New tumbling book

It might be a great RESOURCE, but not a REFERENCE that can support facts/statements inthe article. It is an encylopedia, and this leads to a specialized view of "reference"

Still, if Roan says they aren't being removed, then it may not be an issue.

Well, the links aren't being removed right now, but who knows? They're still quibbling over it and they have been for almost a year.

This Forum is a great Resource (not a juried Reference) and I have learned so very much here, but does it take the place of a hard copy book that is a great Reference?

How many experts are there here who know exactly how to get the best possible shine, using the best possible method, with the best possible tools? Is there ever a consensus? Do we ever all agree on methodology, recipe, procedure? Is all the information neatly placed and neatly referenced?

I find it really difficult to use the Forum as an index - like Connrock stated, even bookmarking threads doesn't always tell me why I bookmarked that particular thread. How many times has someone asked the same question here on the Forum only to be told that the question has already been answered - many, many times before. Without an index, it is difficult to look up info, and the Search Engine here is very limited.

It's also difficult to carry the Internet outside to my rockpile where I might want to check out something about my rocks without lugging them in here to my computer.

And when the electricity goes out (and that can be a frequent occurence in some lightening capitals of the Western World - such as here in FLorida) it's real hard to check out anything on the internet. But with a flashlight or a candle and a match, I can still read a good book.

I guess I am also from the old school but nothing will replace the value of a good book for me. In a week's time, this thread will get buried in the Forum. In a week's time, I can still go to my bookshelves and grab my great reference books.

I love the Internet - takes me places and provides information I never dreamed of - but I still can't snuggle up with it.


As for Wikipedia editing out resources versus juried references - the Beast has probably far outgrown it's cage by now. We simply need to read what Wiki provides and then check it out against hard copy references, AKA: Books!


Harry and I worked on an electronic journal for another Forum. Readers ooo'ed and ahhh'ed over it. It was colorful and informative and made for a great refence tool. It took a month to get each edition put together. And could we get any of the other Forum members to contribute an article or a resource-review? Nope. They were all so very busy - if not at work, they were busy spending what free time they had cabbing, tumbling, wrapping, taking pix, and posting comments in Forum Threads.

The idea of having a reference work here on this Forum is a great idea, but I think it is also idealistic and by its very nature, not something that will ever happen. It takes a great deal of time to write a worthwhile article...which then needs to be edited and finetuned and crosschecked...and before long, Life gets in the way.

Forums serve wonderful purposes, as do good books. Each is important for very different reasons. Each has inherent value. And life is richer because both exist.

Gotta go now...there's a really great book that I am reading! ;D


Lady B