LIVING UP TO ACADEMIC STANDARDS

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

I UNDERSTAND THE PASSION OF AN IDEA!. I ONCE POSTED THAT IT WAS TIME SOMEONE UPDATED AND CORRECTED STONES GLOSSARY OF ARMS AND ARMOR.
HOW ONE MAN DID THAT MUCH IN ONE LIFETIME IS BEYOND MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT WORK WITH A LARGE TEAM AND UNLIMITED FUNDS TODAY.
THE IDEA OF MAKEING SOME KIND OF UNIVERSITY OUT OF THIS FORUM IS NOT POSSIBLE AS THAT IS NOT WHAT THE FORUM IS ABOUT.
BUT PERHAPS MEMBERS OF LIKE MINDS MAY MEET AND GET TOGETHER HERE VIA E- MAIL OR PM AND WORK TOGETHER ON PROJECTS OUTSIDE OF THE FORUMS. TRAINED PEOPLE IN THESE MANY FIELDS OF INTREST ARE SOMETHING TO BE DESIRED AS THEY ARE USUALLY THE ONES WHO WRITE THE REFRENCES WE ALL SEARCH FOR.
I WOULD THINK LOOKING INTO THE COURSES REQUIRED FOR BEING A MUSEUM CURATOR AND CONSERVATOR WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE TO START. LIKE UPDATEING STONES ITS NOT A BAD IDEA, BUT A LOT OF WORK AND THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO ARE AND STAY DEDICATED WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR SUCH A LARGE UNDERTAKEING.
I FIND NOTHING OFFENSIVE IN THESE COMMENTS AND THINK THE POSTS IN THE TOPIC ARE INTERESTING AND CAN SEE MERIT IN THE IDEA BUT THE FORUM IS AN ARCHIVE WHICH CAN BE VALUABLE TO ANY ACCREDITED PEOPLE BUT IS NOT UP TO TRAINING THEM.

THE FORUM IS WHAT IT IS AND I LIKE IT AS IS. IDEAS ARE PART OF WHAT WE DO HERE EVEN IF MAKING THEM WORK OFTEN HAS TO OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE FORUMS WE ALL BENIFIT IN THE END. AS DAVID POINTS OUT GROUPS HAVE BEEN FORMED HERE BASED ON IDEAS IN THE PAST SO HOPEFULLY THIS WILL CONTINUE AND RESULT IN GOOD THINGS IN THE FUTURE.

Salaams Vandoo ~ Last point first; I like it the way it is too !
You are corect to point out that there has been nothing offensive in anything I've written; I have never advocated turning the forum into a school or a university, moreover, I have suggested a small separate department dealing with certification mainly at low and intermediate levels and the ability to go for degree study on line. It was never my intention to create a major earthquake or schism ~ I think your question on Stones is quite understandable and I can name a few other books that need a good sort out including Burtons Book of The Sword and others. Most people see mistake after mistake in museums mainly because "some" curators aren't aware of the detail and on their degree courses ethnographic arms and armour was not covered. (Please ignore if you are a Museum Curator since if you are reading this you are indeed aware of EAA !! )
With respect; I think we are more than an archive. Neither do I think we are there only to be used by degree holders or above to enhance their research. Perhaps this goes to the near root of the debate in that we could enable our members to achieve (if they so wish) certification in their chosen field. I thank you for floating the debate and if I have steered it in an untoward direction I do apologise.

To anyone who has joined the debate I say thank you and a few lines to some of the participants follows but thanks to all !

Ariel; Thank you for your kind words!
Emanuel; I agree with your idea on information being made available ~ Its not a bad point. At least it could be written up and logged into the library. Im sure that can be done.
Spunger; Yes I can see what you mean but they said that about going to the moon.
Mefidk; I quite agree; well put.
M Eley; I agree. It wouldn't change; it would be enhanced.
Fernando; It seems so.
Lew; You seem to be correct.
Dmitry; Did you know that you can get a Phd in "Elvis Presley" in the USA?
Edster; Great reply thanks for all of that. Very encouraging.

David; You have pointed out the difficult hurdles to overcome in the application of this facility concept which appears to be a non starter in your opinion.
I find that hard to follow since the resource is a thoroughly excellent and professional one. Here we have a brilliant retrieval system based on ethnographic arms and armour in a burgeoning library stuffed with research at all levels and it just grows and grows. It is bigger than the Encyclopaedia Brittanica. This vast collection of posts is too big to ignore. My view is that it should be brought onto the world stage as a perfectly respectable certificated program series.. up to degree level and therefor beyond to Phd. It is, however, only my view.

I was having a conversation recently with a particular Sheikh with rather a lot of funds to spare and the question arose that he was looking for something educational in which to support. Just something in the region of a couple of million dollars. By the way Arabs love ethnographical arms and armour and are crazy about historical stuff which is why Guggenheim and Louvre and Co. are scrambling to get a foothold here. I thought about the Forum and this subject. Naturally I made no mention, nor will I, since commercial and financial aspects of Forum are none of my business but it struck a chord and is worth a mention if only on passing. He didn't like the idea of investing in my new Porche ...

Lest I forget I can assure you that there is never any malice in anything I write and the passing spaceship jibe (that you rewrote) was just a light joke.

I am fully aware of the components required to administer certificate and degree courses and have already agreed with Lew and others as to the difficulty in so doing, though, from my viewpoint, from the administrative and legal viewpoint only.

To me it would make perfect sense.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[ariel]

Granting degrees is a no-no.
But updating Stone's Glossary, at least its "eastern" aspects, may not be such a bad idea. I am sure that the book will find a publisher and an audience.
See, I am not averse to expressing cockamamie ideas, too :-)

[David]

Originally Posted by ariel

But updating Stone's Glossary, at least its "eastern" aspects, may not be such a bad idea. I am sure that the book will find a publisher and an audience.
See, I am not averse to expressing cockamamie ideas, too :-)

This would undoubtable be a great (though arduous) project. There is no reason whatsoever that a group of interested forumites could not embark upon such a task if they had the time and inclination. I don't see why such a project would need forum sanction, accreditation or approve, simply the will of those interested.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

To me it would make perfect sense.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Understood and appreciated, Ibrahiim. However, every single moderator and/or forum Staff member has expressed a serious lack of interest in expanding this forum as you propose. The owner, Lee Jones, has not commented, but I am confident he would not support your proposal either.

Please do not take this as a personal affront. The very notion that this place would be suitable for serious academic pursuit is flattering to the staff and membership. Howevever, we do not have aspirations beyond maintaining a nice place to share information and discuss our common interests.

I encourage you to run with this concept and start your own academic website and discussion board if you like. If you choose to take on that herculean task, I wish you all the best, and will watch with great interest!

Best regards,
Andrew
Vikingsword Staff

[David]

^^^ What he said...

[Jim McDougall]

I have been watching this thread with great interest as one of the many here who have participated here for many years, and learned constantly by sharing and gaining information in wonderful discussions. I am also one of the many who write here who have no academic credentials beyond high school, yet have been able to attain greater knowledge through the fascinating discussions here and most important, learning together with others with interests in common.

In these past 15 years, I have accomplished what I could never have achieved in solitary study, as the knowledge itself is superficial without the camraderie with which to share it, and the experience and observations of others with actual weapon examples not found in books. Though my days of collecting are long gone, I still am able to learn every day through the kind generosity of the many here who openly share thier knowledge as well as w3eapons from thier own collections and acquisitions.

The thing in my opinion that threatens all of this, is the very kind of arrogance and attitude that exists from my impressions, altogether too often in 'academic circles' as well as the counterproductive competition and egotism that often feeds it.

I do not understand why some here are so rankled by Ibrahiims suggestions and approach recognizing the profound value of these forums as well as the powerful core of knowledge shared among the members. Though I long ago realized that it was clearly not necessary to pursue letters in order to follow my chosen course of study, I think that Ibrahiims suggestions were made and presented in the most complimentary manner, and that some of the responses themselves are far more condescending than his well meant suggestions were perceived.

I agree with those positive comments, as well as the intention of Vandoo's original post, that this is a place where we have assembled a wonderful corpus of data and material which is archived to the benefit of all, whether present company or hopefully others who will follow. Much as in the work of Stone, recognized as the venerable backbone of arms study, this all serves merely as benchmarks for future research. In his book he heartily expresses his hope that others would indeed follow his lead, and here they clearly have.

Lets continue on our adventure together!!!

With respect,
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

Very nicely said Andrew!!! Your post apparantly came up as I was writing and though I had not yet expressed my thoughts I wanted to extend them just the same regardless of my status.

[Andrew]

Thanks, Jim.

On that note, I believe this topic has run its course. Ibrahiim, should you decide to pursue this elsewhere, we wish you the very best.

Regards,
Andrew
VikingSword Staff