Quote:
Originally Posted by Rebekah
I can understand your wanting to alert tut publishers to the fact that some people might prefer it if the supplies were listed in the tutorial...How about: I just purchased a few tutorials and love the information I received, but would like to offer a suggestion to the authors. Can you please specify in the ad which COE is to be used and if there are any specialty glass or tools that I need to make this piece?...
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I think Rebekah said it so well - back in the early replies to Birdy's post - and it is a fair point that was being made. I can give Birdy that much. Of course, recognizing that although Becky and Diane are long-time, skillful lampworkers and teachers, this
WAS their first published tutorial, so I think they would have been completely open (and probably thankful as well) to receive and consider positively proffered suggestions of how to improve tutorials published in the future. Now, maybe, we'll be lucky if they dare venture into this genre again!
Using words like "weirdo glass", "higher ethical standard" and "fair and honest disclosure" seem to cross the line, though, IMHO. When you start to call into question these things, you imply
intent; in other words, I simply can't believe that Becky and Diane went in with an intent to deceive, and I think these words were inflammatory and uncalled for!
Birdy~~~Don't get me wrong...I sympathize with your perspective, to some degree, and appreciate the part of what you're trying to convey is intended to help tutorial writers
help their customers. On the flip side, though, I think when you start injecting positive suggestions with negative and inflammatory words, the gloves come off and the point gets clouded in hurt and defensiveness.
Becky and Diane~~~I'm sure you are both hurt by some of what has been said here in this thread - and maybe even privately in PM. I hope that you will both find the strength within yourselves as well as with the support that is being shown you here - to dust yourselves off, stand tall and proud and know that the general lampworking community sincerely applauds and appreciates you and the true kind-spirited intentions behind so much good you do for us all!
I have an interesting point to throw out there, too: I purchased a tutorial recently where specific "secrets" and "tricks" (involving easily self-fabricated tools and glass treatments/colors) were at the core of tutorial itself! If it were to have been "revealed" or otherwise discussed on the front side, with pre-purchase revelations such as
"Tutorial purchaser requires *blank* products, available at Michael's or Hobby Lobby" or "Customer needs to prepare for this tutorial by fabricating *blank* tool, which can be accomplished using *blank* basic materials found in any lampworker's arsenal", that would have blown the entire reason for purchasing the tutorial in the first place.
With all this in mind, I think everyone should come away with some important lessons from this, and let go of the anger, hurt, defensiveness, etc. as best they can that has become fodder in this thread. Here's a few of my suggestions:
* Tutorial WRITERS should strongly consider doing the best they can to help prepare their buying customer to purchase, in advance, the bare necessities of what will be utilized in the tutorial to accomplish it step-by-step, all the while alerting them of the possibilities of "alternatives" that can be used. As we've seen, this is probably best accomplished by listing this information on their ad or promotion pages;
* Tutorial PURCHASERS should be sensible in their expectations - and if the above information isn't available at the time the Tutorial is announced and/or published, I think a potential purchaser should be obligated to make an inquiry of the WRITER to provide them with that information - BEFORE PURCHASING! As consumers, we should ask in advance of making a purchase so we can make an informed decision as to whether or not we want to proceed and purchase the particular Tutorial. In addition, we should keep in mind that not every little nuance, tip, technique and/or "secret" is going to be revealed to us PRIOR to purchase, as this would be defeatist of the Tutorial itself.
Just my humble opinions!
De