Role of Message Boards in Disseminating New Research

[DVV]

Since the very horrible and unfair opinion I gave was only received with arrogance, I just can change my mind. Please, accept my sincere apologies.
We need more forums. More reviews. A daily newspaper dedicated to the Whitechapel murders.

[jmenges]

You responded with arrogance and a bullshit attitude to my suggestion that, seeing how the Casebook has crashed and erased more than once in the past, it might not be a bad thing to have alternate websites and journals. I wanted to listen to a Jack the Ripper podcast while at work, there was none, so I started one myself. Do I still wish to hear a Ripper podcast that is not my own? Yes. I have said this many times before. And I'm sure it's the same with the zines. They may be in minor competition, but I assure you the powers that be behind the zines read each others publications and in that way that the media hopefully benefits. They will improve upon their work based on what their competition is coming up with. No need for you to throw a hissy fit.

JM

[DVV]

There is nothing I can disagree with, here.
But it's a bit rich to read (in substance) : "Oh you, stupid, you missed my point", when everybody missed mine.
Btw, what applies to the magazines or the podcast(s) may not apply to the forums. At least, this is my non-arrogant opinion.

[jmenges]

Imo there should be one site dedicated to JtR - and this should be the Casebook - and one magazine - Ripp.
I enjoy Ripp, I must say, but to be honest, it shouldn't be a monthly publication imo. That's too much for that field, and it could be counter-productive, at last.

Stalin

That was your post I was commenting on. Sorry if missed some other, hidden, point.

JM

[DVV]

Ok, and I was still on my point in the response you found arrogant.
Whatever, I really need to apologise for my "I don't give a ****", so please accept my sincere apologies for this.
It's just that I had the feeling that I wasn't allowed to say anything beyond : "That is a formidable field, worth many reviews and websites" - but that wasn't your point I have to admit, so again, my sincere apologies.

[Ally]

seeing how the Casebook has crashed and erased more than once in the past, it might not be a bad thing to have alternate websites and journals.

Loathe though I am to step into a pissing match that I have previously remained out of (there's so few, I like the novelty) I thought it worth mentioning that the problems that plagued websites in the past are largely irrelevant now. The Casebook I know is backed up daily so that the most info that might ever be lost in theory is 12-24 hours depending when the crash occurred there's a back up on another server that could be retrieved and the admin receives emails of every post so anything from that time period that was important could be recreated and I am sure other forums follow the same practice.

The more likely scenario is one day Stephen or Howard or whomever gets tired of the whole shooting match and decides to go lights out as it's no longer worth the expense and aggravation.

[Errata]

I don't say this often, but DVV has a point, in an anthropological sort of way. Necessity is the mother of of invention. One guy wants a podcast, there isn't one, so he creates one. One guy wants a journal, there isn't one, so he compiles one. A couple of people want a message board, etc. So we are guaranteed just as many resources as we are interested in. That there are no other podcasts, or only one other journal, etc. is a pretty good sign that the community has reached it's saturation point with regards to media. There may be some scholastic benefit to a wider array of media, and the diversification that comes with, but if we needed it (or wanted it), we would have it.

If you want to examine an area of interest that is vastly over saturated with attendant media, look at personal health. The benefits of available information have been completely tanked by too many divergent opinions.

[lynn cates]

rules

Hello Ally.

"Loathe though I am to step into a pissing match that I have previously remained out of (there's so few, I like the novelty) . . ."

See, the Casebook rules DO work.

Cheers.
LC

[Roy Corduroy]

I like Casebook. Always have. And if, just for one moment, you can tear yourself away from the messages boards go left to those categories where you will find a lot of information.

In this sense, Casebook is unique as a one stop place. Where you can actually study the case. Or if you want, just riff to your hearts content on the boards.

Roy

[ChrisGeorge]

Message board threads, started from a simple census entry or new newspaper find can can quickly become 'substantial' in content and amount of new information. What is an article if not a series of these 'trivial' nuggets anyway?
In any case, I personally think it should be unacceptable to use information from either source, published in a magazine or to the boards, without giving credit or an acknowledgement to the original finder of the information.

Hi Debs et al.

I don't particularly want to make a case for a suspect-oriented article because the Rip publishes a substantial range of articles including investigational, informational, biographical, as well as suspect-based articles. But whatever the nature of the article, the piece in a sense makes a fully-rounded argument and is fully referenced so is much more than a collection of "'trivial' nuggets" as you put it. I do realize though that your post is partly in answer to my post in which I made the point that some posts on the boards might be more in the way of trivial pieces of information that might illuminate some aspect of the case but will not make for a full article.

In regard to the point Paul Begg was making that message boards often close or have problems, how many times has it happened that the Casebook boards have crashed and data has either been lost or only partially retrieved? I know it has happened a number of times, albeit not recently.

Best regards

Chris

[ChrisGeorge]

Loathe though I am to step into a pissing match that I have previously remained out of (there's so few, I like the novelty) I thought it worth mentioning that the problems that plagued websites in the past are largely irrelevant now. The Casebook I know is backed up daily so that the most info that might ever be lost in theory is 12-24 hours depending when the crash occurred there's a back up on another server that could be retrieved and the admin receives emails of every post so anything from that time period that was important could be recreated and I am sure other forums follow the same practice.

Thanks for this reassurance, Ally. That's great to know that the Casebook information would not be lost these days in the event of a crash.

The more likely scenario is one day Stephen or Howard or whomever gets tired of the whole shooting match and decides to go lights out as it's no longer worth the expense and aggravation.

Yes, that is a danger.

All the best

Chris

[DVV]

If ripperology is a market, then let's apply the rules, and the invisible hand will take care of everything.....

Now if it's an academic field, errrr.....the question is : is this field wide enough for several monthly or bi-monthly magazines, for several forums ?
My own academic field isn't tinier than ripperology (understatement), and it doesn't have several monthly or bi-monthly magazines. It's even not seriously conceivable.

[Roy Corduroy]

It's exciting when someone shares research information on the boards. There have been many. Stewart Evans is but one example. He has posted hundreds of unique items and bits of knowledge.

Here's the trick though, how to find it again.

Roy

[PaulB]

Being able to remember when there were no magazines or websites, or podcasts, I am simply grateful that they exist and that people share their knowledge and discoveries. And I'm grateful that folk like Adam and Eduardo and Chris and Don and Stephen and Howard and everyone else who daily puts in a lot of time and effort and not a little personal income, are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to do it.

[DVV]

And there again, Paul, I feel the need to repeat that I do not doubt that they all try their best. I've always enjoyed reading Ripp, I'm sure I'd enjoy other reviews as well....but it's perhaps too much for that field, imo, and I've seen, in other areas, that it could be counter-productive.
All I'm saying.