Is anyone else who uses Sky broadband having issues accessing lampguild.org. Traceroute indicates it's an issue within the sky network itself, but they won't take any notice until they get a few complaints. having to use a VPN or Tor to access it is a little bit of annoyance. HD
Probably a DNS issue. One way to get around it or to prevent it from happening in the future is to set your modem (or machine depending on software) to use Google's public DNS servers. You'll have to google a bit to see how to do it as it's very dependent upon your equipment, but it's not difficult and step by step instructions for most setups are easy to find.
That was my first thought, I use OpenDNS, and I've already tried another trusted and reliable DNS. I can ping the server, but get huge packet loss and traceroute points to an issue in Sky's own network. I'll harass them a bit and see what happens.
I had an issue accessing the HTTP drop box in the Guild site recently. Normally not a problem but for a few days it just refused to connect. When we talked to the Webmaster he found nothing wrong and the following day it worked as normal. I assume therefore there was a temporary problem which is now resolved. The Guild site runs on Perl code designed in 1998 and is quite frail so we are now having to consider an upgrade. This is a problem because the site has not been commercially viable for a couple of years now and is being funded by some of the directors which is a result of falling usage and lack of donations. So we are now faced with do we keep the site, which will cost us, or kill it off because of the lack of interest. ::Neil::
Many, many years ago just as I started collecting, in all innocence, I offered to make a financial donation to that site. For that, not posting an image to support a pretty trivial question I'd asked and daring to own a lantern it was felt I was unworthy of (a Thomas Kerosafe I'd got for £5.50 from eBay for God's sake), I was abused by one of the directors and told in no uncertain terms, that I would NEVER become a member of the site. Well, somehow, without them, I've managed to continue collecting and even succeeded in building a half-way decent array of lamps and lanterns, even if I say so myself. Nothing personal at all Neil, but do I hear the sound of chickens coming home to roost... 8)
It seems you've been carrying the scars of that abuse since it happened.It's a shame you didn't learn something positive from the experience, I.E. "I shall never treat a fellow forum member in the same way" For the first 6 months of both my collecting career and being a member of this site, I witnessed, and was a victim of you dishing out your own brand of abuse and even harassment. It's a shame that you didn't become a defender of those in the innocence of their collecting careers rather than often turn on them through, I assume, bitterness. I will admit, you have mended your ways in the last few months.
The Guild was the brainchild of Fil Graff and he was and still is owner of the Company. Sadly he is now lost to us as he has Alzheimer's and can't remember anything about lamps. Fil was never one to suffer a fool but he had an unfortunate manner when posting on the site and you are by no means the only one to be treated badly. He would get angry at people asking the same old questions and was quite often abusive to them. Something I never understood because if you don't know you have to ask and I will answer the same old question time and again because it might irritate a little but the question always deserves an answer. As for never being a member that may be true because membership was always by invitation and only to proven researchers. Collectors who are not researchers no matter how large and important the collection are never invited. So yes the Guild site did suffer from an aggressive style but those days are over as we are now guided by Darcy VanTiger as secretary and one or two other directors such as myself. The original concept was to gather together like minded researchers to share information with each other. The Q&A page was really only an offshoot to the main thrust of the Guild but as is the way of these things that is where people saw the Guild in action and it became perhaps the most important part in peoples minds. It was always a cumbersome forum with severe limitations and we never attempted to make it more interesting, informative and user friendly such as CCS and CPL. That was probably never possibly anyway because of the code in use. The site has been superseded by sites such as this one and is never likely to be used by Pressure lamp collectors again. We do still get posts by wick lamp collectors but even that has slowed right down so we are beginning to consider the future. The site still has a deal of useful information embedded and may still be of use to the collecting community but it looks like the only way it can survive is if the directors fund it. ::Neil::
The site certainly shows it's age, but it contains useful information and it would be a shame to lose that, but some things are inevitable. I guess I will start picking my way through it and see what I can find. HD
Well, Neil, all I can say is that since the Thomas Kerosafe was about the third lantern I ever owned, how would anyone know at such an early stage what research I was capable of and might have done. No, I was summarily excommunicated - not that I ever gave a shit about it, anyway. As for his effect on others, a collector who had met him said he had "the personality of a buzz-saw" which I thought was quite apt. But I'm still saddened to hear of his current condition - you wouldn't wish that on anyone...
I'm impressed with your reply David. I think we both know where I was coming from. As for the shag. When you get to my age, all offers are considered. I've never chipped out of the rough so yes, a shag is out of the question - this time.
I've been your age, Matty, if you care to look (I'll take that as a compliment, though!) Beyond that, no, I've absolutely no idea where you're coming from...
...Hmm..... looks like there is more than just a funny handshake and rolling up your trouser leg to this 'Lamp Guild' lark then?...
I said proven not potential. Most Guild members were invited by Fil and they all were people who had dealt with him in some way and impressed him with information Etc. So it was personal and maybe attitude meant that quite a few good people were alienated by the man. I know that we used to get quite a few folk asking to join and Fil tended to put them down hard. Since we incorporated to become a Limited Liability company this has changed and now we look at nominations, normally by one of the directors but it can be by any member, and the board takes a vote. I have several people in mind that I should really nominate as members but there is an initial membership cost and I can't right now see any real advantage in joining so I have not done so. It does perhaps have some value as membership does mean you are a serious lighting researcher and recognised as such by your peers but I am not sure how much value we should attach to that. ::Neil::
Yes, apart from saying I'd filled shallow dents in Tilley tanks with car body filler (a cardinal sin, obviously, that brought all sorts of vile accusations about dangerous practices designed solely to defraud unsuspecting eBay buyers and exposing them, their families and property to damage, serious injury and even death - none of which was even remotely true), I had the temerity to suggest that aspiring lampies such as me might be prepared to pay a small fee for what I termed "associate membership" of the Guild i.e. a sort of affiliation or a lower class of membership. At this point, he blasted off spectacularly, accelerated rapidly beyond mere ballistic flight and quite quickly achieved Earth orbit uttering various nasty insults along his trajectory. A simple and courteous, "No" would have been more than sufficient. Ah, well...
"Lively" is not a word I would ever use in the same sentence as 'Lamp Guild'... But since you ask, PB:- http://www.lampguild.org/
