Somehow I think if I start a thread about how A&S is a very basic magazine, with often out of date news, promotion of only one shop and in general of a much lower standard than anything else on the market I think you'll find an excuse to rant about that also

Astronomy & Space is the only printed outlet where Irish astronomers like myself regularly get exposure, whether it's for observer's reports, photographs or, like in the July issue, a SIX-PAGE spread about ancient astronomy in Ireland. It's an insult to me personally and to all involved in the magazine to describe it as being of a lower standard. If you made constructive contributions to the magazine you might see the light, but it looks like you'd prefer to sit on the sidelines and jeer.

And if I'm not mistaken, you've a history of putting things down.

Everyone has a right to their opinion and your response only proves what Albert says which is why I dont say anything about magazines in general on the web.

Dave G
I'm getting highly annoyed to be honest, you're making a mountain out of a mole hill, seems like you are looking for an arguement and trying to bring the site into disrepute. PM me if you wish with you complaints.
If you have a complaint against IFAS, then PM it to the committee.
IFAS is alot more then some website.

Was going to enthuse about my recently purchased Moonlite focuser....ehh better direct it to Ian King instead!

Go on Dave, you can tell us.
I'd prefer to hear about your cool new focuser. I hear the Moonlites are the bee's-knees.

Funnily enough I was looking for one for the 20", can that one be motorised ?

We are only about 20 persons, barely 10 of which post even weekly here ...

Is that with or without the crazy Greeks? :mrgreen:

If you made constructive contributions to the magazine you might see the light, but it looks like you'd prefer to sit on the sidelines and jeer.

I guess you didn't like the light pollution articles earlier in the year then.

TBH I meant my comments earlier as an illustration of a view rather than actual criticism. Hence the 'if I start a thread'... But its interesting to see that your response was to personally insult me.

Apologies DG if I offended your earlier; I should have said "I think some people will..." rather than saying "you'll".

But its interesting to see that your response was to personally insult me.

Well, it wasn't meant as a personal insult, but then I was insulted by your remark, especially as I'm a regular contributor to A&S. So we can agree to call it quits!!

Fair enough Anthony!

I might actually grab a copy to read the ancient astronomy articles. Some time ago I did a project on archeoastronomy and found the work that Dr. Clive Ruggles has done on the subject here and in the UK very interesting.

Best Wishes

Apologies DG if I offended your earlier; I should have said "I think some people will..." rather than saying "you'll".

Understood and accepted.

If you have a complaint against IFAS, then PM it to the committee.

Dave is that your position or the position of the IFAS committee? If that is one persons opinion then I disagree. The readers of these boards have a right to see opinions out in public instead of being hidden behind a sub-board that the rest of us can't read. If on the otherhand this is the position of the committee then we have a situation where IFAS is censuring any negative comment.

Dave G
I'm getting highly annoyed to be honest, you're making a mountain out of a mole hill, seems like you are looking for an arguement and trying to bring the site into disrepute.

Whatever happened to attack the post not the poster.

If you are reffering to my last post in this thread you tell me where I am looking for trouble? I merely questioned why my person was called into question and Albert's reply cleared that up. There was no further argument in that post.

If you are referring to the fact that I argued that Paul (or anyone else for that matter) should have every right to compliment/criticise A&S or any other publication then that is another matter. Bart said everyone is free to come here and exchange views. Clearly that is not the case when members of the committee resort to personally insulting someone who dares to question.

You see my original argument is that;

"but it might be better to just send them your message directly rather than posting it here." is very different to;

"Don't forget to send them your message directly so that they can publish it."

The same undercurrent is exactly what drove another regular poster (and former IFAS astronomer of the year) away from these boards.


Maybe what Irish astronomy needs is BBS service where posters are not insulted because they dare question the status quo. And the good news is that can be arranged VERY easily.

Up to now any IFAS club have been free to contact AI (through me) for help publicising their events. That offer remains to all Astronomy clubs on this island without exception.

I'm reading all of of this and thinking....

My W/O SCT focuser is the dogs b!"£$%cks, can be motorised by JMI and only costs 1/3 of the Moonlites

dave Gradwell

In a few short pages we seem to be in danger of destroying years worth of effort to build bridges. It's far too easy to post off-the-cuff from behind the sanctuary of a keyboard and a screen. I know for a fact that if we were all sitting facing each other over pints we wouldn't be taking pot-shots at each other like this.

We're all keen Astronomers with a passion for the hobby, we all share that. It helps to remember that I think.

Some things to bear in mind:
1) We moderate very very little on these boards. People are free to express their opinions.
2) The rules VERY clearly say "attack the post not the poster". Everyone, please bear that in mind before replying.
3) Text-only media are very poor at conveying tone. When you read a post you have a choice, assume the poster meant it in the worst way, or in the best way. This thread is full of people choosing to see the worst in ambiguous statements. If we all choose to think the best of each other rather than the worst things would be a lot nicer around here.

This thread has spiralled too far already. One more personal insult or snipe at anyone and I lock it.

Now, back on topic.

PJ, I'm glad you are enjoying Astronomy & Space magazine. As well as sharing your joy on these boards, where I have no doubt many others agree with you, you may also consider writing to the actual magazine, that way the people who put in the work will get to read your compliments.

Bart.

I'm reading all of of this and thinking....

My W/O SCT focuser is the dogs b!"£$%cks, can be motorised by JMI and only costs 1/3 of the Moonlites

dave Gradwell

LOL! Guess that makes you a happy man then!
The Moonlits look really cool though, althougn the WO stuff is very nice too.
Have you considered adding go-faster stripes to yours yet Dave?

ya know what, I'm not going to bother anymore.

We are only about 20 persons, barely 10 of which post even weekly here ...

Is that with or without the crazy Greeks? :mrgreen:

Hopefully, without!

IMHO, from a person with no bias, if this was about, say, an american magazine, there wouldnt be so much uproar about it being posted on these boards and an email being written instead!

But if the same thread appeared about the same hypothetical american magazine each month I think someone would also post and suggest they tell the mag.

Ive been an avi viewer of cludy nights etc and ive never seen such an uproar over such a small and petty thing!

AS regards the focusers, is it hard to change the focuser on the lx90? i find that the focuser almost 'slips' when it gets to the place where it would usually focus at if ya get me. id love a microfocusser too or even a motorised one!

Wow what a can or worms.

All i can say is that i find it puzzling how on the one hand it is ok for someone to start a thread on a regular basis to say well done to X,Y or Z for having their pics published in a monthly magazine yet on the other hand it seems not to be ok to start a thread on a regular basis to say well done to X,Y or Z for publishing another great issue of a monthly magazine.

It seems there is one set of rules for some people and an entirely different set of rules for others.

Doesnt seem fair to me.

Just my 2 cents.

P.S.~~I havent been offended by anyone here and i havent meant to offend anyone IF i have. So no ill feelings from me towards anyone..............

Wow what a can or worms.

All i can say is that i find it puzzling how on the one hand it is ok for someone to start a thread on a regular basis to say well done to X,Y or Z for having their pics published in a monthly magazine yet on the other hand it seems not to be ok to start a thread on a regular basis to say well done to X,Y or Z for publishing another great issue of a monthly magazine.

It seems there is one set of rules for some people and an entirely different set of rules for others.

Doesnt seem fair to me.

Just my 2 cents.

P.S.~~I havent been offended by anyone here and i havent meant to offend anyone IF i have. So no ill feelings from me towards anyone..............

Just to be clear. There is no rule saying you can't start threads like this! People just suggested that you contact the people responsible since they'd like to hear. The threads congratulating out regulars are a little different in that they are regulars here, of course it makes sense to compliment them right here where they post their images!

Anyway, I really wish threads like this wouldn't explode so.

Bart.

The threads congratulating out regulars are a little different in that they are regulars here, of course it makes sense to compliment them right here

Dave G and Carl are also regulars here and put a lot of work into the mag..............so (as you say), it makes sense to compliment them here.

In my eyes both threads are fundamentally the same with the same purpose and deserve the same respect. I've never seen such debate on a thread set up to say well done X,Y or Z on a great image published this month in whatever magazine you care to name.

In the words of Forrest Gump "That's all about all i have to say about that".

This whole issue is much ado about nothing so let's bury it.

Theres no different rules so to speak! People just feel strongly about this subject! therefore there are more opinions to be voiced! neutral arguments dont have as much of a response! but positive and negative arguments do!

Guys, we're all astronomers by hobby are we not?

Is this maybe some sort of Irish thing where we have to have two of everything who run each other down? It's just the same up north here where I found myself on the end of a personal vendetta when I left one club and joined the other one. What a complete nonsense!

The effect of all this is that onlookers who might have been looking in thinking this is a nice place just roll their eyes and move on, and particularly as we approach IYA 2009 when we're supposed to be working together to get more people interested in our hobby, this is exactly what we don't want.

As it happens I enjoy reading A&S magazine - my only criticism would be that it's a bit slow getting up here so I haven't seen the latest one yet.

PJ is dead on when he shares his view of a magazine going from strength to strength, both from a standpoint of sharing that with the rest of us and also from giving due credit to regular contributors here who are involved in that magazine - so Dave, Carl and any others involved, Congrats on an excellent publication and please keep at it.

That's my 2p, thanks for reading!

That's my 2p, thanks for reading!

Get with the €uro man, we don't deal with pence here!

Or my 2.5c even!

Here here paul well said! we should be setting a good example!

your 2.54124 cent to be exact!

Poet Lewis Morris: "It is a conspiracy of silence against me - a conspiracy of silence! What should I do?"

Oscar Wilde: "Join it”