Ever feel overwhelmed by CPF?

brightnorm

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
7,160
I felt that way today for the first time. As my interest and involvement has increased, I've expanded my original focus from just incandescents and LEDS to many of the other forums. One thing leads to another; a Tigerlight leads to a UCL lens, interest in that leads to Schott lenses for Asp Taclite and Pelican M6. Interest in Commercial LED lights leads to interest in LED mods, dropins, custom builts, 1 Watters in various configurations, 5 watters, regulated lights, non regulated lights, and on and on seemingly into Infinity, and even THAT is a light!

CPF is such an extraordinarily rich site. Even our all purpose CAFÉ is unusual in the depth and breadth of topics and the unusual intelligence and perceptiveness of posters.
Just the other day there was a post from a Flashaholic seeking advice about a painful relationhip breakup, and he received many posts expressing empathy along with plenty of good and wise ideas and information that really made a difference for him.

To fully keep up with CPF would be almost impossible unless you were laid off or laid up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

What a place!

Brightnorm
 

Greta

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
15,999
Location
Arizona
[ QUOTE ]
Ever feel overwhelmed by CPF?

[/ QUOTE ]


<font size=5>YES!!</font> /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif
 

Brock

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 6, 2000
Messages
6,346
Location
Green Bay, WI USA
I know what your saying. I remember in the old days when there were 20 new post in all the forums, in a day to check out. Now I miss 20 in a matter of an hour. I feel like I am missing so much. I feel bad that I don't check them all, but I can't. So now I have limited myself to the LED, Cafe, and Electronics. I don't even have time to follow all the mods anymore /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif
 

Rothrandir

Flashaholic
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Aug 17, 2002
Messages
7,795
Location
US
thanks for the useful information brock, if i ever have anything bad to say about you, i'll make sure it isn't in those /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

overwhelmed? well, no not really. i am however, thouroughly amazed at this board and all of it's members /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

DieselDave

Super Moderator,
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Messages
2,703
Location
FL panhandle
Yes and I have only been around 7 months. I am surprised Sasha has a hair left in her head. I really don't see how she keeps up.
 

PieThatCorner

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 22, 2003
Messages
583
Location
Los Angeles, CA
[ QUOTE ]
brightnorm said:
...
To fully keep up with CPF would be almost impossible unless you were laid off or laid up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ...


[/ QUOTE ]

I've been on an extended vacation and will soon be returning to my normal 60+ hour work week... I've been wondering just how much of CPF I'll get a chance to even glimpse at when the time comes.

There's definitely no shortage of interesting things to see here at CPF... and there's truly some very insightful and intelligent individuals here that I find to be downright funny as heck. Yep, I'm going to miss this place...

-Jim
 

RichardMT

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
114
I would not say overwhelmed. Now the selection of lights out there is overwhelming and I could have spent tons of time trying to learn about them. CPF actually made it easier by people taking time to answer all my questions...definately a cool place.
 

brightnorm

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
7,160
Sasha,

I sometimetimes wonder how you keep it all together. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort you give to CPF.
Perhaps we're becoming the victims of our own success.

Jim,

60 hours is a rough workweek. I hope you'll be able to maintain at least some degree of presence here. We've "lost" some good people and it would be a shame if you dropped out completely. Good luck in your job.

Brightnorm
 

PieThatCorner

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 22, 2003
Messages
583
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Brightnorm -

That has to be the nicest thing anyone's said to me in a long time. I truly appreciated that. Thank you!

I must admit that I have been stongly influenced by many CPF'ers that took the time to help me with my flashlight education. I have been a member of several different Forums, but I find that CPF is unchallenged in its ability to provide such a useful amount of shared knowledge. I hope that someday I can return the favor.

-Jim
 

FalconFX

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
3,297
Location
Davis, CA
There's a LOT of knowledge and experience on CPF. Some of my friends who I referred to here get shyed away because they're intimidated by all the facts and knowledge on here. They'd tell me they're afraid to ask a question because they'd get 20-30 different responses that'll make them feel silly and out of place. Mind you, these guys are only looking for a simple question to a flashlight, not your typical flashaholic... So you can imagine if they ask what would be a good camping flashlight and get 50+ responses with 50+ light recommendations across all requirements; quite an experience for them. And the fact that most here can argue on things like religion and war without virtually pulling each other's hairs out speaks for itself how well self-moderated CPF is, and how most of my friends don't really see CPF as a forum; more like a big mafia family of floating brains...
 

Tomas

Banned
Joined
Jun 19, 2002
Messages
2,128
Location
Seattle, WA area
Overwhelmed, no. Daunted, yes. Amazed, absolutely!

The quality of the people and their posts, in knowledge, helpfullness, support, suggestions, and breadth is unparalleled.

It never ceases to amaze me the tremendous pool of knowledge, in many areas, not just lighting/batteries/electronics/mechanics/optics.

I'm in a few other online groups, and have been in a large number of them over the 21 years I've been on-line (first USENET newsgroup post: 03JUN'82), but most of them have been much more narrow in their range of knowledge and interests, AND much less cultured and polite.

I can come up with no valid reasons why this is so on CPF, it just IS.

*shakes head* Amazing! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

tomsig03.gif


-= MICROSOFT FREE ZONE =-
 

brightnorm

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
7,160
[ QUOTE ]
FalconFX said:
....most of my friends don't really see CPF as a forum; more like a big mafia family of floating brains...

[/ QUOTE ]

royal_brains.jpg


Brightnorm
 

FalconFX

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 1, 2002
Messages
3,297
Location
Davis, CA
OH MY GOD! I thought it was just a joke by my friend. He went to England a few years ago, and came back with a story of a beer that was named Brains. He told me he was dranking his brain all day long, and I thought his head was eternally affected since.

Wow!
 

Wits' End

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 27, 2001
Messages
2,327
Location
Remote NEast Minnesota, next to Lake Superior
----I can come up with no valid reasons why this is so on CPF, it just IS.----
We try to keep things light /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I agree with what Brock said except I think we were at 80 or so posts a day when I joined. Now it seems I don't have time to get through more than a couple pages of "the last 24 hours" and once or twice a week I go through LED's. Probably the same with Cafe.
Do you ever think life is just getting busier all the time, or is that a sign of getting older /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

Where are our priorities? Family, Church, Work, Hobbies, or CPF? We all know what is most important right?
 

Greta

Flashaholic
Joined
Apr 8, 2002
Messages
15,999
Location
Arizona
[ QUOTE ]
I sometimetimes wonder how you keep it all together. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort you give to CPF.
Perhaps we're becoming the victims of our own success.

[/ QUOTE ]

Norm... without the other administrators and all of the great moderators, it would not be possible. Swarzkoff's infamous words about the Special Ops forces being the "eyes and ears of the operation" comes to mind in this regard. They are an awesome group... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif I've had the priviledge of being around some large and busy discussion boards before but they look positively puny compared to CPF. Yes, this place IS truly amazing...
wow.gif
 

SilverFox

Flashaholic
Joined
Jan 19, 2003
Messages
12,449
Location
Bellingham WA
I joined this forum to find information on LED lights. I was overwhelmed with the information I found during searches. Now I am overwhelmed with the whole site, but that doesn't stop me from diving right in.

I have to agree with Brightnorm

"CPF is such an extraordinarily rich site."

Many thanks to all who make CPF a great gathering of the minds:
Administrators
Moderators
Members
Dealers
Manufacturers
Modifiers

And if I have left anyone out - Thanks to you too.

Tom
 

flashfan

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
1,301
Location
USA
"Ever feel overwhelmed by CPF?"

All the time these days. I sure miss those "good, old days" when it was possible to read every thread. Now, if you miss even one day, "catching up" is a real bear.
 

The_LED_Museum

*Retired*
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Messages
19,414
Location
Federal Way WA. USA
[ QUOTE ]
flashfan said:
Now, if you miss even one day, "catching up" is a real bear.

[/ QUOTE ]

Try missing a few months and see what happens. You'll never get caught up, even if you spend hours and hours a day on CPF. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 

binky

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 1, 2002
Messages
1,036
Location
Taxachusetts, USA
Lucky for us, if you ever do need to catch up there are also talented members who can help with that such as BuddTX! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
(last 1 year of CPF in a nutshell)
 
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