Tweet
Greetings AC Members!
Over the years a mantra has developed that I feel needs further explanation. If you have frequented the AC for any period of time, you may have heard the phrase "Use the Search Function". This term has been coined by the more veteran members of the forums and for good reason. Allow me to explain.
The Authentic Campaigner has been around since 1999. During that period of time, we have accumulated quite an archive of knowledge here. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a topic that hasn't been covered at one time or another, and this is a good thing.
For our newer members, let me explain how this works. When you first start your journey on the path to authenticity, you are very excited to start posting. This is understandable. We have all been there. There is nothing like starting a new adventure. However, in your haste to add your two cents, you might not realize that the topic you are introducing may have been discussed extensively at some juncture. This is where our extensive archives come into play.
You see, our archives are still open. There are threads here that go back fifteen years or more. They are kept open so that as people pass through the hobby, each generation can add to what has come before it. Conversely, they can see the accumulated knowledge over the years and learn from those who have literally been there and done that. This is where the phrase "reinventing the wheel" is often invoked. As in, "We discussed this topic in 2005. No reason to reinvent the wheel".
One of the primary missions of the Authentic Campaigner is to act as an archive, or a library for you to peruse. It is open to all and if you want a little closer look, the "library card" is free and easy to acquire. Just register for the forums. In this library, there are rows upon rows of books, just waiting for avid readers. These "books" have been written by folks who have invested thousands of hours of research and travel to take living history to the next level. All of this is free for you and gladly offered to help you on your journey.
The cool part is that there are blank pages at the end of every "book" you read here. You can pull up a thread that was written ten years ago and much of what was written is still relevant today, but things do change and not only do we want you to keep things updated, we encourage it. In exchange, the veteran members of the forum just want for you to put in some time to see if you are adding anything new to the discussion, or just "reinventing the wheel".
So, my intent today is to welcome new members with open arms. We all want the authentic living history hobby to survive and thrive, right? Of course we do. But as you start on your journey to authenticity, remember that you are standing on the shoulders of giants in this forum. We have eighteen years of collected knowledge from not just living historians, but in many cases, researchers and pioneers who have been doing this for literally decades. And instead of being offended by being told to "use the search function", you should see it as an open invitation to explore who the authentic movement is and where it came from. I promise. You won't be disappointed.
Over the years a mantra has developed that I feel needs further explanation. If you have frequented the AC for any period of time, you may have heard the phrase "Use the Search Function". This term has been coined by the more veteran members of the forums and for good reason. Allow me to explain.
The Authentic Campaigner has been around since 1999. During that period of time, we have accumulated quite an archive of knowledge here. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a topic that hasn't been covered at one time or another, and this is a good thing.
For our newer members, let me explain how this works. When you first start your journey on the path to authenticity, you are very excited to start posting. This is understandable. We have all been there. There is nothing like starting a new adventure. However, in your haste to add your two cents, you might not realize that the topic you are introducing may have been discussed extensively at some juncture. This is where our extensive archives come into play.
You see, our archives are still open. There are threads here that go back fifteen years or more. They are kept open so that as people pass through the hobby, each generation can add to what has come before it. Conversely, they can see the accumulated knowledge over the years and learn from those who have literally been there and done that. This is where the phrase "reinventing the wheel" is often invoked. As in, "We discussed this topic in 2005. No reason to reinvent the wheel".
One of the primary missions of the Authentic Campaigner is to act as an archive, or a library for you to peruse. It is open to all and if you want a little closer look, the "library card" is free and easy to acquire. Just register for the forums. In this library, there are rows upon rows of books, just waiting for avid readers. These "books" have been written by folks who have invested thousands of hours of research and travel to take living history to the next level. All of this is free for you and gladly offered to help you on your journey.
The cool part is that there are blank pages at the end of every "book" you read here. You can pull up a thread that was written ten years ago and much of what was written is still relevant today, but things do change and not only do we want you to keep things updated, we encourage it. In exchange, the veteran members of the forum just want for you to put in some time to see if you are adding anything new to the discussion, or just "reinventing the wheel".
So, my intent today is to welcome new members with open arms. We all want the authentic living history hobby to survive and thrive, right? Of course we do. But as you start on your journey to authenticity, remember that you are standing on the shoulders of giants in this forum. We have eighteen years of collected knowledge from not just living historians, but in many cases, researchers and pioneers who have been doing this for literally decades. And instead of being offended by being told to "use the search function", you should see it as an open invitation to explore who the authentic movement is and where it came from. I promise. You won't be disappointed.
Comment