MarNav1]

Start your own.......

 

[flashfan]

nirvanaxp, I hear you, and agree that it would be a great thing--I'd use it myself. But as others have stated, it would be such a monumental undertaking, especially these days, when new models, features and manufacturers are constantly being introduced.

My dream is to have a giant comparison chart that can be sorted according to individual needs/specs.

 

[Greta]

Start your own.......

Ditto. So many people want this or that but want someone else to do it for them. nirvanasp... you know what you want... make it so!

 

[Marduke]

nirvanaxp, I hear you, and agree that it would be a great thing--I'd use it myself. But as others have stated, it would be such a monumental undertaking, especially these days, when new models, features and manufacturers are constantly being introduced.

My dream is to have a giant comparison chart that can be sorted according to individual needs/specs.

guiri and I have starting making exactly such a list. If you want to contribute to expanding it (I don't have the time), let me know.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2980666