Re: Wiki for ATM

On 5 Aug 2006 00:22:03 -0700, "Harshad" <harshad.rj@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Why is that nobody wants to contribute to an ATM wiki? Is a wiki not a
good idea? Is Schtuff.com not a suitable host? Are there any other
wiki's out there for the same purpose (I searched but I didn't find
any)?

I don't mind the idea being bashed.. but let me have some feedback. I
don't post frequently here cause I am just beginning out; I don't have
a telescope yet. Have just started making my own 8" Newtonian now.

Just a few thoughts- there are not many ATMs anymore. Most amateur
astronomers buy their optics, and those that are into building things
usually do so with other parts of the system than the telescope. The
information database underlying telescope making (presumably, what your
wiki seeks to provide) is not very complex, and is well covered by just
a few classic publications. The few people I know who still build optics
tend to be fairly non-technical in a modern sense: they build the
optics, but their mounts tend to be dobs or otherwise fairly simple, and
are more about craftsmanship than high technology. As such, I suspect
these folks are more into spending their time actually doing the work
than they are writing about it online.

None of this is should be taken as bashing, just observations about why
your response may be low. Then again, your reply to yourself is the
first time I ever heard of your wiki- I either missed an earlier post,
or if fell into some Internet black hole. Maybe you just need more time
and more exposure. Participating here, on Starry Nights, and maybe a few
other serious amateur astronomy forums should help get the word out.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com
.

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